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Genesis
II (1973)
Gene
Roddenbery scripted TV movie directed by John Llewellen
Moxey is really a simple morality play about a NASA
scientist who undergoes suspended animation only to
be awakened in the year 2133. Of course, this is after
some sort of nuclear annihilation for Planet Earth so
society is basically, it would seem, dived into two
factions, one, the Pax, are rather primitive while the
other, the Tarillion, are seemingly more cultures, more
like an ancient Greek society. Of course, the end turns
all conceptions on their head.
The crux of the plot finds the man from the past (Alex
Cord) being volleyed back and forth between the two.
While he only deals minimally with the leaders of the
society, he finds his favor being courted by TV stalwart
Mariette Hartley, a Tarillion woman who has infiltrated
the Pax, and Ted Cassidy (Lurch from TV's "Addam's Family"),
a Pax warrior who comes from the group seemingly descended
from American Indians.
The plot plays out supposedly in what was once the American
southwest with Phoenix being mentioned. It is odd that
the NASA scientist, John, never once seems to wonder
if there is something more than this little skirmish
between these two factions to entice his mind. Also,
it is apparently actually 2133 A.D. So John has been
asleep 154 years. I thought it would be neat if he found
out that sometime down the line, that it was actually
2133 years after the nuclear war or something.
The story goes back and forth and has really very little
substance. This wouldn't really be of much interest
if it wasn't for the fact that it was a Roddenbery product.
It has his trademark secular humanist mores at it's
heart. In other words, it is easy to tell that this
was made by the same guy who brought us the original
moralistic plays that were the focus of the original
"Star Trek" series. The sets, props and costumes look
very much like the 70's idea of a post-nuclear future
as well. Very sci-fi.
In the film, one can also see the tubby guy who played
General Buckholtz in TV's "Hogan's Heroes" as well as
a few other TV character actors of the decade that one
recognizes but knows not the name.
(Review
written in 1997)
Report
Card
Script:
C+
Acting: C
Cinematography\Lighting: C
Special Effects\Make Up: D
Music:
C
Final
Grade: C
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