Top Ten Films featuring Libraries, Librarians and the Book Arts
Compiled by Steven J. Schmidt
IUPUI University Library

Soylent Green (MGM, 1973) Rated: PG

Director: Richard Fleischer.
Screenplay: Stanley R. Greenberg, based on the novel by Harry Harrison.
Cast: Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotton, Brock Peters, Edward G. Robinson, Whit Bissell, Dick Van Patten.

Storyline: In the year 2022, the world has become severely overpopulated, suffering in the heat of humanity and the greenhouse effect. By law, everyone must live in the cities and suffer from the lack of natural food. A cup of strawberries cost $150, so most eat an artificial food known as Soylent Green. When Police Detective Thorn (Heaston) investigates a strange murder case involving an official from the Soylent Corporation he uncovers the chilling source of the product.

Library focus: In this bleak version of the future, librarians rule the world because they are the only ones who have information or know how to get it. Given the way the world has turned out in this vision of the future, this may not be a compliment to our profession. A dark film, but an interesting spin on the information explosion. It is interesting to remember that this ruling council of librarians was envisioned long before computers and the information explosion.

Image copyright of Internet Movie Database.

Back to Top Ten Films featuring Libraries, Librarians and the Book Arts