The Hellstrom Chronicle
Encyclopedia
The Hellstrom Chronicle is an American film released in 1971 which combines elements of documentary
and science fiction
to present a gripping depiction of the Darwinian struggle for survival between humans and insects. It was conceived and produced by David L. Wolper
, directed by Walon Green
and written by David Seltzer
, who earned a Writers Guild of America
Award nomination for his screenplay.
Several cinematographers photographed this film using stop-motion photography with microscopic and telescopic lenses. The trailer
resembled an announcement for a science fiction movie. The film provided the inspiration for Frank Herbert
's science fiction novel Hellstrom's Hive
.
) guides viewers throughout the film. He claims, on the basis of scientific-sounding theories, that insects will ultimately win the fight for survival on planet Earth because of their adaptability and ability to reproduce rapidly, and that the human race will lose this fight largely because of excessive individualism. The film combines short clips from horror
and science fiction movies with extraordinary camera sequences of butterflies, locusts, wasps, termites, ants, mayflies, other insects rarely seen before on film and insectivorous plants/insects.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
and science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
to present a gripping depiction of the Darwinian struggle for survival between humans and insects. It was conceived and produced by David L. Wolper
David L. Wolper
David Lloyd Wolper was an American television and film producer, responsible for shows such as Roots, The Thorn Birds, North & South, L.A. Confidential, and the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory...
, directed by Walon Green
Walon Green
Walon Green is an American documentary film director and screenwriter for both TV and films. He is currently the showrunner/executive producer for the USA Network television series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Career:...
and written by David Seltzer
David Seltzer
David Seltzer is an American screenwriter, producer and director, perhaps best known for writing The Omen , and Bird on a Wire , starring Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn...
, who earned a Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America
The Writers Guild of America is a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different US labor unions:* The Writers Guild of America, East , representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi....
Award nomination for his screenplay.
Several cinematographers photographed this film using stop-motion photography with microscopic and telescopic lenses. The trailer
Trailer (film)
A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
resembled an announcement for a science fiction movie. The film provided the inspiration for Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert
Franklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
's science fiction novel Hellstrom's Hive
Hellstrom's Hive
Hellstrom's Hive is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert. It is about a secret group of humans who model their lives upon social insects, and the unsettling events that unfold after they are discovered by a deeply undercover agency of the US government.-Inspiration:David L...
.
Plot summary
A fictitious scientist called Dr. Nils Hellstrom (played by Lawrence PressmanLawrence Pressman
David M. Pressman, Senior is an American actor, probably best known for roles on Doogie Howser, M.D., Ladies Man, a recurring role on Profiler, the titular character on Mulligan's Stew and as a fictional scientist in the 1971 film The Hellstrom Chronicle.His first role was on the soap opera The...
) guides viewers throughout the film. He claims, on the basis of scientific-sounding theories, that insects will ultimately win the fight for survival on planet Earth because of their adaptability and ability to reproduce rapidly, and that the human race will lose this fight largely because of excessive individualism. The film combines short clips from horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
and science fiction movies with extraordinary camera sequences of butterflies, locusts, wasps, termites, ants, mayflies, other insects rarely seen before on film and insectivorous plants/insects.
Awards
- 1971 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature
- 1971 Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival1971 Cannes Film Festival- Jury :*Michèle Morgan *Pierre Billard *Michael Birkett *Anselmo Duarte *István Gaál *Sergio Leone *Aleksandar Petrović *Maurice Rheims *Erich Segal...
- 1972 BAFTA Award - Best Documentary feature
External links
- New York Times review (registration required)
- Chicago Sun-Times review by Roger Ebert