Zardoz

The film takes place in 2293. The civilization that oppresses the human being is represented in the image of a man-made paradise, separated from all other people - Vortex . Vortex is subordinate to the omnipotent computer created by people (allegory of God). People living in Vortex are immortal, they do not know diseases, dangers, worries and negative emotions. For misconduct, they are punished by aging for a certain number of years, and those who are considered permanently lost - renegades - are turned into decrepit old men who dream only of an unattainable death. However, the exemplary members of the chosen society are increasingly losing interest in life, falling into apathy . The creator of Vortex arranged it so that the current order could not be changed, even if people wanted it (later he himself was among the renegades).

Chaos reigns in the outside world, cities are in ruins, and humanity has degraded into brutals . There is a small group of exterminators who are “chosen” for reproduction, raping the women they desire and killing all the other people. Exterminators believe that such is the order of the deity Zardoz , which is him in the form of a flying ancient Greek mask. In fact, the mask is an apparatus controlled by Vortex member Arthur Frain ( ).

Once, a hidden person lures the exterminator Zed ( Sean Connery ) into the ruins of a book depository and teaches him the ABC. Zed eagerly begins to read, and thanks to the book “ The Wizard of Oz ” guesses that Zardoz is the same fake ruler as Goodwin (the name Zardoz comes from Wizard Oz ). The angry Zed makes his way to the aircraft and enters Vortex.

With some hesitation, the inhabitants of Vortex decide to save Zeda's life in order to explore it and use it in black jobs. The appearance of Zed makes them recall violence and carnal love, awakens Apathes to life, and renegades gives hope for death. Proponents of the existing order, led by Consuela ( Charlotte Rampling ) understand that Zed is creating confusion in the minds, and are trying to kill him. However, by doing so, they also lose their peace of mind, falling into anger. The crowd, led by Consuela, becomes uncontrollable, crushing everything in its path.

Researcher May ( ), studying Zeda, suddenly discovers that by his mental potential, he is far superior to the intellectual elite. Unhappy with Vortex’s order and frightened by the troubles, his inhabitants pass on to Zed all their knowledge in the hope of salvation. Zeda manages to defeat the computer, calm the crowd and stop the destruction. Renegades begin to die en masse. Arthur Frain, who appeared, says that such was his plan for release, he himself acted as a mysterious literacy teacher.

Zed brings the inhabitants of Vortex to the outside world. Here they are met by exterminators who kill everyone. The Vortexians themselves kneel down in front of the exterminators, begging for death. However, Zed and Consuela are hiding in a cave. In the final of the film, shots are shown, how they kiss, how their son is born and grows up, and the parents themselves, holding hands, gradually age and eventually turn into two skeletons.

The film was shot in Wicklow County (Ireland), and the opening shots of the film - the landscape of the Earth of the Future - were shot next to the house of director John Boorman in Ireland. At the time of signing the papers, the Irish government at first refused the director and producers to import the weapons necessary for filming the picture, due to the high terrorist activity at that time.

Initially, the role of Zed was to be played by the American Burt Reynolds , but this candidacy was rejected due to the illness of the actor.

The final shots of the picture, where the aged Zed and Consuela die and turn into skeletons, were shot three times in a row. The first time the film was damaged, the second time, the assistant director accidentally spotted the negatives. These delays were extremely annoying for actors who had to stay in makeup for quite some time.