Slaughterhouse Five-1972

Director George Roy Hill

Starring Michael Sacks, Ron Leibman

Scott’s Review #84

Reviewed July 1, 2014

Grade: A-

Slaughterhouse-Five, adapted from the novel of the same name and made in 1972, is a dream-like visual experience through cinematic time.

The main character (Billie Pilgrim) is a World War II soldier who survives a horrific explosion during the war in one period of his life, and he, along with the viewer floats through time to relive, but not change, three other times in his life.

It is a first-person narrative.

As a senior, in the most engaging period, he is transported to a lavish outer space planet where he falls in love with a Goddess.

There is a certain anti-war sentiment to the film and is certainly cerebral, unique mesmerizing, and tough to explain, but it is dreamy and clever and, after 30-plus years, is surprisingly fresh, therefore it should be experienced.

It is a science-fiction type of film.

My favorite scene is the humorous, yet tragic runaway Cadillac scene.