The Hellstrom Chronicle

Infobox Film
name = The Hellstrom Chronicle
imdb_id = 0067197


caption = Promotional film poster
director = Ed Spiegel
Walon Green
starring = Lawrence Pressman
writer = David Seltzer
producer = David L. Wolper
music = Lalo Schifrin
cinematography = Helmuth Barth
Walon Green
Vilis Lapenieks
Ken Middleham
editing = John Soh
distributor = Cinema 5 Distributing
released = June 28, 1971
runtime = 90 min.
country = USA
language = English |

"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".

Plot summary

A fictitious scientist called Dr. Nils Hellstrom (played by Lawrence Pressman) 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, and other insects rarely seen before on film.

Awards

*1971 Academy Award for Documentary Feature
*1971 Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival
*1972 BAFTA Award - Best Documentary feature

External links

*imdb title|id=0067197|title=The Hellstrom Chronicle
* [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/22117/The-Hellstrom-Chronicle/overview New York Times review] (registration required)
* [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19710101/REVIEWS/101010312/1023 Chicago Suntimes review by Roger Ebert]

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Academy Award for Documentary Feature
years=1971
before="Woodstock"
after="Marjoe"