The Hellstrom Chronicle
1971 film by Walon Green
title: "The Hellstrom Chronicle" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1971-films", "best-documentary-feature-academy-award-winners", "american-documentary-films", "american-satirical-films", "documentary-films-about-insects", "1971-documentary-films", "films-directed-by-walon-green", "films-with-screenplays-by-david-seltzer", "the-wolper-organization-films", "films-scored-by-lalo-schifrin", "1970s-english-language-films", "1971-american-films", "films-produced-by-walon-green", "english-language-documentary-films"] description: "1971 film by Walon Green" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hellstrom_Chronicle" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1971 film by Walon Green ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | The Hellstrom Chronicle |
| image | Hellstrom chronicle.jpg |
| caption | Promotional film poster |
| director | Ed Spiegel |
| Walon Green | |
| starring | Lawrence Pressman |
| writer | David Seltzer |
| producer | David L. Wolper (executive producer) |
| Walon Green | |
| music | Lalo Schifrin |
| cinematography | Helmuth Barth |
| Walon Green | |
| Vilis Lapenieks | |
| Ken Middleham | |
| editing | John Soh |
| studio | Wolper Pictures |
| distributor | Cinema 5 Distributing |
| released | |
| runtime | 90 minutes |
| country | United States |
| gross | $1.5 million |
| language | English |
| :: |
| name = The Hellstrom Chronicle | image = Hellstrom chronicle.jpg | caption = Promotional film poster | director = Ed Spiegel Walon Green | starring = Lawrence Pressman | writer = David Seltzer | producer = David L. Wolper (executive producer) Walon Green | music = Lalo Schifrin | cinematography = Helmuth Barth Walon Green Vilis Lapenieks Ken Middleham | editing = John Soh | studio = Wolper Pictures | distributor = Cinema 5 Distributing | released = | runtime = 90 minutes | country = United States |gross=$1.5 million | language = English The Hellstrom Chronicle is an American film released in 1971 which combines elements of documentary, horror and apocalyptic prophecy to present a satirical depiction of the struggle for survival between humans and insects. It won both the 1972 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and BAFTA Award for Best Documentary. 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.
Plot
Fictional scientist Dr. Nils Hellstrom guides viewers throughout the film. He claims, on the basis of scientific-sounding theories, that insects will ultimately win the fight for survival on Earth because of their adaptability and ability to reproduce rapidly and that the human race will lose the 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.
Cast
- Lawrence Pressman - Dr. Nils Hellstrom
Production
Technical advisers Roy Snelling and Charles Hogue were entomologists at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 75% score based on reviews from 8 critics.
Green later called it "almost yellow-journally but good. We were giving the audience an elbow to the ribs every third line."
Awards
Home video
The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray January 10, 2012 from Olive Films.
References
References
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jFeP925vbo Documentary Winners: 1972 Oscars]
- Donahue, Suzanne Mary. (1987). "American film distribution : the changing marketplace". UMI Research Press.
- [https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-hellstrom-chronicle/Film?oid=1057645 Chicago Reader]
- [https://www.spectacletheater.com/the-hellstrom-chronicle/ Spectacle Theater]
- [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-hellstrom-chronicle-v22117 AllMovie]
- "The Hellstrom Chronicle (1971)".
- "Swarming the Field: Bugs, Nazis, and The Hellstrom Chronicle". Grantland.
- "Glenn Erickson: The Hellstrom Chronicle". Turner Classic Movies.
- [https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1972 1972. Oscars.org]
- [https://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s3766chro.html DVD Savant Review]
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