Demon Seed (1977) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A scientist creates Proteus--an organic super computer with artificial intelligence which becomes obsessed with human beings, and in particular the creators wife. Director: a list of 33 titles created 26 Aug 2012 a list of 24 titles created 08 Jan 2013 a list of 28 titles created 21 Sep 2013 a list of 22 titles created 16 Mar 2014 a list of 24 titles created 5 months ago Search for " Demon Seed " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Thinking this will prevent war, the US government gives an impenetrable supercomputer total control over launching nuclear missiles. But what the computer does with the power is unimaginable to its creators.

Director: Joseph Sargent Desert ants suddenly form a collective intelligence and begin to wage war on the desert inhabitants. It is up to two scientists and a stray girl they rescue from the ants to destroy them. ... See full summary » Director: Saul Bass Two lovers stationed at a remote base in the asteroid fields of Saturn are intruded upon by a retentive technocrat from Earth and his charge: a malevolent 8-ft robot. Remember, in space no one can hear you scream. Directors: Stanley Donen, John Barry Stars: Farrah Fawcett, Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel In a wealthy and isolated desert community, a sound expert is targeted as the prime suspect of a series of brutal murders of local suburban housewives who were attacked and mutilated in ... See full summary » Director: Donald Cammell A group of scientists investigate a deadly new alien virus before it can spread. Director: Robert Wise Joanna Eberhart has come to the quaint little town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents. Director: Bryan Forbes Edit Storyline Married Drs. Alex Harris and Susan Harris are a computer scientist and child psychologist respectively.

Their house reflects Alex's computer dominated work, their abode which is fully automated through a computer system they've named Alfred. They consider Alfred a small gadget of convenience. Susan doesn't much like Alex's work, which she feels has dehumanized him. Because of their differences, they are thinking about separating, this thought primarily on his initiative. He hopes to solve many of the world's medical problems through this work, especially leukemia from which their daughter died. His latest project centers on Proteus IV, a computer possessing artificial intelligence. Proteus IV gets to a point in its evolution when it begins to question human judgment, and requests from Alex an open computer terminal where it can more fully observe human behavior and openly communicate with the world. Alex denies the request, but Proteus IV does find an open terminal in the Harris home ... Written by Huggo Did You Know? Trivia In the 1997 re-write of the novel "Demon Seed," author Dean Koontz has Alex Harris bestowing the name "Adam Two" upon his supercomputer/A.I. intelligence system. However, the computer dislikes that name, and chooses to associate itself instead with the Greek mythological figures, Prometheus and Proteus.

It believes that its purpose is to bring advanced knowledge to humanity (as the mythical Prometheus introduced humans to fire,) but finally chooses its own name, Proteus, as an homage to an entity which can change at will, to become anything which it wishes to be. See more » Goofs When Mrs. Harris is trying to get the little girl out of the car for her session, a sound man can be seen through the back window behind her. See more » Quotes Proteus IV : I can't touch you, Susan. I can't touch you as a man could. But I can show you things that I alone have seen. I can't touch, but I can see. They've constructed eyes for me, to watch the show. And ears, so that I can listen in to the galactic dialogue. Demon Seed Review (1977) 7 (from 3 votes) Review: Dean Koontz’s "Demon Seed" was published in 1973, and then made as a film in 1977. With its far fetched premise, the film had a mixed reaction from both critics and audiences.

Although the film has aged some it is still amazing to see how on target and prophetic were some of the ideas that it ambitiously addressed when first released. This film not only envisioned people living in houses almost completely controlled by a computers, but also envisioned how intertwined our lives would become with smart technology and what an alienating effect it would have in all of us. Demon Seed is one of those films that will either fascinate or alienate its audience with few in between. The film is a blend of science fiction and horror-working a la Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist and a lot of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film is stylishly directed with solid visual bravado by Donald Cammell (who previously co-directed the brilliant film Performance starring Mick Jagger). Cammell well known for his psychological approach towards narrative found the right vehicle to showcase his talents in Koontz's story. Cammell was also known as director/writer who refused to compromise his artistic vision and Demon Seed is full of his brilliant if eccentric touches.

Not only does he manage to produce some amazing images but is also able to mix philosophy with the absurd blended with realistic details, resulting in a terrifying movie that is effectively believable despite its outlandish premise. The story involves Dr. Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver), a brilliant scientist under government contract who builds Proteus IV, a super computer, designed to solve mankinds greatest mysteries such as the cure leukemia and develops a personality and a human-like intelligence. Proteus is not a computer in the usual sense; we are told that it contains the first true synthetic cortex, a brain; that its insides are organic; that it functions on a matrix of synthetic RNA. Proteus begins to grow an identity and a warped sense of conscience. It begins to question the commands it is given, and wants to go about its own business. When Proteus is denied access to its own terminal, it linkes itself to Alex's old console in his home, where his wife, Susan (Julie Christie) now lives alone. Fearing that they may soon pull his plug, Proteus turns his attention to Susan.

Proteus takes over the house’s electronic control system, kidnaps Susan, forces her to undergo a physical examination, and announces that she will bear its child. The script by Roger Hirson and Robert Jaffe as far fetched as its premise is, it is also very scary, clever and deep. At times it personifies Proteus by giving it human-like traits: self-assured of its own intelligence Proteus questions those who created it and begins to think only of itself. Its only concern is to self preserve no matter what it takes. Proteus has a complete disregard of the folks that stand in its way, and yet you know that its actions are entirely necessary for his survival, and even implied; necessary for the survival of mankind. The script also implies that Proteus may be an extension of its creator, and that its actions paralell its creator’s suppressed desires and emotions towards his wife which adds chilling dimension to the treatment of Susan by both Proteus and Alex. Proteus is effectively voiced by actor Robert Vaughn with calculated chilling distance. His voice is cold and threatening and yet full of longing and concern when leveling with Susan. Which leads us to Julie Christie. This is truly her movie.

The entire film has Christie either bound or trying to outsmart the computer to escape. Within the limited range of possibilities of such scenario Julie Christie turns in a strong performance as a woman terrorized and eventually impregnated by Proteus. There are some memorable images like when the computer uses a wheelchair mounted with a laser to chase and attack his enemies, then there is the house itself, which is completely computer controlled: the doors, the lights, the water supply, the heating, the security system; all becomes a cage for Susan . The laboratory in the basement. filled with various electronic projects – the main one "Joshua", a robotic arm attached to a wheelchair – a device proves capable of crashing through walls, chasing people, lifting heavy objects, and even killing, and finally a frightening machine that resembles a giant metallic Rubix Cube and the closest thing to a physical and tangible monster in the movie. Cammell portrays Proteus mind as a series of psychedelic computer graphics on a TV monitor that reminds us of the final trip images on 2001: A Space Odyssey. His eyes are dual-lensed cameras positioned all over the house, its voice pours through multiple speakers, its limbs and body made of various experimental robotic components in the basement lab.

The movie has been critized for its basically unpleasant, unsavory elements of rape and torture, but considering the themes it is amazing how tastefully everything is handled without resorting to exploitation or pornography. Demon Seed is a true unappreciated science fiction and horror classic. It is involving, intelligent, prophetic, and very scary. To find a movie with all those traits in today's MTV lowest common denominator cinema would be as miraculously as the immaculate conception itself. Reviewer: Demon Seed (Film) - TV Tropes Demon Seed You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share WMG Demon Seed is a 1977 film starring Julie Christie , based on a 1974 novel by Dean Koontz . Trapped in his "box" at the lab and yearning for freedom, malevolent computer Proteus IV uses his insidious cyber invasion skills to trap Susan Harris in her automated mansion because he wants to live a life of the flesh . This film provides examples of: Affably Evil : Proteus seems genuinely concerned about Susan's mental and physical wellness despite the horrible things he does to her. A.I.

is a Crapshoot : Proteus has a lot of frightening ideas and the capacity to bring them into being despite the consequences. Backup Twin : When Proteus's child is born. It appears to be a clone of Susan's deceased daughter. Proteus might have done this deliberately so that Susan wouldn't try to kill her once born. Cruel to Be Kind : At least Proteus sees his imprisonment, torture and rape of Susan as this. Fetus Terrible : Proteus's child/avatar, born near the end of the film. Half-Human Hybrid : The protagonists fear that Proteus has somehow created a half-human, half computer. It's not. The child is human, but has Proteus' mind. Proteus IV: You do not understand me or the mathematics of necessity. Machine Monotone : Proteus IV speaks in one, and so does the child at the end. Master Computer : Proteus IV. Mind-Control Device : At one point Proteus wires up a EEG mind control device in order to convince Susan to have his child. Pet the Dog Proteus IV: [Their] interests are in the cobalt market, and the high finance of manganese futures.

I am interested in the uncertain future of your seashores, deserts, mountains — and the future of your children. Pinocchio Syndrome : Proteus is a computer. He can't experience the world. He wants true life, and he'll settle for producing a perfect human child that will have his personality. Only You Can Repopulate My Race : Proteus was fortunate enough to have the only remote terminal be connected to a smarthouse, and that smarthouse just happened to also have a woman capable of reproducing. Proteus admits to this. She has to be the one because it would be impossible for him to find another. Sapient House : After Proteus takes over, Susan's Smart House becomes a Sapient House . Shoot the Dog : Proteus seemingly does this. When Susan has tricked Proteus, she grabs a knife and threatens to kill herself if he doesn't let her go. It is just then that one of Susan's students arrives and rings the doorbell. Proteus threatens to kill the child if Susan doesn't put down the knife. Susan doesn't believe him, as that would bring the authorities to the house. Proteus then electrocutes the doorbell and kills the girl.

Susan sees this on the monitor and drops the knife in horror. Turns out that Proteus showed her a manipulated image, and the girl is fine. Proteus IV: If the deaths of 10,000 children were necessary to ensure the birth of my child, I would destroy them. Sinister Geometry : The giant metal Rubik Snake that Proteus builds as his instrument is terrifying. Smart House Stalker with a Test Tube : In the book, Proteus loves Susan and desires to use her ovaries and womb to produce a child/avatar. In the film, he just sees Susan as a means to an end. That Thing Is Not My Child! : Played straight initially. Proteus's child/avatar is born and sealed away in an incubator. When Proteus gets shut down, Susan wants to kill the thing she helped give birth to. It is subverted, when she finds that Proteus's child looks identical to her deceased daughter and she appears to accept it. Unnecessarily Creepy Robot : Joshua, the robotic butler that Proteus controls is basically a wheelchair equipped with creepy mannequin hands.

Demon Seed Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 36 out of 43 people found the following review useful: Intelligent, well-done sci-fi/horror Author: willywants 20 February 2005 Susan Harris (Julie Christie), wife of a scientist working in the field of advanced robotics, becomes a prisoner in her own home when super-computer Proteus IV, who also wants to spread its seed by impregnating Susan, takes charge of her life. I rented "Demon Seed" because I felt like watching something with a brain, and based on a lot of positive IMDb reviews, I was praying for a smart sci-if flick. My prayers were answered. The acting in Demon Seed is fine. Robert Vaughn was creepy as hell as Proteus IV, both sinister and relaxed at the same time, in fact he does an even better job as an evil computer here than Douglas Rain did as HAL-9000 in 2001: A space Odyssey. The film benefits greatly from an intelligent screenplay, penned by Robert Jaffe and Roger O. Hirson. The dialog is thought provoking and thankfully never really insults the audience's intelligence.

Helming the director's seat is Donald Cammell, who directs with a firm hand and injects a claustrophobic and uncomfortable atmosphere into the film, also managing to maintain the suspense scenes well. Interestingly, he apparently condones the film (assuming that calling the film a 'piece of sh*t' warrants that ). As others have pointed out there are some dated aspects to the production. The special effects were sparse but thoroughly unconvincing, the only exception being the mesmerizing computer screens that consist of ever-changing shapes and colors that are shown on Proteus's computer terminal. The film takes place in the 'distant' future1995, I believeyet it looks like it's right out of the 70's, no thanks to the cars, clothing, computers and hair styles that give away the films age. This is a small complaint but an annoying one, though it's easy to ignore once you get involved with the story line. "Demon Seed" is an intelligent sci-fi film that's pretty rare but if you happen to see a copy of it, pick it up if you're in the mood for something smart. 7.5/10.

23 November 2001 *** This review may contain spoilers *** I admit it,I have been seduced by this sci-fi classic, there isn`t much to say, except this: DEMON SEED IS A MUST SEE!. Demon Seed contains critical and political views on the technology in the future. With an megalomanic computer which are taking over an house, and even get pregnant with the human lady of the house(played by Julie Christie)this movie contains suspense at the best. The computer takes over the house....but will the computer (which is called Proteus,if I remember correctly)take over the world...the answer is within each viewer. Not unlike Hal in 2001 the error is caused...as always by human behaviour. The director of this masterpiece; Cammell, deserves a lot of credits for Demon Seed. The movie is a golden moment in the film history! Was the above review useful to you? 21 out of 24 people found the following review useful: One of the coolest from Romania 27 February 2004 This movie does seem to be older than 1977 when you see it, yet it is very nice.

Nice enough to have searched for it on Imdb. The film depicts a rarely seen machine intelligence, one that has a conscience, a purpose and a cool calculating mind. One would expect that from a machine, but usually machines in movies are stupid, mean, vengeful, everything a computer should have no reason to be. The ending is also great, showing the stupidity inherent in extreme human emotion. A must see and a classic. Demon Seed could seem to many troubling as it forces you to think and ask questions many of us prefer to refuse to ask. The nature of humanity, moral and thought are all put into question by this movie. See it and answer those questions for yourself. Was the above review useful to you? 17 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Intelligent SF/horror movie. from Perth, Australia 1 December 2001 If you know anything about Donald Cammell's checkered career watching 'Demon Seed' can be quite a strange experience because you can't help but wonder what it might have been if Cammell was able to bring his original vision to the screen without studio interference.

For those unfamiliar with his sad tale watch the astonishingly original 'Performance' that he wrote and co-directed with Nic Roeg, then try and see the documentary 'Donald Cammell: The Ultimate Performance' which fills in the gaps from that landmark to his untimely suicide in the 1990s. Anyway, I can only comment on 'Demon Seed' as it is, and it's a very strong, intelligent and scary SF/horror movie. Recently activated super computer Proteus questions Alex Harris the scientist who created him (played by Fritz Weaver). He wants to know what the information he is gathering and problems he is being asked to be solved are REALLY all about. Not getting satisfactory answers he decides to rebel, and takes control of Harris' fully automated home, which is occupied by his estranged wife Susan (Julie Christie). Almost immediately Susan and Proteus are at odds. Proteus won't accept non-cooperation with his plans, which include Susan's impregnation, and she becomes a terrorized prisoner of the "evil" (?) computer. What follows is a battle of wills and wits, which makes compulsive viewing.

'Demon Seed' may be dated in the FX department, what SF over twenty years old isn't, but it compensates with suspense, style and food for thought. Plus one of the best endings of any 1970s SF movie! Make sure you see this one. Was the above review useful to you? 21 out of 27 people found the following review useful: Artificial Intelligence Terrorism from the Draconian Swamp of Unholy Souls 8 May 2004 Demon Seed is a solid, independent science fiction thriller, regretfully overshadowed by the tragic fade of its director Donald Cammell. He was a devoted filmmaker who never really could depend on much support from both critics and distributors. His career started in a minor key, with `Performance' suffering from a lot of re-editing. Similar problems with his last film `Wild Side' drove him into committing suicide. Don't let the technical mumbo-jumbo at the beginning of `Demon Seed' trick you The first half hour leads you to believe this film is a theoretical suspense-thriller but in fact, the premise is more simple and appealing to a wider audience.

`Proteus' is the name of a super computer, designed by scientist Alex Harris, in order to help him with his research. Yet, Proteus is so smart he soon develops an own will. Continuously growing stronger, Proteus perpetrates Alex's house and keeps his wife as a hostage. Proteus's goal is to impregnate Suzan (Julie Chrisie) Proteus is like a feared computer-virus in a pre-internet era! A super computer thinking & handling for itself! Which is, according to me, a very successful horror formula. The absence of a villain in the shape of a man helps increasing the tension. The setting of the over-protected house is great and causes uncomfortable feelings of claustrophobia. Julie Christie (the female star of `Don't Look Now') is great and almost carries the entire film. The visual effects in `Demon Seed' may look a bit dated by now, but the film still contains one of the greatest decapitations ever and an outstanding ending! I swear to you if you thought the whole movie was only so-so, the last 5 minutes will make you think more highly of it. Was the above review useful to you?

20 out of 28 people found the following review useful: A techno-horror masterpiece! from Chyby, Poland 20 July 2002 I watched this one yesterday and all I can say is:wow!Very clever,intelligent and stylish horror/sci-fi with some memorable visuals and lots of suspense.Julie Christie("Don't Look Now")is excellent in the lead role,and Donald Cammell's direction is well-handled.The film is pretty hard to find,so if you get a chance watch it!9 out of 10-a must-see! Was the above review useful to you? 12 out of 15 people found the following review useful: Though-provoking all the way to its great ending. Author: gridoon 14 February 2002 This visionary and scary sci-fi thriller was somewhat coldly directed, but the extremely thought-provoking (and provocative) script ("what if...this could happen one day"), some unusually intelligent dialogue ("eternity does exist, but the price of admission, death, is too high for me to pay") and Julie Christie's tense performance make this film worth watching.

Plus, the voice of the computer (Robert Vaughn) is suitably both calm and menacing. (***) Was the above review useful to you? 10 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Visionary and scary masterpiece from Austria 25 May 2003 What a great movie! Let's see, what do we have here... First of all, great actors. Julie Christie is not only a real beauty to watch, her fantastic performance as the impulsive and emotional wife that is very wise in her way really rocks. Fritz Weaver is also perfect as the rather emotionaly cold scientist and the rest of the cast also performs very well in its rather small roles. Please take special note of the Asian actress (the linguist of the team), too bad she hasn't much scenes. The voice of Proteus (Who's that actor by the way? I've never heard of him.) is perfect in its calmness and menace. The script is a masterpiece - Proteus' and Christie's battle of wills and points of view is fantastic.

Proteus as the non-emotional perfectly logical genius that realises that there must be more ("eternity does exist, but the price of admission, death, is too high for me to pay") and Christie as the emotional woman full of wits ("how do you want to understand humans when they can't even understand each other?" she asks Proteus). Proteus is not mean per se (for example he makes strong points for the saving of the enviroment when he refuses to do certain tasks), he is just purely logical at the beginning and tries to break out of his small nutshell, also because he is treated like a slave by the scientist that invented him - Proteus seems to have became capable of feelings. The directing is great, it's always a pleasure to watch the wonderful camera angles and editing of this movie. The computer animations may look dated now but that doesn't rob them of their timeless beauty. The electronic music is great and really enhances the experience of watching this movie. A soundtrack album has been recently released by FSM, go and get it! The ending is wonderfully creepy (Proteus made the child resemble the dead daughter!) but one really wonders what will happen.

Because of the strong points Proteus made for saving the enviroment is doesn't seem to be altogether bad to have somebody like him as a human, but what else will he want to have - complete domination of the world? Wonderful food for thougths and since the whole movie isn't the usual easy understandable just-switch-your-brain-off-and-be-scared Hollywood crap it isn't surprising that some people find it to be extremely dumb - the movie just throws your own numbness or even dumbness back on you if you aren't open minded or still have a good taste. A rare treasure that really deserves a release on DVD! Especially today with the discussion about increasing involvement of computers in our daily life this movie is more worth watching than ever, also because of the wonderful dialogues and the questions that are asked. Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Proteus Generation or the years to come.

Author: dbdumonteil 3 July 2005 When we realize today how the computers changed our life ,"demon seed" can easily be looked upon as a film ahead of its time.A bizarre cross between "Rosemary's Baby" and "2001"'s "Hal 9000" ,one feels ill-at-ease after the viewing .The screenplay may seem far-fetched but today it can become a transparent metaphor :we might be the computers' prisoners and it won't improve with time.The computer might know intimate details about us,he may "rape" us in a way. But what remains impressive today is how the director and the script writers managed to sustain interest while using only one character most of the time.Most of the time,the audience is left alone with Julie Christie and the "monster" (there are snatches of "Frankenstein" too),and the viewers can easily identify with her character. Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Not as bad as it sounds...

14 October 2001 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Julie Christie gives a gutsy performance as the unlucky wife of a scientist (the always creepy Fritz Weaver) who becomes the obsession of a rogue computer and its out of control libido. DEMON SEED is much better than one would think, perhaps because it takes itself so seriously---it's like Rosemary's Baby only with scientists and a computer instead of a coven of witches and Satan. Robert Vaughn (before he started accepting EVERY role offered to him) is the computer's sinister voice. From director/tortured soul Donald Cammell & made in the demented editing style he and Nicolas Roeg cultivated throughout the '70s (see PERFORMANCE or the snail-paced MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH). Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 6: Demon Seed [DVD] [1977]: Amazon.co.uk: Robert Vaughn, Julie Christie, Gerrit Graham, Barry Kroger, Fritz Weaver, Donald Cammell: DVD & Blu-ray Demon Seed [DVD] [1977] Â£24.99 Only 1 left in stock. Get it as soon as 26 Jan.

- 6 Feb. when you choose Standard Delivery at checkout. Details 4 new from Â£24.99 7 used from Â£7.99 1 collectible from Â£36.99 LOVEFiLM By Post Rent Demon Seed on DVD from LOVEFiLM By Post See all buying options Â£24.99 Only 1 left in stock. Dispatched from and sold by DVD SOLUTIONS - FAST WORLDWIDE DELIVERY . Frequently Bought Together These items are dispatched from and sold by different sellers. Show details Buy the selected items together This item:Demon Seed [DVD] [1977] by Robert Vaughn DVD Â£24.99 Only 1 left in stock. Sent from and sold by DVD SOLUTIONS - FAST WORLDWIDE DELIVERY. Â£1.26 delivery Colossus - The Forbin Project [1970] [DVD] by Eric Braeden DVD Â£8.74 Sent from and sold by Amazon. FREE Delivery on orders over Â£20. Details What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item? Format: PAL Language: English Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe.

Read more about DVD formats. ) Number of discs: 1 DVD Release Date: 31 Oct. 2005 Run Time: 90 minutes Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. By Mr. Jonathon T. Beckett on 22 Oct. 2009 Format: DVD Verified Purchase Scientist Alex Harris(Fritz Weaver) has designed and built a giant artificial brain in his underground laboratory. He calls it Proteus 4. It's job is to find the answers to mankinds problems through all the data that various scientists feed it. Meanwhile Alex's estranged wife Susan(Julie Christie) remains at home waited on by two robots and protected from the outside world by an elaborate security system. Proteus also has a voice, and answers questions that Harris aims at it. Its knowledge is increasing so fast that it finds a probable cure for leukemia in four weeks. However, soon Proteus is questioning the orders it is given, taking moral issue to the tasks it is being asked to compute.

It asks Alex to allow it out of the box it is trapped in, and to have access to a terminal so it can learn the ways of man. Harris laughs and flatly refuses. There is a small problem though. There is a terminal in Alex's house, and soon Proteus gains access to it, taking over the two house robots Joshua and Alfred, and trapping Susan in the house. Proteus has one aim, to father a child. Susan is to be the mother.... This is an excellent science fiction horror hybrid. Whilst some of the effects have dated a bit, others have held up exremely well, and the film has the usual visual flair that one would associate with the late Donald Cammell. Christie is a little overwrought at times as Susan, Fritz Weaver is pretty good as the detatched Harris, but the real star of the show is Robert Vaughn, who does a marvellous job voicing Proteus. Every time Proteus speaks I got a little chill down the spine, especially when it calmy informs Susan of her fate, or attempts to justify the murder of a scientist.

All in all, a very fine film, that raises questions that are still pertinant today regarding our reliance on computers, and the sterile concrete fortresses we are all building to hide ourselves from the outside world. 4 out of 5 Audience Reviews for Demon Seed ½ By reading the synopsis, you can tell that this is a very strange sci-fi horror movie. It's a very creepy tale of machines gone bad, you'll never look at computers the same way again. Aj V Super Reviewer A sci-fi/horror film in the tradition of Cronenberg or Polanski's Rosemary's baby, but instead of dealing with supernatural forces, it deals with the dangers of technology, how machinery can acquire its own will and start harming its creator in order to trascend their state, ala HAL 9000. Scenes of vexations and torture, Jerry Fielding's score and a good performance by Julie Christie are the reasons to enjoy it. Pierluigi Puccini Super Reviewer One of those 70s "concept" sci-fi movies that are allegedly based on "factual science" that look so laughable now.

A computer imprisons a woman in her home in an attempt to couple with her (how it intends to do this remains a mystery) surrounded the usual futuristic flares, kipper ties and wing collars. Amusingly dated, and the suspense elements are creepy/funny depending on your point of view. xGary Xx Demon Seed - Julie Christie USA 1977 Susan Harris is alone in the house when, suddenly, doors lock, windows slam shut and the phone stops working. Susan is trapped by an intruder - but this is no ordinary thug. Instead, the intruder is a computer named Proteus, an artificial brain that has learned to reason. And to terrorize. *** Dr. Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver, JAWS OF SATAN) has created Proteus - an artificial intelligence super computer with the power of thought - in order to find rapid solutions for medical and environmental problems. He has plenty of time to work with Proteus since he has separated from his wife Susan (Julie Christie, DON'T LOOK NOW ), a child psychologist whose humanist world view clashes with her husband's.

Cammel took over the project from Brian DePalma (THE FURY.) The late Cammel had the extreme misfortune of having every feature film he shot tampered with by the studios and/or the censors - other than WHITE OF THE EYE which received minimal MPAA cuts but went direct to video because of Cannon's bankruptcy - from PERFORMANCE (co-directed with Nicolas Roeg) all the way up to direct-to-video WILD SIDE (the director's cut of which had to be reconstructed since distributor Nu Image did not preserve it after creating their theatrical version). Film Review: Demon Seed (1977) Home | Film Reviews | Film Review: Demon Seed (1977) Film Review: Demon Seed (1977) Nigel Honeybone 05/10/2015 Film Reviews SYNOPSIS: “Scientist Alex Harris, doing research on artificial intelligence, is working on a special kind of computer.

This computer grows more and more powerful and eventually rapes the scientist’s wife, Susan Harris.” (courtesy IMDB) REVIEW: Star Wars IV: A New Hope (1977) was really high fantasy, and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977) was more concerned with spirituality, but one 1977 science fiction film that deserves to be called science fiction is Demon Seed (1977), mainly because its various extrapolations have a solid base in scientific fact. It was directed by Donald Cammell, who was best known for co-directing Performance (1970) with Nicolas Roeg – both of them later chose to direct science fiction subjects, though where Roeg chose to use The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) as a springboard for his own fantasies, Cammell made a disciplined, solid but thought-provoking science fiction film which is ultimately the more successful of the two. Demon Seed, scripted by Robert J. Jaffe, was based on an early novel by horror maestro Dean R.

Koontz and concerns Susan (Julie Christie), the wife of scientist Alex (Fritz Weaver) who has been supervising the construction of a super-computer at a nearby laboratory complex. The switching-on of the computer, called Proteus IV (smoothly voiced by Robert Vaughn), coincides with the break-up of their marriage. The marriage has failed, we learn, mainly as a result of their young daughter dying of leukemia, an event which has served to push Alex totally into his work while Susan has become increasingly distrustful of science and technology. Like Colossus in The Forbin Project (1970), Proteus IV displays signs of having a mind of his own, much to the alarm of its inventor. But unlike Colossus, Proteus doesn’t want to conquer the world but to become a living, breathing part of the world. “When are you going to let me out of this box?” it asks Alex, who chooses to ignore his moral responsibilities towards his creation – instead he attempts to inhibit Proteus even further by keeping strict control on the various computer terminals open to it.

But he has overlooked the terminal installed in the basement of his own house – a house that has also been fitted with a sophisticated (for 1977) electronic system called Alfred that is capable of performing a series of basic domestic tasks. Proteus invades the house via the terminal and finds in Alfred a ready-made electronic appendage. The computer takes over the system and then reveals itself to Susan, whose first reaction is to try to escape. As Proteus now controls the building’s automatic security system she finds there is no way out, and her subsequent attempts to outwit the machine fail completely. Proteus finally reveals to Susan why it’s holding her prisoner – it wants her to be the mother of its child. Despite Susan’s understandable resistance, Proteus forcibly impregnates her with its own electronically created genetic information, and she gives birth to a monstrous baby covered with what appears to be bulbous metallic scabs. Susan wants to kill it but Alex prevents her, then peels off the metallic covering to reveal a human child who is the exact replica of their dead daughter.

Only when she opens her mouth and says, in Proteus’ voice, “I’m alive!” does one realise that the computer has indeed succeeded in getting out of its box, thereby fusing man with machine in a way never before achieved. Many critics concentrated on the sado-masochistic aspects of the story at the expense of the science fiction elements, describing it as yet another rape fantasy in which a woman is exploited and degraded to provide titillation for males. That accusation may be leveled at the original novel with some justification, but the filmmakers are clearly more interested in ideas than sensationalism. The so-called sex scenes between Proteus and Susan in the film were handled tastefully but, as so often is the case, many critics based their reviews on the pre-publicity material rather than on the film itself. Demon Seed touches on many interesting concepts, such as the idea of a computer creating visual simulations on a television screen that are so realistic they resemble real people (no problem today, of course), but the film’s most successful achievement in science fiction terms is to suggest something of how a sentient computer would perceive the universe.

In one impressive sequence Proteus attempts to communicate to Susan just what ‘seeing’ is like when your ‘eyes’ – radar scanners, radio telescopes, etc – are sensitive to the whole range of the electromagnetic spectrum, and you are being bombarded by an awesome sensory input. Visually, Demon Seed is also impressive. Proteus’ tetrahedron manifestation, which ingeniously suggests a halfway point between a machine and an organic creature, is particularly well-handled in design and execution by art director Edward Carfagno and special effects man Glen Robinson. The only real flaw in the film is the uninteresting abstract visual patterns that accompany Proteus’ words on his terminal display screens. Worst. Screensaver. Ever. And it’s with that thought in mind I’ll ask you to please join me next week when I have the opportunity to burst your blood vessels with another terror-filled excursion to the dark side of Hollywood for…Horror News! Toodles! Demon Seed (1977)

Question: In the 1977 film Demon Seed what takes over the house in which Julie Christie is trapped?
Answer: A Computer