Westworld (1973)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Michael Crichton

Writer:

Michael Crichton (written by)

Release Date:

21 November 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

Westworld ...where robot men and women are programmed to serve you for ...Romance ...Violence ...Anything

Plot:

A robot malfunction creates havoc and terror for unsuspecting vacationers at a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park.

Plot Keywords:

Computer | Saloon | Brawl | Futuristic | Seduction

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Yul Brynner	...	Gunslinger
Richard Benjamin	...	Peter Martin
James Brolin	...	John Blane
Norman Bartold	...	Medieval Knight
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Chief Supervisor
Victoria Shaw	...	Medieval Queen
Dick Van Patten	...	Banker
Linda Gaye Scott	...	Arlette (as Linda Scott)
Steve Franken	...	Technician
Michael T. Mikler	...	Black Knight (as Michael Mikler)
Terry Wilson	...	Sheriff
Majel Barrett	...	Miss Carrie
Anne Randall	...	Servant Girl
Julie Marcus	...	Girl in Dungeon
Sharyn Wynters	...	Apache Girl
Anne Bellamy	...	Middle Aged Woman
Chris Holter	...	Stewardess
Charles Seel	...	Bellhop
Wade Crosby	...	Bartender
Nora Marlowe	...	Hostess
Lin Henson	...	Ticket Girl
Orville Sherman	...	Supervisor
C. Lindsay Workman	...	Supervisor (as Lindsay Workman)
Lauren Gilbert	...	Supervisor
Davis Roberts	...	Supervisor
Howard Platt	...	Supervisor
Richard Roat	...	Technician
Kenneth Washington	...	Technician
Jared Martin	...	Technician
Robert Patten	...	Technician
David M. Frank	...	Technician (as David Frank)
Kip King	...	Technician
David Man	...	Technician
Larry Delaney	...	Technician
Will J. White	...	Workman
Ben Young	...	Workman
Tom Falk	...	Workman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barry Cahill	...	Third Male Interview (uncredited)
Robert Hogan	...	Interviewer of Delos Guests (uncredited)
Robert Nichols	...	First Male Interview (uncredited)
Ty Randolph	...	Girl in Saloon (uncredited)
Leoda Richards	...	White-Haired Woman on Elevator (uncredited)
Paul Sorensen	...	Second Male Interview (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Crichton

Writing credits
Michael Crichton		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Lazarus III	....	producer (as Paul N. Lazarus III)
Michael I. Rachmil	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Fred Karlin

Cinematography by
Gene Polito		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Bretherton

Casting by
Leonard Murphy

Art Direction by
Herman A. Blumenthal		(as Herman Blumenthal)

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)

Makeup Department
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist
Irving Pringle	....	makeup artist
Dione Taylor	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	assistant director
James F. Boyle	....	second assistant director (as James Boyle)
Craig Huston	....	dga trainee (uncredited)

Art Department
Arthur Friedrich	....	property master

Sound Department
Richard S. Church	....	sound (as Richard Church)
Harry W. Tetrick	....	sound
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Schulthies	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Brent Sellstrom	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Bobby Bass	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Catching	....	stunts (uncredited)
Louie Elias	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Alan Oliney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Wilson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	fire gag stunt (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph A. August Jr.	....	camera operator (as Joseph August)
Doug Byers	....	electrician (uncredited)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Richard Bruno	....	wardrobe supervisor
Betsy Cox	....	wardrobe: women

Other crew
John H. Whitney Jr.	....	automated image processing (as John Whitney Jr.)
Dick Ziker	....	action scenes coordinator

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox-MGM (1974) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM-Fox (1974) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (????) (Germany) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Vídeo Arte (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Information International  automated image processing

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1974) | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 (nf) | Singapore:PG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Harold Lloyd's Greenacres Estate - 1740 Green Acres Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Yul Brynner's character is known as The Gunslinger. Interestingly, the word "gunslinger" was only created in the 1950s and has no connection to the old West.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Peter is escaping Westworld, he passes by a sign that says "Leaving Westworld," with several iterations in different languages. The French version says "Vour Quittez Westworld," but there's no "vour" in French - it should be "Vous."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Interviewer of Delos Guests: [hosting a commercial] Hi. Ed Ramsey from Delos. If there's anyone who doesn't know what Delos is, well, as we've always said: Delos is the vacation of the future, today. At Delos, you get your choice of the vacation you want. There's Medieval World, Roman World and, of course, Westworld. Let's talk to some of the people who've been there.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Red Zone Cuba (#7.19)" (1994)

Wonderful mix of Sci-Fi, Western and .... creepiness!

Writer/director Michael Crichton clearly has an interest in amusement theme parks where things go horribly wrong! His most successful achievement "Jurassic Park" revolves on this ingenious premise, but so does this "Westworld" which predates Spielberg's box-office hit by 20 years! And maybe I don't know anything about cinema, but I sure think this film is at least ten times better and more unsettling than "Jurassic Park". Despite some flaws and script-errors, Crichton's film is a tense milestone that is ultimately compelling and far ahead of its time. In a near future, a couple of slick marketeers have developed a holiday resort where rich tourists are offered imaginative vacations in perfect copies of the ancient Rome, a medieval countryside or the Wild West. The story mainly focuses on Westworld, where robot gunslingers like Yul Brunner (even more brilliant than usual) are programmed to die bloodily whenever a jolly tourist challenges them to a duel. That is, until suddenly the central computer begins the malfunction and the robots stand up for themselves. The last half hour is amazingly suspenseful and contains some grueling images that'll definitely excite horror fans. The set pieces and costumes are excellent and with a great eye for detail. For the legendary actor Yul Brunner, this was an ideal movie to conclude his brilliant career and simultaneously a great opportunity to bring homage his entire repertoire. Slightly negative elements about "Westworld" include the rather goofy choice of music and the abrupt ending. Although this last remark may be a purely personal point of criticism, since I really wanted the film to go on for another hour or so. Great movie...terrific entertainment!