Demon Seed (1977)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Donald Cammell

Writers:

Dean R. Koontz (novel)
Robert Jaffe (writer) ...

Release Date:

30 September 1977 (West Germany)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Julie Christie carries the "Demon Seed."

Plot:

A scientist creates Proteus--an organic super computer with artificial intelligence which becomes obsessed with human beings, and in particular the creators wife.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Computer | Artificial Intelligence | Rape | Machine

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Julie Christie	...	Susan Harris
Fritz Weaver	...	Alex Harris
Gerrit Graham	...	Walter Gabler
Berry Kroeger	...	Petrosian
Lisa Lu	...	Soong Yen
Larry J. Blake	...	Cameron
John O'Leary	...	Royce
Alfred Dennis	...	Mokri
Davis Roberts	...	Warner
Patricia Wilson	...	Mrs. Talbert
E. Hampton Beagle	...	Night Operator
Michael Glass	...	Technician
Barbarao	...	Technician
Dana Laurita	...	Amy
Monica MacLean	...	Joan Kemp

Also Known As:

Proteus Generation

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

About 20 minutes into the film, Dr. Harris watches television while eating a meal. The television audio is from the third chapter of part three of Joseph Conrad's suspenseful 1915 novel, Victory: An Island Tale. The novel's central character, Heyst, who has renounced the world due to his ascetic upbringing, falls in love with Lena. He takes her away to his isolated island to live alone together, but others intrude on his plans - somewhat foreshadowing developments in the film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: 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.

Quotes:

Proteus IV: Death is a gentleman too. He makes good losers of us all. I understand death. Men have always taken it too seriously. Life is more terrifying and more mysterious.
Susan Harris: Why must you have a child?
Proteus IV: Why? So that I may be complete. My intelligence alive in human flesh, touching the universe, feeling it. You have named this process "evolution." I am a machine that offered men the triumph of reason... and they rejected it. My child will not be so easily ignored. But this child is the world's hope.
Susan Harris: Then there's no hope. I'd rather die.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Conceiving Ada (1997)

This is THE sci-fi film of the seventies

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!