Bicentennial Man (1999)

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writers (WGA):

Isaac Asimov (short story "The Bicentennial Man")
Isaac Asimov (novel) ...

Release Date:

17 December 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

One robot's 200 year journey to become an ordinary man.

Plot:

An android endeavors to become human as he gradually acquires emotions.

Plot Keywords:

Android | Robot | Hologram | Futuristic | Box Office Flop

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Andrew Martin
Embeth Davidtz	...	Little Miss Amanda Martin / Portia Charney
Sam Neill	...	'Sir' Richard Martin
Oliver Platt	...	Rupert Burns
Kiersten Warren	...	Galatea
Wendy Crewson	...	'Ma'am' Martin
Hallie Kate Eisenberg	...	Little Miss Amanda Martin - Age 7
Lindze Letherman	...	'Miss' Grace Martin - Age 9
Angela Landis	...	'Miss' Grace Martin
John Michael Higgins	...	Bill Feingold - Martin's Lawyer
Bradley Whitford	...	Lloyd Charney
Igor Hiller	...	Lloyd Charney - Age 10
Joe Bellan	...	Robot Delivery Man #1
Brett Wagner	...	Robot Delivery Man #2
Stephen Root	...	Dennis Mansky - Head of NorthAm Robotics

Also Known As:

Andrew Martin (USA) (working title)
Der 200 Jahre Mann (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | South Korea:All | Netherlands:AL (DVD rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:PG | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #37072) | Philippines:G | Finland:S | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

1492 Pictures

Trivia:

The aria that Andrew is listening to when he first uses the record player is from Dvorak's opera "Rusalka." The opera is concerned with the fairy-tale story of a water nymph who wants to become mortal for love.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Some of the continents on the world map in the council chamber are in the wrong positions, notably South America (which is rotated significantly) and Australia (which is directly below India). This may have been an attempt to illustrate continental drift, however, these continents would not have moved that significantly in only 200 years.

Quotes:

[Andrew has transfused blood into his system]
Rupert Burns: Galatea, my dear, where are we?
Galatea: The transfusion is almost complete.
Rupert Burns: Is that so?
[to Andrew]
Rupert Burns: Just goes to show you, Andrew - somebody becomes a human being, sooner or later, they do something monumentally stupid.
Andrew Martin: You've been a great example, Rupert. How quickly will the blood degrade my system?
Rupert Burns: Oh, I don't know. You exercise, eat right, I'd say 30, 40 years.
Andrew Martin: That's a little vague, chief. You don't know exactly how long I'll last?
Rupert Burns: Sorry.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store)

A fable, beyond the myth of HAL 2000 -- a film for mature consumption and appreciation

Isaac Asimov, scientist, anthropologist, and philosopher all in one, thought of this Robotic subject beyond the mere joy of fantastic possibilities of computer technology -- it's a more encompassing inquiry to what if a Robot thinks, feels, loves, and yes, wants to be accepted as a human, the imperfections and all!

This Chris Columbus directed movie, with the ever-eloquent Robin Williams, and radiant double deliveries (two character portrayals) by Embeth Davidtz, is not the usual Robin Williams comedy fare. It's not "Flubber" or "Mrs. Doubtfire"; it's a philosophical fable at best. It's the reverse of John Boorman's "Zardoz" (1973), where man wanting to be eternally youthful -- here, Robot Andrew (Robin Williams) does not want to be immortal. He wants to experience and feel life, and with a beloved human companion.

This Robotic journey spanning decades, gives us life lessons, prompts us to think reflectively on questions of life and living, growing old and resignation to death. The point filtered through Portia (Embeth Davidtz) that being human is to risk and make mistakes/wrong decisions, hearkens to a quote by John Cage: "Computers are always right, but life isn't about being right."

Film score is by James Horner ("Legends of the Fall", "Braveheart", "Titanic"). Location shots include San Francisco landmarks with added air transport images (likened to "The Fifth Element") in a futuristic sky. There are no explosive actions or flying bullets, it's an immortal tale about the acceptance of being a mortal human.