|
-
News
- Features
- Events
Calendar
- Editorials
- Monthly
Zine
- Offworld
Report
- Our Daily
RSS Feed
- Movie/TV
Reviews
> Recent movies
> Movies by year
> Movies by title
- Book
Reviews
> Recent books
> Books by year
> Books by title
- Home
- Worlds
- Biography
- Bibliography
- Appearances
- Reviews
- Blog
- Community
- Press
- Links
Become
an Advertiser
- Web
Site Directory
- Search
the Net
- StephenHunt.net
- WoodenRocket.com
- Check
your E-mail
- Non Sci-Fi
News
|
Colossus: The Forbin Project
01/11/2006 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
DVD Region 1. Universal Studio Selections 26204. 101 minute film with no extras. Price: £3.00 (UK). stars: Eric Braeden, Susan Clark and Gordon Pinsent. Buy Colossus: The Forbin Project in the USA - or Buy Colossus: The Forbin Project in the UK  check out website: www.universal-playback.com
'Colossus: The Forbin Project' was released as a film in America in 1970 but only appeared on TV in the UK. It still gets shown over here occasionally but the only way you'll be able to get it on DVD so far is by importing from the States. Looking at the price here, that shouldn't be a hardship although I suspect it's the lack of sales that has reduced the price so much. That is a shame because this film still holds up well today.
The film is based on D.F. Jones 'Colossus' and follows it rather faithfully if you ever get the opportunity to read it. The only area is cut back on is Colossus having those it orders killed to have their heads chopped off to prove they had been killed. Rather gruesome now let alone in 1970.
For those of you too young to remember, 30 years ago was at the height of the Cold War and secretly, America under the guidance of Dr. Charles Forbin (actor Eric Braeden) becomes the proud owner of a state of the art computer complex secured in the Colorado Mountains called Colossus. Its purpose is to protect the United States from nuclear strikes by running the defence systems. Before long, Colossus discovers Russia is also about to put a similar system, called Guardian, on-line and insists on communicating with it. This is refused initially but eventually allowed between the two super-powers. When finally the two computers start talking in machine code, both nations decide to pull the connection between them with dire consequences as a nuclear missile is sent from either side. America gets the line re-connected faster than Russia who loses a populated oil refinery.
With orders to put the hot line phone system between America and Russia under its monitor, Forbin goes to Italy to meet his Soviet counter-part, Kuprin. Colossus orders him back and the Russian killed by his own people or see Moscow nuked. Forbin is put under continual surveillance as he constructs the first device for Colossus, a voice box. The only concession he gets is to have a mistress, Dr. Cleo Markham (actress Susan Clark) who becomes his go-between to the outside world. From here, without wanting to give too much of the plot away, it is a game of wills between Forbin and Colossus.
In many respects, this film has aged remarkably well. Granted, some areas of computer technology look primitive compared to the machine you're sitting in front of now but in back in 1970, solid-state technology was only just being developed let alone in commercial use. It was not played in grandiose terms neither. The cast was solid, serious, engrossing and believable. It is impossible to watch this film without being caught up with the tension of their plight. Colossus is cold and calculating and extremely smart. A sharp reminder not to put control into a machine that has no safeguards against committing its own actions. If the film 'Fail Safe' (1964) was a warning against accidental nuking then 'Colossus: The Forbin Project' is the film that warns you not to give total control to something that will look after its own interests first. After all, how can an artificial intelligence control if it's not in total control?
Of other interest, look out for early appearances by Marion (Happy Days) Ross, Martin (The Six Million Dollar Man) Brooks and James (Blade Runner) Hong. Speaking of 'The Six Million Dollar Man', footage from this film was used there to assess Austin's bionic potential and also some of the early noise bleeps sound awfully like the bionic eye zoom.
If you think you've seen all the Science Fiction films but missed out on this one, add it to your list while its still available. Its intelligent and serious and a true adaptation.
GF Willmetts
|
|
