I watched Colossus. What an excellent movie. It's super slow, the tech looks so delightfully 70s, there is basically no action, just people talking, the ideas are thought-provoking. It was perfect for me.
Sorry, not one of the recommended ones, but I had planned on watching this one for years. Glad to finally get to it.
I start to think, that it's not movies in themselves, that don't work for me, but more modern movies. I adore the slow, slow pace of this movie, and also the Planet of the Ape ones.
The ideas are well known, for any sci-fi fan, I'm sure. And yet, the end caught me off guard. The computer did exactly what it was created for - making sure, that war would stop. It did. But at an insane cost, the freedom of mankind. A freedom that, seemingly, is now impossible to regain, as every attempt to fight Colossus leads to the death of thousands of people. It's a chilling prospect, and I wonder what it means for people ouside of politics. Asimov dealt with this idea, too, except there, it is such a slow process, that people don't even realize that the computer took over. But humanity is better of, after that. I do wonder, will this be a bad thing for regular people? Colossus orders the island of Crete to be depopulated, so it can be used for other stuff, so people certainly are hit by this. But also, assuming Colossus really works as is implied, it will be a temporary thing, maybe leading to paradise in years to come. Will people in the movies future live in peace and abundance? Like in one of those planets that are visited by Kirk, where a computer does all the work for the people, and they can spend their time with nice things?
Forbins situation was horrible. He created the machine that would now dominate and control humans, and he is at fault for it killing thousands of them. His bad conscience must kill him. But also, being under control of this monster, for the whole day, with no place of peace and quite, even for a second, sounds enough like a nightmare. I wonder if the world will turn into a state of total control. Where humans will be at peace, because they will be watched all the time, by never-sleeping machines. And everything resembling a crime will be hit by harsh punishment, immediately.
Considering where we are with AI, and its dangers (how it can lie, if the lie helps it to achieve the goals it was programed to achieve) this movie seems more relevant than ever, and far ahead of its time. Not that new, though, Asimov thought about a similar supercomputer, Multivac, years earlier. Also, the comparison with Terminator is valid, but it doesn't work as a prequel. Colossus seems, eventually, benevolent, at least to mankind as a whole. Even if it accepts the death of a lot of people. I don't imagine it ever going full Skynet, and trying to destroy all of mankind.
Next one probably that Body Snatcher movie. And then Forbidden Planet. That one seems super interesting, especially from a sci-fi historical point of view.
So, sci-fi from the 70s is pretty grim, isn't it? I kinda expected a bit more hope, but all I saw up to now (which, granted, isn't much) is pretty bleak.