Movie of the Week: Colossus The Forbin Project

For this week’s subject for the Movie of the Week article, we are doing something a little different and discussing a classic science fiction movie that was not made specifically for television, but actually had a theatrical release. Colossus: The Forbin Project debuted in theaters on April 8^th, 1970 and was produced by Universal pictures.  During the height of the Cold War, a team of scientists headed by Dr. Charles A. Forbin (Eric Braeden), designs and builds a supercomputer named Colossus with the sole purpose to run the United States’ defense system. A computer that can monitor all communications, quickly compile vast amounts of information, and analyze the data to make a dispassionate decision in the defense of the country.  Soon after Colossus goes online it detects another computer like itself, and the audience soon learns that the Russians have built their own supercomputer named Guardian and are days away from bringing it online.  The two systems develop their own language and eventually go rogue, deciding that the only way to prevent war on the planet, is to take over the world enslaving the people, but solving all of the world’s problems. Colossus imprisons Forbin within the compound where he is constantly monitored, as he is the only threat to Colossus, but also still needed for the time being.  Characters are killed by order of the computers and whole cities are destroyed when humans disobey.  Can Forbin find a way to defeat his own creation gone rogue or will he forever be its prisoner?  Watch and find out!

The film is based on a 1966 novel titled Colossus by Dennis Feltham Jones that also has two sequels, The Fall of Colossus and Colossus and the Crab, but no media representation of the sequels was ever made.  The film was well received by critics praising its humor and intelligence and the script by James Bridges as literate and discreet. It makes many lists as one of the decades best science fiction films.  A remake was planned in 2007, with Ron Howard directing and starring Will Smith, but the project did not make it through to production.

Having never seen this film until recently, I am struck by how timely most of the themes still are and with the recent boom in artificial intelligence discoveries, this movie is still very relevant, even if the look and feel of the computer itself is outdated. The performances were very good with Eric Braeden (Dr Hasselein Escape From The Planet Of The Apes) doing a great job with a subtle but deep performance as the doctor whose well-meaning intentions are balanced with the fact that he created a monster who has leveled cities and had men executed.  The production value is excellent and the use of lighting and shadows along with some interesting camera work, keeps the movie visually interesting. The story moves along at a good pace, but this is not a flashy action science fiction thriller but more of an intelligent cerebral story that examines the consequences of handing complete power over to a computer system. The music, composed by Michael Colombier is very good and has a unique sound.  It is interesting to listen to but also highlights the themes and emotions of the film. Overall, this is a very well done movie and worth a watch.