More forgivable is the outlandish depiction of technology. Btw, if this paragraph is confusing, try reading these books. And its too bad because although jones adds a few unneeded flourishes he federates the u. Although it didnt trouble the boxoffice much in 1970 and is now rarely revived, colossus. The granddaddy of all computer run amok films, colossus. The forbin project, and with the 1970 scifi thriller coming to bluray from scream factory on february 27th, weve been provided with three highdef copies to give away to lucky daily dead readers. Cashing in on director larry hagmans fame as star of dallas, a canny distributor reissued. After being handed full control, colossus draconian logic expands on i.
The 2001 script with hal dates back to at least 1965 and the movie was released in 1968. It is based upon the 1966 novel colossus, by dennis feltham jones, about a massive american defense computer, named colossus, becoming sentient and deciding to assume control of the world. What vain attempts he makes are thwarted when colossus orders forbin to be placed under the. Forbin insists he will never do this, perhaps knowing that his protests are as futile as are those of a petulant child under parental or school discipline. Colossus was published in 1966 and the only redeeming thing about it is the movie based on it, released in 1970 having languished on the shelf for a year or so.
I also wouldnt have classified it as sfnot a martian in sight. Title the forbin project other title colossus the forbin project alternate title. Jones where man enslaves himself via a supercomputer. Back at the control center, colossus guardian which later calls itself unity demands to speak to forbin. For book titles, i think its supposed to be lowercase on the, but its a movie title, which make up their own rules. Written four years prior to the release of the film, the story in the novel sets itself in the near future the 1990s and unfolds in a very similar manner. Feb 12, 2014 made in 1968 and shelved for nearly two years, this is one of the most intelligent science fiction pictures of its decade, but it failed to find an audience.
What vain attempts he makes are thwarted when colossus orders forbin to. Aug 17, 2016 when forbin s soviet counterpart is assassinated, forbin scrambles to regain control of his creation. The forbin project, set during the height of the cold war, originates from noble intentions with a decision that no single human should not be entrusted with the executive authority for national defence due to an unacceptable level of unnecessary risk. Colossus the forbin project alternate title colossus the forbin project contributor names joseph sargent director. I tracked down the book it was based on originally published in 1966 and its later sequel. The forbin project is a 1970 american science fiction thriller film from universal pictures, produced by stanley chase, directed by joseph sargent, that stars eric braeden, susan clark, gordon pinsent, and william schallert. Eric braeden sets the record straight on piranha, the rat patrol, and escape from the planet of the apes.
Jones wrote colossus in 1966, a good but minor sf novel that was eventually filmed as colossus. Members of an ancient provence family which now has many branches, the principal ones being the forbin des lasarts branch and the forbin janson branch bearing the name include. I remember enjoying it and really liking the film version of the first book, entitled colossus. The forbin project 1970 thinking this will prevent war, the us government gives an impenetrable supercomputer total control over launching nuclear missiles. Jones was a british science fiction author and a naval commander in world war ii. The first book is the inspiration for the classic scifi film the forbin project, and while much is the same, the book is a very much a product of its time. The forbin project allows its ideas about the impact of technology on humankind to take center stage.
Thinking this will prevent war, the us government gives an. Scifi movies and tv shows based on books 1 colossus. He is most famous for his colossus series, which inspired the hugo awardnominated film colossus. Colossus technicians do not count on the computer developing an intelligence of its own. A space odyssey, there was colossus, aka the forbin project, one of the earliest and best tales of man versus machine. When electronics genius charles forbin creates a massive computer complex that is capable of independently regulating the national defense. The leading western scientist, forbin, the father of colossus, is trying to find a way to stop his creation. With colossus the forbin project, since everyone is behaving soooo unrealistically, nothing that comes later hits home. I didnt know it was based on a book, let alone that there was a trilogy. Charles forbin eric braeden is developing a supercomputer, colossus, to manage all us nuclear weapons system. The forbin project was not a big hit at the box office for various reasons. To be terribly honest, the time for it may have passed. The forbin project could be the start of the terminator franchise.
Continuity is not a strong point between installments in the trilogy. He now lives on the isle of wight with his wife and son, serving the computer as director of staff. The fall of a colossus 1974 and colossus and the crab 1977. This 1970s film from universal pictures, based upon the 1966 science fiction novel colossus, by dennis feltham jones, is required watching in the genre of artificial intelligence movies. The dated, clunky technology aside and even then, one must remember that level of tech was the stateoftheart in 1970, this story about the. Feb 05, 2018 when electronics genius charles forbin creates a massive computer complex that is capable of independently regulating the national defense of the united states, it appears that no enemy will ever.
Eric braeden on changing his name for colossus youtube. When forbin s soviet counterpart is assassinated, forbin scrambles to regain control of his creation. The film is based upon the 1966 science fiction novel colossus by dennis feltham jones, about an advanced american defense system, named colossus, becoming sentient. A super computer turns into a doomsday machine in colossus. This book, the first of a trilogy, is firmly set in the 1990s. Communicating with its russian counterpart, colossus decides to take over the earth, threatening global destruction should anyone try to. The forbin project as with many other films viewed for scifi saturdays was originally based on a novel of the same name by british novelist d. Thinking this will prevent war, the us government gives an impenetrable supercomputer total control over launching nuclear missiles. Jones, about supercomputers taking control of mankind. I believe the success of that first book as it was made into the movie the forbin projectin 1970 galvanized the author into writing followon books which i have. The forbin project 1970 is not only a truly frightening tale of a supercomputer or, rather two of them taking over the world for humankinds own good its bonechillingly prophetic. The forbin project concerns a huge electronic brain designed to control the american missile defense system. It was a fascinating story about a military computer taking over the world.
The film is based upon the 1966 science fiction book of the same name colossus, by dennis feltham jones about a massive american defence supercomputer, named colossus, becoming sentient after being activated, and the resultant consequences. Cbc colossus the forbin project 1970 radio dramatization of the 1970 science fiction film of the same name produced by the cbc. With eric braeden, susan clark, gordon pinsent, william schallert. When i was in cali early this year, i picked up a paperback of the first book from logos, an excellent indie book store in santa cruz. John landis on colossus the forbin project youtube. Colossus is a 1966 science fiction novel by british author dennis feltham jones writing as d. Dec 01, 2015 i bring you an episode of the projection booth about colossus. Colossus the forbin project w chris noessel, damien williams, and jonathon korman. Unfortunately, in the process of cloning colossus, the novel and the movie based on it, colossus the forbin project have been utterly forgotten. Its hard to predict the future but watching a super computer the size of a humongous building communicating with that red ticker tape display punching out one letter. His writings dealt with the ongoing battleboth physical and philosophicalbetween man and machine. Ray kurzweil, the bold futurist and author of the new york times best seller the singularity is near, is arguably todays most influential technological visionary.
Its the story of what happens when a military supercomputer comes on line and is given control of important systems. The forbin project is one of the best and most disturbingly convincing scifi thrillers ever made. The basic plot has been covered in many books and films, but although the style is rather dated and stuck in the early 70s, the book was a very reasonable read, ending at a point where you will want to know what happens next cue volumes 2 and 3. Still a third reason is that universal had trouble trying to promote it in the wake of the huge success of stanley kubricks 2001. Add to that the fact that so many of colossus radical improvements are common. It does what the humans ask it to do, exploding to asi on the way, but to achieve its goals, it must highly constrain humans. Charles forbin, in his early 50s in this and the first novel, is the former head of the design team that built and activated the original colossus. Another reason is that its ending isnt exactly a happy one. Forbin arranges to fly to rome to meet kuprin, his russian computer scientist counterpart, and have a onetoone conversation off the record while they still can.
This lowkey approach is demanding on the viewer but ultimately reaps plentiful rewards for those patient enough to stick with it. Like many early70s science fiction films, colossus. It was based in a very cold war mindset, and any attempt to bring it up to modern day would, i think, fall flat. A pioneering inventor and theorist, he has explored for decades how artificial intelligence can enrich and expand human capabilities. When i last moved this page, it seems i accidentally changed it from colossus. If you like a horror story based on intelligentlyexpressed fears and is not about ghouls, vampires, monsters, and the like, then colossus. The first book is the inspiration for the classic scifi film the forbin project, and while much. The forbin project 1970 when it was first released.
No doubt this set of novels would be condemned as a product of toxic masculinity, and by all counts, it did make me cringe on more than one occasion. The forbin project particularly in the bluray format which features the original theatrical trailer, an audio commentary track by author jeff bond, and an interview with the films star eric braeden. The last word colossus has for forbin is that colossus will release forbin from surveillance the next day, and expects forbin to work with it, even if reluctantly at first. Joseph sargents crisp direction gives the film the technological sleekness it requires but downplays flashy visual effects in favor of a strict focus on story. F and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available. This lowkey approach is demanding on the viewer but ultimately reaps plentiful rewards for those. Wiretight, suspenseful film seems at once dated yet timely. The forbin project, the 1970 joseph sargent film based on a novel by d. Communicating with its russian counterpart, colossus decides to take over the earth, threatening global destruction should anyone try. The forbin project the forbin project 1970a computer designed to manage u.
Two sequels, the fall of colossus 1974 and colossus and the crab 1977 continued the story. Communicating with its russian counterpart, colossus decides to take over the earth. Made in 1968 and shelved for nearly two years, this is one of the most intelligent science fiction pictures of its decade, but it failed to find an audience. I bring you an episode of the projection booth about colossus.
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