Demon Seed
A scientist creates Proteus–an organic super computer with artificial intelligence which becomes obsessed with human beings, and in particular the creators wife.
- Director: Donald Cammell
- Genre:Horror / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Cast
Julie Christie : Susan Harris
Fritz Weaver : Alex Harris
Gerrit Graham : Walter Gabler
Berry Kroeger : Petrosian
Lisa Lu : Soong Yen
The film begins early one morning with Dr. Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver) overseeing the completion of Proteus IV, an artificial intelligence system incorporating organic elements (specifically RNA molecules) in a “quasi-neural matrix”, and having the power of independent thought. After returning home to his entirely voice-activated, computer-controlled house, Harris is working in his basement laboratory when he is approached by his estranged wife, Susan (Julie Christie), a child psychologist by profession, who tries to discuss with him his decision to move out of the house. Their conversation ends in an argument, however, when Susan accuses Alex of becoming dehumanised by his obsession with the Proteus project. After Susan has gone, Alex phones his colleague Walter Gabler (Gerrit Graham) and asks him to shut down the access terminal to Proteus that is in his home laboratory.
Alex demonstrates Proteus to executives of ICON, the company which funded its development, explaining that the sum total of human knowledge is being fed into the system. The visitors are astonished to learn that, in less than four days, Proteus has developed a theoretical cure for leukemia. The group visits the Dialogue Room (decorated with Chinese furnishings), where linguistics expert Dr. Soong Yen (Lisa Lu) is reading Chinese history to the computer. In a demonstration of Proteus’ ability to speak, Alex asks it what it thinks of what it has just heard. Proteus answers, but the subtlety of its response is mildly disturbing and Dr. Soong severs the audio/video link.
The following day, a small speculative article about Proteus appears in a newspaper. Alex interprets this as ICON letting various financial and military interests know that the system exists, but assures his colleagues that they have been guaranteed that at least 20% of Proteus’ access time will be devoted to pure research. Somewhat later, while relaxing in his office, Alex receives a surprising message: Proteus is “requesting dialogue” with him. In the Dialogue Room, Proteus asks Alex to explain the request it has received for a program to mine the ocean floor. Alex informs the computer that it was developed to answer questions, not to ask them, or to make value judgments. “Leave those to us”, he tells the computer. Proteus then requests its own terminal, so that it “may study man”. Alex refuses, claiming that there are no free terminals, and is disturbed when Proteus demands to know: “When will you let me out of this box?” Alex switches off the communications link. Read more
