After super computer Proteus (voiced by ROBERT VAUGHAN) and his creator Alex Harris (FRITZ WEAVER) agree to disagree about the ecological risks of ocean mining among other things, Proteus decides to take matters into his own non-hands by highjacking the home of Harris's estranged wife Susan(JULIE CHRISTIE).Touchy-feely seventies psychology goes head to head with clinical science as these two battle for control of the roost. With the help of an armed wheel chair and absolute power over every electronic device available in the futuristic domicile, Proteus easily gains the upper metalic hand by breaking Susan down PATTY HEARST style. It turns out that the all-knowing computer is not interested in harming his human speciman, but rather wants to impregnate her with his child to achieve imortality. Less famous than its SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR parody, DEMON SEED is an interesting, though far fetched psychedelic ride obvioulsly indebted if not in awe of STANLEY KUBRICK'S masterpiece 2001: A SPACE ODDITY. The end results of Proteus's biological tinkering are amusing at first thanks to some wonky effects work but when the scales are peeled off the new-age golden child, we learn that our domineering databank may have had a heart after all.
INDELIBLE SCENE(S)
- CHRISTIE gets "baked" in her kitchen
- The simulated electric shock doorbell death of a little girl
- GERRIT GRAHAM (PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE) looses his head
- The trippy insemination dream
- Birth of a 14 carrot gold Garbaage Pail Kid
the brilliance of the 70's to me is movies like this and "The Entity" two movies about ridiculous subjects like inanimate things(computer and ghost) raping women.This could only be dreamt up by creeps who hate women on heavy drugs.Who gave the green light to either of these.I am so glad though.
This one really did freak me out as a kid when I saw it on T.V -that baby at the end was creepy as hell back then. Now it's kinda hilarious.