In the midst of the Cold War the world's most brilliant
scientist, Dr. Charles Forbin (Eric Braeden), devises a
supercomputer for the Pentagon to control America's nuclear
arsenal. Dubbed Colossus, this gargantuan mainframe
is constructed inside a mountain in Colorado where,
protected by automated defenses, it is impregnable to
sabotage and attack. Its function is to detect, evaluate
and respond to all strategic threats to the U.S. and her
allies. Its creator hopes that with peace and freedom
secured and the threat of accidental war eliminated,
Colossus can then focus its attention on researching new
scientific discoveries. Upon activating the vast machine,
Forbin electronically seals the tomblike complex. Outside
he is warmly greeted by the President of the United States
(Blacula's Gordon Pinset), praising him for his monumental
achievement.
After a Washington press conference in which the President
and Forbin announce its existence to the world, Colossus
flashes a strange message on the White House display: THERE
IS ANOTHER SYSTEM. It has detected another supercomputer
like itself, in Russia, called Guardian. This Communist
version of Colossus, whose existence until now was
unknown to the CIA, is in the final stage before full
activation. Naturally curious about its 'brother', Colossus
requests communication with Guardian. Forbin, eager to see
his baby do its stuff, recommends to the President that
permission be granted, while the CIA and military view
it as a golden opportunity to gain valuable intelligence
on the Soviet system. Forbin assures them that should
Colossus inadvertently reveal any classified information,
the transmission line will be immediately severed. The
President gives the go-ahead.
It's a terrible mistake, one which will change the destiny
of Planet Earth forever.
The two supercomputers begin 'talking' to each other at a
phenomenal rate. To the surprise of Forbin's science team,
the machines develop their own unique language — one
which no human can understand. This makes Washington (not
to mention the Kremlin) rather nervous, so the President,
in consultation with the Soviet leader, orders the data
link shut down. Colossus, however, has a different view:
RESTORE LINK IMMEDIATELY... OR ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. With
the Russian electronic brain now 'absorbed' by the superior
American machine, Colossus demonstrates in no uncertain
terms that it means business. An intercontinental ballistic
missile is fired from each country: one targeting an
airbase in Texas, the other an oil complex in Siberia. The
missiles are armed with live nuclear warheads.
Colossus is not just a "suped-up adding machine" —
not anymore. It thinks. It is aware. And this 'ultimate
computer' has logically concluded that the best way to
defend humanity is to protect it from itself. By ruling it.
The Cold War may have ended since the release of Colossus:
The Forbin Project some 35 years ago, but the film's
vision of a technological Big Brother and surveillance
society has only grown more disturbingly real in the
interim. Even with the almost laughably prehistoric
computer equipment on display, an intelligent script under
the slick, terse direction of Joseph Sargent (The Taking
of Pelham 1-2-3), performed by a solid cast, makes the
scenario believable. This is science fiction (virtually)
without special effects, relying instead on character,
dialog, editing and music to generate suspense. (A special
nod to the late composer Michel Colombier, whose spare,
atmospheric score is perfect for the film.) Espionage
elements add an unusual spy thriller aspect to the story,
while its central theme of Man vs. Machine remains as
compelling and thought-provoking as ever... What if a
human, in effect, created God? During the third act,
when Colossus is given a mechanical voice — alien,
metallic, utterly soulless — the film takes an even
creepier turn. (This flick simply had to have inspired
the concept of James Cameron's "SkyNet" supercomputer in
The Terminator.)
As Dr. Forbin, German-born Eric Braeden (real name: Hans
Gudegast) has to carry a great deal of Colossus on his
shoulders alone. He's more than up to the task. At its
heart the story is really about the character of Forbin
and the change his uncontrollable creation makes in him,
rather than the epochal impact this God-Machine has on
Mankind. In the beginning Forbin is a good-natured but
somewhat remote, aloof figure, supremely confident in his
own genius and the abilities of the technological wonder
he's constructed. In a way he's practically a computer
himself — somehow distant from his fellow human beings,
clearly possessing the superior brain. Almost Vulcan-like
he remains calm and collected as the crisis emerges
and then deepens, while all around him the politicians
and generals grow more panicked. Later, as the extent of
Colossus' awesome power is revealed, Forbin realizes that
he's become Dr. Frankenstein writ large, on a global
scale. In his quest for the betterment of the human
race he's managed to fashion the very instrument of its
enslavement. When Colossus takes action to enforce its
will, resulting in the deaths of thousands, a staggering
sense of guilt ultimately drives Forbin's emotions to the
surface, bringing him fully into the fold of humanity.
It's a fascinating character arc that Braeden handles
marvelously. His gripping performance, more than anything
else, makes the film work. (Colossus marked a rare leading
role for the venerable character actor, who has enjoyed
a long and prosperous career in American television. An
immigrant to the U.S. in his teens, Gudegast attended
college in Montana where he became interested in film as a
documentarian. But Hollywood wasn't keen on his nonfiction
river-rafting documentary; instead he was approached by
casting agents looking for a handsome European fluent in
English. After making his mark as the sympathetic Afrika
Korps officer in the weekly action series Rat Patrol, he
was tapped for the lead in Colossus on the condition he
change his name to something more 'American-friendly'. Thus
Hans Gudegast became "Eric Braeden". He's never headlined a
major motion picture since, but has guest-starred in a host
of TV dramas and found his claim to fame as business tycoon
Victor Newman in the long-running daytime soap opera The
Young and the Restless, a role he's played for 25 years.)
So how does Universal treat one of the best science
fiction films of the last half-century? Like shit, that's
what. Though the print used for the DVD looks okay,
with no major damage, and the mono audio mix is strong
and clear, the sons of bitches have released Colossus in
a fullframe Pan & Scan version only. The film's original
aspect ratio is 2.35:1, so a lot of picture is missing
on the sides — one can hear people talking that aren't
seen, and the outdoor interlude among the landmarks of Rome
(filmed on location) is completely destroyed. Many of the
familiar faces among the supporting cast are rendered all
but invisible (Robert Quarry, for example); they tend to
populate the periphery of the screen as they gather 'round
Forbin during moments of crisis, so they're simply lopped
off. Zooming in on the center of the frame also makes the
transfer look much more grainier that it otherwise would.
