Colossus The Forbin Project (1970)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1969
Running Times: 88 mins     100 mins
Format: Technicolour     35mm     Panavision (anamorphic)
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound:

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Universal
Producer: Stanley Chase
Unit Production Manager: Robert E. Larson

SCRIPT
Script: James Bridges
Novel: Colossus by D.F. Jones

DIRECTION
Director: Joseph Sargent
Assistant Director: Robin S. Clark

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Gene Polito
Lab: Technicolour, USA

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Folmar Blangsted

MUSIC
Music: Michel Colombier
Music Supervisor: Stanley Wilson

SOUND
Sound:Waldon O. Watson, Terry Kellum, Ronald Pierce

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Bud Westmore
Cosmetics: Univeral Pictures Professional Cosmetics
Hair: Larry Germain
Costume Designer: Edith Head

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Photographic Effects: Albert Whitlock

VISUAL EFFECTS
Optical Effects: Universal Title, Don Record
Main Titles: Universal Title, Don Record

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Alexander Golitzen, John J. Lloyd
Set Decorators: John McCarthy, Ruby Levitt

OTHER CREW
Technical Advisor: Jay Akerman
Computer Equipment: Control Data Corporation
Calcomp Computer Plotter Provided By: California Computer Products

LOCATIONS
Locations: Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, California, USA

CAST
Eric Braeden (Dr Charles Forbin)
Susan Clark (Dr Cleo Markham)
Gordon Pinsent (The President)
William Schallert (Grauber)
Leonid Rostoff (First Chairman of the Soviet Union)
Georg Stanford Brown (Fisher)
Willard Sage (Blake)
Alex Rodine (Kuprin)
Martin Brooks (Jeff Johnson)
Dolph Sweet (Missile commander)
Marion Ross (Angela)
Byron Morrow (Secretary of State)
Lew Brown ((Peterson)
Sid McCoy (Secretary of Defense)
Tom Basham (Thomas L. Harrison)
Robert Cornthwaite (1st scientist)
James Hong (Dr Chin)
Sergei Chernysh (translator)
Paul Frees (voice of Colossus)

PLOT SUMMARY

Colossus is a vast supercomputer, an awesome artificial intelligence built into the heart of one of the Rocky Mountains. The machine is the brainchild of the brilliant Dr Charles Forbin who proudly encourages the President to turn over control of the Bomb to Colossus, only for the Machine to bite the hand that built it. Having seized control of the ultimate means of annihilation, Colossus a land-line link with Guardian, its Soviet counterpart. Working in unison, the machines - designed to be bitter enemies - effectively take over the world with terrifying ease and speed.

Sargent's brooding tale of power wrested from the hands of Man is every bit as slick and remorseless as its cybernetic protagonist. Assembled with ruthless efficiency, Colossus: The Forbin Project is a hugely impressive anti-technology tract which boasts outstanding production design, a fabulous ensemble cast, sharp writing and a gloriously downbeat ending. An early 70s paranoia masterpiece.

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Video Distributor: MCA
Laserdisc Distributor: MCA Home Video (43128)

USA
Rating: M (original rating); PG (re-rating)
The scene in which Colossus asks Forbin how many times a week he "requires" sex is often cut from US television broadcasts.

1971
Hugo Awards, USA
Best Dramatic Presentation - nominated

1979
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA
Golden Scroll of Merit (Stanley Chase) – winner (for theatrical motion picture production)

1970
April
8: USA – theatrical premiere in New York City, New York

July
10: West Germany – theatrical release

1997
May
20: USA - laserdisc release (MCA Home Video (43128))

POSTER TAGS

We built a super computer with a mind of its own and now we must fight it for the world!

This is the dawning of the Age of Colossus (where peace is compulsory... freedom is forbidden... and Man's greatest invention could be Man's greatest mistake).

O Cérebro de Aço – Portugese title
Le cerveau d'acier – French title
Colossus - early/German title
Colossus 1980 - shooting title
Colossus: el proyecto prohibido – Spanish title
The Day the World Changed Hands - early title
The Forbin Project - early title

LINKS

SEE ALSO
The Matrix (1999)
The Terminator (1984)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

artificial intelligences, book into film, the cold war, computers, the future, helicopters, mathematics, missiles, nuclear weapons, scientists

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008