The Terminal Man (film)
Encyclopedia
The Terminal Man is a 1974 film
directed by Mike Hodges
and based on the 1972 novel of the same name
by Michael Crichton
. It stars George Segal
.
The story centers around the immediate dangers of mind control
and the power of computers.
. He often has seizures which induce a blackout, and wakes up hours later to unfamiliar surroundings with no knowledge of what he's done.
Benson suffers from Acute Disinhibitory Lesion (ADL) syndrome, and is a prime candidate for an operation known as "Stage Three". "Stage Three" requires surgeons to implant electrode
s in his brain and connect them to a miniature computer in his chest which is meant to control these seizures. Not only does he have ADL syndrome, but he also suffers from delusions of computers being on the rise against man.
Benson's psychiatrist
, Janet Ross, is concerned that once this operation is complete, Benson will suffer further psychosis
as a result of his person merging with that of a computer, something he has come to distrust and disdain.
The director's cut of Terminal Man was shown at the 2003 Edinburgh film festival and at the ICA cinema in London in 2008. The director's cut has yet to be released on DVD.
by Warner Bros.
in June 1974.
It received a belated VHS
release by Warner Home Video
in 1993.
Until 2009, the movie was never released on DVD
in any region. Warner Bros. released it as part of its Warner Archive
series as a choice of On Demand streaming or on a DVD-R created on a per-sale basis. Regarding the quality, Warner's website states it was "manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored specifically for this DVD and On Demand release."
Terrence Malick
, the director of Badlands
, reportedly has written to Hodges expressing how much he loved watching The Terminal Man.
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
directed by Mike Hodges
Mike Hodges
Mike Hodges is an English screenwriter, film director, playwright and novelist. His films as writer/director include Get Carter, Pulp, The Terminal Man and Black Rainbow; as director his films include Flash Gordon, Croupier and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead...
and based on the 1972 novel of the same name
The Terminal Man
The Terminal Man is a novel by Michael Crichton about the dangers of mind control. Published in 1972, it was later made into a film of the same name.-Plot summary:...
by Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
. It stars George Segal
George Segal
George Segal is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:George Segal, Jr. was born in 1934 Great Neck, Long Island, New York, the son of Fannie Blanche and George Segal, Sr. He was educated at George School, a private Quaker preparatory boarding school near Newtown, Bucks County,...
.
The story centers around the immediate dangers of mind control
Mind control
Mind control refers to a process in which a group or individual "systematically uses unethically manipulative methods to persuade others to conform to the wishes of the manipulator, often to the detriment of the person being manipulated"...
and the power of computers.
Plot
Harry Benson, an extremely intelligent computer programmer (IQ of 144) in his 30s, suffers from epilepsyEpilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
. He often has seizures which induce a blackout, and wakes up hours later to unfamiliar surroundings with no knowledge of what he's done.
Benson suffers from Acute Disinhibitory Lesion (ADL) syndrome, and is a prime candidate for an operation known as "Stage Three". "Stage Three" requires surgeons to implant electrode
Electrode
An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit...
s in his brain and connect them to a miniature computer in his chest which is meant to control these seizures. Not only does he have ADL syndrome, but he also suffers from delusions of computers being on the rise against man.
Benson's psychiatrist
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, Janet Ross, is concerned that once this operation is complete, Benson will suffer further psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
as a result of his person merging with that of a computer, something he has come to distrust and disdain.
Director's cut
There is a director's cut in which Mike Hodges had cut out the scene where the doctors explains how Harry had his seizures in the first place. Hodges at the time did not like that scene, believing it spoon-fed the audience. Warner Bros. felt that the story needed it, concerned that the audience would not understand or like Harry Benson.The director's cut of Terminal Man was shown at the 2003 Edinburgh film festival and at the ICA cinema in London in 2008. The director's cut has yet to be released on DVD.
Release
The original film version was released theatrically in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
in June 1974.
It received a belated VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
release by Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
in 1993.
Until 2009, the movie was never released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in any region. Warner Bros. released it as part of its Warner Archive
Warner Archive Collection
The Warner Archive Collection is a manufactured-on-demand DVD series. It was started by Warner Home Video on March 23, 2009 with the intention of putting previously unreleased back catalog films on DVD for the first time ever. Using recordable DVDs, they custom burn discs for each order rather than...
series as a choice of On Demand streaming or on a DVD-R created on a per-sale basis. Regarding the quality, Warner's website states it was "manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available and has not been remastered or restored specifically for this DVD and On Demand release."
Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
, the director of Badlands
Badlands (film)
Badlands is a 1973 American crime drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick, starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Warren Oates and Ramon Bieri are also featured. Malick has a small speaking part although he does not receive an acting credit...
, reportedly has written to Hodges expressing how much he loved watching The Terminal Man.