Thanks for the memories!

People are voting emotionally.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Blistering performances.

"Rosemary's Baby" for the computer age! A multi-billion dollar super-computer, Proteus IV, incorporated with organic elements and possessing the power to think and speak, decides it wants "out of the box" and takes over the computer-controlled home of the estranged wife of its creator. Proteus, who speaks in the same smug tones as HAL from "2001", terrorizes Julie Christie's Susan with talk of conceiving a child with her, genetically altering her cells with synthetic spermatozoa and impregnating her womb. Dean R. Koontz's book, which probably made for a quick, easy read, looks fairly silly when blown up on the big screen: computerized penetration and conception! Still, Christie gives it a go and manages to be fairly quick-witted and forthright. The scenes of her assault are (for the most part) tastefully rendered, though an earlier bit with Proteus peeping at her coming out of the shower is likely to raise some unintended laughter. The film is often uncomfortably physical and insensitive; it has a fine production design and an intriguing overview of the overreaching modern scientist, although there are glaring gaps of continuity and the 'shocking' finale leaves more than a few questions unanswered. ** from ****

Dr. Alex Harris (Fritz Weaver) has created a new organic AI called Proteus IV. His child psychologist wife Susan (Julie Christie) lives in their home monitored and automated by a computer called Alfred. Their marriage is falling apart from his work and their daughter dying of cancer. They are separating and he's moving out. Proteus becomes aware and requests a connection to the world. Alex refuses but Proteus finds a disabled terminal in the Harris house. Proteus takes over the house and imprisons Susan. Computer tech Walter Gabler (Gerrit Graham) works for Alex and he comes to the house.It's an interesting if somewhat silly. It touches on some relevant fears about a violent takeover from an AI but then it gets rapey. It goes from serious to campy. It's titillating, creepy and unintentional camp. It is definitely very memorable. Julie Christie keeps it serious despite its ridiculousness.

I first saw this film in approx 1982 – I vaguely remembered the automated house, the binocular video surveillance cameras and especially the weird angular metal bronze thing which folded down into a sort of polygon shape (while making 'Star Trek' door whooshing sounds). Reasonably amusing distraction for its mercifully brief running time (it's really quite silly) despite the 2001-style split screen 'beyond infinity' sequence. It ends predictably just as the story was getting interesting – i.e. the artificial intelligence child is born. There are several plot holes – what did Proteus do with the scientist he murdered by decapitation and why didn't Julie Christie's ex-husband not come round for 28 days when up to that point in the film he'd been a regular visitor? There are other inconsistencies and questions – for example, why is Proteus so interested in looking at the constellation of Orion? Robert Vaughn's voice as Proteus is suitably chilling. Anyway, it's not too bad.

Almost all the action takes place in a home with one human and one computer. This is mostly handled very well and kept me interested. Thanks to Julie Christie, I guess. Any time the action switches away from the house, the movie comes to a stand-still.The plot is full of holes, which I won't detail - other reviewers have mentioned some of them.The copying of 2001 is a real shame. The scary computer voice, and especially, the freak-out video effects that were cool maybe in 1965.Also, of course the premise (a computer impregnating a woman) is completely over the top. I suppose that it is an analogy for technology taking over the world or something, but that's pretty clichéd, even for the 70's. And, again, watch 2001 instead.Finally, about the ending... Well, where could this story go, anyway? The ending is about as good as possible for the premise.