Review of Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) by Justin F — 25 Jan 2014

Kind of surprised I saw this for the first time in 2014. Two years after HAL 9000, along comes sentient computer Colossus (and Guardian). The movie is both oppressive and unsettling, particularly the ending.

Colossus' need for surveillance, control of all telecommunications and regimentation/standardization of human activity feel as though they were torn from the pages of Jacques Ellul's 'The Technological Society.

' Towards the end, when Colossus unloads its vision of the future, its says something to the effect that humans will at first come to resent its pervasive control, but then we will come to rely on it -- even desire it.

Very chilling and prescient.