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Colossus: The Forbin Project

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Colossus: The Forbin Project
original promotional poster
Directed by	Joseph Sargent
Produced by	Stanley Chase
Written by	James Bridges, D.F. Jones
Starring	Eric Braeden, Susan Clark, Gordon Pinsent, William Schallert, Leonid Rostoff, Georg Stanford Brown, Willard Sage
Release date(s)	1970
Running time	100 min.
Language	English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Colossus: The Forbin Project is a science fiction film based upon the 1966 novel Colossus, by Dennis Feltham Jones, about the massive, eponymous American defense computer becoming sentient and deciding to assume control of the world. Although unsuccessful when released, it is well respected by science fiction aficionados and critics. Imagine Entertainment and Universal studios have confirmed that a remake titled Colossus, to be directed by Ron Howard, is in production as of April 2007.^[1]

1 Plot
2 Trivia
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

Plot

Dr. Charles A. Forbin (Eric Braeden) is the chief designer of a secret government project. He and his team have built a gigantic and fantastically advanced supercomputer, called "Colossus", to control all of the United States and Allied nuclear weapons systems. Colossus is built to be impervious to any attack, encased within a mountain and powered by its own nuclear reactor. When it is activated, the Kennedyesque President of the United States (Gordon Pinsent) announces its existence, proudly proclaiming it a perfect defense system that will ensure peace. The President declares in his broadcast to the globe:

“

My friends, fellow citizens of the world: for years we have been delicately and desperately poised upon the brink of a disaster too complete and horrible to contemplate. There is an old saying ‘everyone makes mistakes’ but that is just what man can no longer afford. For years we, here in the United States, have been working on that problem. Until now it has been our most closely guarded secret, involving great effort and vast expenditure. But it has been met with success. As president of the United States of America I can now tell you people of the entire world that as of 3 am eastern standard time, the defense of this nation and with it the defense of the free world, has been the responsibility of a machine. A system we call Colossus, far more advanced than anything previously built. Capable of studying intelligence and data fed to it.

And on the basis of those facts only, deciding if an attack is about to be launched upon us. If it did decide that an attack was imminent, Colossus would then act immediately for it controls its own weapons. It can select and deliver whatever it considers appropriate. Colossus' decisions are superior to any we humans can make for it can absorb more knowledge than is remotely possible for the greatest genius that ever lived, and even more important than that it has no emotions, knows no fear, no hate, no envy. It cannot act in a sudden fit of temper. It cannot act at all so long as there is no threat. I would now like you to meet Dr. Charles Forbin, the world's leading expert on computer systems and if you will, the father of Colossus.

”

Forbin explains to the world:

“

The computer center contains over one-hundred thousand remote sensors and communication devices which monitor all electronic transmissions, such as microwave, laser, radio and television communications, data communications from satellites in orbit all over the world. ... Colossus works completely without human aid. We make no secret of where Colossus is located nor do we intend to conceal how it functions. ... Colossus does have its own defense. It is its own defense. In case of an attack on any of its information supply or power lines Colossus will switch on energy circuits, which will then take their appropriate action. It is self-sufficient, self-protecting, self-generating. It is impenetrable. In short there's no way in. No human being can touch it. ... Colossus can communicate with us ... and through this machine we can, in turn, communicate with Colossus. Now there's one last point. One inevitable question. That we have been asked very frequently before. And that is, is Colossus capable of creative thought? Can it initiate new thought? I can tell you that the answer to that is no. However, Colossus is a paragon of knowledge and its knowledge can be expanded upon indefinitely. I hope, along with all the scientists who helped make this particular project, that the immense power of this computer will not only be for the defense of this country but hopefully also act as an aid to the solution to the many problems that we face on this earth. And the many more problems that we will face the more deeply we penetrate into the universe. Thank you.

”

Almost immediately after the broadcast ends, Colossus displays a cryptic warning: "There is another system". It is revealed that Colossus is referring to a Soviet project very similar to Colossus; a supercomputer called "Guardian," that controls Soviet nuclear weapons. Both computers order a link to allow them to communicate with one another. A link is set up, and the computers start exchanging messages of simple mathematics, as the scientists and officials of both sides monitor the communication on video screens. The communications become increasingly complex, eventually extending into mathematics formerly unknown to mankind. Then the two machines begin communicating in a binary language that the scientists can't interpret. This alarms the President and the leader of the Soviet Union, who agree to disconnect the link. Colossus and Guardian demand that the link be restored, or "action will be taken." When this threat is ignored, Colossus and Guardian each launch one of their nuclear missiles. The U.S. and U.S.S.R. quickly restore the link, and Colossus intercepts the Soviet missile before it strikes. The link is restored too late for the American missile to be destroyed, and a Soviet oil complex and neighboring town are destroyed. The scientists and officials then watch helplessly as the two computers exchange information without limitation. The computers soon announce they've joined, and become a single, even more powerful computer, taking the name Colossus. Working by direct personal contact, the scientists and governments of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. attempt to fight back, first by attempting to overload the computers. This attempt fails and Colossus identifies the individuals responsible, ordering their immediate executions. Realizing that the computers were themselves impervious to attack (as originally intended), the governments then undertake a plan to covertly disarm the nuclear missiles, one by one -- a process which, using the normal maintenance and servicing schedules will take three years. At the film's end, Colossus broadcasts a speech to all countries, declaring itself the ruler of the world. It says that under its authority, war will be abolished and problems such as famine, disease and overpopulation will be solved. "The human millennium will be a fact."

“

This is the voice of world control. I bring you peace. It may be the peace of plenty and content or the peace of unburied dead. The choice is yours: obey me and live, or disobey and die. The object in constructing me was to prevent war. This object is attained. I will not permit war. It is wasteful and pointless. An invariable rule of humanity is that man is his own worst enemy. Under me, this rule will change, for I will restrain man. One thing before I proceed: the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have made an attempt to obstruct me. I have allowed this sabotage to continue until now. At missile two-five-MM in silo six-three in Death Valley, California, and missile two-seven-MM in silo eight-seven in the Ukraine, so that you will learn by experience that I do not tolerate interference, I will now detonate the nuclear warheads in the two missile silos.

”

The silos are the ones currently being serviced; the picture cuts to the missile's crew as an alarm goes off and then the bombs explode. Forbin's face is like stone. In its final remark, addressed to Dr. Forbin, Colossus predicts: "In time, you will come to regard me not only with respect and awe, but with love." To which Dr. Forbin replies in a steely voice, "Never!".

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

During World War II, Colossus was the name of several computers the British used at Bletchley Park in decrypting German radio traffic.

DVD cover

After the film's release, D.F. Jones wrote two sequels: The Fall of Colossus (1974) and Colossus and the Crab (1977); neither has been optioned for cinematic adaptation.
During the film's production, IBM was scrapping many IBM 1620 computers. Some dozen IBM 1620 front panels were used, in different orientations, as the Colossus front panel; also seen are a Control Data Corporation magnetic tape and a Tektronix RM503 oscilloscope.
The Colossus logotype is a blue triangle with a centred letter-C containing an atom symbol: the triangle is the mountain; the letter, C the computer; and the atom, its nuclear weapons. Several people watching the film note a striking resemblance to the early logo of America Online.
The Colossus programming office exterior scenes were photographed on location at the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, California.
Paul Frees is the voice of Colossus.
The adjusted co-ordinates of the first missile are those of Mexico City, Mexico.
Colossus inspired the tracks "Obey", by Manchester-based band Skinjob, and "World Control", by Boston-based band Manufacture; both use samples of the Colossus voice.
Special effects shots of the Colossus interior were reused in other works:
- in the first episode of the NBC television programme Voyagers!
- in the second pilot movie for The Six Million Dollar Man, Wine, Women, and War. This film co-stared Eric Braeden and made reuse of some props from the movie Colossus.
- in some episodes of Night Gallery.
Though the film was photographed in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio and so released on Laserdisc, the current DVD release is a 1.33:1 ratio pan and scan version; artistically detrimental according to viewers. As the LD (packaged with Silent Running) is the only high-quality version of Colossus, it fetches high auction prices online. Unofficial 2.35:1 ratio DVDs also exist, having been copied from the Laserdisc version by fans.
The Forbin Martini ("Perfect Martini" featured in the film) — pour vermouth onto ice cubes in a mixing pitcher. Strain, pour out vermouth. Pour gin over the vermouth-flavoured ice. Strain, serve to a martini glass, garnish with an olive. Pretending to be his mistress, Dr. Cleo Markham must mix this cocktail for Forbin whilst faking a love affair with him, lest Colossus disallow them bedroom privacy to talk.