Preparing for HBO’s “Westworld” – A Review of the 1973 film

Yes, I know it may be hard to believe that the upcoming TV series, “Westworld”, was actually based upon a film of the same name. Not only that but it was a film that was written and directed by Michael Crichton (that dude that would later write the books “Congo”, “Jurassic Park” and “Lost World”).

Ever since I read that this series was going into production, I was intrigued by its alluring premise — “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin” (Hollywood Reporter). Everything we’ve seen from the promos until now showcase a sprawling epic take on a lesser known sci-fi/drama.

Outside of the rather obvious 1970s aesthetic, “Westworld” (1973) is most definitely a diamond in the rough. Moreover, the premise itself can provide so many unique themes that are very introspective, especially in relation to where we are as a society – on the verge of artificial intelligence. With “Westworld”, it examines how humans revel in the most seeded desires by living in a world where everything they sense is real but, in fact, is a complete fabrication. You see, ‘Westworld’, is a vacation destination where tourists live a lifestyle they’ve only had in their dreams and a chance to satisfy murderous and sexual desires. This brings about many issues:

-Is it okay to kill a robot that looks and sounds exactly like a human being?

-Is the very idea of such a vacation resort the beginning of the end for society?

-What does it mean to be alive?

-How different are we from these ‘self-aware’ robots?

-How do we define our interactions with these robots (if we can’t tell the difference)? Is it sincere? Is the very concept of things like ‘love’ then elusive?

The film follows two friends (one that’s been to Westworld before and the other a newcomer) as they get acquainted with the Wild West on the verge of the 20th century. What is most off putting in their journey is the eventual realization that their actions will not have consequences. This is the true danger of such a place. Our moral constraints exist for many reasons. When you have a place like Westworld blurring ethical lines, you can’t help but wonder what ‘real life’ consequences would occur after leaving such a sinful destination. Once the two realize the place as a sort of paradise, the paradise turns on them.

The scientists that maintain these robots are slowly beginning to realize that a robot virus is being spread and robots are ‘acting out’ and attacking humans. In addition, it is mentioned that the scientists themselves are not sure why it is occurring since the robots were created by machines. Although this subplot should have been more elaborated on, it is quite a clever way in explaining a more logical way to the actual dawn of artificial intelligence.

The underrated film is also highlighted by strong performances from the great Yul Brynner (“The Ten Commandments”, “The King and I”, “The Magnificent Seven”), James Brolin (“The Amityville Horror”, “Traffic”), and Richard Benjamin (“The Sunshine Boys”). Benjamin’s initial reaction after shooting a robot and bedding a robot prostitute is innocence meeting rapture. This role is essential in portraying the very sinister nature of it all. Brynner has limited lines but his nuanced facial expressions are most effective, especially in relation to the very idea of self-awareness.

With all that being said, I believe HBO has plucked a fairly obscure film to bank on its rich premise. They (creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy) are putting forth a big production to give this the scale it truly deserves and not to mention an amazing cast that includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Ed Harris and Jeffrey Wright.

Note: The TV series is being composed by Ramin Djawadi who is known for his work on “Game of Thrones”.

2nd note: JJ Abrams (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, “Star Trek”, “Super 8”) is the credited executive producer on the HBO series.
 

After viewing the original film, I most eagerly await the HBO TV series which drops on Sunday (October 2nd) at 8 PM Central/9 PM Eastern.
 

Check out the most recent promo below and get excited for Sunday!

 

What the heck is HBO’s “Westworld” about ?

You may have heard rumblings of the upcoming show, “Westworld”, coming to the premium cable network sometime in October. You also may have even seen the teaser trailer (which can be seen below) that was recently released and are just not quite sure what to make of it. Don’t be troubled. You are not the only one. The marketing department would rather play with the angle of keeping the new series a ‘mystery’ in order to bring forth more interest. I’m not sure that’s working out that great. However, if you understand what the essential story is about, you’ll likely want to check it out. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that you have a stellar cast that includes Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, and James Marsden.

The Source Material:

The series is actually based upon a 1973 film (that starred Yul Brynner) that was written and directed by Michael Crichton (author of “Jurassic Park”, “Rising Sun”, “Disclosure”). The premise of that film is set in the near future where there is an adult amusement park called Delos, where there are three separate worlds – West World (American Old West), Medieval World (medieval Europe), and Roman World (pre-Christian Pompeii). Each world is populated with life like androids which are programmed for their environment. Park guests are able to pay an admission for an adventure or a sexual encounter (with an android). Things begin to get crazy when these androids begin ‘acting out of place’ and the park creators do not really know how they really work since they were designed by other computers and no one really knows how they work. These androids could be just as complex as humans.

Note: “Westworld” (1973) was followed up with a sequel in 1976 called “Futureworld” and a very short lived TV series in 1980 called “Beyond Westworld”.
 

Reasons why you should be excited for the upcoming TV series:

Jonathan Nolan (co-writer on “Memento”, “Interstellar” and “The Dark Knight”) and Lisa Joy are the show creators and will executive produce along with J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) and Bryan Burk (producer on “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”).

The series was described in a Hollywood Reporter article in 2014 as a “dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin”.

Takeaway:

This sounds a lot like “Total Recall” meets “Blade Runner”. The mysterious marketing for the new series now makes much more sense. Plus, you can bet that they likely modernized the concept from the film. I think this concept is an excellent one to re-visit, especially since not many people are familiar with the source material. I believe we (society) are ready to fully embrace the storyline as we continue to progress into the inevitable dawn of artificial intelligence.