Artificial Intelligence in the Movies

Since the times of ancient Greece, popular culture has entertained stories of artificial humans. Our modern fears about the “otherness” of androids and human replicants have much in common with fears of the Doppelgänger, a mythological harbinger of death. Throughout the twentieth century, “AI” technologies have developed at a rapid pace, bringing us face to face with these ancient fears in a modern context. Examining such films as The Day the Earth Stood Still, Forbidden Planet and Blade Runner, among others, this book charts cinema’s fascination with artificial intelligence and the technological double, as well as the historical antecedents of the artificial human.

David Huckvale has worked as a researcher, writer and presenter for BBC Radio and as a lecturer for various universities in England. He lives in rural Bedfordshire.

David Huckvale
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 216
Bibliographic Info: 22 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9510-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5368-6
Imprint: McFarland

Preface 1

Introduction 3

One. Artificial Humans 15

Two. From R.U.R. to R2D2 40

Three. Robogängers 62

Four. Androids 83

Five. Vampires and Dolls 98

Six. The Terror of the Twins 109

Seven. Virtual Reality 122

Eight. Identity Crisis 136

Nine. Schizophrenia 151

Ten. Thanatos 166

Epilogue: Degeneration 178

Chapter Notes 187

Bibliography 193

Index 197