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