ROBOTS AND MACHINES


Robots are man's creation. In that sense, much of the horror can connect directly to Frankenstein's monster. Many creators attempt to make the robots so real that they can perform many functions. These functions are usually the "dirty" or immoral jobs that humans do not want to perform. "Pleasure" units can be found in Westworld (1973) and other movies. Robots that are given too much power overcome the control of their creators and turn on their human counterparts. Ambition without concern for morality plays a large part in the terror of the robotic monster. Isaac Asimov was one science fiction writer in the forefront of robot lore. In his book I, Robot, he defines laws that should govern robots:

1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to him by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
It is when these laws of robotics are violated that robots become monsters. They terrorize their creators until their batteries run out or some higher power takes over.

--Jake Nonis


-----------------------------Pre-1950s---------------------------- ----------------------
Metropolis (1926)
Doctor Satan's Robot (1940) ­ (a.k.a. Mysterious Dr. Satan)

--------------------------------1950s----------------------------- --------------------------
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Robot Monster (1953)
Devil Girl from Mars (1954)
Tobor the Great (1954)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
The Invisible Boy (1957)
Kronos (1957)
The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1959)

--------------------------------1960s----------------------------- --------------------------
Planets Against Us (1961)
The Creation of the Humanoids (1962)
The Human Duplicators (1964)
Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1966)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
How to Make a Doll (1968)
The Astro-Zombies (1969)

--------------------------------1970s----------------------------- --------------------------
THX 1138 (1971)
Silent Running (1972)
Master Minds (1973)
Westworld (1973)
Terminal Man (1974)
Roboman (1975)
Futureworld (1976)
Star Crash (1978)
Terror of Mechagodzilla (1978)
War of the Robots (1978)
The Black Hole (1979)

--------------------------------1980s----------------------------- --------------------------
Blade Runner (1982)
Android (1982)
Prototype (1983) ­ (Frankenstein adaptation)
Runaway (1984)
Terminator (1984)
Humanoid Defender (1985) ­ (TV)
Planet Busters (1985) ­ (Japanimation)
The Vindicator (1985) ­ (Modernized Frankenstein)
Assassin (1986) - (TV)
Chopping Mall (1986)
Eliminators (1986)
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Programmed to Kill (1986)
Not Quite Human (1987) ­ (TV)
Robocop (1987)
Robot Holocaust (1987)
Starship (1987)
Light Years (1988) ­ (Animated)
Cyborg (1989)
K-9000 (1989) ­(TV)
R.o.t.o.r. (1989)
Slipstream (1989)

--------------------------------1990s----------------------------- --------------------------
Attack of the Killer Refrigerator (1990)
Circuitry Man (1990)
Class of 1999 (1990)
Hardware (1990)
Robocop 2 (1990)
Steel and Lace (1990)
Eve of Destruction (1991)
Megaville (1991)
Robocop 3 (1991)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Doctor Who: Cyberman-The Early Years (1992)
Not Quite Human 2 (1992) ­ (TV)
Project: Shadowchaser (1992) ­ (Terminator-like)
Prototype x29a (1992)
Still Not Quite Human (1992)
Cyborg 2 (1993)
Cyborg Cop (1993)
Knights (1993)
Mandroid (1993)
Nemesis (1993)
Robot Wars (1993)
TC 2000 (1993)
Cyborg Soldier (1994)
American Cyborg: Steel Warrior (1994)
A.p.e.x. (1994)
Automatic (1994)
Class of 1999 2: The Substitute (1994)
The Companion (1994) ­ (TV)
Cyber-Tracker (1994)
Digital Man (1994)
Evolver (1994)
Night Siege Project: Shadowchaser 2 (1994)
Plughead Rewired: Circuitry Man 2 (1994)
Robocop the Series: The Future of Law Enforcement (1994)
T-Force (1994)
The Android Affair (1995)
Cyber-Tracker 2 (1995)
Cyberzone (1995)
Cyborg 3: The Recycler (1995)
Heatseeker (1995)
Project: Shadowchaser 3000 (1995)
Suspect Device (1995)
Nemesis 3: Time Lapse (1996)
Screamers (1996)
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

--------------------------------2000s----------------------------- --------------------------
Project Viper (2002) -- creature of human genes and computer chips runs rampant.


Monsters Frontpage