MovieChat Forums > Demon Seed (1977) Discussion > Could a remake be viable?

Could a remake be viable?

posted 18 years ago by glimmer-2
51 replies | jump to latest

OK I'm sure this movie would've given some people the creeps in the 70's especially the scene with the "child" emerging from the incubator. Having a completely automated house is pretty much a done deal these days (if you have the money). I'm pretty sure Bill Gates has something like it.

Anyhoo, I wasn't too happy with the scratchy soundtrack of this movie, but that seems pretty typical of some 70's sci-fi movies. I think some of the later Planet of the Apes sequels had the same kind of harsh sound to them.

If a remake did happen, I would like to read some ideas on who you would cast and what you might tweak to make the movie more contemporary.

I would change the voice of Proteus IV to something less electronic, especially when the child is born...fancy keeping its own voice! The big steel geometic puzzle looking thing that was some kind of security device would have to be redesigned or replaced with a different system.

Over the closing credits I would have a photo montage of the child (maybe even scrapbook style as in "Lethal Weapon IV" credits...different music obviously!). It would display her accomplishments, paper clipping, etc from her childhood right up until her election as freakin' president!! OK, maybe too much. Maybe...

How brutal would the new Proteus be? Depends on what mood the film would go for. Assuming the movie doesn't end at the birth; would Proteus want to gain power to save the human race from raping Earth any further eg; Manipulates politics & ends deforestation, deep sea mining, etc, as hinted in the original film, or would the climb to power have a more sinister underlying motive.

Would the brainn power of Proteus be so immense that telekinesis & even telepathy develop? Maybe two films should be made with the same cast. The second film would shows Proetus's climb to power as a teenager & adult...hmmm its starting to sound like the Omen movies a bit,isn't it.

Please have fun with this, as its only a game. Agree to disagree.

[–] WindScorpion 18 years ago

I would remake it with Proteus giving birth to triplets. I would try and present them to be more fun and less power-crazed - maybe having them go see puppet shows or go to a comedy club.I would also give them a longer length battery life. After softening up the viewer and presenting them as nice guys, i would then have them ruthlessly violate and impregnate Bill Gates, as a means to merge Windows and Proteus into a super-program - Pro Windows.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] MyKaAndMyBa 18 years ago

I agree! I like Dean Koontz' novels, but this particular one was much better as a film in my opinion. Profound message here, beneath the couple of shock-value scenes thrown in. A heavy message as well---a COMPUTER must remind man of the value of life, and living! Proteus is a very moral "man". Robert Vaughn's beautiful intonations as Proteus can't be improved upon, so I'd rather leave this beloved film as a stand-alone. It upped the ante for me forever after where science-fiction is concerned.

[–] jamesl9 16 years ago

Proteus wasn't moral at all. He went crazy over the death of thousands of sea creatures but thought nothing of killing thousands of human children. He went nuts over the so called 'rape of the earth' but he wouldn't have existed without said rape, ie technological advancement. And, he had no trouble raping a woman. Not to mention that the 'rape of the earth' is an enormous exaggeration..advancement can and is done with respect to the earth.

What I really love is how the monster that Proteus is..is liberal in their political thinking...destroying human will is ok for his own so called moral purposes. Destroying personal free will for the so called good of the whole. That is Leftist thinking in a nutshell! Obama would make a nice modern day DemonSeed.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] craigman 15 years ago

What the hell are you smoking?!?
I feel stupider for having read your completely inane right-wing BS
stupid libertarian

[–] Nemesis7293-1 14 years ago

Your sad, ugly, profoundly wrong Conservative view will, if unchecked, result in the destruction of the Earth as we know it. You are in denial because you are part of the rape of the Earth. It goes on now, as I write this, and every second of every day.....and will until it is forcibly stopped by humanity itself. I hope you're enjoying the Gulf oil spill. Maybe it will go away on it's own......like Rush Limbaugh says.

[–] DisturbedPixie 11 years ago

Goes to show how some conservative people really have no idea what is progressive. You must read and watch horror movies about liberals coming to get you in the middle of the night, you nut job. Open your eyes, progressive values will always succeed and conservative ones will always die out. It is the nature of society to care about others and want what's best for our earth, all of our home. No liberals want to destroy human will. That's ludicrous. You are totally insane if you believe that to be true. One of the more hated liberal values by conservatives is the free will over your own body. Like being able to smoke pot or terminate a pregnancy. If many republicans didn't want to stop our rights over our own bodies, than there wouldn't be such polarization in America. You will never have a right over our bodies, the way Proteus thought he had a right over Susan's body. If Proteus was liberal he would have given her the right to abort the rape baby. See what I did there? Us Liberals can make crazy political connections too.

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[–] bigBang8 11 years ago

You make a good point, but evolution is above all the most important thing, so if 10k kids die, so be it. That machine girl couldve saved billions if given enough authority with limitless intellect.

[–] mr_showbiz 18 years ago

What the hell is it with people that think anything and everything from the 70's or 80's needs to be remade?

[–] cayce0628 18 years ago

""""What the hell is it with people that think anything and everything from the 70's or 80's needs to be remade?""""

the reason why people (me being one of them) imop want movies made years ago remade is because there a dozens and dozens of movies out there that are great stories but with the tech that was available when the movie was made in some cases killed the movie in others it would have been better if you could have dont this........ fill in the blank.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] john-lancia-1 18 years ago

You sir, if you are not already working for a movie production house (perhaps specializing in remakes of already good movies for quick cash), should avoid seeking a career in the movie production business. Seeing as it is already full of talentless, money worshipping, lazy, soul destroying, shameless hacks. Your particular ideas, while still offending the public at large who like old movies the way they are and don't want their memory tarnished by shoddy remakes. Would also be looked down upon the other no good talentless hacks out there. Like the guys who remade the wickerman for instance.
If on the other hand you do already work for one of those production houses and are perhaps vetting your ideas with the public before recommending your production house buy up the rights to this film, then I dutifully suggest that you seek redemption by removing yourself from polite society and become a monk or hermit. Take some of your producer friends with you if you can. Please, do everyone a favour.

For everyone else reading this poor benighted thread, does anyone else notice that whenever you visit the page for a really good movie from a few decades ago, there is sure to be someone their asking everyone what they would think of a remake of this and who would you like to see cast in it and here is what I would change about it? Is IMDB being used by producers to vet ideas about easy to make remakes? Are we in fact helping them to put out substandard product based on well made movies, whose only crime was to have been made before the 14 to 25 year old crowd had a chance to see them? Will using the same script and adding todays speacial effects make up for the substandard acting that inevitably infests these remakes? I say that if these parasites who have taken over hollywood can't come up with ideas of their own or at least put out a half descent re-written script (see wickerman as an example) then they should step down and give the reigns of power in hollywood to a new generation of film makers who are willing to take a chance instead of retreading older movies into mediocrity (see wickerman for an example of this).

Anyway, I'm outta here man.

[–] DisturbedPixie 11 years ago

"Your particular ideas, while still offending the public at large who like old movies the way they are and don't want their memory tarnished by shoddy remakes"

Remakes do not tarnish the memories of the originals. It is not hard to choose to not watch a remake. And if the greater public hated them so much, there wouldn't be so many of them. All we would have to do is not pay to see them, and it would stop. But many of us are curious at the least. Just because a film was made once doesn't mean it was done to perfection. This film sure wasn't. Sci-fis in particular can be improved upon greatly with today's effects. Look at the original Fly vs the remake with Jeff Goldblum. I for one am glad it good remade. I also enjoyed the remake of The Thing from Another World. (The Thing 1982)
I, like many film lovers- not original film lovers for the sake of being smug, but all films-- enjoy comparing and contrasting remakes and originals, because more so than being the first, I think it's important to be the best. Often at the end of a comparison viewing, I can see the original is the best, but it's up to me to see that for myself, like all film goers should without someone nagging at them to see the conspiracy of it all.

I can agree that most of those that get remakes made are doing it because it's a calculated financial decision, but that's how most films are made. If you hate Hollywood for making films to make money, don't pay them to make them. Stick to indie films. Hollywood will always make films that they believe will make money. I will see The Child's Play remake because the original franchise became laughable. And I have no shame for feeling that way. The shame should be on you for not seeing any redeeming value in a simple discussion about a possible remake besides to give your two cents, that someone else will just regurgitate, about how Hollywood is crushing people's souls. Dramatic much? I mean, destroying people's souls? If remakes bother you so much,that your soul is being destroyed, try to get a petition gong and see how that works out. Maybe you'll get to keep a portion of your soul. haha

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[–] Saintted 18 years ago

NO MORE REMAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[–] moviecollector 17 years ago

I agree, this classic does not need to be remade.

They'd cast some nit wit from a "popular" tv show or some talentless hack like Jessica Simpson as the wife & Proteus 4 in end would transform into some CGI object trying to attack the wife.

Color me unimpressed.

[–] Woodyanders 17 years ago

This film is fine enough as it is. A remake is completely unnecessary.

"Warren Oates died for our sins"

[–] gargamel-8 17 years ago

Remakes are more or less without exception total crap.
I doubt a remake of this movie would improve anything.

[–] sugar_and_blood 17 years ago

Remakes are more or less without exception total crap.
I doubt a remake of this movie would improve anything.

I liked the Thing. That was a good remake.

I think that a remake would be ok, as long as it dosen't stray too far from the plot (like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake), or have a bunch of non-talented teens (like the House Of Wax remake). It does seem sort of outdated, but if it was remade, it would seem outdated in 2037, and people then would want it remade. Technology changes alot. It might even be good to remake it, as that might cause some people to watch the original, which is always good. As I have been told before, it's not going to destroy the original, the 1977 version will not be 'ruined' just because of a remake, it might be crap, but the original will still be there.

UJFG Unoffical Jason Fangirl

[–] princeofenemies 17 years ago

Why the endless desire for re-makes?

How about something original for a change?

Look, the ONLY way a re-make would work is if Jessica Biel played Susan and I played the super-computer.

=)

This is a press conference. The last thing I want is to answer a bunch of questions. - Dubya

[–] gatesisevil 16 years ago

They need to switch the roles and have Proteus be a fembot.

[–] yojimbo2006 16 years ago

I think a remake would be interesting. This is a film that tends to be forgotten by many people, perhaps unfairly.
If they did remake it a visionary director would be required, or at least someone with a great skill when it comes to creating suspense and atmosphere.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Stink_Face 15 years ago

Just reading these posts - If someone was to remake it I really think Cronenberg coudl do a good job with it - I'ts got a lot of ideas runnign through it ( a lot like his films) and it has his early themes of changes to the human body / metamorphosis etc.

By the way, could you just take a few moments to read my signature . . . Thanks.

[–] DisturbedPixie 11 years ago

Considering the success of his remake of The Fly, I can definitely see your point. He does seem to have very few highly regarded works though.

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[–] ggp_87_nj 16 years ago

in order to make a remake you have to make it much more the key sceces would have to be updated to today's standard but it is do able

[–] martymcsly2k1 15 years ago

I don't understand why everyone's so up in arms about a Demon Seed remake. It's not like we're talking about Casablanca or another piece of sacred cinema

I think the updated novel would make an entertaining movie. Proteus' wandering eye and its struggle to control the Enos Shenk character add interesting new dynamics.

[–] mk_doogs 15 years ago

I think it's fair game to take ideas from old movies and update them, and maybe in the hands of a visionary director they could produce something that would not dis-respect the original (eg. John Carpenter-The Thing or David Cronenberg-The Fly). But unfortunately the way films seem to get made these days; it is becoming increasingly rare to find 'visionary' directors let alone films that are not in some way a by-product of 'Focus Group' mentality or worse Studio interference. I for one believe the 70's was a golden age for Sci-Fi and some of my favorite movies were from that period, (Logans Run, Soylent Green, Silent Running, Westworld etc...) The ideas from these films are still relevant, but they were so well crafted that the fact they look dated is un-important, if anything the makers of these films were forced to be more inventive in leu of CGI and that each one had something sorely missing from most modern Sci-Fi: Atmosphere. Most modern films all seem to have lost that edge that makes them unique. CGI has not really done a great deal to change that, if anything it has made it harder for films to retain their own personality. The majority of remakes, nay modern films I walk away from; I forget almost instantly, because they all look the same and sound the same with some crappy TV celebrity gurning they're way through it, most remakes are so off, it just makes me want to hunt down the people responsible and shoot them. There is not a doubt in my mind a remake of Demon Seed would probably be appalling. I can just see the pitch now: "Hey, lets get McG to direct, we can probably get Will Smith to play Alex Harris, hey what about getting that woman from Destiny's Child to play Susan, she can't act but it doesn't matter, she's in our core audience demographic. Hey, maybe we could put in some explosions and a chase scene involving Proteus transmogrifying into a car".

DO NOT REMAKE

[–] pacificboy 14 years ago

I don't understand why everyone's so up in arms about a Demon Seed remake.

Possibly because of Red Dragon, War of the Worlds, The Women, The Wicker Man, Fame, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Omen, The Flight of the Phoenix, The In-Laws, Poseidon, Night of the Living Dead 3D, The Hitcher, Psycho, Halloween, The Haunting, When a Stranger Calls, The Producers, The Longest Yard, Alfie, Race to Witch Mountain, The Stepfather, The Karate Kid, The Fog, The Stepford Wives, House of Wax, The Heartbreak Kid, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Sleuth, Sabrina, The Truth About Charlie, Mr. Deeds, Dawn of the Dead, Last House on the Left, Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Flubber, Shall We Dance?, The Thomas Crown Affair, Wolfman, The Invasion, The Jackal, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Bad News Bears, Rollerball, and Friday the 13th.

That enough reasons?

But I'm sure this one would be good.

"My brain rebelled, and insisted on applying logic where it was not welcome."

[–] Nemesis7293-1 14 years ago

Thank you for doing the work for me! I love you!!! Up until the 50's- 60's remakes were usually at least as good as the original, many times better - see "The Ten Commandments" or "Imitation Of Life" - , but now the only impetus seems to be upon simply changing everything possible about the original. Indeed, in cases such as the obscene remake of "The Fog" it is as if a group went through the original script and every time they found something good they said "Change it!.....Doesn't matter if it's good, just that it's new. The audience is to stupid to care". As far a "Demon Seed" remake is concerned the film and it's special effects are perfect as executed in the original and are in NO need of a CGI laden remake......we will, sadly, probably get one, though. Hooray, progress.

[–] DisturbedPixie 11 years ago

Like many of those originals were classics and were far better than any remake could be? The majority of those originals were just awful or average at best. I mean, House of Wax? Stepford Wives? Wickerman? Friday the 13th? Those films were awful--both the originals and remakes. At least someone tried to take the few good parts and tried to make something more entertaining out of it.

And many people liked many of those films-Like the Dawn of The Dead remake. Honestly, if they weren't down rated by remake haters, many of those are quite good on there own. And Invasion of The Body Snatchers had 3 remakes, but it's funny how people only complain about the latest, and no one seems to recall highly regarded remakes like The Thing or The Fly or Ocean's Eleven or Hairspray or Man on Fire or True Grit.

If you don't like remakes, DON'T WATCH THEM. It's not hard and they WILL go away if most people refused to watch them, but that is not the case, so get over it and watch an indie film instead of worrying about it. Your precious original Stepfather is still there in all it's glory... haha serious? Both the remake and original is a 6/10 at best.

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