list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Westworld on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Westworld/37924/default.aspx Title: Westworld
Year: 1973
Director: Michael Crichton
Plot: Welcome to Westworld, where nothing can go wrong...go wrong...go wrong....Writer/director Michael Crichton has concocted a futuristic "Disneyland for adults", a remote resort island where, for a hefty fee, one can indulge in one's wildest fantasies. Businessmen James Brolin and Richard Benjamin are just crazy about the old west, thus they head to the section of Westworld populated by robot desperadoes, robot lawmen, robot dance-hall gals, and the like. Benjamin's first inkling that something is amiss occurs when, during a mock showdown with robot gunslinger Yul Brynner, Brolin is shot and killed for real. It seems that the "nerve center" of Westworld has developed several serious technical glitches: the human staff is dead, and the robots are running amok. Suddenly promoted to the film's hero, Benjamin (who seems as surprised and shocked as the audience) must first avoid, then face down the relentless Brynner. Much of Westworld was lensed on the expansive grounds of the old Harold Lloyd estate in Beverly Hills, so it's no surprise that there's something Lloydlike about Dick Benjamin's instinct for self-preservation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 21
Number of Lists: 25
Number of blog posts: 2
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Wed, 13 May 2009 03:58:12 GMTWestworld1973Michael CrichtonWelcome to Westworld, where nothing can go wrong...go wrong...go wrong....Writer/director Michael Crichton has concocted a futuristic "Disneyland for adults", a remote resort island where, for a hefty fee, one can indulge in one's wildest fantasies. Businessmen <a href="/players/P_____8656/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Brolin</a> and <a href="/players/P____81388/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Richard Benjamin</a> are just crazy about the old west, thus they head to the section of Westworld populated by robot desperadoes, robot lawmen, robot dance-hall gals, and the like. Benjamin's first inkling that something is amiss occurs when, during a mock showdown with robot gunslinger <a href="/players/P_____9264/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Yul Brynner</a>, Brolin is shot and killed for real. It seems that the "nerve center" of Westworld has developed several serious technical glitches: the human staff is dead, and the robots are running amok. Suddenly promoted to the film's hero, Benjamin (who seems as surprised and shocked as the audience) must first avoid, then face down the relentless Brynner. Much of Westworld was lensed on the expansive grounds of the old Harold Lloyd estate in Beverly Hills, so it's no surprise that there's something Lloydlike about Dick Benjamin's instinct for self-preservation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide21Tag Target (>10)25233http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t077618bd8q.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Westworld/37924/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/jj79/archive/2009/9/11/43876.aspx Post By: JJ79
Post To: JJ79 Blog
Post Date: 9/11/2009 11:08:58 AM
Body: Westworld is one of three high-tech adult amusement parks under the Delos brand. In this place, guests can engage in role play fantasies involving the Old West, Roman times (in Romanworld) or in Medieval England (in Medievalworld). Anything goes in these places for one simple reason: nothing, evidently, can go wrong. Heat sensors prevent gunslingers from shooting other humans in Westworld, for example. So who do they shoot? Robots. When the robots refuse to accept commands from their human masters, it's up to the guests to fend for themselves.It shouldn't be any shock that Westworld comes from the mind of writer/director Michael Crichton, the same man behind Jurassic Park. Both films deal with humans trying to harness technology for entertainment purposes. Their major conflict occurs because of man's hubris over what he's able to control. And, eventually, the simple lesson that "just because we can doesn't mean we should" sinks in. It's as if Westworld served as a template for Jurassic Park, showing Crichton the pitfalls of this kind of story, allowing him to work out the kinks and flesh out his ideas. But Westworld isn't just Jurassic Park-light; it's an entertaining, action-oriented message film.Clocking in at just 88-minutes, Westworld is very efficient in its storytelling, forgoing minor subplots and peripheral characters in favor of focusing on guests Peter and John (Richard Benjamin and James Brolin) and their adventure in Westworld. By relegating secondary characters like Dick Van Patten's "Banker" to the background, Crichton allows the audience to feel the claustrophobia both men experience at the park. The most peculiar thing about the story isn't how few "other" personalities are on the screen; it's actually how slowly the robots going crazy storyline is introduced.Crichton refuses to push it down our throats or make it completely obvious. Instead, small scenes are inserted during the first 45 minutes showing problems behind the scenes. As opposed to John Hammond in Jurassic Park, these designers didn't do all the work themselves: apparently (and the movie doesn't delve into the specifics), computers designed some of the robots. Naturally, when something does go wrong, they don't know how to fix it. Nor does Crichton seem to care about the nitty gritty of the technology (remember the complicated animation in JP which explained how the dinosaurs were made?). All that's important is that the audience buy into the concept.And that we do, primarily because Peter is our proxy on screen. Initially, he feel silly interacting in this environment, sheepishly telling Yul Brynner's "Gunslinger" he talks too much. Each passing time he says it, we can see his confidence rising and acceptance of the situation coming to the surface. Think about it: if you've always dreamed of going to the Wild West and taking part in a bar brawl, actually doing it is going to be odd at the outset. But as you see the people around you open and involved in the action, you eventually become comfortable with it. In that sense, it's perfectly logical.Most of the action takes place in Westworld and Medievalworld; there are precious few scenes of Romanworld. While it's never said, the insinuation is the guests can have sex with anyone they want to, no holds barred. That's the same rule as in the other two areas, though neither the west or England are known for homosexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality or sexual orgies. That's the most plausible explanation as to why this portion of Delos is rarely shown. The actors-save Brynner-are typical 1970s actors lacking a true emotional range, acting as though they're on television and not on the movie screen. Brynner, though, understands his role to perfection, acting without moving his face or a ton of dialogue. He does what he needs to do by, simply, staring at his opponents.Because Crichton doesn't spend a lot of time on the workings of the robot technology or the rules of the world, he misses a few obvious questions. Remember those heat sensors? Theoretically speaking, they work on the same principle as infrared imaging. If there is a heat signature in the direction the gun is pointing, it won't fire. However, what happens if a person stands behind a chair. The heat signature is gone, allowing the gun to fire. And what about overrides? A group of scientists suffocates after the electronic doors no longer work. There's no fire exit? Where's the rest of the human staff at the park-dead, like the guests? We're not meant to think about those aspects to closely, I suspect. Crichton is trying to warn us about putting too much trust in technology, something he saw before James Cameron in Terminator (but not before Gene Roddenberry in Star Trek).
]]>Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:08:58 GMTJJ79JJ79 Blog9/11/2009 11:08:58 AMWestworld is one of three high-tech adult amusement parks under the Delos brand. In this place, guests can engage in role play fantasies involving the Old West, Roman times (in Romanworld) or in Medieval England (in Medievalworld). Anything goes in these places for one simple reason: nothing, evidently, can go wrong. Heat sensors prevent gunslingers from shooting other humans in Westworld, for example. So who do they shoot? Robots. When the robots refuse to accept commands from their human masters, it's up to the guests to fend for themselves.It shouldn't be any shock that Westworld comes from the mind of writer/director Michael Crichton, the same man behind Jurassic Park. Both films deal with humans trying to harness technology for entertainment purposes. Their major conflict occurs because of man's hubris over what he's able to control. And, eventually, the simple lesson that "just because we can doesn't mean we should" sinks in. It's as if Westworld served as a template for Jurassic Park, showing Crichton the pitfalls of this kind of story, allowing him to work out the kinks and flesh out his ideas. But Westworld isn't just Jurassic Park-light; it's an entertaining, action-oriented message film.Clocking in at just 88-minutes, Westworld is very efficient in its storytelling, forgoing minor subplots and peripheral characters in favor of focusing on guests Peter and John (Richard Benjamin and James Brolin) and their adventure in Westworld. By relegating secondary characters like Dick Van Patten's "Banker" to the background, Crichton allows the audience to feel the claustrophobia both men experience at the park. The most peculiar thing about the story isn't how few "other" personalities are on the screen; it's actually how slowly the robots going crazy storyline is introduced.Crichton refuses to push it down our throats or make it completely obvious. Instead, small scenes are inserted during the first 45 minutes showing problems behind the scenes. As opposed to John Hammond in Jurassic Park, these designers didn't do all the work themselves: apparently (and the movie doesn't delve into the specifics), computers designed some of the robots. Naturally, when something does go wrong, they don't know how to fix it. Nor does Crichton seem to care about the nitty gritty of the technology (remember the complicated animation in JP which explained how the dinosaurs were made?). All that's important is that the audience buy into the concept.And that we do, primarily because Peter is our proxy on screen. Initially, he feel silly interacting in this environment, sheepishly telling Yul Brynner's "Gunslinger" he talks too much. Each passing time he says it, we can see his confidence rising and acceptance of the situation coming to the surface. Think about it: if you've always dreamed of going to the Wild West and taking part in a bar brawl, actually doing it is going to be odd at the outset. But as you see the people around you open and involved in the action, you eventually become comfortable with it. In that sense, it's perfectly logical.Most of the action takes place in Westworld and Medievalworld; there are precious few scenes of Romanworld. While it's never said, the insinuation is the guests can have sex with anyone they want to, no holds barred. That's the same rule as in the other two areas, though neither the west or England are known for homosexuality, bisexuality, pansexuality or sexual orgies. That's the most plausible explanation as to why this portion of Delos is rarely shown. The actors-save Brynner-are typical 1970s actors lacking a true emotional range, acting as though they're on television and not on the movie screen. Brynner, though, understands his role to perfection, acting without moving his face or a ton of dialogue. He does what he needs to do by, simply, staring at his opponents.Because Crichton doesn't spend a lot of time on the workings of the robot technology or the rules of the world, he misses a few obvious questions. Remember those heat sensors? Theoretically speaking, they work on the same principle as infrared imaging. If there is a heat signature in the direction the gun is pointing, it won't fire. However, what happens if a person stands behind a chair. The heat signature is gone, allowing the gun to fire. And what about overrides? A group of scientists suffocates after the electronic doors no longer work. There's no fire exit? Where's the rest of the human staff at the park-dead, like the guests? We're not meant to think about those aspects to closely, I suspect. Crichton is trying to warn us about putting too much trust in technology, something he saw before James Cameron in Terminator (but not before Gene Roddenberry in Star Trek). http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_November_24_Cyborgs_Androids/625/37593/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/24/2008 5:23:37 PM
Body: Westworld ! Which supposedly a remake has been in the works of for a while. At one point I remember Arnold Schwarzenegger was supposed to star in. And get this, he WASN'T supposed to be the android gunslinger.
]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:23:37 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme11/24/2008 5:23:37 PMWestworld ! Which supposedly a remake has been in the works of for a while. At one point I remember Arnold Schwarzenegger was supposed to star in. And get this, he WASN'T supposed to be the android gunslinger. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_November_10_Whatchamacallit/625/37294/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/13/2008 9:01:17 PM
Body: Thank you, Leeroy. Your explanation has clarified this a bit for me. But I am still not sure if I like the term or it's meaning. For example, Michael Chrighton wrote The Andromeda Strain as a novel before it was ever a movie. The ending of the movie followed closely with the novel. Don't you think that Chrighton had this entire story (INCLUDING the ending) worked out in his mind BEFORE he ever wrote the first words on paper? That 'duche machiny' thing doesn't work here. Chrighton was a genius who also attended medical school and who wrote several GREAT stories and even directed some of them! The 13th Warrior (Eaters of the Dead), Jurassic Park and Westworld are among the many things this guy has written. I don't think he has ever "written himself into a corner" EVER in his life! The same with Orson Welles and The War of the Worlds ... < GOR >
]]>Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:01:17 GMTDr_GorWeekly Theme11/13/2008 9:01:17 PM Thank you, Leeroy. Your explanation has clarified this a bit for me. But I am still not sure if I like the term or it's meaning. For example, Michael Chrighton wrote The Andromeda Strain as a novel before it was ever a movie. The ending of the movie followed closely with the novel. Don't you think that Chrighton had this entire story (INCLUDING the ending) worked out in his mind BEFORE he ever wrote the first words on paper? That 'duche machiny' thing doesn't work here. Chrighton was a genius who also attended medical school and who wrote several GREAT stories and even directed some of them! The 13th Warrior (Eaters of the Dead), Jurassic Park and Westworld are among the many things this guy has written. I don't think he has ever "written himself into a corner" EVER in his life! The same with Orson Welles and The War of the Worlds ... &lt; GOR &gt; http://www.spout.com/blogs/mediamentalist/archive/2007/10/3/20401.aspx Post By: mediamentalist
Post To: mediamentalist Blog
Post Date: 10/3/2007 4:39:34 PM
Body: This is a great idea of a film, a futuristic theme park full of robots. Its such a good idea it has been homaged/parodied in everything. The casting is brilliant, James Brolin just spilling full of charm and Yul Brynner is pure menace as the robot that won't go away. It doesn't even kick into full gear until 2/3rds of the way through it, but that is obviously its way of lulling the audience into a false sense of security. Unfortunately, like many trailers today, the trailer for this reveals all the twists hence making the beginning a bit of bore as it goes through the motions at a languid pace.The good points, as I do like this film, are that once it gets into what its wanted to be doing from the start is effectively done. The stunt work is fantastic and the effects are cool. The remake that is in the works has a major problem in that they need Yul Brynner, he makes the film.
]]>Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:39:34 GMTmediamentalistmediamentalist Blog10/3/2007 4:39:34 PMThis is a great idea of a film, a futuristic theme park full of robots. Its such a good idea it has been homaged/parodied in everything. The casting is brilliant, James Brolin just spilling full of charm and Yul Brynner is pure menace as the robot that won&#39;t go away. It doesn&#39;t even kick into full gear until 2/3rds of the way through it, but that is obviously its way of lulling the audience into a false sense of security. Unfortunately, like many trailers today, the trailer for this reveals all the twists hence making the beginning a bit of bore as it goes through the motions at a languid pace.The good points, as I do like this film, are that once it gets into what its wanted to be doing from the start is effectively done. The stunt work is fantastic and the effects are cool. The remake that is in the works has a major problem in that they need Yul Brynner, he makes the film. http://www.spout.com/groups/missing_a_film/Re_Help_to_find_a_missing_film/263/6504/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: porcupine
Post To: missing a film
Post Date: 3/26/2007 10:54:04 AM
Body: "It was great seeing it again after all those years, but it wasn't as good as I remembered it being." I think this is a common element in a lot of lost and found films. I think we have a tendency to build things up in our minds when we only remember certain parts. One time I was in a hotel room, in Iceland of all places, and my brother and I saw the last two thirds of Westworld. It was so surreal! Jumping back and forth between western and medieval settings, and of course we then understood where much of the inpiration for the classic Itchy and Scratchy Land Simpson's episode came from. I watched all the credits until they finally showed the title. When I got home a started searching for the DVD (this was before i had Netflix). I ended up ordering it from Amazon. The movie is wierd, and kind of funny, but really not worth owning. I think I felt like I needed to own it because I had discovered something really obscure and strange in a really obscure setting.
]]>Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:54:04 GMTporcupinemissing a film3/26/2007 10:54:04 AM"It was great seeing it again after all those years, but it wasn&#39;t as good as I remembered it being." I think this is a common element in a lot of lost and found films. I think we have a tendency to build things up in our minds when we only remember certain parts. One time I was in a hotel room, in Iceland of all places, and my brother and I saw the last two thirds of Westworld. It was so surreal! Jumping back and forth between western and medieval settings, and of course we then understood where much of the inpiration for the classic Itchy and Scratchy Land Simpson&#39;s episode came from. I watched all the credits until they finally showed the title. When I got home a started searching for the DVD (this was before i had Netflix). I ended up ordering it from Amazon. The movie is wierd, and kind of funny, but really not worth owning. I think I felt like I needed to own it because I had discovered something really obscure and strange in a really obscure setting. http://www.spout.com/blogs/joeviturbo/archive/2007/2/9/5332.aspx Post By: JoeViturbo
Post To: JoeViturbo Blog
Post Date: 2/9/2007 10:04:00 AM
Body: I was impressed by this movie. The story centers around two men visiting a futuristic amusement park that allows them to live out their wild west fantasies to the minutest detail. Gunfights and quick-draw shootouts are made possible by robot antagonists, that is, until the robots decide they don't like being the ones shot all the time. The main villainous robot is portrayed by Academy Award winning Yul Brynner. He plays a robot version of the character he portrayed in "The Magnificent Seven". This is one of the few movies that Michael Crichton directed although "The Great Train Robbery" is probably more well liked. "Westworld" reminds me of "Terminator", and "Jurassic Park" and it is quite possible it influenced both. I found it engaging and fascinatingand hopefully you will to. Be sure to chek out the sequel "Futureworld", again with Yul Brynner as a psychotic robot, and look out for the upcoming remake "Westworld" slated for a 2009 release
]]>Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:04:00 GMTJoeViturboJoeViturbo Blog2/9/2007 10:04:00 AMI was impressed by this movie. The story centers around two men visiting a futuristic amusement park that allows them to live out their wild west fantasies to the minutest detail. Gunfights and quick-draw shootouts are made possible by robot antagonists, that is, until the robots decide they don&#39;t like being the ones shot all the time. The main villainous robot is portrayed by Academy Award winning Yul Brynner. He plays a robot version of the character he portrayed in "The Magnificent Seven". This is one of the few movies that Michael Crichton directed although "The Great Train Robbery" is probably more well liked. "Westworld" reminds me of "Terminator", and "Jurassic Park" and it is quite possible it influenced both. I found it engaging and fascinatingand hopefully you will to. Be sure to chek out the sequel "Futureworld", again with Yul Brynner as a psychotic robot, and look out for the upcoming remake "Westworld" slated for a 2009 release http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/sexy/MemberTagFilms.aspxsexy
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