Continuing our monthlong celebration of Halloween with various scary movie and TV-related lists. Check out our online movie database at channelguidemag.com to see if any of these or other scary titles are on this month. (Note: Videos may contain graphic violence, disturbing images and language.)
RAGE AGAINST THESE MACHINES:
TOP 5 MECHANICAL MOVIE MONSTERS
Ain’t technology great? Well, in most cases, at least. In these films, humans have made technology too good, and several creations have developed minds of their own — with evil thoughts. Often with smoothly intelligent voices that add to their calm, cool and sinister natures, these crazed computers and rampaging robots have no troubleshooting manuals to help you escape them:
5. Master Control Program (Tron, 1982)
The evil, self-evolving artificial intelligence that rules over the mainframe of the ENCOM organization, MCP (voiced by David Warner) enslaves other computer programs and forces them to play deadly games, including the famed Light Cycle races that stand out in this film. MCP also digitized human programmer Flynn (Jeff Bridges), bringing him into the computer world, and plans to incorporate all programs into himself.
4. Killbots (Chopping Mall, 1986)
A different, but still kinda dumb (but with a great title), take on the ’80s slasher film, this Roger Corman-produced flick finds several teens sneaking into a shopping mall one night to party. Unfortunately, the new high-tech security robots the mall has just installed malfunction that night and go on a murderous rampage. Although they sort of look like modified floor waxers, these ’bots can be pretty nasty, resulting in messy cleanups needed in several aisles. I just have to wonder what sort of stuff a shopping mall would carry that needs protection by laser-wielding killer robots:
3. HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968)
“No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.” Famous last words. Of course, HAL didn’t say anything about a computer not being able to go a little mad, which he certainly seems to do in this classic film. Although responsible for the activities of the spaceship he’s on, HAL still seems a little power-crazy and ends up on a murder spree — killing off several hibernating astronauts, setting one loose in space and trying to keep another from re-entering the craft. His actions make the coldness of space even chillier, and are made all the creepier by his calm, quiet voice (provided by actor Douglas Rain):
2. Proteus IV (Demon Seed, 1977)
“More than a computer — a murderously intelligent, sensually self-programmed non-being” is how this film’s overwrought trailer describes Proteus, a computer that develops a consciousness of its own (and a voice of Robert Vaughn) then proceeds to gain control of the home of its inventor, trapping the man’s wife (Julie Christie) inside. But Proteus has even more sinister plans, including somehow raping the woman and implanting its … demon seed!
1. T-1000 (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991)
This relentless, shape-shifting, liquid-metal cyborg assassin from the future (played very creepily by Robert Patrick) makes Schwarzenegger’s original Terminator look like a sissy. Able to slide under doors, assume the shape of other people, regenerate itself immediately after taking a gunshot, it’s the ultimate killing machine:
