The Terminal Man (1974)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Mike Hodges

Writers:

Michael Crichton (novel)
Mike Hodges (writer)

Release Date:

14 February 1975 (Finland)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Harry Benson is a brilliant computer scientist. For three minutes a day, he is violently homicidal.

Plot:

As the result of a head injury, brilliant computer scientist Harry Benson begins to experience violent seizures...

Plot Keywords:

Seizure | Brain Implant | Medical | Brain Surgery | Helicopter

Cast

George Segal	...	Harry Benson
Joan Hackett	...	Dr. Janet Ross
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. John Ellis
Donald Moffat	...	Dr. Arthur McPherson
Michael C. Gwynne	...	Dr. Robert Morris
William Hansen	...	Dr. Ezra Manon
Jill Clayburgh	...	Angela Black
Norman Burton	...	Det. Capt. Anders
James Sikking	...	Ralph Friedman
Matt Clark	...	Gerhard
Jim Antonio	...	Richards
Gene Borkan	...	Benson's Guard
Burke Byrnes	...	Benson's Guard
Jordan Rhodes	...	Questioner No. 1
Dee Carroll	...	Night Nurse

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (1974) (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (1974) (re-rating) | USA:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Ennis-Brown House - 2655 Glendower Avenue, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Crichton was fired from writing the screenplay due to the fact that his script did not follow the novel (which he had written) closely enough.

Quotes:

[small peephole opens in door to what appears to be a solitary confinement room from the inside POV; first man's eye is seen peering in]
1st man behind door: He's quiet now.
[moves aside, a second man's eye appears]
2nd man behind door: What's his name?
1st man behind door: Benson.
2nd man behind door: Looks okay to me. What's wrong with him?
1st man behind door: Ahh, he's bananas.
2nd man behind door: When's he going out?
1st man behind door: In the morning
[closes peephole]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Initiative (#4.7)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Goldberg Variation No. 25

Brilliant - you could hang every shot on your wall

Sadly, I first saw this movie as I was chopping time from it so that the Sci-Fi channel could run an 88 minute movie in a 2 hour slot. I hadn't seen it or heard of it before that, and I was completely blown away. It was menacing, threatening and extremely sad. I found the 'slow' pacing quite beautiful, and I loved the way that the colour within each scene slowly built as the movie progressed. Compare the monochromatic open to the closing cemetery scene. Colour comes as his life slips away. Beautiful. Favourite scenes: the helicopter taking off at the very beginning; Dr. Ross lying asleep on her bed, in her amazing 70's house, in that fabulous dress; Harry standing in the tunnel waiting for his ride from Angela. Do not judge this movie by today's standards. Open your mind, be patient, and pray that electrodes 31 & 32 may one day run your life! If, like me, you have seen and liked Andreas Gursky's photographs, you'll like this film.