The Electric Grandmother (1982) (TV)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Noel Black

Writers:

Ray Bradbury (story)
Ray Bradbury (teleplay)

Release Date:

17 January 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

To a family whose children are traumatized by the death of their mother, help comes in a most bizarre way...

Plot Keywords:

Android | Widower | USA | Based On Short Story | Robot

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Maureen Stapleton	...	Grandmother
Edward Herrmann	...	Father
Paul Benedict	...	Guido Fantoccini
Tara Kennedy	...	Agatha
Robert MacNaughton	...	Tom
Charles Fields	...	Timothy (as Charlie Fields)
Madeleine Sherwood	...	Aunt Clara (as Madeleine Thornton-Sherwood)
Truman Gaige	...	Old Tom / Narrator
Richard Whiting	...	Old Timothy
Dortha Duckworth	...	Grandma Neighbor
Paula Trueman	...	Old Agatha

Runtime:

USA:60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Highgate Pictures

Trivia:

The movie is based on the short story by Ray Bradbury entitled, "I Sing the Body Electric." Prior to this version the story was made into an episode of Rod Serling's original Twilight zone.

Movie Connections:

Remake of "The Twilight Zone: I Sing the Body Electric (#3.35)" (1962)

What was I thinking?

I recently came across a copy of this at a convention and seemed to recall, as a child, watching this movie several times and enjoying it. What was I thinking? This might help to explain my depraved sense of film enjoyment as an adult. I have an even better question...what was Maureen Stapleton thinking when she agreed to make this atrocity? What was Ray Bradberry thinking (or smoking) when he wrote it? A robot is sent in to take care of three poor kids who just lost their mother. What sort of message does this send to kids? "If you're mother dies, don't worry about it because she can easily be replaced by a robot who squirts milk and orange juice from her fingers and can recite to you every word you have ever uttered your entire life" Now don't get me wrong I have a great deal of respect for Ray Bradberry and his work as well as the work of Maureen Stapleton but who told her that she could sing? They should be ashamed of themselves! In this movie she sounds more like someone who gargled with razor blades! There is a reason why films like this one are lost, they should remain that way! Do NOT show this movie to your kids or they will try to plug grandma into the wall at night when she goes to sleep!