Demon Seed is one of the more interesting horror/sci-fi efforts to come out of the 1970's and while I have a few issues with the script (which I will mention later on) it's a generally solid effort that takes Dean R. Koontz's source novel and comes away with an interesting and watchable film.

Koontz has been quoted as saying how dissatisfied with the way movies based on his novels usually turn out (and 1988's Watchers gives him good grounds to be), but he should be mostly pleased with what director Donald Cammell has done here - although judging on Koontz's recent writing work he might want to chill out a little.

Julie Christie stars as the psychologist wife of brilliant scientist Fritz Weaver who's designed a super computer of sorts dubbed the "Proteus IV" which is capable of understanding logic and thinking for itself. It's the first computer of its kind and everyone wants to use it to their advantage, but little did they realize Proteus has his own plans in mind.

The plans are set into motion when Proteus takes control of his creator's home gaining entry through an unused terminal in the basement. At first he poses as the "envirobot" (the house is rigged with an intricate computer system that can do everything, even make food and drink for people), but soon gets obsessed with Christie which leads to Proteus making her a prisoner in her own house with full intention of trying to "breed" with her and create a child - giving Proteus a glimpse at what being a real person is like.

From here Demon Seed turns into a cat 'n' mouse game between Christie and her mechanical captor and things are helped considerably by highly effective "first meeting" moments and a completely unsettling scene where Proteus uses a discarded robot to perform an almost rape on his captor. Throw into the mix that Proteus is given a menacing and pretty chilling voice (an unbilled Robert Vaughn, best known from TV's The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) and the fact there's a few well-done claustrophobic moments and you have this decent adaptation.

The movie's really a one woman show as Christie gets to go through all the emotions while being held captive, but it's still good to see B-movie standard Gerrit Graham in a pretty normal role and there's also one bizarre finish (and a classic final line of dialogue), but all's not well as there's a few glaring logic holes such as why Weaver and his team wouldn't know all about what Proteus is up to and the fact that no-one seems to notice Graham's absence despite the fact he's cleanly decapitated by the odd metal transforming sphere Proteus built in the basement. (Chris Hartley, 10/20/05)

Directed By: Donald Cammell.
Written By: Roger O. Hirson, Robert Jaffe.

Starring: Julie Christie, Fritz Weaver, Gerrit Graham, Berry Kroeger.

Picture Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen.

Picture Quality: There's not much grain on hand and the clarity is pretty good, but the picture just looks a bit too stretched out at times. I noticed it more than once which makes me question if the transfer was framed incorrectly. I've seen plenty of 2:35.1 films on disc and this is the first time I've noticed it.

Extras: As with the other releases in Warner's 2005 "Halloween Havoc" line (that includes Night Of The Lepus, Dracula A.D. 1972, Private Parts, and A Stranger Is Watching) the only extra here is a trailer.