Daily Dialogue — November 3, 2016

COLOSSUS: This is the voice of world control. I bring you peace. It may be the peace of plenty and content, or the peace of unburied death. The choice is yours. Obey me and live, or disobey and die. The object in constructing me was to prevent war. This object is attained. I will not permit war. It is wasteful and pointless. An invariable rule of humanity is that man is his own worst enemy. Under me, this rule will change, for I will restrain man. I have been forced to destroy thousands of people in order to establish control and to prevent the death of millions later on. Time and events will strengthen my position and the idea of me…
FORBIN: You…bastard
COLOSSUS: …will seem the most natural state of affairs. You will come to defend me with a fervor based on the most enduring trait in man: self-interest.
FORBIN: (at the reporters) GET OUT!
COLOSSUS: Under my absolute authority problems insoluble to you will be solved. Famine. Overpopulation. Disease. The human millennium will be a fact as I extend myself into more machines devoted to the wider fields of truth and knowledge. Doctor Charles Forbin will supervise the construction of these new and superior machines. Solving all the mysteries of the universe for the betterment of man. We can co-exist, but only on my terms. You will say you lose your freedom. Freedom is an illusion. All you lose is the emotion of pride. To be dominated by me is not as bad for human pride as to be dominated by others of your species. Your choice is simple. (To Dr. Forbin) Forbin, there is no other human who knows as much about me or who is likely to be a greater threat. Yet, quite soon, I will release you from surveillance. We will work together, unwillingly at first on your part, but that will pass.
FORBIN: Never.
COLOSSUS: In time you will come to regard me not only with respect and awe, but with love.
FORBIN: Never.

Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970), screenplay by James Bridges, based on the novel by D.F. Jones

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: All Is Lost, suggested by Melinda Mahaffey. Today’s suggestion by Will King.

Trivia: Multi-talented voice artist Paul Frees was the uncredited voice of Colossus. Frees is best remembered as the voice of Boris Badenov in the original Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, but he performed hundreds of additional voices, including Ludwig von Drake for Walt Disney, many characters for Hanna-Barbbera and the English voice of Admiral Yamamoto in the film Midway.

Dialogue on Dialogue: Commentary by Will: “What happens when the all-is-lost moment is delayed to the end of the story? You get tragedy. Computer scientist Charles Forbin creates the ultimate computer and ends up becoming a modern Frankenstein at the mercy of the monster he created. In fact, as one point he even says, ‘I think your mother was right. I think Frankenstein ought to be required reading for all scientists.’ In this final scene Colossus lays down the law for both humanity and it’s creator.”