MovieMonday.com - Westworld with Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Norman Bartold, Alan Oppenheimer, Dick Van Patten

Techno Films

Westworld (A)

STARS...
Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Norman Bartold, Alan Oppenheimer, and Dick Van Patten.

PLOT SUMMARY...
Two friends journey to a futuristic amusement park, encountering killer robots.

QUICK SCAN...
This film brings to mind, "Jurassic Park". Richard Benjamin is good as a nerdy guy who acts out his Old West fantasies with robots. James Brolin is better than usual as Benjamin's buddy, who travels with him to Westworld. Yul Brynner is terrific as the killer gunslinger robot. Benjamin's showdown with Brynner, at the end, provides a film highlight.

DIRECTOR: Michael Crichton
YEAR & RATING: 1973 (PG)

BEST BETS:

Futureworld
Jurassic Park
The Terminator
SYNOPSIS...
Two close friends decide to take a vacation together at Delos, a robot amusement park. Arriving, they go to Westworld, one of the three interactive robot populated environments available.

In the Old West environment, they "kill" a bad guy, get into a bar room brawl, and even have sex with robo-hookers. Soon, however, the robots start to malfunction.

When one of the friends is killed by a gunslinger robot, the other runs for his life. The surviving friend ultimately destroys the gunslinger robot.

Review:

Writer/Director Michael Crichton's, Sci-Fi film WESTWORLD, is as entertaining, and fun today as it was the day it was released over twenty years ago.

Director Crichton cleverly opens the film and establishes the premise with a commercial for "Delos: The vacation of the future today." We learn of the three world's available: Medievalworld, Romanworld, and Westworld, its $1,000 a day price tag, and get testimonials from happy customers.

James Brolin ("Hotel") and Richard Benjamin ("Love at First Bite") are best buddies who decide to take a vacation together at Delos, the ultimate resort. Brolin has been here before, but this is Benjamin's first time. The contrast between Brolin's laid back anticipation and Benjamin's child like enthusiasm is fun to watch.

Soon our heros arrive at Delos. We're there with them as they get boots, clothes guns. Then our guys arrive via stagecoach in Westworld. They unpack in their rooms. In a cute bit, we see fellow visitor, Dick Van Patten, playing with his gun. He draws on his reflection in the mirror, then accidentally shoots the mirror.

Over at the saloon, Brolin and Benjamin enjoy a whiskey. Robot gunslinger, Yul Brynner, wearing his all black outfit from "The Magnificent Seven", comes in and orders a drink. When Benjamin spills some of his drink on himself, robo-Brynner taunts him, "Get this boy a bib." After further taunts, and with Brolin's encouragement, Benjamin draws on him, shooting him. Although Benjamin first reacts like he's shot a real person, soon he relaxes and starts getting into it. This is my favorite scene in the film.

That night, Benjamin and Brolin enjoy the pleasures of life-like robo-hookers. Benjamin acts shy, like he's with a real hooker for the first time, but that doesn't prevent Benji from enjoying robo-sex. Afterwards, he comments to best bud Brolin, "Boy, this place is really fun!"

Soon, however, robots begin to malfunction, first in minor ways, then in major ways. Before too long, Brolin and Benjamin are tracked by robo-Yul, intent on killing them, and the fantasy trip turns into a nightmare. By having both Medievalworld and Romanworld to cut to, Writer/Director Crichton makes sure that we don't get bored with Westworld. And he also gives us behind the scenes looks at the techies who make Delos work, which is kind of like being an "insider" at Disneyland, only better.

Richard Benjamin, under Crichton's guidance, gives a great performance. We see him gradually transform from a nerdy guy who never grew up, to a hard bitten man of action.

The fact that the late Brynner agreed to play what amounts to a caricature of his screen image, indicates that he had a sense of humor about himself. And, much like big Arnold in "Terminator" and "T-2", Yul seems ideally cast as a relentless killing machine.

The Special Effects, by Charles Schulthies, Brent Sellstrom and John Whitney Jr. are quite good, and were undoubtedly state-of-the-art for the time. The fact that they hold up well over twenty years later is quite an accomplishment.

Director of Photography, Gene Polito, delivers attractively vivid visuals. One shot of a beautiful Roman bust laying face up in a stream is particularly striking.

The Music, by Fred Karlin, moves from genial to ominous, appropriately underscoring the film's gradually darkening mood.

WESTWORLD is a wonderfully well made Sci-Fi escapist adventure, that should be quite watchable except for the small fry, for whom the violence may be inappropriate. So pack your bags, (and several thousand dollars), and head for Delos. You'll have the time of your life, if you survive!

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Westworld (A)
	STARS... Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Norman Bartold, Alan Oppenheimer, and Dick Van Patten. PLOT SUMMARY... Two friends journey to a futuristic amusement park, encountering killer robots. QUICK SCAN... This film brings to mind, "Jurassic Park". Richard Benjamin is good as a nerdy guy who acts out his Old West fantasies with robots. James Brolin is better than usual as Benjamin's buddy, who travels with him to Westworld. Yul Brynner is terrific as the killer gunslinger robot. Benjamin's showdown with Brynner, at the end, provides a film highlight.
DIRECTOR: Michael Crichton YEAR & RATING: 1973 (PG) BEST BETS: Futureworld Jurassic Park The Terminator	SYNOPSIS... Two close friends decide to take a vacation together at Delos, a robot amusement park. Arriving, they go to Westworld, one of the three interactive robot populated environments available. In the Old West environment, they "kill" a bad guy, get into a bar room brawl, and even have sex with robo-hookers. Soon, however, the robots start to malfunction. When one of the friends is killed by a gunslinger robot, the other runs for his life. The surviving friend ultimately destroys the gunslinger robot.
Review: Writer/Director Michael Crichton's, Sci-Fi film WESTWORLD, is as entertaining, and fun today as it was the day it was released over twenty years ago. Director Crichton cleverly opens the film and establishes the premise with a commercial for "Delos: The vacation of the future today." We learn of the three world's available: Medievalworld, Romanworld, and Westworld, its $1,000 a day price tag, and get testimonials from happy customers. James Brolin ("Hotel") and Richard Benjamin ("Love at First Bite") are best buddies who decide to take a vacation together at Delos, the ultimate resort. Brolin has been here before, but this is Benjamin's first time. The contrast between Brolin's laid back anticipation and Benjamin's child like enthusiasm is fun to watch. Soon our heros arrive at Delos. We're there with them as they get boots, clothes guns. Then our guys arrive via stagecoach in Westworld. They unpack in their rooms. In a cute bit, we see fellow visitor, Dick Van Patten, playing with his gun. He draws on his reflection in the mirror, then accidentally shoots the mirror. Over at the saloon, Brolin and Benjamin enjoy a whiskey. Robot gunslinger, Yul Brynner, wearing his all black outfit from "The Magnificent Seven", comes in and orders a drink. When Benjamin spills some of his drink on himself, robo-Brynner taunts him, "Get this boy a bib." After further taunts, and with Brolin's encouragement, Benjamin draws on him, shooting him. Although Benjamin first reacts like he's shot a real person, soon he relaxes and starts getting into it. This is my favorite scene in the film. That night, Benjamin and Brolin enjoy the pleasures of life-like robo-hookers. Benjamin acts shy, like he's with a real hooker for the first time, but that doesn't prevent Benji from enjoying robo-sex. Afterwards, he comments to best bud Brolin, "Boy, this place is really fun!" Soon, however, robots begin to malfunction, first in minor ways, then in major ways. Before too long, Brolin and Benjamin are tracked by robo-Yul, intent on killing them, and the fantasy trip turns into a nightmare. By having both Medievalworld and Romanworld to cut to, Writer/Director Crichton makes sure that we don't get bored with Westworld. And he also gives us behind the scenes looks at the techies who make Delos work, which is kind of like being an "insider" at Disneyland, only better. Richard Benjamin, under Crichton's guidance, gives a great performance. We see him gradually transform from a nerdy guy who never grew up, to a hard bitten man of action. The fact that the late Brynner agreed to play what amounts to a caricature of his screen image, indicates that he had a sense of humor about himself. And, much like big Arnold in "Terminator" and "T-2", Yul seems ideally cast as a relentless killing machine. The Special Effects, by Charles Schulthies, Brent Sellstrom and John Whitney Jr. are quite good, and were undoubtedly state-of-the-art for the time. The fact that they hold up well over twenty years later is quite an accomplishment. Director of Photography, Gene Polito, delivers attractively vivid visuals. One shot of a beautiful Roman bust laying face up in a stream is particularly striking. The Music, by Fred Karlin, moves from genial to ominous, appropriately underscoring the film's gradually darkening mood. WESTWORLD is a wonderfully well made Sci-Fi escapist adventure, that should be quite watchable except for the small fry, for whom the violence may be inappropriate. So pack your bags, (and several thousand dollars), and head for Delos. You'll have the time of your life, if you survive!