Thursday, April 3, 2014

April 3 - Bicentennial Man

Today’s movie is a science fiction film with scenes set on April 3. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

BICENTENNIAL MAN                          

On April 3, 2005 [3:25 to 9:07] the Martin family purchases a new robot, which they call Andrew. The family members react differently towards Andrew. The Mother is suspicious, the older sister is disdainful and the younger sister is frightened. After Andrew accidentally breaks a glass horse belonging to the youngest daughter, who Andrew calls “Little Miss”, he carves an exact replica out of a piece of driftwood. Andrew starts making art and sells it for a lot of money. When the Father tells the company robot about Andrew’s creativity, they want to scrap him. Years pass and  Little Miss asks Andrew to be an usher at her wedding. Andrew uses the opportunity of replacing a damaged thumb to get his face made more lifelike. Although he is grieved by the request, when Andrew asks, the father frees Andrew, but requires him to move out. Little Misses son Lloyd helps Andrew get the serial numbers and location of all other robots of his model so Andrew will be gone for several years while looking for them. Andrew meets Rupert Burns and agrees to fund his research into creating a lifelike external appearance for robots. Rupert gives Andrew a completely human looking external appearance. Andrew returns and finds Little Miss is now a senior citizen and is unsettled by the fact that her granddaughter Portia strongly resembles her. Andrew is hurt when Little Miss dies. Andrew and Portia become friends. Working with Rupert, Andrew designs biologic replacements for his internal organs and systems. After a kiss Portia distances herself from Andrew and gets engaged. Rupert is able to give Andrew sensory feeling. Andrew persuades Portia to end her engagement and they become lovers. Andrew asks the World Court to declare him a human being, but they refuse since Andrew is immortal. Rupert develops a way to give Andrew a blood system, which will cause his body to decay. Andrew goes to the World Congress. On April 3, 2205 [2:01:14 to 2:04:38] the World Congress declares Andrew a human being and validates his marriage to Portia. Andrew dies as this is being announced and Portia has herself disconnected from her life support system.

An intellectual science fiction film. This is not action and adventure. It is about love, slavery, emotion, memory and prejudice. 

The date he is activated is given in the film at 2:02:10.

Producers - Chris Columbus, Wolfgang Petersen, Gail Katz, Laurence Mark, Neal Miller,
                    Mark Radcliffe and Michael Barnathan

Director  - Chris Columbus

Awards – This movie was nominated for the Best Makeup Oscar at the 72nd Academy
                 Awards

Screenplay - Nicholas Kazan

Runtime – 2 hours 12 minutes     

Released – December 17, 1999

Starring –

Robin Williams as Andrew Martin
Sam Neill as Gerald "Sir" Martin
Embeth Davidtz as Joanne "Little Miss" Martin (adult) and Portia Charney
Wendy Crewson as Rachel "Ma´am" Martin
Hallie Kate Eisenberg as Joanne "Little Miss" Martin (age 7)
Kiersten Warren as Galatea
Oliver Platt as Rupert Burns
Stephen Root as Dennis Mansky
Angela Landis as Grace "Miss" Martin (adult)
Bradley Whitford as Lloyd Charney (adult)
John Michael Higgins as Bill Feingold
Lindze Letherman as Grace "Miss" Martin (age 9)
Igor Hiller as Lloyd Charney (age 10)
George D. Wallace as the President of the World Court
Lynne Thigpen as the President of the World Congress
     
Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.



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