Westworld (1973)

The movie opens with a commercial for the Delos Resort.  A spokesman interviews several guests who have just returned, each of whom offers glowing praise and agree that the $1000 a day price was well spent.  There are three parks: Roman World, Medieval World, and Westworld.  The spokesmen then says "Boy, have we got a vacation for you!"

After the commercial, a score of guests are aboard the hovercraft to Delos.  Peter (Richard Benjamin) and John (James Brolin) head to Westworld.  Peter is new to the park while John has visited before.  As such, some of the introduction and rules to the park are introduced by John explaining it.  Once in the park, Peter finds himself in a gunfight with the gunslinger (Yul Brynner).  His success thrills him.  Later, the pair go to a brothel.  Peter fully embraces the park after that.

 

Meanwhile, another story unfolds in Medieval World where the guest is having an affair the with queen and has been challenged to a duel by the black knight.  He also attempts to seduce a servant girl but is rebuffed.  She is instantly recalled for a full diagnostic.  In the control center, the technicians discuss the increasing failure rate of the robots.  The lead technician likens the spread of these failures to a disease.  Clearly, computer virus was not a thing yet back in 1973.  Of course, the failures turn spectacular and people start dying.

 

Obviously, the technology has not aged well.  The reel to reel computers, silly graphics on non-flat screen monitors, old style circuit boards, and so on subtract from the futuristic feel.  However, the story is strong.  Unlike in the HBO series, the technicians take the problem seriously and intend to close the park as soon as the remaining guests leave.

 

This film inspired later directors.  Arnold Schwarzenegger used Yul Brynner as a model for his portrayal of the Terminator.  Likewise, John Carpenter gave Halloween's Michael Myers the indestructability of the gunslinger.  Michael Crichton, the writer and director, came up with the idea during a visit to Disneyland when he saw the animatronic characters; Westworld is just a futuristic Disneyland?

 

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