Quark (1977)

It is the distant future and Adam Quark (Richard Benjamin) commands a garbage scow that trolls the galaxy for space baggies.  The ridiculous crew consists of Betty and her clone, also named Betty.  There is Gene/Jean, who is a transmute; he/she has chromosomes of both sexes and shifts between masculine and feminine personalities.  Dr. Mudd is the one-eyed science officer.  Lastly, there is Andy the extremely rudimentary robot.  Quark also has a pet blob named Ergo, which seems intent on eating Quark.

While on patrol, the ship is threatened by an approaching wave of energy that will atomize them before sweeping through the galaxy and erasing human civilization.  Are our heroes doomed in the pilot episode or will they save the galaxy?

This goofball sci-fi comedy was created by Buck Henry, best remembered for creating the spy comedy Get Smart.  The pilot happened to be broadcast just when Star Wars was released.  The show only received one season and is quite campy.

Goofy fun from a bygone era.

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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