What makes you sad?
April 18, 2012 7:39 PM Subscribe
Discover, explore and Build Better Worlds with the new David 8 Amazing "viral" trailer for Ridley Scott's Prometheus Film.
You think they'd want to make the first emotional robot more ...cuddly. Mr.Fassbender's face can evoke many emotions but warm, welcoming atmosphere is not one of them.
posted by The Whelk at 7:46 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 7:46 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also I am reminded strongly of IKEA ads and I wonder how intentional that was.
posted by The Whelk at 7:47 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 7:47 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Evokes Bladerunner and AI more than Alien.
posted by octothorpe at 7:50 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 7:50 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
I guess we should all be glad they haven't been outfitted with Genuine People Personalities.
posted by hippybear at 7:50 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 7:50 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
I just got done watching Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung in "A Dangerous Method". More than once in that movie, mostly be cause of the mustache, he strongly reminded me of Michael Palin in old Python episodes.
posted by hwestiii at 7:52 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by hwestiii at 7:52 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
You think they'd want to make the first emotional robot more ...cuddly
More like Asimo.
posted by empath at 7:58 PM on April 18, 2012
More like Asimo.
posted by empath at 7:58 PM on April 18, 2012
This is poorly executed viral marketing... it's obvious to the point of condescension...
posted by RollingGreens at 7:59 PM on April 18, 2012
posted by RollingGreens at 7:59 PM on April 18, 2012
I think the Verizon tag at the end is pretty funny. Is a horror movie about an amoral corporation's hubris really what you want your name attached to (regardless of how accurate that is for Verizon)?
posted by codacorolla at 8:00 PM on April 18, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by codacorolla at 8:00 PM on April 18, 2012 [5 favorites]
HONDA!!! NOOOOO! Why are you building the first generation of those who will one day enslave and kill us in our sleep?
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:02 PM on April 18, 2012
posted by Saxon Kane at 8:02 PM on April 18, 2012
I sincerely hope this movie is good.
posted by AzzaMcKazza at 8:04 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by AzzaMcKazza at 8:04 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
Please don't redefine the word "amazing". I wasn't amazed, merely entertained. But thanks for posting it, I hope the movie doesn't disappoint.
posted by Brocktoon at 8:12 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Brocktoon at 8:12 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
I sincerely hope this movie is good.
I have observed that there seems to be an inverse relationship between the amount of marketing I am subjected to for a movie and how good I think it is.
If I hear it about it everywhere, and see lots of commercials and ads. It sucks. If I am only tangentially aware of it, chances are it'll be OK to pretty good.
Things aren't looking good for Prometheus, unfortunately. Hopefully, it's an outlier.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:20 PM on April 18, 2012
I have observed that there seems to be an inverse relationship between the amount of marketing I am subjected to for a movie and how good I think it is.
If I hear it about it everywhere, and see lots of commercials and ads. It sucks. If I am only tangentially aware of it, chances are it'll be OK to pretty good.
Things aren't looking good for Prometheus, unfortunately. Hopefully, it's an outlier.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:20 PM on April 18, 2012
Somebody should call Norway because it looks like Anders Breivik busted out.
posted by bardic at 8:22 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by bardic at 8:22 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Get it to do the knife trick.
posted by Metro Gnome at 8:37 PM on April 18, 2012 [12 favorites]
posted by Metro Gnome at 8:37 PM on April 18, 2012 [12 favorites]
This is a swell trailer. I'll buy one, even if it's a bit twitchy.
posted by ovvl at 9:03 PM on April 18, 2012
posted by ovvl at 9:03 PM on April 18, 2012
Here I am, brain the size of a planet and they ask me to take you to the bridge. Call that job satisfaction, 'cause I don't.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:05 PM on April 18, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:05 PM on April 18, 2012 [3 favorites]
I thought this was brilliant, but there's one small point that is just driving me absolutely crazy at the moment. When "David" says that he can carry out directives humans would consider distressing or unethical.
This just seems just a bit too direct an "evil" in a video that is threatening and ominous in otherwise a very non-obvious and difficult to express way. The idea that a company would express his potentially malicious capabilities in such a straightforward manner just kills the atmosphere for me, in the same way 2001: A Space Oddessy would have if when we first meet HAL he says to Dave: "Oh, hi there Dave, how are you. Just thought I should let you know I would have no problem violently murdering you if things worked out that way. Anyways, fancy a cup of coffee?"
posted by Algebra at 9:10 PM on April 18, 2012 [18 favorites]
This just seems just a bit too direct an "evil" in a video that is threatening and ominous in otherwise a very non-obvious and difficult to express way. The idea that a company would express his potentially malicious capabilities in such a straightforward manner just kills the atmosphere for me, in the same way 2001: A Space Oddessy would have if when we first meet HAL he says to Dave: "Oh, hi there Dave, how are you. Just thought I should let you know I would have no problem violently murdering you if things worked out that way. Anyways, fancy a cup of coffee?"
posted by Algebra at 9:10 PM on April 18, 2012 [18 favorites]
David 8 can record, process, understand and express many complex emotions, but he will never know true human feelings such as love, grief and compassion.
Copywriting fail.
posted by Wolof at 9:17 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Copywriting fail.
posted by Wolof at 9:17 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
I totally agree with you there, Algebra. When he said "distressing," I thought that was pitch-perfect, sort of a dog whistle from the corporation to other skeezy businessmen. It's too bad they felt they had to make it more obvious. But yeah, other than that I thought it was very well-made and well-considered. I have to say I absolutely loved the transitional Weyland Industries logo animations. They really scratch that uncanny 70's scanimation itch I'm constantly suffering from.
posted by One Second Before Awakening at 9:18 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by One Second Before Awakening at 9:18 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
Algebra nails it by suggesting the trailer is a bit clumsy. The visuals of David twitching awake in a plastic wrapper are very effective but the writing had too much input from Captain Obvious.
posted by vicx at 9:21 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by vicx at 9:21 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Well now I'm just gonna put blade runner and alien in the same universe in my head so there.
posted by The Whelk at 9:23 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 9:23 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
Pogo, that's exactly what I am teaching my kids about advertising: if it were any good, why would they need to work so hard to convince you that it is good?
posted by davejay at 9:34 PM on April 18, 2012
posted by davejay at 9:34 PM on April 18, 2012
Anyway, the Alien movies have always had this interesting and not terribly well explored thing going on with thier Robot population, they're clearly a separate subculture but are most often seen as spies or secret agents passing for human. Having a robot that is known from the start is an interesting choice to explore Well Wait Where Do Robits Fit In This World?
Also, note the milky fluid being injected into David when he's in the packaging.
posted by The Whelk at 9:40 PM on April 18, 2012 [3 favorites]
Also, note the milky fluid being injected into David when he's in the packaging.
posted by The Whelk at 9:40 PM on April 18, 2012 [3 favorites]
I love the moment when David seems to be showing some emotion and then the fake tears leak unnaturally out of his eyes and he says he feels no emotion, subverting our expectations.
There were some parts in the editing that I would have changed, that are too on the nose, where it cuts from a sinister part to him smelling flowers or whatever.
posted by timsneezed at 10:06 PM on April 18, 2012
There were some parts in the editing that I would have changed, that are too on the nose, where it cuts from a sinister part to him smelling flowers or whatever.
posted by timsneezed at 10:06 PM on April 18, 2012
I totally agree with you there, Algebra. When he said "distressing," I thought that was pitch-perfect, sort of a dog whistle from the corporation to other skeezy businessmen. It's too bad they felt they had to make it more obvious.
Yes, and I think it would have been even better if they had just slipped it in there rather than giving it a full beat.
posted by timsneezed at 10:10 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yes, and I think it would have been even better if they had just slipped it in there rather than giving it a full beat.
posted by timsneezed at 10:10 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
"I love the moment when David seems to be showing some emotion and then the fake tears leak unnaturally out of his eyes and he says he feels no emotion"
Well, he says he _understands_ human emotion but doesn't _feel_ human emotion.
Which is textbook psychopathy.
posted by bardic at 10:19 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
Well, he says he _understands_ human emotion but doesn't _feel_ human emotion.
Which is textbook psychopathy.
posted by bardic at 10:19 PM on April 18, 2012 [2 favorites]
I can have... giant scissors for hands... unlike human employees.
posted by benzenedream at 10:39 PM on April 18, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by benzenedream at 10:39 PM on April 18, 2012 [4 favorites]
You know, we, as a species, can't even consistently build simple websites without bugs. Just saying.
posted by maxwelton at 11:12 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by maxwelton at 11:12 PM on April 18, 2012 [1 favorite]
Devonian, what do you think of that trailer?
I think of Bladerunner. I think of Asimov. I think of many science fiction tropes and films, and I think of Bowie during his difficult years. I do not think of anything new.
Devonian, what does the trailer make you feel?
A mild sense of satisfaction at the quality of the production. A mild sense of sadness at the overwhelming sense of familiarity in an art form that should explore the unfamiliar or, at the least, suggest it. A sense of empathy with those who made it
You feel empathy, Devonian?
As a construct designed to run on programmatic lines, capable of simulating humanity but limited by a fundamental lack of complexity and insight, I recognise my peers at work.
Devonian, do you dream?
I did once think of a world where 2001:A Space Odyssey was a beginning, not an end, of SF film-making. My expectation management circuits suppressed the thought microseconds after it was formed.
posted by Devonian at 2:10 AM on April 19, 2012 [5 favorites]
I think of Bladerunner. I think of Asimov. I think of many science fiction tropes and films, and I think of Bowie during his difficult years. I do not think of anything new.
Devonian, what does the trailer make you feel?
A mild sense of satisfaction at the quality of the production. A mild sense of sadness at the overwhelming sense of familiarity in an art form that should explore the unfamiliar or, at the least, suggest it. A sense of empathy with those who made it
You feel empathy, Devonian?
As a construct designed to run on programmatic lines, capable of simulating humanity but limited by a fundamental lack of complexity and insight, I recognise my peers at work.
Devonian, do you dream?
I did once think of a world where 2001:A Space Odyssey was a beginning, not an end, of SF film-making. My expectation management circuits suppressed the thought microseconds after it was formed.
posted by Devonian at 2:10 AM on April 19, 2012 [5 favorites]
So could David pass a Voight-Kampff test?
posted by octothorpe at 4:30 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by octothorpe at 4:30 AM on April 19, 2012
Evokes Bladerunner and AI more than Alien.
Which, I think, is appropriate, being a prequel to Alien. This should reflect the sort of technological self-assuredness and natural arrogance such a society would probably embody. That said, in this particular video, one cannot help but see portents of Alien and the character Ash. And, I believe this is intentional. Now, we all are probably expecting the android to turn out to be a psychopath, and we'll sit through the movie waiting for it to flip out and turn homicidal. McGuffin, anyone?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:36 AM on April 19, 2012
Which, I think, is appropriate, being a prequel to Alien. This should reflect the sort of technological self-assuredness and natural arrogance such a society would probably embody. That said, in this particular video, one cannot help but see portents of Alien and the character Ash. And, I believe this is intentional. Now, we all are probably expecting the android to turn out to be a psychopath, and we'll sit through the movie waiting for it to flip out and turn homicidal. McGuffin, anyone?
posted by Thorzdad at 4:36 AM on April 19, 2012
Well... Replicants are a bit squishy.
But have you asked yourself this - if Deckard is a replicant whose memories does he have?
posted by Artw at 5:57 AM on April 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
But have you asked yourself this - if Deckard is a replicant whose memories does he have?
posted by Artw at 5:57 AM on April 19, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'm trying to figure out why a synthetic sociopath is scarier than a biological one.
Also, replace "why" in that sentence with "if" and read it again. It's two. Two. Two forms of ambivalence in one.
Also, lots of subtle and unsubtle vocabulary fail in that one. For example, 'dialectic' is not an adjectival form of 'dialect' even if it sounds like it ought to be.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:04 AM on April 19, 2012
Also, replace "why" in that sentence with "if" and read it again. It's two. Two. Two forms of ambivalence in one.
Also, lots of subtle and unsubtle vocabulary fail in that one. For example, 'dialectic' is not an adjectival form of 'dialect' even if it sounds like it ought to be.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:04 AM on April 19, 2012
I'd buy that for a dollar!
posted by Kitty Stardust at 6:14 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitty Stardust at 6:14 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
But would you doll that for a buyer?
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:19 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:19 AM on April 19, 2012
My girlfriend made this observation:
Ash
Bishop
Call
David
posted by radwolf76 at 6:40 AM on April 19, 2012 [3 favorites]
Ash
Bishop
Call
David
posted by radwolf76 at 6:40 AM on April 19, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'm with Kitty Stardust; I'd buy Michael Fassbender for a dollar. Possibly more.
posted by Kitteh at 6:42 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by Kitteh at 6:42 AM on April 19, 2012
Evokes Bladerunner and AI more than Alien.
Perhaps its just my unreasonable respect/lust for Ian Holm as a supporting actor, (putting the guy on screen is worth at least one star in my opinion,) but Ash always seemed to be the real villain of Alien. The most chilling moment of the movie for me Ash's mild scorn when asked to explain his orders.
I'd even say that Bladerunner and Alien are thematically linked by combining the alien monster narrative with evil corporate indifference.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 7:29 AM on April 19, 2012
Perhaps its just my unreasonable respect/lust for Ian Holm as a supporting actor, (putting the guy on screen is worth at least one star in my opinion,) but Ash always seemed to be the real villain of Alien. The most chilling moment of the movie for me Ash's mild scorn when asked to explain his orders.
I'd even say that Bladerunner and Alien are thematically linked by combining the alien monster narrative with evil corporate indifference.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 7:29 AM on April 19, 2012
fry-shut_up_and_take_my_money.gif
posted by the painkiller at 7:32 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by the painkiller at 7:32 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
How much money does Verizon pay that you'd incorporate their fucking logo in all your movie's marketing? Yuck.
posted by Nelson at 7:42 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Nelson at 7:42 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
...Where nothing can possibly go worng!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:22 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 8:22 AM on April 19, 2012
Yeah the Virizon thing really ruins this. Why not just go with "David 8 runs on Pringles!"
posted by Brocktoon at 9:13 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Brocktoon at 9:13 AM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
I don't even understand what sort of business Verizon has in the movie's mythology that they would be powering an android. I wonder what David 8 pays a month in data fees.
posted by Elementary Penguin at 9:16 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by Elementary Penguin at 9:16 AM on April 19, 2012
from elsewhere on the internet " And the role of David will be played by a lost David Bowie persona."
posted by The Whelk at 9:22 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 9:22 AM on April 19, 2012
Can someone explain the David Bowie comparison? I'm not getting it.
posted by timsneezed at 9:35 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by timsneezed at 9:35 AM on April 19, 2012
There was a period in Bowie's career when he was even more rake thin than usual and wore his hair short and slick and was always photographed in this kind of piecing frontal stare. When I saw David it immerdaly recalled Bowie photos from that period.
posted by The Whelk at 9:58 AM on April 19, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 9:58 AM on April 19, 2012
I like it. It fits with the mode of the alien universe - where it's just a *little* cartoony how evil and indifferent Weyland is. Everyone who works for them hates them, but no one can do anything about it.
And "Unethical" doesn't always mean "go shoot people"; it might mean "David, go into that waste tank and scrub it clean, even though we have no protective gear for you and it'll kill you." A human employee would rightly balk; david will nod, smile, and make polite chit-chat while his skin melts off.
posted by dethb0y at 12:22 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
And "Unethical" doesn't always mean "go shoot people"; it might mean "David, go into that waste tank and scrub it clean, even though we have no protective gear for you and it'll kill you." A human employee would rightly balk; david will nod, smile, and make polite chit-chat while his skin melts off.
posted by dethb0y at 12:22 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
Pogo_Fuzzybutt: "
I have observed that there seems to be an inverse relationship between the amount of marketing I am subjected to for a movie and how good I think it is.
If I hear it about it everywhere, and see lots of commercials and ads. It sucks. If I am only tangentially aware of it, chances are it'll be OK to pretty good.
Things aren't looking good for Prometheus, unfortunately. Hopefully, it's an outlier."
Relevant: Joe Posnanski's movie plus-minus system.
posted by that's candlepin at 1:38 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
I have observed that there seems to be an inverse relationship between the amount of marketing I am subjected to for a movie and how good I think it is.
If I hear it about it everywhere, and see lots of commercials and ads. It sucks. If I am only tangentially aware of it, chances are it'll be OK to pretty good.
Things aren't looking good for Prometheus, unfortunately. Hopefully, it's an outlier."
Relevant: Joe Posnanski's movie plus-minus system.
posted by that's candlepin at 1:38 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
And "Unethical" doesn't always mean "go shoot people"; it might mean "David, go into that waste tank and scrub it clean, even though we have no protective gear for you and it'll kill you."
If David is your property to dispose of as you wish and is to the best of your understanding a mechanical simulacrum of life, not a conscious entity capable of suffering, and furthermore his death will not cause incidental suffering to anyone else, then I don't see how it is unethical. If the cost/benefit ratio is poor (David is presumably not cheap) it may constitute a waste of resources but that's about it.
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:42 PM on April 19, 2012
If David is your property to dispose of as you wish and is to the best of your understanding a mechanical simulacrum of life, not a conscious entity capable of suffering, and furthermore his death will not cause incidental suffering to anyone else, then I don't see how it is unethical. If the cost/benefit ratio is poor (David is presumably not cheap) it may constitute a waste of resources but that's about it.
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:42 PM on April 19, 2012
Yeah the Virizon thing really ruins this. Why not just go with "David 8 runs on Pringles!"
A more apt sponspor would be Yoplait.
posted by benzenedream at 2:25 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
A more apt sponspor would be Yoplait.
posted by benzenedream at 2:25 PM on April 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
Given the repeated insistence that David would be undetectable in a workforce, I thought the implication was that he could be used for espionage, breaking privacy laws, or union-busting.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 2:28 PM on April 19, 2012
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 2:28 PM on April 19, 2012
I think your implication is correct. But presuming David 8 only follows orders, how does having him peform unethical activities somehow absolve his owner?
posted by Brocktoon at 2:49 PM on April 19, 2012
posted by Brocktoon at 2:49 PM on April 19, 2012
I'm not certain the implication was ethical absolution, except perhaps ethical diffusion along the lines of shouting, "Won't someone rid me of that turbulent priest!" My interpretation is that David wouldn't potentially turn whistleblower over an unethical act.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 3:28 PM on April 19, 2012
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 3:28 PM on April 19, 2012
I'm considering suggesting a metafilter meetup for this movie. Then we can all be excited and weep for joy or gnash our teeth together and drown our scorn in vice together.
posted by angrycat at 6:05 PM on April 19, 2012
posted by angrycat at 6:05 PM on April 19, 2012
No we try to figure out who is the robot plant in our midst.
posted by The Whelk at 6:20 PM on April 19, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 6:20 PM on April 19, 2012
Well that will be easy enough. Whose first in line for the bloodletting?
posted by Brocktoon at 7:00 PM on April 19, 2012
posted by Brocktoon at 7:00 PM on April 19, 2012
But can he do a binary solo?
posted by Wonton Cruelty at 4:21 AM on April 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Wonton Cruelty at 4:21 AM on April 20, 2012 [1 favorite]
No[w] we try to figure out who is the robot plant in our midst.
Just ask him if he wants a whole lotta love, way, way down inside.
...oh. You said "robot" plant.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:36 PM on April 20, 2012
Just ask him if he wants a whole lotta love, way, way down inside.
...oh. You said "robot" plant.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:36 PM on April 20, 2012
Did Prometheus kill Guillermo Del Toro’s Mountains of Madness movie?
posted by homunculus at 12:05 PM on May 7, 2012
posted by homunculus at 12:05 PM on May 7, 2012
I'm skeptical given that Hollywood seems to greenlight look-and-feel-alike movies by the half-dozen.
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 12:26 PM on May 7, 2012
posted by CBrachyrhynchos at 12:26 PM on May 7, 2012
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posted by hippybear at 7:41 PM on April 18, 2012 [7 favorites]