It is an engaging, if cold hearted 1974 science-fiction movie penned by Michael Crichton, the doctor-turned-author responsible for such successes as THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, WESTWORLD and COMA.George Segal stars as an computer scientist who has an electronic pacemaker inserted in his brain to prevent him from having epileptic fits. But something malfunctions and the device transforms him to a robotic killer.This is a fascinating story, well photographed by Mike (GET CARTER) Hodges. Unfortunately, it disintegrates at the end with a disappointing climax. Still, it is a good movie.

Said to be one of Michael Creighton's least-favorite novels. Much changed from the book, including the ending. Poor George Segal. He plays a man with a rare kind of epilepsy that causes him to become psychotic, violent, and an amnesiac. To my knowledge, there is no such type, and the American Epilepsy Foundation condemned this film! Richard Dyshart throws up before he performs the surgery; not a good sign. Much professional criticism in the film citing mind-control by computers and such science-fiction Mumbo-Jumbo. It appears to be highly edited for content and screen time before release. An almost bloodless brain operation. The wiring goes wrong and his brain tries to create more seizures, as one of the electrodes stimulates his brain's "pleasure center". His girlfriend helps him break out of the hospital. He is armed with a gun and a blonde wig. Brief nudity in the strip club. He goes on a killing rampage. After this point, the film is no longer fascinating or intriguing. It becomes a tedious paint-by-the-numbers ho-hum non-thriller. He violently murders both his girlfriend and a Catholic Priest. He finds his way to Dr. Ross' (Joan Hackett) apartment, and it appears for a moment that he is going to go after her "Psycho Style" in her shower. He never gets inside the bathroom. The door stops him. In my house, the door would have crumbled like balsa wood. She stabs him in the chest with a kitchen knife and he ends up in a freshly-dug grave in a Catholic Cemetery. The Swat Team shoots him. I would have had him short-circuit and jump out the apartment window, in the stark realization that the operation (and the movie) were both failures!

This is a superior film with brilliant set design and costuming. From the sterility of the Hospital (known only as "Babel" from the subtly placed and nearly invisible emblems), to the mind-numbing anonymity of the staff uniforms, few films are as well dressed as this. Only the dissenting staff, Dr's Ross and Manon, show any hint of individuality in their work apparel. Ironically it is Benson the patient, supposedly insane, who displays the most humanity of all, with the possible exception of Dr. Ross. Segal was brilliant, and severely under-utilized in the film. Perhaps the filmmakers thought it necessary to de-emphasize Benson, in order to illustrate the dehumanization of the hospital and its staff. But a bit more contrast could have been provided IMO. Still, the film is excellent nonetheless.Today's audiences however, with their short attention spans, will likely be permanently disappointed. To those who complain that this film is "slow" (and they are legion); I would say to either learn some patience, or simply avoid the film and go back to watching action/adventure.While made in the early 1970's, it is highly relevant to today's world as well. Replace the "wires in the brain" with today's over-prescribed Ritalin, SSRI's, and other similar drugs, and you will see the point.This is an excellent movie which deserves to be on DVD, with commentary by Crichton, Hodges and/or Segal. They are all still with us as of 4/2008 (Sadly Ms. Hackett is not). The sooner the better.

"The Terminal Man" is another under-appreciated film from the 1970's.It's a science fiction tale that is both austere and elegant.A cautionary tale of medical science and it's "we can cure anything or f#%k you up trying" mentality .Directer Mike Hodge does a wonderful job setting the tone and keeping it flowing in at a deliberate pace.Much like the film's beautiful classical based score.The actors are superb.The vastly underrated George Segal took a role way out of the "comfort zone" of the top actors of that era.(and he was one).He's very subdued, intelligent and very good.Joan Hackett is equally fine as a empathetic psychiatrist. Richard Dysart plays a super egotistical surgeon that still throws up before operating.The role I enjoyed best was that played by Michael C. Gwynne. With a glance here and one or two words there , he kept the tension flowing from scene to scene. Ambiguous and fun to watch.There are many rewarding subtleties and nuances throughout this film for the viewer with the willingness and patience.The plot revolves around a new experimental,innovative surgical procedure being utilized to stop Segal's character from having violence filled black-outs/seizures.Needless to say ,things go awry and the patient finds himself caught between a sudden addiction of his body to have these seizures so that it can receive the soothing "high" from the micro computer implanted in his brain.(Oh, I didn't mention the "patient" has a intense phobia of machines).There is a great scene where Segal (now pretty much berserk) breaks into the lab where he used to work(on robots no less) and he proceeds to bash them up and does great damage to them.They're still functioning in this damaged capacity and Segal's on his knees, in the middle of them,moving in rhythm as they move, to-fro, up-down. Segal holding his head, chanting "Make it stop...Make it stop.....