Would an Android Count Electric Sheep... to Help Itself Fall Asleep?

[seoulsearch]

Hey Everyone!

As I posted in another thread, I'm looking forward to eventually seeing "Blade Runner 2049" (though I usually just wait and rent movies because I can't get myself to pay the outrageous theater price!)

I'm almost always a fan of sci-fi films, and I remember seeing "Blade Runner" wwaaaayyyy back in the day. One of the biggest controversies over the original movie was whether or not the main character is, in fact, a human being, or if he is actually an android himself. It's been years since I've seen this movie, but I was just reading that there are 7 versions of the original film. In at least one version, a major clue as to whether or not Richard Decker is a human or an android is given in a scene where he has a dream about a running unicorn. (Shocker: having the dream is actually an indication that he is an android, and not a human.)

As Cinder pointed out in another thread, the original "Blade Runner" movie took some of its characters from a book entitled, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"

So... Just as a fun, fluffy thread... What do you think? Would an android (built to be able to pass itself off as human) count, or dream of, electric sheep? Why or why not? And would the sheep live in pens... with electric fences?! (Now I'm thinking of Ren and Stimpy... "Don't Whiz on the Electric Fence"...)

I would also like to open this thread up as a discussion for any movies out there that people are looking forward to seeing, and why. Or how about any "philosophical" questions about characters, concepts or plots? (For instance, I, for one, am thrilled to read that Linda Hamilton is the one who "will be back" in the next Terminator movie, right along with Arnold.)

With all the sadness and heartache going on in the world right now, I just thought it might be fun to talk about a lighter topic, even if just for a couple of minutes. <3

 

[zeroturbulence]

Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies of all time. But I believe it was the cast and the direction that made it great (Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah). For that reason, I am not too excited about seeing the new one even though Harrison Ford is in it. I saw the trailer and it just seems like another sci-fi flick to me. The original was really a love story that takes place inside of a sci-fi adventure.

Oh and Vangelis's Love Theme from that movie is one of my most loved pieces of instrumental music....

[video=youtube;C9KAqhbIZ7o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9KAqhbIZ7o[/video]

 

[seoulsearch]

Ah, Zero!

Since you mentioned Vangelis, I might as well go ahead and derail my own thread!

My very favorite of his works would be this (even though I've never seen the movie):

[video=youtube;8a-HfNE3EIo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a-HfNE3EIo[/video]

I loved it so much that I worked really hard to learn to play it on the piano as a kid... But that was a LONG time ago!!!

 

[zeroturbulence]

I like that song too! But then they kept playing it and playing it on the radio...

 

[toinena]

Ah, Zero!

Since you mentioned Vangelis, I might as well go ahead and derail my own thread!

My very favorite of his works would be this (even though I've never seen the movie):

[video=youtube;8a-HfNE3EIo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a-HfNE3EIo[/video]

I loved it so much that I worked really hard to learn to play it on the piano as a kid... But that was a LONG time ago!!!

How delightfully politically uncorrect this was (and how my innocent memory of this song was totally destroyed). Smoking and playing. Strange. Strange. Strange. And drinking coffee???? And leaving the cup on the grand piano? That is a lethal sin! Lethal! Not a single musician would commit that sin. Ever! I am shocked!

What was the topic again?

A humanoid android would clean it's harddisk before sleeping and be programmed to go to sleep mode. No sheep needed. What a question! If it would, it would calculate the avareage speed the sheep runs at, how high the jump and prepare the spinning and knitting of a nice wollen sweater and the googling the recepie for a new dish of lamb chops. Seriously!

 

[longtrekker]

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

 

[PoxEclipse]

The Body Electric

I noticed your Android topic...

Blade Runner and Alien were my favorite Ridley Scott movies in my cinephile days...


Perhaps you'll enjoy this?


[video=youtube;1dW8wEQbAXU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dW8wEQbAXU[/video]


Peace.

 

[seoulsearch]

How delightfully politically uncorrect this was (and how my innocent memory of this song was totally destroyed). Smoking and playing. Strange. Strange. Strange. And drinking coffee???? And leaving the cup on the grand piano? That is a lethal sin! Lethal! Not a single musician would commit that sin. Ever! I am shocked!

What was the topic again?

A humanoid android would clean it's harddisk before sleeping and be programmed to go to sleep mode. No sheep needed. What a question! If it would, it would calculate the avareage speed the sheep runs at, how high the jump and prepare the spinning and knitting of a nice wollen sweater and the googling the recepie for a new dish of lamb chops. Seriously!

I'm pretty sure we can work out a deal with chickwithsticks when it comes to knitting the sweater.

But now you have me thinking... Wool... from an electric sheep?!

I'm thinking that might be kind of scratchy. (Talk about steel wool! )

But on the bright side, that sweater would also double as a scouring pad... for the whitewalls on your tires, of course.

 

[longtrekker]

.
I remember Chariots of Fire when it first came out - a great period piece!

 

[seoulsearch]

Re: The Body Electric

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.

It definitely sounds like you've seen a lot in your day, Longtrekker.

Maybe you'll share with us, and give us a little more context and detail of your experiences?

I noticed your Android topic...

Blade Runner and Alien were my favorite Ridley Scott movies in my cinephile days...


Perhaps you'll enjoy this?


[video=youtube;1dW8wEQbAXU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dW8wEQbAXU[/video]


Peace.

The only Alien movie I've seen and really liked was Alien Resurrection (which I know is one that most true Alien fans hated), but I adored Sigourney Weaver as a kick-butt female action star!

#GetAwayFromHer!!!LoveFromEllenRipley.

 

[toinena]

I'm pretty sure we can work out a deal with chickwithsticks when it comes to knitting the sweater.

But now you have me thinking... Wool... from an electric sheep?!

I'm thinking that might be kind of scratchy. (Talk about steel wool! )

But on the bright side, that sweater would also double as a scouring pad... for the whitewalls on your tires, of course.

Hmmm.... so many strange things going on in my head now.

1. Why would anyone bother to make electric sheep?
2. Why, if they were, would there be so many it would be possible to count?
3. What would be the purpose of an electric sheep?
4. If the purpose is to have a sheep that mowes your lawn (that was the only sane possibilty I could think of) will it then poop?
5. Will it use the nutriants from the grass to make steelwool or meat?

 

[seoulsearch]

Hmmm.... so many strange things going on in my head now.

1. Why would anyone bother to make electric sheep?
2. Why, if they were, would there be so many it would be possible to count?
3. What would be the purpose of an electric sheep?
4. If the purpose is to have a sheep that mowes your lawn (that was the only sane possibilty I could think of) will it then poop?
5. Will it use the nutriants from the grass to make steelwool or meat?

These are all great questions, Toi.

Blade Runner, the movie, was based on a book called, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and the book is very different from the movie. (I've only read a summary, so anyone out there who is familiar with the book, please feel free to correct me.)

In the book, the earth has been severely damaged by a global nuclear war, meaning that most real animals have gone extinct and so most of the remainder of earth's population are only familiar with electronic reproductions of what used to be real animals.

The main character (Richard) in the book is married, and he and his wife own an electric sheep. Part of the reason why Richard takes a job hunting down and "expiring" (killing) "Replicants" (androids) is because he eventually uses some of that money to buy a real animal for them (in this case, a goat), which is considered to be a rare luxury in this post-apolacalyptic world.

 

[notmyown]

4. If the purpose is to have a sheep that mowes your lawn (that was the only sane possibilty I could think of) will it then poop?

well, there's the nuts and bolts of the matter.

ummm... yeah.

 

[cinder]

Hmmm.... so many strange things going on in my head now.

1. Why would anyone bother to make electric sheep?
2. Why, if they were, would there be so many it would be possible to count?
3. What would be the purpose of an electric sheep?
4. If the purpose is to have a sheep that mowes your lawn (that was the only sane possibilty I could think of) will it then poop?
5. Will it use the nutriants from the grass to make steelwool or meat?

Since I've read the book I'll add on to what Seoul is saying:

With the world so damaged, life becomes extremely precious. Having another life to take care of becomes kind of a status symbol and for all those who can't afford a real live animal, they get the cheap electric reproductions. There's even a published price list of what different animals are worth.

In the book, one of the main tests for determining if a person is human or android (which you have to give to a "suspect" because killing something that's alive would be absolutely horrible) is how they react to any sort of suggested death (fur coats or rugs, someone stepping on an ant, etc.). And overall a lot of the themes in the book reflect on what criteria are used for determining how alive or how much a person someone / thing is.

 

[PoxEclipse]

A3

The only Alien movie I've seen and really liked was Alien Resurrection (which I know is one that most true Alien fans hated), but I adored Sigourney Weaver as a kick-butt female action star!

#GetAwayFromHer!!!LoveFromEllenRipley.

Sorry to go off topic, I did love Brade Runner...and I loved the original cinema version better. It had certain narrations in it that I found oddly endearing.

*** WARNING*** Some of the narrations may contain offensive language.


Back to Alien...

Alien (1) Had landmark special effects, a true original among sci-fi/horror. John Carpenter's The Thing was also very intense for it's day.

Aliens (2) was the Cameron action feature..."Get away from her you..." to the Queen Alien. An enjoyable offering.

Alien 3 extended version was probably my favorite, though I have to give credit to the original Scott offering, without Scott's cinematic wizardry the franchise wouldn't exist. A3 was a lot more suspense than action. And Charles Dance has a certain...charm.

Alien 4 Ressurection was written by Joss Whedon and was a little...yeah, I'll admit it, I despised it....the eggs were really cheesy looking compared to the originals...and the 'baby' at the end...plus the Queen giving birth, labor pains, etc...did I mention I didn't care for this particular offering?

I've always loved Sigourney's acting abilities and her stage presence...

If you're an Alien fan and in the mood to see a bit of movie history, check out Star Beast. It's the movie Alien was based on...not to be confused with Heinlein's novel The Star Beast which was also very enjoyable. If you like sci-fi novels, I recommend Heinlein...his Stranger In A Strange Land was...amazing! If you haven't read it and decide to give it a read, I recommend the full version vs. the abridged.

Grok?


Mr. Dance (Lt. Ellen Ripley and Dr. Clemens had an on screen thing...I thought they made a good couple until...)




BTW, did I mention I used to be a cinephile?


Peace.

 

[Prov910]

I would also like to open this thread up as a discussion for any movies out there that people are looking forward to seeing, and why. Or how about any "philosophical" questions about characters, concepts or plots? (For instance, I, for one, am thrilled to read that Linda Hamilton is the one who "will be back" in the next Terminator movie, right along with Arnold.)

I'm a Blade Runner fan too! Maybe the best sci fi movie evar! (Terminator 2 is right up there among the best also.) Looking forward to seeing Blade Runner 2049. Another great film adaptation of Philip K. Dick is "Minority Report." Can you believe that movie came out 15 years ago? It holds up well with time, just like the original Blade Runner. I'd also like to see the newer version of "Total Recall" from a couple years back. I didn't think the original "Total Recall" with Arnold Schwartzneger was very well done. I hope the remake is better.

 

[seoulsearch]

I'm a Blade Runner fan too! Maybe the best sci fi movie evar! Looking forward to seeing Blade Runner 2049. Another great film adaptation of Philip K. Dick is "Minority Report." Can you believe that movie came out 15 years ago? It holds up well with time, just like the original Blade Runner. I'd also like to see the newer version of "Total Recall" from a couple years back. I didn't think the original "Total Recall" with Arnold Schwartzneger was very well done. I hope the remake is better.

I am "Total"ly (ha ha ha) the opposite... I LOVED the original--thought it was so imaginative--and hated the remake (I thought it was bland, boring, and took out all of the things that had made the original movie so ground-breaking at the time.)

If you get to see the new Total Recall, tell us what you think!

I really enjoyed Minority Report as well... though at the end, with all those balls rolling down the machine and everyone's names coming up, I really had to pay attention during the last 20 minutes, whereas I'm used to just zoning out for a big, mindless, action-packed finale!

Man. NOW I feel old.

I mean, isn't that a sign of old age??? When a person starts saying, "Oh yeah... Back in MY day... I remember THE ORIGINAL. And it was so. much. better."

 

[zeroturbulence]

Re: The Body Electric

I noticed your Android topic...

Blade Runner and Alien were my favorite Ridley Scott movies in my cinephile days...


Perhaps you'll enjoy this?


[video=youtube;1dW8wEQbAXU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dW8wEQbAXU[/video]


Peace.

You like Blade Runner, the original Alien, AND Rush??

We can be friends

 

[zeroturbulence]

How delightfully politically uncorrect this was (and how my innocent memory of this song was totally destroyed). Smoking and playing. Strange. Strange. Strange. And drinking coffee???? And leaving the cup on the grand piano? That is a lethal sin! Lethal! Not a single musician would commit that sin. Ever! I am shocked!

What was the topic again?

A humanoid android would clean it's harddisk before sleeping and be programmed to go to sleep mode. No sheep needed. What a question! If it would, it would calculate the avareage speed the sheep runs at, how high the jump and prepare the spinning and knitting of a nice wollen sweater and the googling the recepie for a new dish of lamb chops. Seriously!

Best answer ever!!!

 

[PoxEclipse]

Dark Star

You like Blade Runner, the original Alien, AND Rush??

I misspoke earlier saying Star Beast was the movie Alien was based on, Star Beast was a story re-titled to Alien (if my fading memory serves)...

Dark Star is the original Alien movie...and John Carpenter was a part of it! Go figure!

It really is wild to see how movies evolve...without this movie, Alien might never have been made!

*** WARNING *** There may be objectionable content in this movie. (It's really cheesy too!)

[video=youtube;ZyUVhuOWPuY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyUVhuOWPuY[/video]


Zeroturbulence...yes, Rush is one of my favorite bands...probably in my top 10 anyway. 2112 and Caress of Steel got me hooked on Rush.

You probably recognize some of these...

Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Jimi Hendrix, Jethro Tull, Yes/Trevor Rabin...

And a few one album offerings...

The Spirit of Christmas - Lies To Live By
Intergalactic Touring Band
Billy Thorpe - Children of the Sun


Peace.