Silent Running (1 of 2)

Work Title: Silent Running (1 of 2)
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 1972
Writer(s): Deric Washburn
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Michael Cimino
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Steven Bochco
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No

Summary:

The loner crew member of a spaceship harbouring Earth's last nature reserves goes renegade when he is instructed to jettison his beloved forests and return home. Accompanied only by three robots, he ponders the fate of his last pocket of nature and the murders of his fellow crew members in this far-looking speculative film. from imdb.com

  • Self-Written?:
  • Source Name: IMDB
  • Source URL:

Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_future

Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The film takes place on a spaceship, conserving plant life while a war rages on Earth.


Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: drones - Huey and Dewey
  • Description of the technology: 2 drones - Huey and Dewey. They perform maitenence on the space craft and eventually become his friends. He programs them with differern info than they originally had, in order to teach them how to care for the forest on the ship. They look sort of like air conditioners, with no faces and do not speak, only beep and walk in a waddling fashion. they act submissive, but one of them wins at poker.
  • Nature of task or activity: The protaganist treats them as his subordinates and friends. He plays poker with them and cares for them.
  • Performance of the Technology: The technology functions well and becomes endearing to the protagnist.
  • Description of creator(s): unknown, but probably astronauts.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): to perform maitenance on the spaceship.
  • Description of users of technology: The protaganist is a white, male astronaut. He is a devoted conservationist, committed to caring for the forest. He kills the other astronauts and eventually, himself.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: At first, the drones are simply maitenence drones. After the other astronauts are killed, the protaganist names the drones and they become his friends.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Yes.
  • Valence of experience: Enjoyable.
  • Specific responses: Well, he is somewhat deranged to begin with (he kills the other astronauts). The drones become his friends. After teaching them to care for the plants, he kills himself.
Long-term consequences:

Sad ending. Everyone's dead, but the drone continues to care for the plants.

Other:

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University