THE STRANGE CASE OF SENOR COMPUTER
(No, I don't know how to make an "enye" on the computer. I probably don't know how to spell it properly either.)
2000
Written and Directed by Tom Sawyer.
A.K.A. It's not easy being digital in an analogue world
PlotIf you're like me, you find clunky robots far more charming than high-tech, fancy androids. Give my Robby over Data any day. The makers of "The Strange Case of Senor Computer" are like me. The protagonist is as clunky as they come. Firstly his body is clearly someone (Actually writer director Tom Sawyer, apparently) in a child's battery operated toy car, encased in a plastic box much like a computer. In the middle of the robot's chest is a top-of-the-line computer, circa 1981. Above that is a camera inside a fish-eye-lens dome. The robot's arms are clearly exaust duct tubing with toy metal claws on the end. This image alone has already sold me on the film. We begin with the creation of the robot as an experiment by his slightly upset scientist "father", Professor Charles O'Toole. "Father" starts playing with the computer's sensory arrays while trying to get him to equate complex math problems. This, combined with the robot's emotional sensitivity creates something akin to a bad acid trip. The Robot wanders the house aimlessly. (Incidently, though it's never shown how its accomplished, somehow he's able to go up and down stairs, despite being a robot that gets around on wheels...) To get him out of her way, Carlotta the cleaning lady puts him in front of the tv, something she probably would also do to a small child. This helps the robot settle down off of his bad trip, and also starts teaching him the ways of the world through daytime television. Hey, it worked for me. He then starts leading his own experimental life when he's alone in the house. He listens to industrial music, he calls in to radio contests, he learns the joys of credit cards and orders all sorts of books, cds, and movies. He even likes to play pretend. Carlotta refers to him as "Senor Computer", but he spontaneously names himself with the random letters "I-K-E". Despite the incredible frustration at the mysterious bills and packages continuing to arrive at his door, Charles still attempts to lead his pathetic life, which includes dating his freaky weirdo abusive girlfriend, and fantasizing about women who don't shave their pits. Eventually, however, his girlfriend gets tired of him, and dumps him. This leads him to attempt to slash his wrists in the tub. IKE comes to the rescue. IKE then realizes it's time he fessed up to his sentience. TV has taught him that the best way to break the ice is with a joke. So he approaches his father and tells him that his girlfriend called, and wants her exacto-knife back. Ha ha ha. Did I mention that IKE talks through a voice modulator ala Stephen Hawkings?
 The prof tries to get IKE to solve his math problems again, which results in flashbacks to the nightmare times. He also scolds the robot and tries to teach him about the way that money and credit cards work. More math. We all know how well that works with IKE. Charles is just getting more depressed. IKE then approaches Carlotta for advice, as she taught him the ways of the world inadvertantly. She seems surprisingly non-plussed at the fact that IKE can interact with her. He asks her how to keep a man in a relationship successfully, not wanting to lose Charles. She teaches him how to be a cuckolding wife. He berates the prof. He makes him do yard work. He tries to get him to buy him nice things, like a depleted uranium shell coating. Afterwards, he initiates the closest thing to sex he and the professor can have: they watch pornography together. In private, he even tries to work through his nightmares and solve Charles's math problem. But Charles has a whole different kind of problem he needs solved; he's lonely and desparate. He ends up coming to IKE for help, and the robot decides to play Cereno De Bergiac, and turns his father into the image of an industrial music lover. He then has him set up a date with the DJ at the radio station IKE listens to, having Charles pose as IKE. He and the DJ seem to hit it off. While they're out on a date, IKE recieves a wrong phone call, that quickly turns into a kinky phone sex relationship. IKE and his new girlfriend have a very dominant/submissive relationship. He even tells her he's really a robot. "I tell her to watch 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' and pleasure herself in preparation for me." IKE says, "I tell her 'Masturbate for Gort, [EXPLETIVE DELETED]! Masturbate for Gort!'...and she complies" Meanwhile, the professor has been fufilled emotionally, and is now showing a renewed strength towards his work, much to his girlfriend's dismay. She even starts to notice how different he is than when they were just talking on the phone. And speaking of phone relationships, IKE's girlfriend is getting pushier and pushier about meeting in real life. Obviously, this can't end well. |
RatingI give The Strange Case of Senor Computer:
Five Rotting Shambling Corpses out of five |