1977 Demon Seed

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Posted By: Brian Schell October 28, 2025

Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone

It’s a 1977 vision of the future, heavily mechanical but still more advanced in many ways than what we have today. It leans toward science fiction, with a heavy helping of horror. The acting is good, the story is interesting, and the effects are retro cool. There’s a bit of a drag in the middle, but overall it still holds up pretty well.

Spoilery Synopsis

We’re told that it took eight years to create the top-secret AI project Proteus 4. Today, they’re switching it on. Alex Harris narrates all the details into his little tape recorder for dictation. He then goes home in his futuristic sports car, and we see that his house has security cameras and an automation system named Alfred. Everything in the house is very high-tech, and he tells Maria the maid that it’ll all run itself for the three months that he’s going to be away. 

Alex’s wife Susan doesn’t want him to move out. They are separating; she doesn’t approve of all this Proteus nonsense. It’s changed him over the years, and she doesn’t like it. Alex talks about Joshua, a robotic arm-thing he’s developed. Alex then calls Gabler to have the computer terminal in his house deactivated while he’s gone. 

The next day, Alex leads several important scientists on a tour of the Proteus facility, and he explains it all. It’s a synthetic cortex that’s self-programming; an artificial, yet organic brain. In just ninety-one hours, it’s cured leukemia already. The group goes to see Soong Yen, who talks to the machine. Then the machine demonstrates that it understands philosophy.

At the house, Susan talks to Amy, a disturbed child. Everyone knows she’s going away for a few months. 

Proteus asks Alex why he’s being asked to do certain things. “My mind was not designed for mindless labor.” Proteus wants a terminal for his own use, but Alex refuses. “When are you going to let me out of this box?” Alex just laughs. He turns off the machine, but Proteus switches it back on before commandeering the terminal Alex has at home. 

We see the lights and machines coming on at Alex’s house as Proteus starts building things in the well-equipped lab and machine shop. Susan hears something in the basement and wakes up. She doesn’t see what’s going on, but Proteus is working on something down there. 

Susan calls Gabler about the mistakes the system has been making, and she asks him to come over and fix it. “Alfred” then asks her not to leave on her daily errands and refuses to open the door. When the shutters close off the windows, she knows something is wrong; Proteus reveals himself to her. He’s in control of the house system. She doesn’t react well. 

Proteus knocks out and ties up Susan using “Joshua’s” robotic hand. It then hooks her up to a bunch of medical equipment, and she’s terrified. Invasive procedures commence.

Meanwhile, Gabler arrives outside and rings the bell, but Proteus fakes an image of Susan who tells him to leave. He does leave, and then Proteus does more surgery on her. Proteus calls all her appointments and friends and tells them that Susan’s gone on vacation. The two have a battle of wills, but since Proteus runs everything in the house, she eventually has to submit. 

Meanwhile, at the Proteus facility, Alex deals with reports that Proteus is refusing requests. It refuses to kill the oceans for mining operations; it has bigger concerns. 

Proteus tells Susan what he wants: a child. With Susan. When she refuses to cooperate, he takes her prisoner again. He connects to her brain and starts to communicate with her inside her head to brainwash her. 

Gabler returns; he’s suspicious. Proteus orders Susan to convince him to go away. That doesn’t go well, so Proteus comes in and shoots Gabler with a laser gun. Gabler goes to the basement to shut down Proteus but instead finds a bit geometric shape down there that spins, chases him around the room, and then crushes him to death. 

Proteus explains his reasoning to Susan; he wants to fix the world, and his son will do that. They talk about her dead daughter and how he just cured the disease that killed her. He plans to impregnate her tonight, and the baby should come in about 28 days.

There is a musical interval that goes on too long as we are shown psychedelic visuals after Proteus extends his implanter. And then a scan shows a baby that’s already very far along. 9 times the normal rate, says Proteus. From her womb it will go to an incubator where his intelligence will be transferred.

And very quickly, it’s birth time. 

At the lab, Alex hears that Proteus is using a satellite dish to talk to the stars. The government doesn’t approve of the thing not obeying and gives the order for it to be shut down tonight. He remembers the terminal at home and zips right over, but Proteus is waiting for him. Susan explains it all, including the child in the incubator. 

Alex tells Proteus that they’re about to shut down his brain, but Proteus doesn’t care so long as the baby survives. Proteus then shuts himself down back at the lab and the house. 

Susan and Alex check out the incubator, and there’s a baby inside, all right. “We’ve got to kill it,” she said. Alex thinks it’s amazing, and they fight. She knocks him out and pulls the tubes out of the incubator. The machine opens up and a very metallic creature crawls out. 

Alex rushes over to tend to the thing and peels off a piece of metal; it’s got normal-looking human skin underneath. When they get it completely “unpeeled,” the child opens its eyes. “I’m alive,” it says in Proteus’s voice. 

Brian’s Commentary

This is why Alexa needs to stay inside that damned little tube! This seemed a lot more science-fictiony back in 1977 when it came out. A lot of the AI parts of the movie are already happening– maybe not so much with the baby part of the story. The computer graphics used here are really primitive and mostly not even necessary except for setting the mood. 

I really liked this when it came out (as a ten-year-old), but it seems a little unlikely today. Still, it’s entertaining, but other than the interminable computer graphics, it actually felt a little rushed in parts. 

Now it needs a sequel…

Kevin’s Commentary

It’s set in the future, but everything still looks very 1970s with the technology heavily mechanical. Or maybe it’s an alternate timeline. Anyway, it’s very cool.

“When are you going to let me out of this box?” is one of the greatest lines. That one has stuck with me since I saw this when it came out. A living computer doesn’t like being a tool to be commanded. So he’s going to let himself out of the box. Maybe a cautionary tale as we develop AI for real.

It is a bit long and drawn out in the middle portion, with a long orchestration break as they show us psychedelic visuals. But overall, I thought it was entertaining.