Susan Harris is alone in the house when, suddenly, doors lock, windows slam shut and the phone stops working. Susan is trapped by an intruder but this is no ordinary thug. Instead, the intruder is a computer named Proteus, an artificial brain that has learned to reason. And to terrorize. In “one of her finest, most vulnerable performances” (Danny Peary, Guide for the Film Fanatic), Julie Christie plays Susan in this taut techno-thriller based on the Dean Koontz novel. Packed with suspense, surprise and special effects, Demon Seed follows Susan’s desperate attempts to outmaneuver and outthink her captor. Then Susan learns what Proteus wants: its own child, conceived in her womb and destined for domination.
For thoughts on Demon Seed, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Demon Seed was released on Blu-Ray in 2017 courtesy of the Warner Archive with a very fetching 1080p transfer derived from a 2K scan of the Interpositive featuring color correction and clean-up. The transfer retains the very textured natural film grain that thankfully does not spike in more difficult environments. There is a lot of rich texture to be observed within the house and in some of the lab scenes. There are moments that are so clear that some of the limitations of the technology stand out more. Colors radiate off the screen with a grand vibrancy. There is a slight skew toward the metallic within the production design, but certain elements break through in a fine way. There are no signs of compression artifacts or banding to be found. Warner Archive shows they have been doing great work for many years.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a great DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that showcases the original material favorably. The effective score from Jerry Fielding is treated respectfully and balanced well within the mix. This track provides a presentation absent of any major blemishes or digital anomalies that would compromise the viewing experience. Dialogue is undeniably clear without being drowned out by sound effects like mechanical noises. While this might not be an action dynamo, the material accomplishes everything that is asked of it. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for those who desire them.
Special Features
- Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Demon Seed is a pretty decent early entry into the technology horror subgenre. There are elements thematically that are very clumsily handled or simply not fleshed out as well as they could be. Yet, there is an inherent fun in witnessing how unsettling it would be to have your house turn against you – obliterating the safety of your personal space in more than one sense. Julie Christie seems the slightest bit miscast in the lead role, but she does a fine job overall of selling the silly premise. As a product of the period in which it was made, it holds up well enough. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a really good A/V presentation but virtually no special features. If you enjoy this flavor of horror-thriller, it is worth a look.
Demon Seed can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.