We Called Him Robert (1967)
(aka Evo Zvali Robert)
DIRECTOR: Ilya Olshvanger
STARS: Oleg Strizhenov, Marianna Vertinskaya, Mikhail Pugovkin, Marcel Marceau (Shanks), Aleksey Dranitsyn
SYNOPSIS: It's very likely that this film was rarely, if ever, seen outside of the USSR (circa 1967). Sergei is a pragmatic scientist who creates a robot named "Robert" in his own likeness. Robert is curious about humans and the world around him. As a test Sergei lets Robert venture into the public on his own. A running gag is that when someone tells Robert to do a task, no matter how silly, he's programmed to comply and simply states: "I understood the assignment". He also goes on a few dates with sexy Tanya who is unaware that Robert is an android. She brings out the best in him and soon he begins to exhibit more human emotions than his creator. There's a funny sequence at a ski resort where Robert befriends a comical vodka-swilling man. After witnessing some of Robert's amazing feats the man starts to believe that he too may be a robot! The idea of a robot learning to be human has been done many times over the years in film and television (Blade Runner, Westworld, Ex Machina, etc.) but I imagine in 1967 it was still pretty unique. The plot is very similar to Susan Siedelman's 1987 film Making Mr. Right starring John Malkovich. An amusing forgotten piece of Russian film history. WIDESCREEN. In spoken Russian with English subtitles.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
(aka Evo Zvali Robert)
DIRECTOR: Ilya Olshvanger
STARS: Oleg Strizhenov, Marianna Vertinskaya, Mikhail Pugovkin, Marcel Marceau (Shanks), Aleksey Dranitsyn
SYNOPSIS: It's very likely that this film was rarely, if ever, seen outside of the USSR (circa 1967). Sergei is a pragmatic scientist who creates a robot named "Robert" in his own likeness. Robert is curious about humans and the world around him. As a test Sergei lets Robert venture into the public on his own. A running gag is that when someone tells Robert to do a task, no matter how silly, he's programmed to comply and simply states: "I understood the assignment". He also goes on a few dates with sexy Tanya who is unaware that Robert is an android. She brings out the best in him and soon he begins to exhibit more human emotions than his creator. There's a funny sequence at a ski resort where Robert befriends a comical vodka-swilling man. After witnessing some of Robert's amazing feats the man starts to believe that he too may be a robot! The idea of a robot learning to be human has been done many times over the years in film and television (Blade Runner, Westworld, Ex Machina, etc.) but I imagine in 1967 it was still pretty unique. The plot is very similar to Susan Siedelman's 1987 film Making Mr. Right starring John Malkovich. An amusing forgotten piece of Russian film history. WIDESCREEN. In spoken Russian with English subtitles.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
(aka Evo Zvali Robert)
DIRECTOR: Ilya Olshvanger
STARS: Oleg Strizhenov, Marianna Vertinskaya, Mikhail Pugovkin, Marcel Marceau (Shanks), Aleksey Dranitsyn
SYNOPSIS: It's very likely that this film was rarely, if ever, seen outside of the USSR (circa 1967). Sergei is a pragmatic scientist who creates a robot named "Robert" in his own likeness. Robert is curious about humans and the world around him. As a test Sergei lets Robert venture into the public on his own. A running gag is that when someone tells Robert to do a task, no matter how silly, he's programmed to comply and simply states: "I understood the assignment". He also goes on a few dates with sexy Tanya who is unaware that Robert is an android. She brings out the best in him and soon he begins to exhibit more human emotions than his creator. There's a funny sequence at a ski resort where Robert befriends a comical vodka-swilling man. After witnessing some of Robert's amazing feats the man starts to believe that he too may be a robot! The idea of a robot learning to be human has been done many times over the years in film and television (Blade Runner, Westworld, Ex Machina, etc.) but I imagine in 1967 it was still pretty unique. The plot is very similar to Susan Siedelman's 1987 film Making Mr. Right starring John Malkovich. An amusing forgotten piece of Russian film history. WIDESCREEN. In spoken Russian with English subtitles.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R