While reading the newspaper, a gifted female concert pianist happens upon a small item announcing a chess tournament. It's not a tournament like the others : one of the players is a human, the other one is an automaton. On an impulse, the pianist attends the event. Suddenly she freezes in shock. The turbaned automaton has made a small hand gesture which reminded her of her late fiancé, a notable chess player...
Once upon a time the finest minds of Europe would busy themselves with controversies about the nature and capabilities of automata, especially those performing complicated actions. Every now and then an inventor would wow royalty with, say, a mechanical chess player ; some bright spark in the audience would remark that there was trickery involved, another bright spark would reply that the clockwork was just clockwork, you nitwit, and then everybody would get involved in a philosophical debate about the higher-thinking skills needed for tactical problem solving. This provided a welcome break in the monotony of court life, which consisted mainly of being married to one's cousin and developing bunions as a result of unwise footwear fashions.
"Le collectionneur de cerveaux", made in the 1970's, continues these debates while updating them. Since 1976 things have moved on quite a bit, with the result that we, the viewers living anno Domini 2022, tend to reframe the discussion in terms of computers-versus-man. And yes, it has become painfully clear that a computer can best even an acclaimed chess champion. Take that, Humanity ! In your face !
Of course "Le collectionneur" also gives the subject a science fiction / horror twist. For the most part, "Le collectionneur" breathes a cool restraint which enhances rather than diminishes the horror and poignancy of the tale being told. This same cool restraint gives the movie a certain elegance : a welcome attribute for a work about themes such as reality, art, artifice and illusion. Near the end, unfortunately, things get more fruity, what with a drugged damsel in distress and a crazed villain cackling at his own cleverness. These stereotypical "mad scientist" touches do the movie no favors.
At its best, "Le collectionneur" both chills and saddens. Some scenes are unforgettable, such as the scene where the robot tries to reach out, desperately, to the young woman who sits nearby playing the piano. The effects may not be stunningly advanced, but they are scary all right. Composer Vladimir Cosma wrote the beautiful music, parts of which make one think of harpsichords and old music boxes.
I may be missing the point - not an uncommon occurrence, I'm afraid - but I was amazed by the lack of ambition shown by the villain. Here you've got a guy laughing in the face of nature, breaking the law and performing unholy experiments, and for what ? A few modest chess matches, played out in the backrooms of a pub ? That's it ? In his place, I would have gone for something grander - marble halls, chandeliers, international coverage, legions of obsessive followers, fans throwing bouquets on the stage, queues for five blocks, that kind of thing.
People who like horror or fantasy movies about chess and/or automata, can have a look at "Le joueur d'échecs" (1938) with Françoise Rosay. (Wrote a small review there too.)
Once upon a time the finest minds of Europe would busy themselves with controversies about the nature and capabilities of automata, especially those performing complicated actions. Every now and then an inventor would wow royalty with, say, a mechanical chess player ; some bright spark in the audience would remark that there was trickery involved, another bright spark would reply that the clockwork was just clockwork, you nitwit, and then everybody would get involved in a philosophical debate about the higher-thinking skills needed for tactical problem solving. This provided a welcome break in the monotony of court life, which consisted mainly of being married to one's cousin and developing bunions as a result of unwise footwear fashions.
"Le collectionneur de cerveaux", made in the 1970's, continues these debates while updating them. Since 1976 things have moved on quite a bit, with the result that we, the viewers living anno Domini 2022, tend to reframe the discussion in terms of computers-versus-man. And yes, it has become painfully clear that a computer can best even an acclaimed chess champion. Take that, Humanity ! In your face !
Of course "Le collectionneur" also gives the subject a science fiction / horror twist. For the most part, "Le collectionneur" breathes a cool restraint which enhances rather than diminishes the horror and poignancy of the tale being told. This same cool restraint gives the movie a certain elegance : a welcome attribute for a work about themes such as reality, art, artifice and illusion. Near the end, unfortunately, things get more fruity, what with a drugged damsel in distress and a crazed villain cackling at his own cleverness. These stereotypical "mad scientist" touches do the movie no favors.
At its best, "Le collectionneur" both chills and saddens. Some scenes are unforgettable, such as the scene where the robot tries to reach out, desperately, to the young woman who sits nearby playing the piano. The effects may not be stunningly advanced, but they are scary all right. Composer Vladimir Cosma wrote the beautiful music, parts of which make one think of harpsichords and old music boxes.
I may be missing the point - not an uncommon occurrence, I'm afraid - but I was amazed by the lack of ambition shown by the villain. Here you've got a guy laughing in the face of nature, breaking the law and performing unholy experiments, and for what ? A few modest chess matches, played out in the backrooms of a pub ? That's it ? In his place, I would have gone for something grander - marble halls, chandeliers, international coverage, legions of obsessive followers, fans throwing bouquets on the stage, queues for five blocks, that kind of thing.
People who like horror or fantasy movies about chess and/or automata, can have a look at "Le joueur d'échecs" (1938) with Françoise Rosay. (Wrote a small review there too.)
