# Who's your favourite movie robot?



## Paige Turner (Jul 5, 2006)

I've always had a big fascination for robots. When playing "Supersonic Outer Space Astronauts" as children, I always wanted to be the robot.

My favourite movie robot is Hector from the not-particularly-good _Saturn 3,_ starring Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel and Farrah Fawcett.

edit: I ask because an overlooked movie with a great robot could inspire me to pick it up at the local Videodrome and take a look.


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## j d worthington (Jul 5, 2006)

Tough question for me, Paigie. If I absolutely had to choose, I think I'd probably go for the "Ultimate Futura" from *Metropolis*. That is one of the neatest robots I've ever seen, with its blending of the organic and expressionist look, making it look very like some bizarre futuristic idea of the undead -- quite intentionally, I would imagine.

But there are so many great robots and I, too, have a love of the things (fostered, no doubt, by reading *I, Robot* when I was 6...).


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## orionsixwings (Jul 5, 2006)

R2D2 Of course!

Close second is C3PO.


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## kyektulu (Jul 5, 2006)

*I have a few fave robots, 

The scutters from Red Dwarf, they are so kewel, especially when they don the wigs and try to escape with the crew as part of the Dibley family! lol.

Data has to be number one fave, he is everything a android should be immensely intelligent and handy to have around in any situation.

I like R2D2 too, and K9 from Dr Who, I have always wanted a robotic dg after seeing him.*


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## Snowdog (Jul 5, 2006)

I'm tempted to say Cherry 2000, but that's a bit of a cheat since she didn't exactly look like a robot.

Does TV count?

If it does, it has to be Marvin [SIZE=-1]the Paranoid Android [/SIZE]from HGTTG, though Kryten from Red Dwarf runs him a close second.

The robot from Lost In Space (the series, not the film) get's an honourable mention. And Bender of course.

If it must be from a film, then I'd go with the very scary Yul Brynner cowboy robot from Westworld.

Edit: I completely forgot about Hewey, Dewey and Lewey (I've no idea if I spelled those right) from Silent Running.


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## dustinzgirl (Jul 5, 2006)

The little fixer robots on farscape. i know how silly that is, but they are so darn cute. I want one!


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## Paige Turner (Jul 6, 2006)

Snowdog said:
			
		

> Edit: I completely forgot about Hewey, Dewey and Lewey (I've no idea if I spelled those right) from Silent Running.



Good call. I loved Bruce Dern in that movie.


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## Paradox 99 (Jul 6, 2006)

There's no contest. It has to be Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet...




 

Robbie Rocks!


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## littlemissattitude (Jul 6, 2006)

If it has to be from movies only, the I second Huey, Dewey, and Louie from _Silent Running_, with C3P0 a close second.

But if television counts, by far my favorite is Robot from _Lost in Space_ (as Snowdog said, the series, not the movie).


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## steve12553 (Jul 6, 2006)

Paradox 99 said:
			
		

> There's no contest. It has to be Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I second it.  (just something I put together in my spare time).


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## j d worthington (Jul 6, 2006)

For sentimental reasons, I would have gone with Robbie -- and it is a neat design (though I understand the man inside that outfit had some troubles navigating -- especially when drunk). But aesthetically speaking, I just find the Ultima Futura to be rather awesome -- and it has remained an iconographic image since the 1920s.... So I'll stand by my choice, though it was by no means an easy one to make.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jul 6, 2006)

My favourite movie robot is Mecha-Godzilla or if I really want to take the mickey, Optimus Prime from Transformers the Movie ("One shall stand, and one shall fall!") but they're probably both a bit of a cheat as one is a cartoon and one is a robot version of Godzilla. 

Scariest movie robot for me was Maximillian from Disney's "The Black Hole" - those razors which came out of his hands were pretty scary as a young kid 

Most rubbish robot surely has to be Robin William's Bicentennial Man.

Honourable TV mention:
Cylons from Battlestar Galactica
Twike from Buck Rogers
Nono from Ulysses 31


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## Snowdog (Jul 6, 2006)

Winters_Sorrow said:
			
		

> Twike from Buck Rogers



If there's such a crime as roboticide, then I would have committed it if I could have got my hands on that annoying little pest, going "bidi bidi bidi" all the time!


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## j d worthington (Jul 6, 2006)

Snowdog said:
			
		

> If there's such a crime as roboticide, then I would have committed it if I could have got my hands on that annoying little pest, going "bidi bidi bidi" all the time!


Yeah. Heck of a role for the great Mel Blanc, wasn't it?


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## star.torturer (Jul 6, 2006)

it might be predictable but Marvin from Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy


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## steve12553 (Jul 6, 2006)

j. d. worthington said:
			
		

> Yeah. Heck of a role for the great Mel Blanc, wasn't it?


 
Anything with Mel Blanc is a classic. Look how bad the Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes got after he passed away.


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## j d worthington (Jul 6, 2006)

steve12553 said:
			
		

> Anything with Mel Blanc is a classic. Look how bad the Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes got after he passed away.


Oh, indeed. Wasn't his son doing a lot of the work then?


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## Nesacat (Jul 6, 2006)

Andrew from Bicentennial Man and along with that the Isaac Asimov book Positronic Man.
Maria from Fritz Lang's Metropolis
The replicants from Blade Runner
The Iron Giant from the 1999 film of the same name.


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## Mouse (Jul 6, 2006)

dustinzgirl said:
			
		

> The little fixer robots on farscape. i know how silly that is, but they are so darn cute. I want one!


 
Yeah! Same for me. Esp. One Eye and 1312.


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## Thadlerian (Jul 6, 2006)

Do replicants count?

Roy Batty from Blade Runner

"If only you could see what I have seen with your eyes."


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## j d worthington (Jul 6, 2006)

Thadlerian said:
			
		

> Do replicants count?


 
I'd argue that they may count most of all. They are constructs, and they are workers/slaves (the original meaning of the word "robot"; the term as such was first used by Karel Capek in R.U.R. [1920], and comes from the Czech base _robot-,_ as in _robota_: compulsory labor; _robotnik_: peasant owing such labor). It was only later that the term became exclusively used for what had before been called "Mechanical Men" (hence Ike's "U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation" -- they produced both). So, in some ways, PKD was going back to the very roots of the concept.


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## Stuart Jaffe (Jul 6, 2006)

My favorite replicant is the one in the opening trying to answer the question about the turtle on its back.  Love that actor.

Two other great robots:

1 - The Terminator
2 - the little boxes on rollers that ran along the corridors of the Death Star


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## Paige Turner (Jul 6, 2006)

Nesacat said:
			
		

> The Iron Giant from the 1999 film of the same name.



Well spoken, Nesa. I cry every time I see that movie. All somebody has to do to get me to well up is to whisper "Superman."

* sniff *


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## Nesacat (Jul 6, 2006)

I think for me the replicants are really what robots are all about and it's the saddest thing.

"All those moments... will be lost... in time... like tears... in rain. Time...  to die." - Roy Batty


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## BookStop (Jul 6, 2006)

Oh, I adore the Iron Giant!


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## j d worthington (Jul 6, 2006)

Nesacat said:
			
		

> "All those moments... will be lost... in time... like tears... in rain. Time... to die." - Roy Batty


 
Oh, yes, yes, yes. That may be my favorite line out of a movie holding many fine lines. And Hauer's delivery is absolutely perfect. Lord, I love that film!!!


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## steve12553 (Jul 6, 2006)

j. d. worthington said:
			
		

> Oh, yes, yes, yes. That may be my favorite line out of a movie holding many fine lines. And Hauer's delivery is absolutely perfect. Lord, I love that film!!!


 
I heard expressed that it's a test of your movie IQ as to whether you go to see"Blade Runner" as a Harrison Ford movie or a Rutger Hauer movie. (Although it's not half bad wich ever side of the glass you're looking in from.)


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## Paige Turner (Jul 6, 2006)

Uh, oh. I've been watching it as a Ridley Scott movie.


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## ScottSF (Jul 7, 2006)

I love the robots at the end of AI, I like Teddy too cause his voice totally doesn't match his look, he seem really deep for a toy.


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## steve12553 (Jul 7, 2006)

ScottSF said:
			
		

> I love the robots at the end of AI, I like Teddy too cause his voice totally doesn't match his look, he seem really deep for a toy.


 
Kind of mature but not quite understanding his surroundings.


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## speedingslug (Jul 10, 2006)

ScottSF said:
			
		

> I love the robots at the end of AI, I like Teddy too cause his voice totally doesn't match his look, he seem really deep for a toy.


 
I'll go with that !


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## Alysheba (Jul 12, 2006)

R2D2 no doubt about it!


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## Paige Turner (Jul 12, 2006)

Alysheba said:
			
		

> R2D2 no doubt about it!



And to think Uncle Owen came_* that close *_ to buying that crappy R5D4 unit!


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## Spiritdragon (Jul 18, 2006)

Got to be Fender in the animated movie Robots


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## star.torturer (Jul 18, 2006)

Bender! Bender! Bender!


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## Paige Turner (Jul 18, 2006)

Spiritdragon said:
			
		

> Got to be Fender in the animated movie Robots



You know, the story was crap, but the character styling in the movie was *brilliant.* I especially like the attention to colour schemes for the "old appliances" look. And yes, Fender's haphazard collection of bent parts and his chipped paint were spot-on. Good call, Spiritdragon.


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## Spiritdragon (Jul 18, 2006)

I think my 4 yr old has watched the dvd about 100 times, so I have seen it at least 50 times lol

It's funny because you always notice a wee thing different each time you watch...

Thankfully she is into the new Cars Movie now...I have to keep buying new movies just to remain sane LOL


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## ftldave (Jul 24, 2006)

*Omega, *the robot in _First Spaceship On Venus_, is one of my favorites. Kind of an R2D2 on tank treads, built by those clever commies back in 1961. Though he went berserk on the flight back to Earth, he reminded me of a faithful dog as he trundled alongside the "American cosmonaut," Brinkman, on the first manned landing of Venus.

FTLDave
See kosmosflot.blogspot.com


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## Rosemary (Jul 24, 2006)

It's been a while since I saw a Science Fiction movie but I would have to say R2D2 has been my favourite so far...


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## the smiling weirwood (Jul 25, 2006)

"Danger. Will Robinson! Danger!"

I think I've said enough.


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## Tau Zero (Jul 25, 2006)

Take a look at my icon.  That's Astroboy, my favorite robot!  I watched Astroboy as a kid in the 60s and always loved him.  Astroboy was on TV around the same time as Tobor the 8th Man, Speed Racer, and Gigantor.  Remember them?  Gigantor also was a robot, but i never was that impressed.


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## Tau Zero (Jul 25, 2006)

By the way, Tobor (robot spelled backwards) was also a robot.


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## roddglenn (Jul 27, 2006)

I loved the robot is Saturn 3 too - not too many people have heard of that one, but I thought it was a brilliant film.

The Terminator has to be up there too for me.  Also, the robot in Hardware - a low budget British indie sci-fi with a great cameo from Lemmy (Motor Head) as a water taxi driver.


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## The DeadMan (Jul 27, 2006)

*Robbie - Forbidden Planet*


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## Teir (Jul 28, 2006)

ScottSF said:
			
		

> I like Teddy too cause his voice totally doesn't match his look, he seem really deep for a toy.


 
oh god yes! lol Teddy was so well done.
I also absolutely loved H.J Osmet's and Jude law's performances in AI even though they aren't typical movie robots 
AI was a brilliant movie 

And I'm gonna go really old school and say that I'm also a fan of the dynamic duo that is R2D2 AND C3P0  

Oh and K9!!!....who, might I add, is making a reappearance in the new Dr Who..about time


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## Anomander (Jul 28, 2006)

I love those killer robots in I robot.


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## steve12553 (Jul 28, 2006)

Anomander said:
			
		

> I love those killer robots in I robot.


 
The robots were great. The movie was decent. I nothing to do with the book. Change the title!


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## Paradox 99 (Jul 28, 2006)

Yes, it should have been called "Matrix: Genesis"


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## Joel007 (Jul 28, 2006)

ZZ One, ZZ Two and ZZ Three. from Victory Unintentional by Isaac Asimov


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## steve12553 (Jul 29, 2006)

Paradox 99 said:
			
		

> Yes, it should have been called "Matrix: Genesis"


 
Absolutely and did you notice your posts now are the posts of the beast.


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## tiny99 (Jul 29, 2006)

Bender from Futurama


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## j d worthington (Jul 29, 2006)

Joel007 said:
			
		

> ZZ One, ZZ Two and ZZ Three. from Victory Unintentional by Isaac Asimov


 
Unfortunately, Joel, these aren't "movie" robots.... Do you have a favorite movie robot as well? (Though I must admit I've always had a fondness for this story, wonky though it is...)


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## BookStop (Jul 29, 2006)

William Hurt - ooh did I say that outloud?


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## sanityassassin (Jul 29, 2006)

Bender from Futurama is cool but again not a movie robot so would have to be marvin from HH Alan Rickmans deadpan voice is just sooo marvin


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## Paradox 99 (Jul 29, 2006)

steve12553 said:
			
		

> Absolutely and did you notice your posts now are the posts of the beast.


Waaaaa! I missed it! And I was so waiting for that too.


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## SFAM (Jul 31, 2006)

My favorite would probably be either Maria from Metropolis, but I've always loved Armitage (from the Armitage III anime), the Lost in Space robot, and more recently, Ria from Natural City has moved up my list.


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## Paige Turner (Jul 31, 2006)

Did anybody see that Val Kilmer movie about going to Mars? Not a classic film. Ahem. There was a "warrior dog" robot in that one that was kind of neat. Had some cool features, though oddly susceptible to fire…


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## Marky Lazer (Jul 31, 2006)

You mean Red Planet?


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## Paige Turner (Jul 31, 2006)

Marky Lazer said:
			
		

> You mean Red Planet?



THAT'S the one. I was going to guess _National Lampoon's Martian Vacation, _ but I was sure that wasn't right.

But that's the movie I was talking about. There was a robo-warrior-hound named "Sybil," or "Lucy," or something. Maybe it was "Donna."


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## Marky Lazer (Jul 31, 2006)

Amee.


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## Paige Turner (Aug 1, 2006)

That's right. "Donna" must have been Val Kilmer's character.


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## Marky Lazer (Aug 1, 2006)

Robby...


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## Paige Turner (Aug 1, 2006)

None of this sounds very familiar. 

Are you sure you saw this movie?


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## Marky Lazer (Aug 1, 2006)

Yes. Val Kilmer's character is named Robby Galagher.


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## steve12553 (Aug 1, 2006)

Galagher was definitely right because that's what Trinity called him. I don't remember his first name.


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## Paige Turner (Aug 1, 2006)

His character was Robby "Donna" Galagher, rough and ready astro-adventurer.


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## steve12553 (Aug 1, 2006)

Paige Turner said:
			
		

> His character was Robby "Donna" Galagher, rough and ready astro-adventurer.


That's right. Now I remember. I think?


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