Thursday, October 06, 2016

Westworld : Then And Now

If you watch television commercials on Sky, I'm sure you would have seen Westworld being advertised.

The new science fiction western from the States made its UK debut on our screens the other night. To get ready for its launch, I watched.. Westworld.

As you've probably guessed, the TV series is a remake. Or rather a reboot. The original Westworld is a movie that was released in the early 1970s. It starred Yul Brynner as 'The Gunslinger' in a western-themed, and futuristic, theme park where holidaymakers (if you can call it that!) live out their fantasies as cowboys or cowgirls.

The regulars (another example of, if you can call them that!) in Westworld are androids and they interact with the newcomers. The 1973 film saw the androids malfunction and kill the subjects. Brynner was the bad guy in it who went after one of the humans who had paid to experience life as a cowboy.

The modern take of the story works on the same premise. It's more futuristic and the special effects are obviously better.

One thing I noticed from the first episode, and this could all change, is the androids are sort of the the protagonists here as it's a human who seems to be doing the killings. I have a feeling it's a red herring, though and we'll end up hating at least one of the featured android soon enough.

It's worth noting that the original Westworld was written and directed by the late Michael Crichton. An amusement park where things go awry.. who would have guessed!?

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