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Survival Research Laboratories
: 10 Years of Robotic Mayhem
 Before BattleBots, The Matrix, The Terminator, or any
of their imitators, there was Survival Research Laboratories. Founded by the
visionary Mark Pauline, SRL utilizes incredibly complex props and robotics
to create a unique spectacle unlike anything seen before. In this DVD
Jon Reiss encapsulates the humor, terror, artistic bravado and
technical genius behind the menacing machines and weaves it into a
gloriously cacophonous whole. This DVD shows the development of SRL from
its earliest performances in front of a handful of people in San Francisco
to grand spectacles staged for thousands in the U.S. and Europe.
Mark Pauline envisioned the Survival Research Laboratories to be a premier
purveyor of multimedia installations featuring robots and machines. Catch some of Survival Research Laboratories' most memorable
performances in this compendium, as well as documentaries on the group, the
video premiere of "Delusions of Expediency" and more.
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Time Machine : Robots
 The History Channel's Time Machine : Robots is a fascinating
chronicle of man's efforts to develop artificial intelligence and automatons. Extensive
interviews with some of the greatest inventors and visits to the labs where they are
pushing back the envelope of artificial organisms show where the science is today and
where it is heading. Historians reveal the influence of Leonardo Da Vinci and the ancient
Greeks, as well as more modern prophets like Isaac Asimov. See clips from movies such as Forbidden
Planet that shaped the public's image of robots, then watch robots at work today,
going into environments like the Chernobyl reactor where humans can not venture. From
Ancient Greece to the silver screen, far-fetched theories to increasingly commonplace
reality, this is a feature-length look at the fascinating world of robots.
This item is eligible for on orders over $25.00!
W.I.S.O.R.
 In
a lab somewhere on New York's Lower East Side, a team of scientists and engineers are
designing a robot named W.I.S.O.R.; a futuristic, subterranean robo welder that will
repair the rapidly decaying century old steam pipe system beneath Manhattan. Honey Bee
Robotics, W.I.S.O.R.'s creators, are feeling the pressure. A thousand engineering hours
behind schedule and way over budget they struggle and ultimately leads us into a world
originally thought impossible in this eerie, stranger-than-fiction, end-of-the-century
tale set in and below the streets of New York City.
W.I.S.O.R. is an extraordinary look at one of the stranger solutions to a
New York problem. Beneath New York's streets lies a marvel of engineering, a steam system
consisting of a network of 103 miles of pipes. These "lungs of steel" deliver
electricity, water, gas, and steam to more than 2,000 buildings. But the century-old
system is in constant need of repair, a perilous proposition for human workers who would
face 300-degree temperatures. The solution is an eight-foot-long, 700-pound machine is
required to walk, stand, and contract. This documentary is more than the compelling true
story of how Honeybee Robotics created this remarkable robo-welder; it is a celebration of
New York "can do" and "I will deliver" ingenuity realized by a
multicultural team.
This item is eligible for on orders over $25.00!
The Day the Earth Stood Still
 This much-loved sci-fi classic has acclaimed
performances, compelling character development, and moody feel. A large silver saucer
lands in Washington, D.C. A humanoid alien and a huge robot emerge, preaching
peace. The humanoid has some mixed adventures among Washington's population. A
family treats him well, but the same can't be said for the military. Klaatu barada nikto,
baby!
Truly good science fiction is never outdated and The Day the Earth
Stood Still has stood the test of time. It's message is still as important to the
human race today as it was in 1951. This is a nostalgic classic that should be a part of
every video collector's library.
Forbidden Planet
 Shakespeare's The Tempest transformed into an exciting sci-fi
film. Leslie Nielsen plays one of a band of astronauts who travel to a planet ruled
by a scientist named Dr. Morbius. The Doctor has built a kingdom on this distant world
with his lovely young daughter, and his obedient robot. The good doctor pursues his mad
quest for knowledge through his "brain booster" machine, and is plagued by
Freudian "monsters from the id", while his daughter discovers other men and
learns to kiss.
A terrible sacrifice is required in order to save the planet from the
monster's destructive wrath. One of the all-time great science fiction movies. 1956,
Color, Rating:G
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
 This is the series that was broadcast on television
in the UK, and USA. Now you can see for yourself what everybody has been talking about!
The HHGTTG chronicles the comic and cosmic adventures of Arthur, an unassuming Englishman,
and Ford his outwardly average neighbor who is actually an alien. Together, they are
transported on an odyssey that takes them across the farthest reaches of time, as they
search for the meaning of life.
Hear Marvin the Android complain about "this terrible pain in all the
diodes down my left hand side". Laugh as you witness the arguments between Marvin and
the automatic doors which "generate an intolerable air of smugness" when they
are about to open, and then close again with "the satisfaction of a job well
done".
Douglas Adams invented the genre of comedy- science fiction, and others
have followed, most notably Red
Dwarf. If you would rather read your HHGTTG, see our Robot
Fiction page.
Includes all six of the 30-minute episodes of The Hitchhikers Guide to
the Galaxy.
THX 1138
 George
Lucas creates a sterile 25th century world in which mankind is drugged into a continual
stupor. When two workers avoid their "medication", they begin to feel the
force of their repressed sexuality and need for freedom.
THX 1138 works underground at the robot factory building robot cops. When
his wife starts cutting back on his mandatory drug usage, his job performance falters.
Considered a threat to society, he is put into a prison which has no walls. Desperate for
freedom, he steals a futuristic race car and makes his escape.
Blade Runner
 In 21st century Los Angeles (2019), a semi-retired policeman,
known as a "Blade Runner", is assigned to hunt down and eliminate four
"replicants", genetically created humanoid robots. On earth illegally from an
off-world colony where they were used as laborers, and with a built-in life span of only
four years, the androids have jumped ship in order to confront the individual who designed
them.
In this special edition, the director has removed the voice-over
narration, as well as the 'up' ending. Several key never-before-seen elements have also
been added and the result is a full immersion in the gaudy, decaying police state.
A milestone in cinema-as-art, the film is the brainchild of director Ridley Scott who
masterfully synthesizes sets, casting, score, acting, atmosphere, pacing, story, theme and
script into a single vision. Every knickknack in the frame, every wisp of smoke, every
stroke of style adds to the weight and momentum of the film's theme: that human life is
precious and beautiful, and that its exploitation is a tragic evil. This visually
dazzling and boldly moral film caught many critics napping when it first came
out. Typical of works of genius, Blade Runner is one of the most often
emulated and critically overlooked achievements of its time. Academy Award
Nominations: Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects.
See our Robot Fiction page for a beautiful new edition
of the 1968 science fiction masterpiece that inspired this movie-- Do Androids Dream
of Electric Sheep?. Click here
for other Harrison Ford movies.
2001: A Space Odyssey
 A magnetic anomaly under the surface of the moon pinpoints the
location of the strangest artifact ever discovered by mankind. There is no
possibility that this strange monolith is a natural formation. It is a deliberately
buried calling card, left by an alien intelligence millions of years ago. This sets
in motion a mission of extreme urgency: Get to Jupiter's moon Europa, and discover why
this was the target of the pulse of electromagnetic energy from the monolith.
Five intrepid astronauts (3 in deep freeze), and their chatty computer
HAL, embark on this adventure, the outcome of which will absolutely blow your mind. Hal is
endowed with artificial intelligence, and the entire spacecraft is a robot under his
control. Hal-class computers have never been known to make a mistake until...
Stanley Kubrick's cosmic metaphor of human evolution is a stunning visual
achievement. Four Academy Award Nominations including Best Director, Best Original
Story and Screenplay, and Best Special Visual Effects.
See our Robot Fiction section for the
novel that started it all.
Also Available: 2010: The
Year We Make Contact
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
 A.I. Artificial Intelligence is the story
of David the first mecha (a futuristic term for a mechanized human being) designed with
the ability to love. A couple whose son is in a coma "adopts" David to help them
recover from their loss. Naturally, things do not go as planned, and David is forced to
leave the mother and make his way in the world. Traveling with Teddy, a hi-tech stuffed
bear, David escapes the Flesh Fair, where angry humans destroy mechas to "purge
artificiality". He befriends Gigolo Joe, a robot designed to pleasure women and Joe
agrees to help David in his quest to become human. David reaches "the end of the
world" (a Manhattan flooded by melted polar ice caps), and a far-future epilogue
propels A.I. into even deeper realms of wonder. A.I. is a film of astonishing technical
wizardry that spans the spectrum of human emotions and suggests that humanity's future is
anything but guaranteed.
Bicentennial Man
 Andrew Martin (Robin Williams) is a household android whose intended
function is thrown for a loop when he begins to feel genuine human emotions. Over the next
two centuries the resulting dealings with his adopted family and new acquaintances provide
ample opportunities to raise important questions about individual human existence, as
Andrew seeks to become human. Based on the Isaac Asimov story of the same name.
Star Wars Episode I
 Qui-Gon Jinn and his protege, Obi-Wan Kenobi try to negotiate
peace but find themselves in the midst of war instead; while attempting to protect the
Queen of Naboo, they stop over on the planet Tatooine, where they encounter young Anakin
Skywalker, who clearly has a special gift. Lucas lays down the ground work for the up
coming prequels without destroying what was already presented in Star Wars, Empire and
Return of the Jedi.
Star Wars Episode II
 Ten years after Episode I, Padme Amidala, now a senator, resists the
creation of a Republic Army to combat an evil separatist movement. The brooding Anakin
Skywalker is resentful of his stern Jedi mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, tormented by personal
loss, and showing his emerging "dark side" while protecting his new love,
Amidala, from would-be assassins. Youthful romance and solemn portent foreshadow the
events of the original Star Wars as Count Dooku (a.k.a. Darth Tyranus, played by
Christopher Lee) forges an alliance with the Dark Lord of the Sith. Lavish set pieces
showcase George Lucas's supreme command of all-digital filmmaking.
Star Wars Trilogy
 The complete revised Star Wars trilogy, comprising the Special Editions of Star
Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi (episodes 4,
5, and 6). A band of desperate freedom fighters take on Darth Vader and the evil Galactic
Empire in a test of daring, valor, and the all-encompassing Force.
Each film has been digitally remastered from the original, with improved
sound and picture quality as well as updated special effects and additional scenes. Though
purists object to the revisionist dabbling, director George Lucas claims these versions
more closely fit his original vision. Each film includes a behind-the-scenes look at what
went into the special effects wizardry of the new versions.
Lost In Space
 Packed
with more than 750 dazzling visual effects, this $70 million adventure does more (and
less) than give the 1965-68 TV series a state-of-the-art face-lift. Aimed at an audience
that wasn't born when the series originally aired, the sci-fi extravaganza doesn't even
require familiarity, despite cameo appearances by several of the TV show's original cast
members. Instead it's a high-tech hybrid of the original premise with enough sensory
overload to qualify as a spectacular big-screen video game.
The Terminator
 Arnold "I'll be back" Schwarzenegger plays an indestructible
cyborg who travels through time from the post-apocalyptic wasteland of 2029 to present-day
Los Angeles on a special mission to assassinate the "mother of the future" -- an
innocent young woman who has no idea she is destined to give birth to a son who will
become a powerful enemy of the future robotic world order.
A sensational wedding of high-tech hardware and hardcore violence that
became one of the most influential action films of the 1980s.
Click here
for other Schwarzenegger movies.
Terminator 2
 In a sequel to 1984's blockbuster hit, Terminator 2 features a
new Terminator. A deadly assassin in the form of a morphing shape-changing robot, the
T-1000. He is sent back in time to succeed where the first Terminator failed - to
eliminate Sarah Connor's son before he gets a chance to make history as the future leader
of the humans.
Arnold plays the role of a second "friendly" terminator who is
also sent back in time to try to stop the T-1000. Arnold comes through the time machine
naked, quickly appropriates some snappy biker gear, a Harley, and a wide assortment of
guns, and promptly sets out to protect the boy.
In complete contrast, the T-1000 disguises himself as a clean-cut LAPD
officer and grimly proceeds on his mission. What ensues is an action-packed race to see
who can find the future leader of the human race first. A dazzling display of special
effects and make-up. Winner of 4 Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects.
RoboCop
 An
ultra-violent -- but extremely clever -- sci-fi action fantasy set in a burnt-out,
crime-infested Detroit of the future. When a cop is almost killed in the line of duty, the
corrupt corporation that runs the police department decides to use his near-dead body as
the basis for a specially constructed cyborg -- the first in what they intend to be a line
of super-efficient, crime-fighting machines. But the corporate execs didn't take into
account the vestiges of human nature still lurking beneath all that state-of-the-art
hardware. It turns out RoboCop has a mind of his own and sets out to take bloody revenge
on the vicious gang members who tried to kill him.
Silent Running
 In a grim future, Earth is so polluted plants can no longer survive.
Plant-loving botanist Freeman Lowell happily carries out his duties on the spaceship
Valley Forge, a giant orbiting greenhouse which contains the last remaining samples of
flora from a now-barren Earth.
The government decides they are too expensive to maintain and orders
Lowell to destroy his cargo and return home. He mutinies, kills his more obedient
shipmates, and sets out for the far reaches of space with his robot companions Huey and
Dewey in tow.
Westworld
 Yul
Brynner and James Brolin star in this futuristic story of robotic mayhem. Westworld is a
technological resort in which a vacationer's wildest fantasies are made real. When
the resort's robots begin to kill the clients, the fantasy becomes a nightmare.
The two Chicago businessmen, spend $1,000 a day to stay at Westworld, one
of three amusement parks that feature remarkably life-like androids and realistic
settings; the others are Romanworld and Medievalworld. During their 'frontier town'
vacation, they rob banks, sleep with robot prostitutes, start brawls in the local saloon,
and even gun down the local sheriff.
Westworld's technicians patch up the robots at night, and the androids are
then ready to begin another day of servicing the customers. The nightmare begins when a
computer virus infects the system that controls the robots. They become self-aware... and
vicious.
Futureworld
 Peter Fonda and Yul Brynner star in this sci-fi thriller about theme park
androids infiltrating human society. The robots of Westworld are at it again, this
time in a fantasy future where everyone can have a robot servant/ friend/lover (for a
price). Only this time the backers are not interested simply in a theme park for
families. Now they have set their sights on nothing less than global domination.
Led by the grinningly evil Duffy, Futureworld robots and representatives
rebuild the Old West and Middle Ages amusement centers, and invent a new space travel
simulation. A pair of reporters, along with a group of international businessmen, accept
invitations to tour the new facility. The skeptical scribes soon uncover a nefarious plot
to make look-alike android copies of the esteemed folk in their group, and use these
impostors to do their bidding.
Short Circuit
 When
a top secret Department of Defense experimental laser-armed robot named Number Five gets
zapped by a lightening bolt, he malfunctions and starts spouting peace slogans. Naturally,
the newly pacifist machine wants out of the military, so he escapes.
As a frantic search for the creature begins, Number 5 settles down in his
new home... with a gentle young woman who has every intention of holding on to her find.
Short Circuit 2
 The sweet-natured robot called Johnny Five escapes from its lab and wanders
around the big city with only curiosity to guide him. His silly inventor, an Indian
man who ludicrously butchers the English language, teams up with some local retailers to
re-capture his wayward creation.
Meanwhile, some street hoods, a greedy banker and a gang of crooks see his
naivete as their high-tech ticket to easy street. They make an easy mark of the guileless
'bot and try to exploit Johnny Five for some quick, ill-gotten cash.
The Iron Giant
 When a mysterious object hurtles to earth near his small hometown,
nine-year-old Hogarth Hughes investigates - and finds himself befriended by a gentle,
giant robot. But the joys of owning the coolest toy in the universe ends when a nosey
government agent arrives in town to hunt down the "alien" invader. A critically
acclaimed animated theatrical release from the summer of 1999.
Metropolis
 In
the 21st-Century, a de-humanized proletariat labors non-stop in a miserable subterranean
city beneath a luxurious municipality. The entire metropolis is controlled by a sinister
authoritarian whose son, Freder, rejects his father's world philosophy and attitude
towards laborers. Meek though they are, the workers are encouraged by Maria, a wistful
young woman who assures her comrades that help is on its way. Upon discovering her
influence, a mad scientist creates a Maria-look-alike that will incite the workers to
revolt. When they do, the results are cataclysmic. Fritz Lang's last silent film is a
highly stylized and striking classic.
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In
the tradition the popular television series BattleBots, the four-DVD
Metal Munching Maniacs series
pits robot against robot in an adrenaline-fueled combat for supremacy.