Cyborg 2087

Often dismissed as a "quickie" movie using a great deal of television elements, "Cyborg 2087" is a prime example of what Hollywood was trying to do between the late fifties and mid-sixties: get people (especially the kids) away from the television set and back into the movie theaters. This film tried (sometimes successfully) to combine two popular genres of t.v. at the time; westerns and science fiction. Half-human robots, having a "shoot out" in a western town using ray guns to rescue the girl (played by a former "Mouseketeer", no less). Listen for the Paul Dunlap soundtrack, which should be familiar -- it was used for several t.v. shows, movies, and even Hanna Barbara cartoons! Also, check out the "hip lingo" used by the teens.The sad part is to see classically-trained actor Michael Rennie trying to make a living wearing a silver spacesuit after being typecast as a "sci-fi guy" in "The Day The Earth Stood Still".

A cyborg from the future is sent back to the 1960s.

60s Outer Limits, 60s The Invaders and 60s Irwin Allen all rolled into one!

The plot has shades of a couple of Limits episodes, the lack of fancy hardware gives it a touch of QM's The Invaders and the general presentation/casting reminds me of Irwin Allen.

Michael Rennie is here, but don't expect The Day The Earth Stood Still 2 - you will not get that!

The DVD picture quality is fine and, despite some slow moments, I generally had a ball with Cyborg 2087. However, I viewed it as a blast of the 60s, younger viewers who only want science fiction thrills might find it all a bit too old school?

Once again, Michael Rennie dons a tin-foil suit to come and warn mankind to amend it's ways. This time, though, he is a cyborg called "Garth 7" sent back from the year 2087 to try and stop an evolutionary process that will rob us all of our ability to think for ourselves. He manages to ally with "Dr. Mason" (Karen Steele) but pretty soon they are aware that the government they wish to thwart has also sent agents back and so not just time, but other folks from the future are against them too. This is cheap and cheerful, pedestrianly written, afternoon fodder that is very light on science or characterisations. Rennie looks like he maybe only did the one filming day, such is the truncated nature of the editing - and the special effects (his bio-implants, especially) are not up to very much, either. Oddly enough, it might have looked better in black and white, somehow the colour just makes it look even more sloppily thrown together. Potentially, an interesting take on a well used idea, but sadly it offers little we haven't seen before and the star is well past his best.

I saw this flick as a 10:15 pm, Sat. night presentation on a local Chicago TV station. It was presented as a World Premier movie, not just a television premier. This was a minor trend in the mid/late 1960s TV world, preceding made for cable stuff. (A technology of the future.) It may have been regional, but, I recall several movies of the ilk. Probably, theatrical films that were deemed not worthy of standard distribution. Sold to TV as part of standard film 'packages'. Other titles include Dimension 5 with Jeffrey Hunter, and, a few that I can't recall. Anyway, this is not a review, complaint, or thanks. Just some info.

Sim to TERMINATOR great cast of character actors.

The premise for "Cyborg 2087" is similar to the "Terminator" series...but it's not exactly the same plot. In "Terminator", a man comes from the future and is pursued by a seemingly unstoppable cyborg. In its sequel, there's a good cyborg being pursued by an evil cyborg. In both, the evil cyborgs are trying to kill someone who can positively impact the future and prevent a robot apocalypse. In "Cyborg 2087" you have a lot of similarities. A good cyborg (Michael Rennie) goes to the past to stop a scientist from releasing his newest invention because it will be misused to enslave mankind. And, inevitably, he's pursued by evil cyborgs. Obviously the writers of the "Terminator" films must have been inspired by this earlier low-budgeted film.

The film begins in the 2080s. A couple scientists are able to send the good cyborg to Earth in 1966. Its mission is to find Dr. Marx (Eduard Franz) and convince him NOT to release his latest invention...or kill him if he won't agree. This is because his invention is later used to control mankind...by implanting a mind-control device in the brains of every man, woman and child! Once he arrives, evil cyborgs are dispatched as well and humanity's fate hangs in the balance.

For 1966, this actually isn't just another cheapo sci-fi film. Sure, it doesn't have fancy special effects....but no films did in 1966. Plus, it's got an amazing cast of good character actors, including: Michael Rennie, Warren Stevens, Wendell Corey, Eduard Franz, Harry Carey Jr., and Karen Steele. It's too easy in 2023 to look back and laugh at the film when we've gotten used to incredibly realistic effects...and the filmmakers did a great job with what they had.

So is the film good or bad? After all, the reviews for this are all over the place...so it's hard to know what the film is actually like. Well, my answer is that it is an excellent film...and I am very glad I watched it because of its very intelligent script.

By the way, although I liked this film, I must admit that it was rather sad watching Wendell Corey's performance. He was in the late stages of alcoholism and it impacted his performance...and he sounded a bit slurred.