I hadn't seen this movie since the early 1960's when I was about 12. It made an impression on me then and, after renting this through Netflix as part of a "Double Feature", it still does!
The plot revolves around earth in the future (or is it the past?), with the human population ravaged through nuclear war. Only a remnant population of human beings remain and are dwindling, thanks to the effect of radiation on reproduction. Most tasks are handled by robots of varying degrees of sophistication, and who are taking on more and more responsibility in the running of earth, including becoming romantically involved partners with humans. At the core of the film is "The Order of Flesh and Blood", a group who is very wary of the robots and their activities, and who constantly monitor the robots' activities.
Without giving away too much of the plot, suffice to say that some of the robots have been entrusted to save man from himself, and the ending offers some interesting thoughts about what makes a human a human, and if robots are actually better at being human beings than human beings themselves.
You can definitely see the inspiration this movie provided to later films such as Bladerunner, Terminator, and many others.
The acting and many of the lines are cheesy, and the budget is minimal, but it's still a thought-provoking and entertaining film that gets the maximum out of the minimum. Recommended!
