There are various definitions of artificial intelligence. According to McCarthy (2002), of Stanford University's Computer science department, "[it] is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. ... Intelligence is the computational part of ability to achieve goals in the world. Varying kinds and degrees of intelligence occur in people, many animals, and some machines."

For a long history in the cinema, the possible dangers posed by intelligent machines have inspired countless science fiction films. The term Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) was first defined in 1956, though, in The Mechanical Statue and the Ingenious Servant (Blackman 1907), Robby the Robot is undoubtedly an A.I. being; as is in The Rubber Man (Lubi

In the 1990s, the theme of science fiction films has turned to the growth of the Internet and global computer networks. The hazards of the combination of the computer networks have been explored in The Lawnmower Man (Leonard 1992) and The Net (Winkler 1995). Recently, The Matrix (Wachowski & Wachowski 1999), sets in 2199, the world has been taken over by A.I. machine - a machines which enslave humanity, using people as batteries to power its mainframe. (Walters 2000) However, Steven Spielberg¡¦s AI: Artificial Intelligence (2002) paints a more understanding view of artificial life, portraying sensitive robots that are abused by cruel, selfish human masters.

It¡¦s been said that ¡§larger and larger segments of science films are motivated less by narrative logic than by technological accomplishment, less by what a story calls for than by what special effects can deliver.¡¨ (Landon 1992: 148) Undoubtedly, special effects have become so intrusive that people these days find the special effects in science fiction films more interesting and enjoyable than the narrative of the story itself. In the past, people enjoyed the intensity of the story, the content and the style; whereas people now enjoy the stunning look of the artificially made special effects ¡V the Bam and the Whizzs. Therefore, in this competitive commercial film market, producers have to focus on the production of special effects in order to battle with other producers to please the audiences.

n 1909)¡¦s Proteus IV. The plots of these two films centered on the artificially-made men going uncontrollable, which is a theme being repeated throughout the century ¡V the fear of the crazed A.I. beings. (Walters 2000)

Stanley Kubrick¡¦s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is the film which brought A.I. into public awareness. One of the astronauts is being killed by the supposedly perfect HAL-9000 computer which controls the space ship, but consecutively, it is killed by the other astronaut by removing his memory boards. By the 1970s, the fear of A.I. enters everyday life by the Star Wars (Lucas 1977) trilogy, which made A.I. creatures, C-3PO and R2D2, into household names. In the 1980s, A.I. becomes ever more sophisticated. Blade runner (1982), directed by Ridley

Some topics in this essay:
Bam Whizzs, Furthermore Landon, Pearl Verbinski, Artificial Intelligence, University's Computer, , Towers Jackson, Space Odyssey, Robocop Verhoeven, Secrets Columbus, science fiction, landon 1992, special effects, science fiction films, fiction films, intelligent machines, 1992 145, artificial intelligence, computer simulation, walters 2000, scientific information, landon 1992 145, landon 1992 149, fiction films hand, fiction films¡¦ theme,