1987 computer as forecast by 1960 east bloc SF flick

[homebuiltindoorplane]

and just to think, that fashion and technology ended up being exactly as they depicted. I was at the computer building this morning and got to play pong on their giant black and white screen!:)

[Supersonicguerilla]

Why it is operated by a baker?

[therealsporadicaarmy]

funny that all that power that took up huge rooms is now in a cell phone today

[nightflyer28]

In fairness, a lot of US movies showed how our technological advancement would enable us to lead the world. Not always optimistically - "The Forbin Project" comes to mind. Similar humongous computer complex running things.

[HinnSara]

At least this sf flick represents the diversity of the world more than what usuall came out of Hollywood at the period

[MrShivanu]

They all are wearing Indian clothes!

[Sonesifi]

Reminds me of the teletubbies cool playhouse.

[kailoonthedog]

Why we need this kind of super computer to decipher alien message when we have google translate

[pipmdirector]

START DER VERSCHUNGZWAFFEN DREi!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Thunderhook715]

Look how clean it looks but most Socialist Country's are shit holes thats why the US is falling apart, the Freedoms they told me about in school I have watched disappear with every Year. And The Politicians Tell Us The Same Lies All Day Long And With Each And Every Passing Year. Now I'm Having To Do the same kind of work At the same pay I was doing 20 years ago. Thanks Its Been Great Land Of Opportunity. Epic Fail !!!!

[StoneColdProduction]

I am german and i can told you, that the subtitles are completely wrong, they have just enciphered an e-mail reads: "Enlarge your p....now....buy viagra cheap, i´m Lumumba Wotanga and you are the lucky one i transfer the 2 Billion heir to...."

[MiHiVidz]

Well, for a SOVIET computer in 1987, I guess was accurate.

In the US however, the same computing power was being used on a C64 to play Car Wars.

[BrainEatingApe]

I like their little white hats.

[rangeclerk]

"An unknown language"? Well we know it to be MICROSOFT!

[sanderrodijk]

looks like a brigde from a starfleet vessel

[Bloodybunny]

The Atari 2600 didn't need any RAM. (Well, almost none.) It's only a marginally better object to compare your laptop's specs to than a toaster.

[kruppenstein]

it's funny how their idea of the computer that would be most suitable for the task was "the world's largest" and not "the world's fastest".

[gjc82071]

Pretty big PC. You know what I find amazing? My laptop basically has more RAM, than ALL of the 15 million Atari 2600's sold, COMBINED! That is in a span of 30yrs. Also, actually, it kinds seems like for the most part, from the late 50's, thru mid 70's, computer speed, RAM, ROM, storage, did not increase exponentially, as fast as it did in last 10-15yrs. It was kinda "stagnated", & then Zoooom! 1bk RAM goes to 10, 100, 1mb, 10, 100, 1gb...now....kinda "slowing down" it seems.

[Bondianwolf]

This is sweet. Quote from Dr. Frink: "In the future computers will inhabit entire rooms and cost millions of dollars!"

Cool

[avelione]

What for do they need all these weird floating lines and blinking lights ??? It makes everythiong look more serious or ridiculous ?

[fjccommish]

@avelione Modern computers have all that, it's just so small it's invisible.

[shadowwyrm457]

That movie's title is, in Polish, "Milcząca gwiazda", i.e. "The Silent Star"- screenplay based on a Stanisław Lem's novel "The Astronauts". So the alien message is spoken in language of Venusian damned imperialists, who destroyed themselves in thermonuclear war, you ignorants!;)

[coptersoisoi]

Are those Indian People on the second level fixing the computer? I wonder if their power was on.

[yancey11]

Cool white hats and neat screensavers !

[rangeclerk]

Ok, Ok this is really "science fiction' the damn pc doesn't even speak MICROSOFT! :D

[AshtonPhoto]

Has MST3K seen this??

I hope so.

[RLJ93727]

Go Fresno!

[hamiltonjsh]

this is obviously why communism worked guys....

sarcasm off....

[younghifi]

This movie was actually a East German/Polish coproduction :)

[jxhensley]

It's French you idiots.

[hamiltonjsh]

@jxhensley NO broski its GERMAN!!! and its east german from the 60's so communist

[jxhensley]

@hamiltonjsh No you fool, the alien language is FRENCH

[RubicsCubeProduction]

@jxhensley

It's not. It's german aswell.

[jxhensley]

@RubicsCubeProduction If it's German then why did they bother translating it? THINK!

[RubicsCubeProduction]

@jxhensley

They ONLY hear the translated version in the first place. I AM German, and I'm 100% that this is the language I speak.

[skitch88]

hey if you could post the entire movie here, or point me in the direction of this version that would be great!

[skitch88]

i've seen this as "First Spaceship on Venus" and as "Planeta Burg". "First Spaceship on Venus" was a far crappier print of the movie, and they cut out and repasted it into a completely different movie.

[NDNCABOOSE]

why are they all indian? yet speaking german?

[stevietrendy]

Oh God. It's the return of Clippy. "It looks like your translating an ancient code, is this a business code or a personal code?"

[TogieTung]

Thank you Tim Burness Lee for inventing the World Wide Web....

[starstarstar42]

...and thus was born Babelfish.

[majormixer]

Basically a prophecy of todays internet. However this depicts one entity having control instead of "anyone" having access to the internet.

Internet access today is available now to everyone and not just high level scientists and government entities. The worlds knowledge is free to everyone except for the the few countries who suppress this information !

China , for instance does not allow " youtube "

Why ? Any one supressing information has something 2 hide. Security understood but the rest ?

[Sviolinist]

@majormixer Good point, but you're thinking about the 2010 internet as though it has always existed this way. The internet wasn't always for everybody. Study its history if you want to learn more. Did you have a connection in 1985? Many people did not.

[67tr876]

@Sviolinist I know a guy who did one in 1985 to that Q-Link internet

[HyperGolem]

@majormixer

Yes, China wants to keep their people in a leash, they want them to believe that no other place on earth is better than China, otherwise they would start a revolution.

[Shufei]

Wow! Is there an English or Chinese sub version of this??? It looks like a great movie, of what might have been.

[DOYENZOA]

This movie was made in eastgermany.

"Der schweigende Stern"

[candr]

Here in the States its called "First Spaceship on Venus". Always liked it.

[ObiTrev]

in the futeure the goverment is run by In-N-Out employes LOL.

[Icarusdecending82]

lol

[Rotenman]

you know what is funny: the guy who was managing the "ultra-complex" computer is Indian,

they are quite good at IT field.

[Gentledictator1]

The SF-flic Der schweigende Stern was heavily censored and shortened for publishing in USA (title: First Spaceship on Venus). It was falsely claimed the film was made in Totalvision in Technicolor. In fact the film was made in Agfacolor.

Other changes: Atomic physicist Hawling (USA) became a "professor Orloff",

chief engineer Soltyk (Poland) a French named Durand, mission leader Arsenjew (Sovjet U.) an US-American Heddingway,

pilot Brinkmann (German) turned in US-American Brinkman!

[baraboosquirrel]

LOL! The utter stupidity displayed in this video leaves no doubt why the "socialist utopia" known as the Soviet Union collapsed.

[02javis]

Yep plus

they where watching

Windows Media Player's screen saver,

which we all know, sucks.

[mohhie]

the fact is that the novel that the movie was based on had much more socialist-like statements in it. S. Lem even upon its release said that it was only to please censors, not because he thought so.

And hey, global cooperation is a good idea.

(the movie was made by polish and german filmamakers, little to do with soviet union and its collapse)

[theshadow1932]

I would be PROUD to live in " the most anti-socialist country in the world". I only wish that this were still true. Things in "the homeland of capitalim" are DREK, because too many people, in and out of govmt have turned their backs on capitalist principles. Europe? Its' freedom only exists because U.S. blood and iron has guarded it for most of a century. Without these, the Kaiser, the Nazis or the Soviets would own the dump. Then, they they'd all be enjoying a lovely Ukranian life style.

[braeduin]

Let me guess, your history teacher was Hollywood, right?

[skyduster4]

Wrong, the USA is not the most anti-socialist country. The USA has socialist elements like -get this- public schools & libraries, state universities (which cost less than private ones), social security, labor & consumer protection laws, and public-owned airports & commuter systems. There are countries that are further to the right than the US, and they have a horrible standard of living *precisely* because they are too far to the right and there is no balance between capitalism and socialism.

[theshadow1932]

You're clearly a product of one of these "balanced, low cost" public schools. You ought to be over the moon, today. Maobama has just "balanced" GM and Chrysler right the hell out of existance! Congratulations.

Norm

[cecasander]

With all due respect sir, I think you have been misinformed. GM and Chrysler have 'balanced' themselves out of existance. Mostly because they would not come along with changing times.

[theshadow1932]

Wrong again.

The American auto industry was brought to the state it's in by a combination of government bullying and union greed. The decline has been going on for at least forty years and its' outcome was perfectly predictable. It's going to be interesting to see how Saturn and Ford (which must simply have been better managed than its' competitors) perform against the new, government iterations of GM and Chrysler.  I'll bet they get leaned on pretty hard by Washington.

Norm

[skyduster4]

"Union greed": yes, negotiating with your employer for a living wage as the company makes billions in profit and its CEOs live with incredible excess...asking for a middle class income is greedy.

"Government bullying": actually, the govt was BFF with the auto, oil, & tire industries throughout the 1940s/50s/60s/70s by neglecting public transit systems, pouring far more public money into highways than rail, designing American cities to be car-dependent, and enforcing lax environmental standards

[UpSky2]

@theshadow1932 'better managed' - May I politely query, whether they could possibly have had better workmen and middle management etc... or was it only the managers who could have had anything to do with quality & company prosperity?

And if Sat. & Ford are better managed indeed, being 'leaned on' won't matter too much, I would think... though as it says in 'Mitchell', it would not be nice if they started stepping on those co.s. They have big shoes. No doubt.

[SeeYouNextFall]

Although many people will disagree with you, the facts are there.

America (even with its flaws) has kept most of Europe safe for the last 100 years.

A lot of folks in the EU like to bash the US, and granted some of that bashing is warranted. But they should be thankful that so many young American soldiers died face down in the mud of some shit-hole country just so those people can be free.

[theshadow1932]

High fives, Bro! Thanks for getting it.

Norm

[skyduster4]

This debate epitomizes how conservatives change topic when they realize their argument is headed for a dead end, so they go into populist rant to divert attention from their stupidity.

My main point: moderate socialism is what has kept the US standard of living very decent since WWII. Whether the auto industry bailout was wise or not can be debated with no end (nor do I necessarily agree with it), but very few Americans would oppose things like public schools, state universities, and Medicare.

[Commiton]

The scientific staff are ethnically diverse as well. Another Soviet interest. Promoting non-racist viewpoints. Only our Star Trek in the U.S. did similar things... Incidentally, Star Trek's creator Gene Rodenberry was a Socialist. You can see his socialist vision in Star Trek as well.

... and yes, though my country is so ruled by capitalists that Socialist parties can't even compete in elections, I too am a Socialist.

[theshadow1932]

And yet, for all of this socialism has failed, whereever it's been implemented. The lesson in this is unmistakable.

Norm

[Commiton]

The idea that socialism has always failed is a misconception born of living in the most anti-socialist country in the world. But how are things going in the homeland of Capitalism? Is what the U.S. is going through to be described as success? The rich getting richer, the poor poorer. Wars for oil started on lies and staged bombings. Expanding the police state. I don't think so. Socialism is a big part of most European governments. The E.U. is matching and passing U.S. economic and global power.

[SeeYouNextFall]

For now.

But throughout history revolutions have begun on the same premise.

I suspect taht America (and parts of the EU) will become very tired of a controlling socialist like government.

At least we here in America (and some EU countries) can own military firearms. So when we do have to give our government a spanking, we will have the necessary tools.

[cecasander]

I think most people would rather live in a social-democratic country than having to fight a long and bloody civil war with no way of knowing things will change for the better in the end. Civil wars are the worst wars imaginable.

[SeeYouNextFall]

I agree civil ward are indeed horrific. But unfortunately, sometimes necessary.

[Flashmikko]

While I do give the Soviets the benefit of being a tad more racially tolerant than the United States at the time period (and I've very anti Soviet) I must disagree with the idea of Star Trek or Rodenberry being Socialist. Simply because Star Trek projects a rather Utopian future does not automatically make it Socialist (We conservatives dream of utopias as well).

[Flashmikko]

There is even evidence that Rodenberry was in fact a conservative republican. He was even a great admirer or Ronald Reagan!

[jcatlett1976]

It's Rudy from the Jetsons

[xxxKINGFROGxxx]

was there a stasi in the future?

[TheRebel2007]

All that just to play "pong."

How far we've come!

[robbatto]

the author of the book the movie is taken from is 'Stanislaw Lem' he wrote many good books about SF! The book's name in german is 'Die Astronauten' the Venus title some comments below seems to be right, because the film is about a visit to planet venus because the venusians threaten to kill mankind, which in the end does not happen and a socialist moral is given :) however fun to read and to watch

[ComradeRed2020]

Awesome movie! I am going to watch it one day if I can.

[fuzzywzhe]

> Awesome movie! I am going to watch it one day if I can.

I have the Mystery Science 3000 version of it.

[arru79]

Who'd known Hohnecker-style glasses where high fashion in 1987?!!

[Keijz74]

Weird.

[Plutoplatter]

This clip is from an underrated, terrific science fiction classic titled 'First Spaceship on Venus'. Made in communist East Germany around 1961 during the Cold War. The cool computer being operated by that oh-so-serious Indianese mathematician adds to the fun. The movie is a fantasy treat, thought-provoking with the right dash of special effects, a very surreal Venusian landscape, and antigravity! Well worth picking up on DVD. Thanks, Trekfancvg, for providing this clip from this 'spacy' film.

[WKRPinCINN]

as you can see, by 1987 we had computers *just* like that one

[AmorDeDonPerlimplin]

So DDR stands for [D]eutsche [D]emogradische [R]äbubligg or [D]ouble [D]ata [R]ate? :D

Eventually BRD might stand for [B]esse[R]wessi [D]ekadenz in computer science :DD

[jigbuilda]

I see they have the machine that goes...Bing!!!!

[2pintsplease]

brahaha good old python....they didn't predict that!

[Fedotof]

This is mark dacascos!!! He looks the same ! UNDEAD!!!

[Gringoman911]

shit I recognize the actor.

[TheRebel2007]

Error 404. File not found.

[solaris10user]

"Don't install Windows Vista; Don't install Windows Vista; Don't install Windows Vista"

[alizta]

Well, it already had better speech synthesis then Vista... and obviously an less awkward Look and feel ;)

[openuniverse2003]

LOL! Perfect translation! PERFECT!

[FiliberkeNys]

India and Information Technology, a great prediction indeed!