Harlan Ellison's Best Book Is The AI Apocalypse Film We Need (But Only If It Follows The '90s Video Game)
By Rachel Davis
As much potential as "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" has, it also presents a number of challenges for adaptation. Primarily, it's an extremely dark story.
AM isn't Skynet or the machines in "The Matrix," happy to simply wage war or imprison humanity in a digital world. This particular AI is a cruel, vindictive, and downright sadistic villain. It warps the five human survivors in horrific ways, transforming one of them into an apelike creature and inflicting numerous physical and mental wounds on the others.
The video game adds even more layers to the disturbing circumstances of the story. The different "challenges" that AM puts the humans through evoke their own personal traumas. For Ellen, that reveals a history of sexual violence. It brings Nimdok face to face with the atrocities he committed as a Nazi scientist. These are incredibly difficult topics to handle in a visual medium. How much do you show for narrative and emotional effect, and how much do you obfuscate in the interest of decency?
To be sure, any modern adaptation would need some tweaks. The Cold War climate that inspired the 1967 short story would need to be swapped out for a more modern interpretation of AI technology, and the characters' stories would have to be updated accordingly. But given the nature of Ellison's story, such changes wouldn't harm the overall narrative one bit. It's the core of the story that matters, not the specific details.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
