Instant Favorite.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Between the two of them, David Cronenberg and Michael Crichton pretty much cornered the market on Biomedical Fright Films. THE TERMINAL MAN postulates push-button brain surgery of a type I've personally glimpsed already (electroshock therapy, for instance, is still very much in use). The idea of drive-through lobotomies may still be a bit far-fetched, but it's not as far-fetched Today as it used to be (trust me). Movie-making ain't brain surgery, but it CAN come close... Like the sobering ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, THE TERMINAL MAN offers us some truly horrifying glimpses into "the World of Mental Illness." When Segal begins to "wig out," it's truly scary to see: his eyes roll up in his head and he begins to convulse uncontrollably... and then he... Well, that's about all I have to say just now; but take my advice and check out THE TERMINAL MAN: it's an underrated Fright Film no True Fan should miss.

I just watched this on TCM based on some of the "lost 70's classic" recommendations posted on here. It's not that the movie is too slow, as some have suggested, it's that it doesn't make any sense. Even 40 years ago the police would have been able to find the stripper girl friends apartment BEFORE he murders her and even if they failed at that, which is highly unlikely, they would have been watching his workplace to ensure he didn't return there. It doesn't seem to me that any rational thought was given as to the character motivations. What police guard would not report a missing inmate immediately? I will admit that George Segal gives a very good performance as do other cast members but it's all for naught given the ridiculous plotting.

Based on the Michael Crichton novel, this adaptation(directed by "Get Carter" Mike Hodges) tells the story of computer programmer Harry Benson, who, in an attempt to cure his brain seizures, agrees to an experiment where he has micro-computers implanted in his brain, in order to correct the faulty brain chemistry. Things don't go as planned when his new mind starts to get pleasure from the violent impulses he now feels, and so escapes from the hospital, starting a desperate manhunt to prevent him from murdering anyone, and of course to cover-up the scientific failure.George Segal is believable as Harry, and the rest of the cast is fine, and though Mike Hodges tries, this film is simply too dreary and downbeat to succeed, and by the end, there doesn't seem to have been any discernible point to it all.

The Terminal Man is set in Los Angeles where a man named Harry Benson (George Segal) is set to undergo a revolutionary operation, after being involved in a car accident & suffering a brain injury he has had black-outs during which he becomes incredibly violent. Several brilliant surgeon's & doctors feel that by implanting electrodes into Harry's brain a computer will send signals which will neutralize the black-outs & the violence, the operation goes ahead & initially is deemed a success but as Harry's brain waves are monitored it becomes clear that his black-outs are increasing & that his brain has become addicted to the electrical impulses. Harry escapes from hospital & goes on a violent rampage through Los Angeles as he eventually targets the (young, good looking female) doctor he believes is responsible for his condition...Written, produced & directed by Mike Hodges not long after his success with the classic Michael Caine thriller Get Carter (1971) this futuristic sci-fi thriller was based on a novel by Michael Crichton (who was apparently fired from writing the screenplay for this film adaptation because it did not follow his original novel closely enough & he was originally set to direct as well) & is an obvious & sometimes striking warning about science. The whole film desensitizes humanity, human spirit & the world as we know it, everything is very sterile, faceless & conformist from the white on white hospital to the drone like doctors & police who have no real personality. I suppose the films big scene takes place just after the operation & Harry is questioned as various technicians in another room electrically induce all sorts of feelings & sensations which I guess is supposed to imply that science & scientists regard humanity & our thoughts & feelings & who we are as nothing more than electrical impulses. The film is very cold with little emotion shown by anyone which is a bit of a flaw since there's never that balance between the emotive-less science & our own feelings, individuality & thoughts where one can clearly been seen lessening the other. Also at almost 110 minutes not that much happens, the pace is slow to say the least but the story is good & fairly engaging if you can get into it although it definitely does require patience.The film has a very stark sterile clean look with very little personality, the hospital itself is whiter than white & Hodges films in a very matter of fact way as the camera barely moves & a lot of shots are nicely composed & almost seem symmetrical. I can't remember any background music at all, there's some incidental music going on as doctors visit a club with a singer on stage but no actual score & again I presume it's meant to be very emotionless, detached & matter of fact. This was not a big success & it never had a cinema release here in the UK & isn't easy to find on DVD either.The production values are good & it's well made. The acting like the story & setting is quite emotionless & George Segal is the only one who shows a little humanity & personality as the big bad scientists even take that way from him in the end.The Terminal Man is a film that makes a point & it takes quite a while to do so, the story & film-making is good here but the pace will put many off & while some may say the slow pace doesn't matter I think it does. Not a bad film at all but I doubt I would want to see it again.