A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Ramblin: An Amblin Podcast

Cirrus. Socrates. Particle. Decibel. Hurricane. Dolphin. Tulip. Ramblin. Listener. Ramblin.

Now we’ve got that out of the way, it’s time to get serious about Papa Spielberg’s first offering of the new millennium: 2001’s moody, existentially shattering A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Beginning as a short story in the pages of Harper’s Bazaar in the early-‘70s, the film started out as a Kubrick project before gradually, over the years, forging a bridge between the two master filmmakers and ultimately coming to fruition as a ghostly collaboration.

We talk about the extent to which the film represents the nexus of these two very (ostensibly) different sensibilities, the truly remarkable work done by Hayley Joel Osment in doing the impossible and making human this uncanny life form, and the wild (mis)interpretations that have led to people taking very different things from the conclusion. It’s heavy stuff, so we’ve brought out the big guns to help us wade through it. That’s right, for this episode we’re joined by the one and only Good Doctor himself, Mr. Mark Kermode, a man who famously reassessed the film (as well as his own reaction to it) in the years since, even going so far as to confessing to the director himself. We’re over the moon that he could join us and we hope you find this discussion (which begins at around the 40 minute mark) as rewarding as we did, instead of looking at us blankly and asking: ‘What were those words for, Mommy?’

You can listen to Mark Kermode every Friday on Kermode and Mayo’s Take, available on all good pod catchers of choice. If you’re already a member of the vanguard, we salute you.

Follow the podcast on Twitter (@RamblinAmblin) and be sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Get in touch with us either via Twitter or email [e-mail]. Please feel free to give us a 5-star review, share your favourite Amblin movies and tell us if ET makes you cry.

Ramblin is created and produced by Andrew Gaudion and Joshua Glenn. A special thanks as always to Emily Tatham for the artwork, and Robert J. Hunter-Clayton & Greg Sheffield for the theme music, and to all our guests over the decade that was the 1990s.