The Uncanny

For this blog prompt, I automatically think of films that have robots not as props but characters. Films like Star Wars, Wall-E, Interstellar, Big Hero 6 all have in common that the robots are mostly used for what humans cannot do or to assist them in some way. Yet, it never fails that the humans develop feelings for their robot buddies. In these examples, it is not a romantic feeling but of feelings of care. (Spoiler Alert!) As in the newest movie, Big Hero 6, the beloved Baymax sacrifices himself for Hiro. Hiro is deeply saddened to have lost Baymax but Baymax cannot be sad. He is simply caring for his patient and does not grasp that if he leave Hiro will be sad. Same goes for the audience, honestly I was getting teary-eyed in this scene. These feelings were the same as when another beloved character dies in the movie but it did not feel "uncanny" because a person was lost rather than a robot. A robot can be easily replaced if you have the right materials. Even having a phrase or button to push to turn off these robots is another kind of "almost but not quite human or alive" example. Yet it is so easy to become attached to these characters as though they were actual people. I think this is a valuable tool to use to invoke attachment and it has worked so far! I wonder if there will be a time when it is no longer considered creepy to find yourself sad when a robot that has no feelings is lost or gone?