The Horror of SPHERE (Reality Warping, Blackholes, Future Humans + Ending) EXPLAINED

I like how the novel addresses the question of what the Sphere was designed for. When one of the characters guesses it was designed to test us or punish us, another explains that an ant crawling into a telecom satellite would be killed, and might think the whole thing was some kind of alien device designed to test it.

I will always hold this movie, Event Horizon, and Sunshine as absolute sci-fi classics worth going back to again and again 👌

This is one of my favorite movies! It sucks that the whole idea/message of this novel/movie flew way over most people's heads. Watching this as a child and imagining the horrors that would come into reality if people could make whatever they knew or unknowingly thought of come into existence was truly frightening!

I remember feeling tension watching this movie, but I don't remember it being horror. It wasn't dread that I felt. It was more like despondency, because I was shown my limitations. Even geniuses couldn't fathom it, what hope does anyone else have? The "good end" was them simply escaping it. It didn't love them. It didn't hate them. It wasn't even apathetic. They were irrelevant and could do nothing but avoid it.

This movie reminded me of the 'Roadside Picnic" trope, where unknowable aliens leave their trash just laying around, not understanding how lesser civilizations could potentially abuse it

Damn, what Samuel L. J said at 5:50 was so on point. I mean really, why would a being who’s never known or was even capable of death have any concept of morality regarding death (or causing it). In its eyes it may not even perceive someone dying or having been killed as something negative, but as a simple part of our life cycles.

Oh my God!! Thank you for FINALLY covering this! I've been asking for yearssss. One of my favorite Sci fi movies of all time

The score for this movie was composed by Elliot Goldenthal and it’s just fantastic. He did a lot of sci fi movies around this era like Aliens 3 and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Weird to think that the guy who does all of Julie Taymore’s film scores and won an oscar for Frida had a brooding sci fi phase.

Dustin Hoffman said in an interview that there was an hour of footage that was filmed but cut from the movie, and how he was very disappointed to learn that Warner Bros butchered the final cut of Barry Levinson's movie.

Michael Crichton wrote some truly terrifying novels. Jurassic Park and Sphere are two of the most recognizable adaptations. His books incorporated enough accurate real world science to introduce fear that his fictional scenarios could potentially become realities.

My perception of the sphere as a kid was that the sphere was the subconscious of the main character, he had after all written the report that brought them all there, in the book it implies a deeper connection between Jerry and him, that it was him that was dragging the subconscious thoughts of his fellow crewmates into reality and the sphere was simply an object of fixation to direct all of this through.

I saw this movie so many times as a kid. It has everything, science fiction, psychological horror and nautical exploration. And touches on several thought provoking themes.

I always thought of the sphere as a cosmic "swiss army knife"... a useful and possibly even common tool for an advanced race. If I remember properly, this was even mentioned in the book. I picture it as having been misplaced by accident where some kids (humans) could find it. The kids get cut by the blades, and assume it is a test when in reality, they just do not know how to use it safely.

I come back to this movie every once in a while. Although the critics took poorly to it, there’s something that just screams “classic psychological horror/thriller” about it that keeps me coming back to enjoy the story. The effects hold up surprisingly well, and the suspense is really well done. Love Sphere!

Crichton was a master storyteller. I haven't read all of his books (yet). The film is good imo. Sure, it does not live up to the novel but I think that's the point. Maybe the author wrote it in a way that it wouldn't. Sort of like Lovecraft's adaptations (no matter how good, enjoyable or passable some of them are) can live up to the unspeakable cosmic horror that he wanted to convey. Ironically the mystery of the sphere as something that can't be properly translated or defined cannot be properly adapted to the screen. I do not think even as a series it can. That's the beauty of it.

Finally, a YouTuber video discussing this underrated gem!

I used to watch this movie all the time when I was a kid. It intrigued me so much I wanted to know more about the "sphere".

Finally, someone bringing this movie to light.

Moral of the Story is "mankind are our own worst quality" had everybody been happy, it would reflect that. No the ship is not a time traveled ship. It reflects what THEY personally want, think and fear.

I was so excited to be working on this film. Had only been in the industry for a few years, mainly working on TV. This was a big budget feature film. Shot on location in the Bay Area. Great director. Great cast. Based on a Crichton novel. It was science fiction which I loved. I'm building all these amazing sets. Sphere was going to be a science fiction masterpiece and I'd be able to say I had a small part in making it happen. Wha wha whaaah...horrible reviews, bombs at the box office, now long forgotten.