The Terminal Man 1974

Harry Benson, a brilliant computer scientist with an IQ of 144, grapples with the heavy burden of epilepsy, leading to debilitating seizures and disorienting blackouts. Each episode leaves him surrounded by remnants of violent outbursts, filling him with confusion and dread. Compounding his troubles, his paranoia grows; he harbors a deep belief that computers will someday revolt against their creators.

Despite the overwhelming challenges he faces, Benson is determined to find relief. He chooses to undergo a groundbreaking psychosurgical procedure called “Stage Three,” which intends to implant electrodes in his brain to detect and halt seizures. However, his psychiatrist, Janet Ross, has deep reservations about the operation, fearing that it might irrevocably link his mind to a computer’s, potentially leading him into uncharted realms of psychosis.

At first, the surgery seems to yield promising outcomes. Yet, it quickly becomes clear that Benson’s brain has formed a disturbing dependency on the electrical signals emitted by the electrodes. As his seizures escalate in both frequency and intensity, he races toward a catastrophic juncture where blackouts threaten to become permanent, marked by violent eruptions.

In a desperate attempt to reclaim his freedom from the confines of the hospital, Benson uses his extraordinary intellect to evade capture for a significant time. His confrontation with Ross at her residence reveals his increasingly erratic behavior. As chaos engulfs the situation, Benson seeks refuge in a freshly dug grave at a nearby cemetery, where he finds himself caught in a tense showdown with law enforcement. When a group approaching the grave spots him with a firearm, they notify the police, who arrive just as Ross implores Benson to accept her help.

Ultimately, it is Benson’s own choices that seal his tragic fate. As he attempts to lift his weapon, a police helicopter swoops in, resulting in his demise. The film closes with a haunting message from a panel of doctors, staring directly into the camera as they ominously proclaim that this medical procedure is lurking on the horizon, waiting for its next unwary victim.