Westworld (1973)

BOY, HAVE WE GOT A VACATION FOR YOU... In 1973, novelist-turned-filmmaker Michael Crichton made his directorial debut with Westworld, a groundbreaking fusion of science fiction and action-thriller that would prove decades ahead of it's time, laying the groundwork for his later hit Jurassic Park and changing the face of sci-fi. Welcome to Delos, the futuristic resort where, for $1,000 a day, wealthy vacationers can live out their wildest fantasies in hyper-realistic theme parks. In the Old West zone, friends Peter (Richard Benjamin) and John (James Brolin) saddle up for adventure, unaware that their dream holiday is about to turn into a nightmare. When a malfunction sends the park's android hosts off script, the Gunslinger (Yul Brynner, in his iconic black-clad role) begins a relentless pursuit, obliterating the line between simulation and survival. Slick, suspenseful, and eerily prescient, Westworld combines a gripping man-versus-machine chase with thought-provoking questions about technology, control, and the price of playing God. Packed with atmosphere and memorable performances, this cult classic remains a landmark in genre cinema - a high-tech nightmare that never loses it's bite.