Comments on: The uncanny valley

By: disco

disco — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:18:29 +0000

Real dolls… I saw that show on the IFC channel. They follow around a few guys that have them. Wow… Sure they look human-esq, but then they put on the hair and make-up (lonely introverted men DO NOT know how to put make-up on!)…. OH OH, then this one guy (who has 8 dolls) shows them to his new girlfriend. I think she was scared off by the make-up =)

By: sean

sean — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:19:02 +0000

this probably won’t mean anything to non-metalheads here, but i realized this is exactly the reason the mechanical masks in the “shed” video from the band meshuggah.

essentially, the video is computer animated and there are there white masks, behind which are hydraulics and such. they sing along to a couple lines in the song. holy bejesus it’s creepy. then one of them doesn’t have an eye. look it up on youtube if you want to see it.

By: gibson8or

gibson8or — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:10:50 +0000

Um, the-almost-but-not-quite human-ness of Real Dolls is NOT the most creepy thing about them.

By: Julia

Julia — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:38:36 +0000

From Lars and the Real Girl the best movie ever!

By: 8rustystaples

8rustystaples — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:17:13 +0000

You know what else is creepy? Real Dolls. Everyone knows what Real Dolls are, right? Anyone? It’s not just me is it? Is it?

By: miyako

miyako — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 11:25:18 +0000

When I was little I was terrified of anyone in a costume. I think it has to do with the same principle. I knew deep down they were just people but something about them being dressed up or in a suit scarred the crap out of me. DisneyLand and Chuck E’ Cheese created horrible memories…

By: Pointy-Hatted Geek

Pointy-Hatted Geek — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:26:37 +0000

Part of it, I think, is that sometimes they’re just too perfect. They look too perfect, I mean. The movements and voice on that first one weren’t quite right. It’s eerie, in some way.

By: Tru

Tru — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:19:17 +0000

Perhaps this would explain some people’s fear of clowns and/or ventriloquist dummies?

By: Hank

Hank — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:02:33 +0000

The stock brokerage commercial animations are traced over actual actors, and I find them creepy too. I can’t say that the robot footage bothers me though; maybe because I know what it is. If the robot was wandering around in public, my reaction might be different.

I don’t remember anyone ever reacting negatively to Disney’s Hall of Presidents, and the robots there are pretty realistic (although with limited movement).

By: Allison

Allison — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:11:41 +0000

Ooooohhhhh, so this is why I find those sort of semi-animated things in that stock brokerage commericial so…eeeuuuch. Does anybody know whay I’m talking about? Anybody else weirded out?