Demon Seed(1977)
1977 · Donald Cammell · 94 min
A scientist creates Proteus, an organic supercomputer with artificial intelligence which becomes obsessed with human beings, and in particular the creator's wife.
Horror · Science Fiction
5.9276 votes
TMDB score
4/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
4/5
Stays with you
How Demon Seed scares
It starts almost like a cold, clinical drama about a marriage falling apart, then slowly tightens into a nightmare as a woman becomes trapped inside her own automated home with something that will not let her leave. The pace is patient and controlled, letting dread build through isolation and helplessness rather than sudden shocks. What makes it hard to watch isn't blood on screen but the sense of violation and powerlessness that grows scene by scene. This is a heavy, uncomfortable watch meant to unsettle you, not give you a fun scare.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Demon Seed rates psychological 5/5, visceral 4/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 4/5, and overall intensity 4/5.
- Psychological: 5 of 5
- Visceral: 4 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 4 of 5
- Intensity: 4 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 12 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 30 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 85 of 100 — leans Disturbing
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, cold setup gradually tightens into a claustrophobic, high-pressure ordeal that peaks hard before settling into an unsettling final stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 4, 3.
How scary is Demon Seed?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Demon Seed rates 4/5 — one of the more punishing watches in the catalog, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and genuinely disturbing. Expect it to stay with you for days.
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