The Mysteries of A.I. - The Resources v2.2

theresources v2.2

1.1 Document Introduction

welcome

To aid you in your quest to understanding this film (Or going more insane, whichever comes first), The Mysteries of A.I. has provided several resources, ranging from a restored screenplay for the film to lyrics of the Mecha Nanny's lullaby. Enjoy.

1.2 Version History and Credits

2.2 Updates

Updated February 25th, 11:48AM PST - 2002
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.
Added the month of March to the A.I. Calendar! Please excuse the long wait!

2.1 Updates

Updated January 5th, 12:27PM PST - 2002
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.
Added the month of February to the A.I. Calendar, as well as now offering both months in different sizes.

2.0 Updates

Updated December 21st, 4:27PM PST
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.
Added the "Desktop Multimedia Files" section, complete with a 'MasterCard' ad and the month of January in an exclusive A.I. Calendar!

1.6 Updates

Updated November 20th, 9:25PM PST
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.
Finally added every last chapter of "The Adventures of Pinocchio"! Enjoy!
Fixed some typical stuff
1.4 Updates

Updated September 18, 8:41PM PST
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.
Added a link to Clear and Haunting Visions' Fan Fiction section.
Fixed some general problems.

1.3 Updates

Updated September 17, 8:11PM PST
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.
Added the third, and final, story in the "Days" trilogy - "Unto All the Final Days."
Added more chapters to Collodi's "Pinocchio."
Added a paraphrased and plain-English version of "The Stolen Child."

1.0 Updates

Updated September 2, 8:25PM PST
Written and copyright by Jedi Kindergartner; Individual Material is copyright it's respective owner.

2.1 The Screenplay

Through the dilligent work of numerous people on the Internet - collectively known as the Barflies of the Shangri la - a highly-accurate screenplay has been assembled. While the Barflies can't create an exact replica of the actual script, they have managed to get the dialogue perfect as well as accurately describe what occurs in each scene. And, voila, we present to you - The Screenplay.

Given this, The Screenplay is an invaluable tool for analyzing each scene -- And truly understanding this film.

The Dialogue, Courtesy of the Barflies of the Shangri la

2.1.1 The Screenplay - Download

The Screenplay is currently unavailable, but will be in the upcoming future.

You may also view just the Dialogue at the Barflies' main page.

2.1.2 The Screenplay - Version History

The current version of The Screenplay out is, well, -1.0. We're not exactly done yet. (We're working on it!) In the meantime, please feel free to visit The Dialogue! The Dialogue is a word for word perfect copy of the actual Dialogue from the film.

2.2 "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," by Brian Aldiss

It started a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away), back in 1969, when British author Brian W. Aldiss published a short story in Harper's Bazaar, entitled "Supertoys Last All Summer Long." It challenged the whole public thought on machines and the idea of robots. And it also managed to pique the interest of director Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick acquired the rights to the story from Aldiss in November of 1982, and had hopes to make it into a feature film. Aldriss, however, was skeptical, noting, "while Arthur [C. Clark]'s story looks outwards to the solar system, my story looks inwards," referring to another of Kubrick's films, which was based upon Clark's short story, "The Sentinel." (Aldiss has written a very nice Foreword, entitled "Attempting to Please," preceding his latest book, Supertoys Last All Summer Long: And Other Short Stories of Future Time. The Foreword encompasses the "joking" relationship he and Kubrick had. The book also contains the two sequels to the original story, as well as several other stories - All fairly interesting, especially for science fiction readers.

Another disagreement that arose was that Kubrick had continually fashioned the story after "Pinnochio," which Aldiss strictly objected to - "I could not or would not see the parallels between David, my five-year-old android, and the wooden creature who becomes human. It emerged that Stanley wished David to become more human, and wished, also, to have the Blue Fairly materialise. Never consciously rewrite old fairy stories, I say," Aldiss comments in his Foreword.

Aldiss was quickly wheeled out of the picture at about 1990. Kubrick took on "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," rechristened it A.I., and continued to work on his little "Pinnochio"-esque fairy tale, bringing in others, such as Sara Maitland and Ian Watson. Aldiss went onto other things. Then, in 1999, Stanley Kubrick passed away. During the past 9 years or so, Kubrick had kept his friend Steven Spielberg very involved in the film, the two of them faxing over 900 pages of notes back and forth. When Kubrick passed away, his brother-in-law Jan Harlan Kubrick decided to pass the film along to Spielberg, whom Kubrick frequently had said would be the perfect director for the film.

And so it was. Steven Spielberg started up on the film, scrapping the numerous other scripts and treatments which Stanley Kubrick had gathered, and completely rewriting the script solely by himself, his first screenwriting job since Close Encounters of the Third Kind. It was also during this time that it occurred to Brian Aldiss to re-read his short story - It occurred to him that the story of a young boy rejected by his mother could be continued. And so he wrote the two follow-ups, "Supertoys When Winter Comes" and "Supertoys in Other Seasons." After completion, he passed both short stories onto Spielberg, who liked the ideas presented in them and purchased the rights to the two stories - Now, by an amicable arrangement with Warner Brothers, Spielberg had acquired all three Supertoy stories.

2.2.1 "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," by Brian Aldiss - The Text

The full text of "Supertoys Last All Summer Long" is available here. However, I strongly urge you to go out and buy Aldiss' book, Supertoys Last all Summer Long: And Other Short Stories of Future Time. Not only do you get the original "Supertoys", you get it's two sequels and literally tons of other short science fiction stories. And hey, you also get a pretty cool forward. (Link to Amazon.com link will be available shortly!)

"Supertoys Last All Summer Long," by Brian Aldiss

2.2.1 "Supertoys Last All Summer Long," by Brian Aldiss - The Commentary

Commentary coming shortly!

2.3 "The Adventures of Pinocchio," by Carlo Collodi

Description coming shortly! Bear with us...

2.3.1 "The Adventures of Pinocchio," by Carlo Collodi - The Text

You may read the full text to "The Adventures of Pinocchio", courtesy of the Gutenburg Project. I would strongly recommend that you do, as it will aid you indefinitely in the understanding of this film -- And, well, it's a cool story. :)

2.3.2 "The Adventures of Pinocchio," by Carlo Collodi - Commentary

Commentary coming soon! (I'm sure you can wait...)

2.4 "The Stolen Child," by W.B. Yeats

"The Stolen Child," a poem by W.B. Yeats, can be found throughout A.I. -- Dr. Know shows part of it to Gigolo Joe and David, Professor Hobby has it on his office door, Dr. Frankenstein has his creation recite it... (Er, maybe not that last one...)

We now present you the full text of this wonderful poem, as well as commentary on it's appropriateness and history.

2.4.1 "The Stolen Child," by W.B. Yeats - The Text

Where dips the rocky highland
Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water-rats;
There we've hid our faery vats,
Full of berries
And of the reddest stolen cherries.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world''s more full of weeping than you can understand.

Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night,
Weaving olden dances,
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles,
While the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world''s more full of weeping than you can understand.

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world''s more full of weeping than you can understand.

Away with us he's going,
The solemn eyed:
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal-chest.
For he comes, the human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
From a world more full of weeping than he can understand.

You can read more of Yeats' poems at this website.

2.4.2 "The Stolen Child," by W.B. Yeats - Commentary

Simply reading it, "The Stolen Child" seems a very suitable poem for this film indeed. However, all the more suitable when you consider Yeats' life. Special thank you to ktrevena, over at the DreamWorks Fansite Talkbacks for writing this biography -

The poem is W.B Yeats's "The Stolen Child," one the the Nobel-prize winning Irish poet's most famous, published in the 1889 collection "Crossways." The fact that this poem is quoted in "A.I." is remarkable for a number of reasons, not the least of which, whether or not Steven Spielberg knew this one or intuited it, is that Yeats forever felt unloved by his mother, Susan Pollexfen Yeats, although it was his mother and her family who set him on his life-long quest after "metaphor for poetry," and from whom he inherited his poetic voice. As his father, John Butler Yeats, a portrait painter of no small regard said of his remarkable son: "By marriage with a Pollexfen I have given a tongue to the seacliffs."

Yeats not only created Irish theatre--which has given us not only his under-appreciated but incalculatibly influential plays (see Samuel Beckett: "Waiting for Godot,", etc., and trace its genesis, for example), he single-handedly lit the still-flaming torch of the Irish Renaissance, which has burned steadily since his own "Wind Among the Reeds", the plays of Synge, the Easter Rising, James Joyce, Sean O'Casey, Joyce Carey, Sinead O'Connor, U2, the Cranberries, and the films of James Sheridan.

DeeKelly, also a member of the DreamWorks Fansite Talkbacks, expounds on the poem -

The inclusion of Poem on the Door, having been paraphrased from the Yeats poem "The Stolen Child", brings with it some especially strong symbolism when juxtaposed with the themes present in many Fairy Myths.

Consider this:

A woman who lived near Breage Church [Isle of Man] had a fine girl baby, and she thought the piskies came and took it and put a withered child in its place. The withered child lived to be twenty years old, and was no larger when it died than when the piskies brought it. It was fretful and peevish and frightfully shriveled. The parents believed that the piskies often used to come and look over a certain wall by the house to see the child. And I heard my grandmother say that the family once put the child out of doors at night to see if the piskies would take it back again.

(OR)

Those who believe in the darker side of fairies believe that they abducted humans and are given to or sacrificed to the devil or used to strengthen fairy stock. Others believe that the captive humans were merely fancied by the fairies and taken for their company (being treated quite well, but never being allowed to return to their human domain). In many such cases, a log of wood would be left in the place of the abducted human -- with a bewitching spell upon it that left all around it believing it was indeed the original person, laying still, sick and dying.

No mere coincidence that Spielberg included this in A.I., indeed. Yet another dark theme that 'A.I.' seems to explore. This is not just some half-witted, "B"-rated film. This is a carefully thought out masterpiece, and I commend Spielberg and Kubrick for it.

Finally I am pleased to announce that "Super Teddy," of the DreamWorks Fansite TalkBacks as well, wrote this wonderful paraphrased and condensed version of "The Stolen Child," to further add comprehension to the poem, and to the film itself.

In the highlands, there is an island in the middle of a lake. It is a beautiful island, covered with bright vegetation; where the heron wake the sleeping rats on the lake each morning. This hidden island is where we, the fairy folk dwell. Ee steal the best cherries and the brightest berries, and here we have hidden them in great pots. Come with us, human child, to our magical island. let us take you by the hand, for the world that you live in is filled with so much sadness...

At nightfall, we dance merrily on the shore until dawn. The other world is sleeping, dreaming troubled dreams; they are anxious and disturbed, but not us! We leap happily on the shore, chasing the sea-foam bubbles. High in the mountain streams, we play with the slumbering trout that sleep in our magic pools. Fiendishly, we lean out over the water, whispering to them; unsettling their dreams. Come with us! We will take you to our magic island, and you may frolic with us in the waters and in the wild lands we dwell in!

Our world is so full of mystery, and happiness.... and yours is plagued with darkness, and is more sad than you might ever know...

There was once a human, a solemn human child, who we took away from the human world and brought to ours. No longer will he work the fields in the morning, and hear the low mooing of the cow. No longer will the sun warm his face. No longer will he be comforted by the simple things he loves. But now, he will sing and laugh all day with us. For we brought the human child home to the fairy land. He came from a world more full of weeping than we can understand.

That might help add further comprehension to the poem. Given this, there are several possibilities that might stem from this -

One, this is an exact, only opposite, parallel of the film. It talks of a human child being led into the faery (aka Mecha) world.

Two, this is an exact parallel of the film. It talks of a mecha child being led into the faery (aka Orga) world.

We'll leave it to you to decide between those two possibilities. Or there is also this final possibility -

The supermechas, at the end, beckon David into their world. David's present reality is much too harsh, so they bring him into their fantastical world, where "dreams are born."

3.1 Music Resources - Gigolo Joe's "I Only Have Eyes For You"

One of the songs that Gigolo Joe uses to seduce women is the romantic 1930s classic, "I Only Have Eyes For You," which was first recorded in 1934 by Ben Selvin, and has been re-recorded by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Art Garfunkel, from The Flamingos to N'Sync. This version was recorded by Dick Powell.

"I Only Have Eyes For You"

By Al Dubin and Harry Warren

Sung by Dick Powell

My love must be a kind of blind love.
I can't see anyone but you.

Are the stars out tonight?
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright.
I only have eyes for you, dear.

The moon may be high,
But I can't see a thing in the sky.
'Cause I only have eyes for you.

I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue.

You are here, so am I.
Maybe millions of people go by.
But they all disappear from view.
And I only have eyes for you.

3.2 Music Resources - Gigolo Joe's "Cheek to Cheek"

"Cheek to Cheek" is yet another romantic song that Joe churns out to seduce the ladies. "Cheek to Cheek" originally appeared in the film Tom Hat, and is written by Irving Berlin and sung by Fred Astaire.

"Cheek to Cheek"

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

Sung by Fred Astaire

Heaven... I'm in heaven,
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak.
And I seem to find the happiness I seek,
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek.

Heaven... I'm in heaven,
And the cares that hung around me through the week,
Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak,
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek.

Oh, I love to climb a mountain,
And to reach the highest peak.
But it doesn't thrill me half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek.

Oh, I love to go out fishing
In a river or a creek.
But I don't enjoy it half as much
As dancing cheek to cheek.

Dance with me! I want my arms about you.
The charms about you
Will carry me through to...

Heaven... I'm in heaven,
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak.
And I seem to find the happiness I seek,
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek.

3.3 Music Resources - Mecha Nanny's "Dodo, l'enfant, do" French lullaby

In the midst of capture by Lord Johnson-Johnson, David meets a Mecha Nanny who offers to take care of him. Trying to calm him, she sings a French lullaby called "Dodo, l'enfant, do" to him. While there are several verses to the song, here is at least some of them -

Dodo, l'enfant do,
L'enfant dormira bien vite
Dodo, l'enfant do,
L'enfant dormira bientôt...

...Une poule blanche
Est là dans la grange...

...Qui va faire un petit coco
Pour l'enfant qui va faire dodo...

Also, when translated from French to English, this is roughly what you get...

Sleep, sleep, child sleep,
Child will fall asleep quickly;
Sleep, sleep, child sleep,
Child will soon be asleep.

3.4 Music Resources - "For Always"

John Williams, in addition to composing and conducting the score for A.I., also recorded both a beautiful duet and a beautiful solo - set to a track ("Monica's Theme") from his score - that is performed by Lara Fabian and Josh Groban; and the solo, Lara Fabian alone. The lyrics are by Cynthia Weil. "For Always" can be found on the A.I. soundtrack, track #5 (for the solo) and track #13 (for the duet).

"For Always"

Music by John Williams

Lyrics by Cynthia Weil

Performed by Lara Fabian and Josh Groban

I close my eyes
And there in the shadows I see your light
You come to me out of my dreams
Across the night
You take my hand
Though you may be so many stars away
I know that our spirits and souls are one
We circled the moon and we've touched the sun
So here we'll stay

For always , forever
Beyond here and on to eternity
For always, forever
For us there's no time and no space
No barrier love won't erase
Wherever you go I still know in my heart you'll be here with me

From this day on
I'm certain that I'll never be alone
I know what my heart must have always known
That love has a power that's all its own

And for always, forever
Now we can fly
And for always, and always
We will go on beyond goodbye

For always, forever beyond here and on to eternity
For always, and ever you'll be apart of me
And for always , for ever a thousand tomorrows may cross the sky
And for always, and always, we will go on beyond, goodbye

4.0 Fan Fiction

The Internet is exploding with new fan fiction for this wonderful film, A.I. While I would love to keep track of it all, thus far I have only had a chance to read a few. (However if you wish for your fan fiction to appear on this site, please don't hesitate to email me and chances are I will!) The three stories that stand out above the rest I've read, are by far the "Day" trilogy, by Henry Lake Spaulding -- "Once a Perfect Day," "For Yet Another Day," and "Unto All the Final Days." Mr. Spaulding was gracious enough to let us host them here.

Along with these three pieces of fan fiction, there are tons more out there, all very good as well. Laurie, of Clear and Haunting Visions, has compiled quite a big list of all of them, which you may find at her site.

4.1 Fan Fiction - "Once A Perfect Day," by Henry Lake Spaulding

The "Day" Trilogy, by Henry Lake Spaulding, details Professor Hobby's life before the events in the film occur, and his quest to make a mecha child... The final story actually takes place during the events of the film. Out of all the fan fiction I've read, I am simply astonished at these three stories and how great they are! Extremely recommended! It is suggested that you read them in order, starting off with...

"Once A Perfect Day," by Henry Lake Spaulding

4.2 Fan Fiction - "For Yet Another Day," by Henry Lake Spaulding

The follow-up to "Once a Perfect Day," it is highly recommended that you read that first, before reading "For Yet Another Day." Still, it's a wonderfully written story and, teamed with it's predecessor, gives Professor Hobby new dimensions.

"For Yet Another Day," by Henry Lake Spaulding

4.3 Fan Fiction - "Unto All the Final Days," by Henry Lake Spaulding

As of the week of September 10th, 2001, Henry Lake Spaulding wrote a third story in the "Day" series. Of course it is recommended that you read the former two first, before reading "Unto All the Final Days."

"Unto All the Final Days," by Henry Lake Spaulding

5.0 Desktop Multimedia Files

We are delighted to offer an array of different multimedia files, which -- in the foreseeable future -- will include Desktop Themes, Wallpaper, Audio Files, and such. All of the files are (and will be) designed by Jedi Kindergartner, the webmaster of this site - The Mysteries of A.I. If you use these files for any other use besides personal use, please be sure to give the Kindergartner due credit and link back to this site. He greatly appreciates it! Thank you!

5.1 Desktop Multimedia Files - 'Mastercard' Advertisement

Inspired by MasterCard's "There Are Some Things Money Can't Buy, But For Everything Else, There's MasterCard" advertisements, we present the following ad. Please click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

5.2 Desktop Multimedia Files - 'A.I.' Calendar

While certainly not official, we hope you will enjoy these 'A.I.' calendars, starting with the month of January -- and we now have the month of February online, as well! (And yes, the layout for this calendar was inspired by the Oscar advertisements for 'A.I.'...); As requested, the calendar will be offered in several different sizes. There is standard size, 540x950 (which should print nicely on most printers); 1080x1900 (which I have no idea how you're going to print out, unless you have a professional publishing printer); and we have 1024x750 (restructured for wallpaper, though I don't know why you'd want a calendar as wallpaper).

6.0 Steven Spielberg's Other Films

As you may well know, Ernest Rister is a special commentator for this site. In addition to writing regular portions on this film, he has written several in-depth and fascinating articles at other Steven Spielberg films, as well as other films. You can find all of his commentaries - which are scattered throughout the site - in their completeness (Is that even a word?) here.

Spielberg, Kubrick, Disney's PINOCCHIO, and A.I...

EMPIRE OF THE SUN: Spielberg's Misunderstood Overlooked Masterwork

Defending Private Ryan: A Look at SAVING PRIVATE RYAN