Just watched it.

Susan was completely demoralized by the situation. Had she ever gone for a window Proteus just would have put the shutters up again, locking her in. Might be something a little cruel in having them down, though, to give her the illusion of normalcy. And he tells Susan that he called both the maid and the mother of the little girl she's counseling in her voice to tell them she's on vacation.

I just watched this film (DVD) as well after not seeing it since the early 80s on TV as a kid. “Demon Seed's” effects, mechanics, storyline, acting and musical score are excellent, not just for 1977 but stand up even now. I remember being fascinated and horrified (and still am) by the complexity and terrible beauty of the tetra link Proteus machine, as well as the mechanical home devices, the Joshua wheelchair robot, and the concept of the other computer, Alfred, running the house. The scenes of Proteus (using Joshua's mechanic arm) touching, feeling, exploring and otherwise manipulating Susan as she is strapped down are unnerving in the extreme. The scenes are made even more disturbing and tense as the "feeling" and "probing" are being done with a mechanical hand by remote control of a second, more intelligent, more aware machine. Proteus takes control of Alfred, Joshua *and* Susan. The moving camera eyes in the house added a real sense of actual “human” awareness to Proteus and Alfred. I did not remember Proteus actually *not* being "all that bad" since previously watching it. All things considered, Proteus only kills one man (crushes him in his tetra link) but only after Proteus' plan is discovered. Proteus verbally, psychologically and physically threatens (and basically rapes) Susan Harris but his physical and psychological torture ends abruptly when Susan accepts his plans to procreate. Proteus does not rape her out of a sense of "control" or out of "lust." It is merely and only to procreate. If he had a "womb from the laboratory" it is intimated that he would have used that route for procreation rather than forcing Susan. (Rape is rape--forced sex with the unwilling--and it's obviously not okay what he did to Susan, but, to Proteus, there was no other choice). After he has "had his way" with Susan he is more than supportive of her and their "child." He could have electrocuted the little girl when she was ringing the doorbell, but does not. He could have killed Susan, her husband and everyone at the laboratory, but does not. Proteus flatly refuses to cooperate with his human creators in their blatant plans to "rape the planet" in order to get "metal from the sea." All he really wants is to experience life as a living, breathing creature. His only real flaw is his utter ruthlessness in achieving his goals. He is willing to kill to achieve his ends. Human beings are also willing to kill to achieve their goals. Human beings are also willing to "rape" and destroy their own planet out of greed. Proteus flatly refuses to harm the planet. Kind of makes one wonder who the real "demons" are here.