April 23, 2009 -- The machine tends to be a bit uncanny
"Uncanny." Yeah, that's putting it midly. A few months ago, I played some audio clips of the speaking machine for a group of my fellow comics creators, and they all asked me to never play them again because they were so creepy. In fact, the only thing I can think of that would make the speaking machine more creepy would be if it were enclosed in a mannequin. The concept that von Kempelen would do so -- and his tendency to cover the machine with a sheet -- is taken from Windisch's book.
The speaking machine was also not Kempelen's first attempt to create an aid for persons with disabilities; ten years earlier he created a typewriter for a young blind composer, so that she could correspond more easily.
The thing I find most fascinating about von Kempelen -- and what drew me to tell his story -- is that he was a true gentleman scientist, and from all accounts that I've read, was genuinely devoted to bettering humanity with both his official work and his inventions. I can only imagine how much it must've burned him that the automaton was so much better received than his other, more worthwhile creations. He was also one of the last great Natural Philosophers, following in the footsteps of Newton and Leibniz, and succeeded by Goethe.
In fact, in the original draft of the script, this scene -- with its discussion of art and its relationship to science -- was supposed to take place between von Kempelen and Goethe. Goethe did, in fact, see the speaking machine demonstrated; he wrote to his patron that it "is not very loquacious, but it can pronounce certain childish words nicely." Unfortunately, further research turned up that Goethe never traveled to Vienna, let alone Pressburg, so it's much more likely that he was one of the thousands of anonymous viewers who filed past it during the 1783-84 tour. This meant that I had to dig up another character for the conversation. Hence, Joseph -- and the change was much for the better.
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Thanks for the link to the speaking machine.
I can't say I find them creepy; they sound very much like a lot of vox synthesizers I've heard. The remarkable thing, however, is that it does much the same job as devices that would not be coming around until about 150 years later, minimum.
I can't get over the part where everyone thought it was creepy, though. Is it possible you just played it for someone who gets bummed out every time they play FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE, perhaps?
I don't know. I find it kind of creepy myself, but I'm so impressed by the science it took to come up with a device like that in the mid-eighteenth century that it's easier for me to hear it honk out sentences.
First I'll note that I don't find the speaking machine clip creepy. However, I can see that knowledge of the device and its appearance could create such a response.
Mainly I wanted to comment on von Kempelen's simplistic approach to overcoming the uncanny valley. It's typical of 19th and late century attitudes. Central was a belief in "SCIENCE" and the perfection of of human life through its applications. You have, I believe reasonably, von Kempelen express the belief that increasing the superficial resemblance of the talking machine to humanity will soften reactions - ie: closer to "perfect" is always better received. I'll also note that Poe's pointing to the fact that the Turk did not always win as "proof" it was a fake comes from this same view.
I agree with Jim that I find it not so much creepy - but absolutely fascinating that Kempelen could do this so long ago.
I didn't quite find them creepy so much as unsure; it sounded very much like someone who speaks English phonetically pronouncing words in French with limited success. At moments it sounded very human, impressive for a machine.
Perhaps on a note creepier than the voice, I must remark you're excellent at drawing hands (highlighted by Wolf's manipulation of his glass, likely a spilly-drinker). It's something a lot of people, even artists, struggle with, but you always seem to have the positioning and proportions spot on.
Also, the worn drafting table is such a nice little detail...
Thanks, Kay. I noted as I was drawing that last panel that Wolf'd probably wind up with some of his drink in his lap.
Also -- I think the drafting table is actually the top of the speaking machine's bellows. Next week's page actually has another small peek inside his workshop, though.
Gary:
That scientific conformation bias can go both ways... Philidor's "proof" that it the automaton was actually playing chess by itself was that its playing was too "confident" to be directed by a person.
also: SCIENCE! That Enlightenment-era "science will fix everything" mindset has always been fascinating to me, especially when it made a big reappearance in the late 1950's and early 1960's.