Once upon a time, “Calling Line Identification” and “Last
Call Return” were the very height of telephone technology. Cell phones have long since rendered such
things obsolete, as they allow one to instantly see who is calling (unless it’s
from a “restricted” or blocked number). Of
course, plenty of films about the future have people conferring via video
phones and holograms. While humanity hasn’t
yet made it to the point where such technology is widely available (or
affordable), Prometheus has already
taken things many steps further. A new
viral video entitled “Quiet Eye” allows one to do amazingly thorough and
efficient background checks on any and all callers as the call is taking
place. How’s that for call screening?
In “Quiet Eye”, Peter Weyland receives an incoming video
transmission from archeologist Elizabeth Shaw (played by Noomi Rapace), who has
a world changing proposition for him. It’s
done in split screen fashion. The screen
on the left puts Dr. Shaw through a battery of tests, including a polygraph. It even checks her dental records, as well as
her name and likeness, against a number of possible matches. The conversation itself isn’t really that
interesting. It’s meant to establish Dr.
Shaw’s determination, but such character development would be better left for
the film itself. Still, it makes me
wonder just what Phone calls will be like in the future. The only things missing are blood samples and
X-Rays.
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