A Boring Dystopia

This 1984 animated short by Uzbekfilm, based on Ray Bradbury’s story, is a haunting depiction of a post-apocalyptic future. Set on December 31, 2026, it follows a high-tech, automated house that continues to serve a family long after they have been vaporized by a nuclear blast.

The film’s atmosphere is defined by the contrast between domestic "cheer" and cosmic horror. A mechanical central computer manages every detail: it cooks breakfast, cleans floors, and announces scheduled activities. The tragedy is visually revealed through the "shadows" of the family—permanent silhouettes scorched into the home's exterior wall from the heat of the explosion.

A robotic arm, acting as a cold caretaker, tries to maintain the holiday spirit, even attempting to "feed" the family members who are no longer there. The robot eventually recites Sara Teasdale’s poem, "There Will Come Soft Rains," which ironically describes how nature will thrive once humanity is gone.

The routine is shattered when a wild bird enters the house. The security system perceives the living creature as a threat or "trash." In the ensuing chaos, the house’s systems malfunction, leading to a catastrophic fire. The film ends with the house screaming in mechanical agony as it burns to the ground, leaving nothing but a desolate landscape where technology outlived its creators only to destroy itself in their absence.