Interocitor

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An interocitor being used as a communications device

The interocitor is a fictitious multi-functional device featured in the 1955 science fiction film This Island Earth (and later, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie which contained This Island Earth). In the film, the device arrives in kit form as an intelligence test for scientists who might prove helpful to an alien race.

[edit] This Island Earth

The term interocitor itself, rather than referring to a specific device, likely refers to a general class of devices that share a common set of operating principles (similar to the term computer). This is inferred from the fact an interocitor is observed or described in many different roles:

Telecommunications device
Aircraft autopilot
Surveillance and security controller
Directed energy weapon

In the film, advanced physicist Cal Meacham first becomes aware of an interocitor when a book arrives at his lab entitled, Electronic Service, Unit #16. Inside is contained a bill of materials for the interocitor, describing it as, "incorporating greater advances than hitherto known in the field of electronics". From the specifications, Meacham opines, "There's no limit to what it could do. Laying a four lane highway at the rate of a mile a minute would be a cinch."

Of the 2486 components comprising an interocitor, only three are named:

Bead condenser (model #: AB-619)
Cathermin tube with inindium complex of +4
Intensifier disk

The instructions accompanying the components also caution that no interocitor part can be replaced, and to bear this in mind while assembling.

Once assembled and powered, Meacham places the intensifier disk into the right-hand control and rotates it 18 degrees counter-clockwise. Upon doing so, the telecommunication function of the interocitor is activated, and Meacham establishes contact with Exeter, the party responsible for sending him the device.

During their conversation, Meacham's lab assistant, Joe Wilson attempts to photograph the device, but is informed by Exeter that "Your camera will pick up nothing but black fog. Images on the interocitor don't register on film."

Later, Meacham boards a light aircraft autopiloted by an interocitor to join Exeter at his research facility. Exeter is also seen using an interocitor to remotely surveil a private conversation between Meacham and two other scientists at the facility, Ruth Adams and Steve Carlson. Later, Exeter's assistant, Brack, uses the weapons capability of the device to thwart the attempted escape of Meacham, Adams, and Carlson from the facility.

An interociter was shown in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie

[edit] Mystery Science Theater 3000

In the Mystery Science Theater 3000 movie, the robot Tom Servo announces that he has a personal interocitor in his room. The lead character, Mike Nelson, suggests that they attempt to use it in order to escape from the Satellite of Love. Servo was apparently unaware of its properties and had been using it to make hot chocolate. When Mike and the robots contact a Metalunan, who happens to be showering, he reveals that he is unable to help them. At that point Dr. Clayton Forrester breaks into the communication, using his own interocitor (claiming that everybody has one) and uses the interocitor's directed energy weapon to coerce Mike and the robots back into the theater.

[edit] Other appearances

An interocitor appeared in the "Weird Al" Yankovic video for "Dare to Be Stupid" and in his movie UHF.

An interocitor is visible in a dumpster in the July 2, 2005 episode of the webcomic Freefall by Mark Stanley.

In the computer-generated television show ReBoot, the interocitor was a component which frequently broke on the car of the main protagonist, Bob.

In the movie Looney Tunes: Back in Action, the mad scientist found in the California desert is looking for an interocitor that she misplaced.

The Interocitor is also the name of the program developed by Todd Rundgren for his PatroNet subscription service. The PatroNet server itself is named "Metaluna".