This short black and white film (9 min 40 sec) is an abstract collection of images put into a collage, with an overlying soundtrack that consists of bits from various conversations, lectures/sermons, and sound effects. There is an underlying argument as to whether man is a complex machine or a creature with a soul.
The consistent use of abrubt editing and nonsynchronous sound is used in this avant-garde piece to create an atmosphere, and the atmosphere jumps from comforting to unsettling. The film uses multiple viewpoints, and by doing so it draws in the viewer to find both themes that are agreeable and confrontational. The film is often attributed to being the inspirational source for George Lucas's concept of "the Force" in his Star Wars series of films. It is also attributed to being one of the sources for his 1967 short film "Electronic Labyrinth THX1138 4B."