DALL-E: Don't Quit Your Day Job Yet

AI as visual interpreter might not be quite ready for prime time yet

In case you're not familiar with the original movie poster from 1958 (which I have always thought was one of the most amazing movie posters of all time), here it is:

Now, before I asked DALL-E to render a parody of the poster, I needed to ensure that ChatGPT (which powers DALL-E) possessed a good understanding of what the original poster looked like.

Me:

In 200 words, describe the iconic movie poster "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman"

Its description left me with little doubt that my parody request was in good hands:

ChatGPT:

"Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" is a classic science fiction film from 1958, and its iconic movie poster has become a symbol of the era's campy B-movies. The poster is a stunning visual feast that captures the essence of the film and immediately grabs the viewer's attention.

The central figure in the poster is Nancy Archer, the titular 50-foot woman, portrayed in larger-than-life proportions. She is a towering, voluptuous blonde, clad in a tattered, revealing outfit that leaves little to the imagination. Nancy exudes an aura of both beauty and terror, with a fierce expression on her face that conveys her rage and newfound power.

The background of the poster features a chaotic scene of destruction, with buildings crumbling and flames engulfing the cityscape. Tiny, panicked citizens flee in terror, emphasizing Nancy's enormous size and the immense threat she poses to the world around her. The use of perspective in the design further accentuates her colossal stature.

Bold, dramatic typography adorns the top of the poster, with the film's title displayed in an eye-catching font that evokes a sense of imminent danger. The vivid colors and dramatic lighting contribute to the overall impact of the poster, making it a memorable and iconic representation of 1950s science fiction cinema.

Wow, that was excellent! And at 200 words, that is only 1/5 of the potential visual message I could expect (assuming that pictures are still worth 1,000 words).

So here is the entire text of my prompt. I used almost the full character limit in hopes of providing enough detail.

DALL-E:

Start with a detailed description

Me:

a parody of the iconic movie poster, "Attack of the 50 ft. Woman", entitled "Attack of the 50 ft. Teletubby". In the style of a comic book illustration, a 50 ft. tall Teletubby is rampaging in an American city, straddling an elevated section of a freeway in a busy downtown area, holding one car while reaching down to grab more, as terrified citizens abandon their vehicles and run for their lives

If you haven't used DALL-E yet, it gives you four attempts at fulfilling your request. So...

Attempt One

"TRUK THIE THE A ACK"

I'm immediately realizing that I'll have to go back and add my own movie title. But, ignoring the caption that only has one English language word (two if you count 'A'), I'm a little disappointed in the image. I'm looking at the 50 ft. Teletubby and, well, I'm just not seeing Teletubby there. I guess the pose is a little bit like the weird dancing they do, but overall it looks more like a cross between the Pillsbury Dough Boy and a voodoo doll. Thumb down

Attempt Two

"ATACK TOLDA THE TKY"

Once again, I realize the mistake of expecting a title on my movie poster. (There's a subtitle on this one but, unlike the previous two title attempts, this one doesn't appear to have any recognizable words.) The overpass has no people running in terror, but there's a greater volume of traffic. Although to be fair, every car seems to already be in pretty rough shape even without the Teletubby's help. As for the 50 ft Teletubby, I don't really know what to say. And I can't tell for sure if that's a vehicle between its legs or if the AI took the whole "Tinky Winky" part a little too far. Either way, this is not what I had in mind. Thumb down

Attempt Three

"TACA THE ABTAY: 40 THE THE TRCKE"

Thankfully, Tinky Winky isn't swinging its dinky this time, but it looks to be in trouble. I'm sure walking on an elevated expressway is fraught with peril, including the risk that you'll slip and fall. And even if the movie plot eventually has 50 ft Tink going down, I don't think that's the right message for the movie poster. And I don't remember the Teletubbies having two sets of eyes and requiring a bra. Thumb down

Attempt Four

"THE OF ATTACK"

Finally I can read the entire title. "The Of Attack" indeed! And in the spirit of "less is more", I love the fact that we don't have to look at Tinky Winky's face this time. The sense of mayhem is a little more prominent here, especially with the car that is floating in mid-air beneath... something yellow. We also have what appear to be two terrified citizens (or at least I think the two purple things in the foreground are meant to be people; though I suppose they might be mini Tinky Winkys?) Overall, I guess this one will be my choice for the best of the four. Thumb sideways