Short Circuit (1986)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

S.S. Wilson (written by) &
Brent Maddock (written by)

Release Date:

9 May 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Something wonderful has happened... Number Five is alive!

Plot:

Number 5 of a group of experimental robots in a lab is electrocuted, suddenly becomes intelligent, and escapes.

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Lightning | Military | Reference To John Wayne | Indian

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Ally Sheedy	...	Stephanie Speck
Steve Guttenberg	...	Newton Crosby
Fisher Stevens	...	Ben Jabituya
Austin Pendleton	...	Howard Marner
G.W. Bailey	...	Skroeder
Brian McNamara	...	Frank
Tim Blaney	...	Number 5 (voice)
Marvin J. McIntyre	...	Duke
John Garber	...	Otis
Penny Santon	...	Mrs. Cepeda
Vernon Weddle	...	General Washburne
Barbara Tarbuck	...	Senator Mills
Tom Lawrence	...	Howard Marner's Aide
Fred Slyter	...	Norman
Billy Ray Sharkey	...	Zack

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Oregon, USA

Company:

David Foster Productions

Trivia:

This film was originally conceived as a dark high-tech thriller. Number 5 was originally intended to be the villain of the picture: an out-of-control, heavily-armed military robot that had escaped from the lab that had developed him. After several script revisions, the darker elements were toned down and the film became a high-tech comedy.

Goofs:

Continuity: When trying to locate Johnny 5 on the computer right after he escapes, the man in the blue lab coat standing behind Newton is never shown reflected in the monitor.

Quotes:

Ben Jabituya: I am sporting a tremendous woody.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the 80's 3-D" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Come And Follow Me

This movie has been under-rated

This is NOT one of the best movies of all time, and I am not going to try to tell you that it is, however, this movie has been made well and considering it was made in 1986, it's funny. It's not 2003 funny, but it IS 1986 hilarious. The movie kept me laughing enough, and I felt that the ending was also a nice one. I'm not going to spoil the movie as to what makes the ending great, but I liked the way the movie ended.

I also think that the type of people who would enjoy this movie are the people who feel like Newton Crosby. He's devoted his entire life to something (science and technology), just to have others who used to be devoted to it steal it all away from him. It's almost like the whole movie you want to score one for the little guy. Most of us have been there at some point in our lives. This movie kind of captures that, and if you watch the movie with that intent, it does keep the viewer intrigued.

The movie also makes you appreciate what your life is, when you see just what the robot can do, and you realize just what your mind is capable of.

All in all, I think I found it a lot more touching than it should have been, because it was 3:15am when I started watching it, and I THINK I watched the movie Pi right before it.