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
Robert Krantz	...	Reporter
Jan Speck	...	Reporter
Marguerite Happy	...	Barmaid
Howard Krick	...	Farmer
Marjorie Card Hughes	...	Farmer's Wife
Herb Smith	...	Gate Guard
Jack Thompson	...	Party Guest
William Striglos	...	Party Guest
Mary Reckley	...	Party Guest
Lisa McLean	...	Party Guest
Eleanor C. Heutschy	...	Party Guest

Directed by
John Badham

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

Produced by
Gregg Champion	....	producer
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
David Foster	....	producer
Gary Foster	....	associate producer
Dana Satler Hankins	....	associate producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer
Dennis E. Jones	....	co-producer (as Dennis Jones)
Lawrence Turman	....	producer

Original Music by
David Shire

Cinematography by
Nick McLean

Film Editing by
Frank Morriss

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Judy Taylor

Production Design by
Dianne Wager

Art Direction by
Dianne Wager

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Makeup Department
Damon Grill	....	hair stylist
Tom Lucas	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Steve Perry	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gregg Champion	....	second unit director
Bryan Denegal	....	second assistant director
Jerry Ziesmer	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gregg H. Bilson	....	property master
Stan Cockerell	....	assistant property master
Michael Dunn	....	assistant property master
Joseph C. Fama	....	construction foreman
Jack Johnson	....	illustrator
Martin A. Kline	....	storyboard artist
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator
Tom Southwell	....	production illustrator
Donald B. Woodruff	....	assistant art director
Mark Woods	....	lead man

Sound Department
Wayne Artman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Beckert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound editor
Richard Burrow	....	sound editor
Scott Burrow	....	sound editor
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer
Tom E. Dahl	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert W. Harris	....	utility sound
David M. Horton	....	sound editor (as D. Michael Horton)
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator
Kelly L. Manger	....	assistant sound editor
William L. Manger	....	supervising sound editor
Richard Oswald	....	sound editor
Frank Serafine	....	sound designer
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Eric Allard	....	robotics special effects supervisor
Tony Allard	....	cost controller: Robotics Shop (as George 'Tony' Allard)
Philip Bartko	....	robotics leadman
Gary D. Bierend	....	special robotics technician
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects foreman
Scott Forbes	....	special effects foreman
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects coordinator
Jeff Jarvis	....	special effects supervisor
Larry Keys	....	special electrical effects (as Larry 'Big Mo' Keys)
Mark Noel	....	special effects
Tom Pahk	....	special effects foreman
Christopher S. Ross	....	robotic special effects: design interpretation (as Chris Ross)
Mark Yuricich	....	special robotics technician
Gary Zink	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
James Balsam	....	motion control camera operator
Chris Casady	....	special visual effects
Dennis Dorney	....	special visual effects
Michael Ferriter	....	special visual effects
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist
Rocco Gioffre	....	special visual effects
Robert Hall	....	special visual effects
Philip Harrison	....	visual consultant
Nina Salerno	....	special visual effects
Keith Shartle	....	special visual effects
Hoyt Yeatman	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunts
Brad Bovee	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts
Bob Drake	....	stunts
James W. Gavin	....	stunt pilot
Clifford Happy	....	stunts
Marguerite Happy	....	stunts
Bob Harris	....	stunts (as Robert W. Harris)
Eddie Hice	....	stunts (as Ed Hice)
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Loren Janes	....	stunts
Robert Jauregui	....	stunts
Tony Jefferson	....	stunts
Sasha Jenson	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator
Walter Scott	....	stunts
R.L. Tolbert	....	stunts
Ted White	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen E. Bridge	....	camera operator
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer
Michael A. Chavez	....	first assistant camera
Richmond G. Cogswell	....	video assist operator
Dick Colean	....	camera operator: second unit
John J. Connor	....	director of photography: second unit
Donald L. Hartley	....	dolly grip
George Llerena	....	second assistant camera
Johnny London Jr.	....	grip
Thomas May Jr.	....	second grip
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Ken Nishino	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael D. O'Shea	....	camera operator
Bill Roe	....	first assistant camera
Bill Rustic	....	grip
Robert Samuels	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Joseph Staton	....	second assistant camera
Michael 'Dutch' Van Woert	....	best boy
Bill Young	....	key grip (as William C. Young)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barry Francis Delaney	....	costumer: men
Mary E. Vogt	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Andy Greenberg	....	apprentice editor
Kevin Stitt	....	assistant film editor
David Tweet	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Marcella Detroit	....	composer: song "Come And Follow Me" (as Marcy Levy)
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Joel McNeely	....	orchestrator
David Tweet	....	assistant music editor
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Stan Witt	....	music editor

Other crew
Eric Allard	....	robots engineer
Tim Blaney	....	puppeteer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Jan Garner	....	production accountant
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production coordinator
Mark Indig	....	location manager
Robert Jason	....	special electrical effects (as Bob Jason)
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Syd Mead	....	consultant
Syd Mead	....	robots designer
Walter Nichols	....	special electrical effects
David Oliver	....	title designer
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor
Rico Topazio	....	puppeteer
Tony Urbano	....	animatronic performance supervisor
Tony Urbano	....	puppeteer
Karl A. Wickman	....	helicopter pilot
Pat Brymer	....	puppeteer: robots (uncredited)

Production Companies

• David Foster Productions
• PSO

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1986) (USA) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Aquarius TV (2005) (Greece) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox Video (1987) (Belgium) (video)
• CBS/Fox Video (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Cinema Club (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Encore (UK) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (video)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images

Other Companies

• For Stars Catering  catering
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by (limited edition)
• Video Image  display graphics
• Video Image  video displays

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:

In this film and Short Circuit 2 (1988), Johnny 5's voice is provided by puppeteer Tim Blaney. This casting decision was made due to the director's belief that real-time interaction with the robot prop would make the interaction seem more natural on-screen than if they edited Johnny's voice in during post-production.

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:

Stephanie Speck: This may be hilarious where you come from, but on this planet it's considered rude.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Who's Johnny

A sweet and genuine comedy

I think anyone any age can appreciate this film, and some might even find it funny. Not terribly funny, but just good. The plot involves a robot (#5) who after getting electricuted, becomes malfunctioned, in a good way (the robot thinks it's alive). And some light hearted comedy (and some messages about life) ensues. Nice to watch on a weekend day. A-