Cherry 2000 (1987)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Steve De Jarnatt

Writers:

Michael Almereyda (writer)
Lloyd Fonvielle (story)

Release Date:

5 February 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

She's Blond, Beautiful and Forever Young.

Plot:

In the future, a man travels to the ends of the earth to find that the perfect woman is always under his nose...

Plot Keywords:

Robot | Android | Tracker | Directorial Debut | On The Road

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Andrews	...	Sam Treadwell
Jennifer Balgobin	...	Glory Hole Hotel Clerk
Marshall Bell	...	Bill
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Snappy Tom
Laurence Fishburne	...	Glu Glu Lawyer (as Larry Fishburne)
Pamela Gidley	...	Cherry 2000
Melanie Griffith	...	Edith 'E.' Johnson
Michael C. Gwynne	...	Slim
Brion James	...	Stacy
Ben Johnson	...	Six-Fingered Jake
Jeff Levine	...	Marty
Jennifer Mayo	...	Randa
Cameron Milzer	...	Elaine aka Ginger
Howard Swain	...	Jim Skeet
Jack Thibeau	...	Stubby Man

Runtime:

99 min | Spain:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | France:U | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Company:

ERP Productions (I)

Trivia:

The idea of Cherry 2000's life like human android companion aren't all that dissimilar to the specialty lifelike dolls that are sold today. Like David Andrews' character in the film is lonely and some people do purchase these figures to keep them company or for other purposes. This is furthered explored in the 2003 film Love Object (2003) starring Desmond Harrington and Melissa Sagemiller, where Harrington's character has a similar interest, as well as the film Lars and the Real Girl (2007) where 'Ryan Gosling' orders a lifelike doll and treats it like a regular person.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sam first arrives at the Sky Ranch and sits down with Ginger at the pool she is wearing a pink bandanna. The next seen it has completely disappeared off her head and she is seen picking it up off the chair when she walks off.

Quotes:

Sam Treadwell: The man is a psychopathic killer.
Ginger: Don't impose your values on me, Sam.

Movie Connections:

References Forbidden Planet (1956)

Surprisingly fantastic...a real treat

Okay, "Cherry 2000" has finally achieved "cult film" status. But unlike many other cult movies, it actually deserves the title.

There are many things to like about this flick. The nuanced, likeable Ben Johnson has a good role that even delivers some tragedy (how often do you get that in a b-movie?). The charismatic Griffith is alternately contemplative and kick-ass. Of course, Tim Thomerson as Lester nearly steals the show, providing a truly strange, ruthless villain.

The effects are cheesy, sure, but they never look fake, unlike a lot of the CGI films coming out today. When you see E. Johnson's Ford being dangled over the Hoover Dam, that is an ACTUAL car, not some stupid digital effect.

The movie does lay its message on thick, but considering the obvious budget constraints they were working with, that's a perfectly excuseable flaw. The satire is at times hilarious (watch for Larry Fishburne's turn as a lawyer with Morpheus-esque reflecting sunglasses, and the final exit of the villain is truly visually ironic). I bought this on DVD (having never seen it on TV) and really liked it...maybe you will, too.