The Wizard (1989)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Todd Holland

Writer (WGA):

David Chisholm (written by)

Release Date:

15 December 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

They're on a cross-country adventure to the world's greatest video championship. It's more than a game...it's the chance of a lifetime.

Plot:

A boy and his two friends run away from home and hitch cross country to compete in the ultimate video game championship.

Plot Keywords:

Video Game | Championship | Cross Country | Young Boy | Nintendo

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Luke Edwards	...	Jimmy Woods / The Wizard
Vince Trankina	...	Tate (as Vincent Leahr)
Wendy Phillips	...	Christine Bateman
Dea McAllister	...	Councelor
Sam McMurray	...	Bateman
Beau Bridges	...	Sam Woods
Fred Savage	...	Corey Woods
Christian Slater	...	Nick Woods
Will Seltzer	...	Putnam
Roy Conrad	...	Bus Clerk
Jenny Lewis	...	Haley
Roderick Dexter	...	Trucker #1
Ray Bickel	...	Trucker #2
Chuck Skinner	...	Grease Monkey
W.K. Cowan	...	Salesman #1

Runtime:

USA:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1994) | Iceland:L | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | UK:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Cabazon, California, USA

Company:

Finnegan/Pinchuk Productions

Trivia:

The sounds made by Lucas' Power Glove as he punches its keys are the famous five tones from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Corey is throwing darts at the map, in one scene there are two yellow darts on Wyoming and Arizona, but in the next scene they are gone, and there is a blue dart on Utah.

Quotes:

[about her mom]
Haley: She packed it in. She was a showgirl. Great legs. I got her legs, what do you think?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Angry Video Game Nerd: Super Mario Brothers 3 and 'The Wizard' (#3.7)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Leavin' On Your Mind

Lucas Barton, American Anti-Hero

This movie explores the depths of human emotions. It incorporates dramatic struggles ranging from a family being ripped apart because of a divorce (all too common in this work-a-day society), and a complex friendship being stretched to the limit because of the legendary California Videogame Championship. Corey and Jimmy are half-brothers. Jimmy has a dead twin sister. Mom has a new boyfriend. Dad owns a landscaping business. Throw in Christian Slater as a bad-ass older brother, a love triangle with three 13 year olds, the power-glove, and the song "Send Me and Angel" by Real Life and you have 1 intense peice of cinema. Watch out for cameos by the black dude from Batteries Not Included*, a guy with the same voice as Dicky Barrett, and Las Vegas. I've seen this movie over 3 times, and I still get chills when Corey and Jimmy have to sleep in Goblin Valley. Damn.