Howdy creditors. I mentioned a bit ago in my introductions post about how Iâm watching through a genre of movies Iâve been calling âcomputerâ movies. The genre is a bit nebulous, but here's the main points:
1. There's a computer
2. Interacting with the computer is plot crucial
3. The movie relies on you (in some part) to think this is compelling
BONUS: The movie doesn't really get how computers work.
To that end, I've been collecting every movie I suspect falls under that rough definition into a [letterboxd list](https://boxd.it/sluUe) and been watching them as I come across them. So far, I've seen 18 of the 84 movies on the list.
In this thread, let's talk about computer movies! I'll share ones I've particularly enjoyed (or disliked), please do so as well! Especially if I don't already have it on my letterboxd list lol.
To kick things off, probably the one that got me the most was _Electric Dreams_. [URL=https://i.imgur.com/qhZQVTk.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/qhZQVTk.jpeg[/IMG][/URL]
A man and his computer both fall for the same girl, hijinks ensue.
RATING:
Computer Score: 5 CDROMs out of 5
I actually cried at the end of this movie, I went in not expecting much, but it ended up being very sweet and very stylish. Is it actually worth crying over? Probably not, but something about it was very touching to me. It has all the makings of an 80s cult classic comedy in the vein of _Mannequin_, but instead of Kim Cattrall coming to life when she's alone with Andrew McCarthy, it's a story about a computer slowly gaining sentience and learning about what it means to live and love (and also there's a real jerk of a leading man). I would fully recommend seeing this movie vs most others we'll likely talk about on this list.
I bullied @trapperjohnmd into making this thread because yesterday while I was browsing movies at the record shop I came across Tom Clancy's NETFORCE which promises to be very educated about computers. I feel like I remember this being advertised on TV during the era??
> The movie relies on you (in some part) to think this is compelling
> BONUS: The movie doesnât really get how computers work.
I think Insert Credit would get a kick out of **3615 PERE NOEL** a.k.a. **Dial Code: Santa Claus** a.k.a. **Deadly Games** a.k.a. **Game Over** a.k.a. **Hide and Freak**, a 1989 movie about a computer wiz kid having his lonely home invaded (and dog slaughtered) by a serial killer disguised as Santa Claus and getting the problem resolved on his own with the helps of his toys, tech and wiles. Itâs basically *what if Home Alone was a Horror movie (and released a year before Home Alone)?*
Also possibly the most notable use of Minitel (Franceâs "Internet before the Internet") in a movieâs plot. Here are two different English trailers for the movie:
https://youtu.be/tSCrg_qMI1s
https://youtu.be/LbMAU18h85Q
Here is an English review of the Blu Ray release:
https://youtu.be/As8n4SfIwrg
>
@âtrapperjohnmdâ#p158234 probably the one that got me the most was Electric Dreams.
You must be the first person in the History of Mankind to talk about **Electric Dreams** and not mention [its soundtrack](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSGVVEAakzy4OVvEiSx93Eft2iLDHCCEV) once!
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@âexodusâ#p158247 Tom Clancyâs NETFORCE
Iâd love to see this, and also the 2024 version of this with TIKTOK instead of THE INTERNET.
Well, I saw this. There is a French dubbed [4:3 rip on Youtube](https://youtu.be/-AfxTA40wyQ) for *NetForce de Tom Clancy*. Very compently dubbed, I should add; pretty high caliber voice actors who clearly had fun with this one.
Itâs exactly what youâd expect of « Tom Clancy getting scared of the Internet », with Scott Bakula as an expy of Jack Ryan who gets in trouble with the top brass and sees his rightful justice and actions hindered by management, company procedures, demâ stupid laws, his ex-wife and liberal politics â but triumphs at the end of the day.
The bad guy is clearly inspired by Bill Gates. The good guy is banging his own subordinate and she makes jokes about sexual harassment. On topic: there are optical discs, fast finger hacking, digital avatar ghosts of dead people and virtual reality (more importantly, virtual reality used to visit a oriental harem-themed virtual brothel to select a real life call girl that « looks like Drew Barrymore »).
There is also a random dig at JFK for some reason, a pretty fun 56kbps Modem sound every time a new localeâs information is displayed on screen, and a scene with the most popular Arcade games in the future of 2005: Aera 51, Maximum Force and Killer Instinct. Featuring an All Star cast of "That Guy"s such as Brian Dennehy, Kris Kristofferson, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Frank Vincent.
I hope against all hope that weâll make fun of the general fear against the A.I. revolution in the same way around 2034.
@âââmaruâ#p159296 computer wiz kid having his lonely home invaded (and dog slaughtered) by a serial killer disguised as Santa Claus and getting the problem resolved on his own with the helps of his toys, tech and wiles.
Heck yeah, this sounds like it rocks. added to my list.
@âââmaruâ#p159296 You must be the first person in the History of Mankind to talk about Electric Dreams and not mention its soundtrack once!
The soundtrack is a banger, but I'm betting it might be a factor why we haven't seen an American home video rerelease... give me a nice blu ray, and put Together in Electric Dreams up on spotify!!
Ok, I got a twofer! [URL=https://i.imgur.com/3mhpQoK.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/3mhpQoK.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] _Computer Hearts_ wasn't really jaw dropping. It felt very much like a student film with a few nice looking gore effects, but very.... _inspired_..... by Cronenberg. Namely _Videodrome_ and _eXistenZ_. I don't have much to say about this. It's trans. That's cool I guess. I kinda wish we got more build up with the sex bot. If you like this one, though, check out _Virtual Girl_ (1998). It's not trans, but has cool virtual landscapes that some softcore porn happens in.
Computer score:
There was a computer sex scene. 3 floppy discs out of 3.
[URL=https://i.imgur.com/NaDEgdU.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/NaDEgdU.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] _DeathPenalty(dot)Com: A New Beginning_
The sequel (?) prequel (?) to _DeathPenalty(dot)Com_. It's not as good as that one, less focused on the deathpenalty website/game somehow? Kinda incomprehensible? Wild. I dunno. It was ugly, and every shot was at a Dutch angle (to the point that it really seems like the tripod was broken?) or such shaky handheld that I almost was wondering if it was going to be found footage. No need to watch this one, and honestly no reason to watch the first one, but the first one was fun because I underestimated it so much (because it wasn't that great) that the twist ending really got me.
