TRON (1982)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Steven Lisberger

Writers:

Steven Lisberger (story) and
Bonnie MacBird (story)

Release Date:

9 July 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The Electronic Gladiator

Plot:

A hacker is literally abducted into the world of a computer and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program.

Plot Keywords:

Computer | Alter Ego | Video Game | Computer Programmer | Cyberspace

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Jeff Bridges	...	Kevin Flynn / Clu
Bruce Boxleitner	...	Alan Bradley / Tron
David Warner	...	Ed Dillinger / Sark / Master Control Program
Cindy Morgan	...	Lora / Yori
Barnard Hughes	...	Dr. Walter Gibbs / Dumont
Dan Shor	...	Ram / Popcorn Co-Worker
Peter Jurasik	...	Crom
Tony Stephano	...	Peter / Sark's Lieutenant
Craig Chudy	...	Warrior #1
Vince Deadrick Jr.	...	Warrior #2 (as Vince Deadrick)
Sam Schatz	...	Expert Disc Warrior
Jackson Bostwick	...	Head Guard
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Factory Guard (as Dave Cass)
Gerald Berns	...	Guard #1
Bob Neill	...	Guard #2
Ted White	...	Guard #3
Mark Stewart	...	Guard #4
Michael Sax	...	Guard #5
Tony Brubaker	...	Guard #6
Charlie Picerni	...	Tank Commander (as Charles Picerni)
Pierre Vuilleumier	...	Tank Gunner #1
Erik Cord	...	Tank Gunner #2
Loyd Catlett	...	Conscript #1 / Video Game Cowboy
Michael Dudikoff	...	Conscript #2 (as Michael J. Dudikoff II)
Richard Bruce Friedman	...	Video Game Player
Rick Feck	...	Boy in Video Game Arcade
John Kenworthy	...	Boy in Video Game Arcade
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jerry Maren	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Lisberger

Writing credits
Steven Lisberger		(story) and
Bonnie MacBird		(story)

Produced by
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	associate producer
Donald Kushner	....	producer
Ron Miller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Wendy Carlos

Cinematography by
Bruce Logan

Film Editing by
Jeff Gourson

Casting by
Pam Polifroni

Production Design by
Syd Mead
Dean Edward Mitzner

Art Direction by
John B. Mansbridge
Al Roelofs

Set Decoration by
Roger M. Shook		(as Roger Shook)

Costume Design by
Eloise Jensson
Rosanna Norton
Lorry Richter		(costumes: men)
Nedra Rosemond-Watt		(costumes: women)

Makeup Department
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup supervisor
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ralph Sariego	....	unit production manager
Ted Schilz	....	studio production manager
Thomas L. Wilhite	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lisa Marmon	....	second assistant director
Lorin Bennett Salob	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Roger Allers	....	pre-production concepts
Robert M. Beall	....	draftsman (as Bob Beall)
John Dail	....	draftsman
Andy Gaskill	....	production storyboards
Jean Giraud	....	electronic conceptual design (as Jean 'Moebius' Giraud)
Antoinette J. Gordon	....	draftsman
Eugene Harris	....	draftsman
Bill Kroyer	....	production storyboards
Chris Lane	....	pre-production concepts
Peter Mueller	....	pre-production concepts
John Norton	....	pre-production concepts
John Norton	....	production storyboards
Shelley Phillips	....	production painter
Jerry Rees	....	production storyboards
Wilbur L. Russell	....	property manager
Bob Stahler	....	draftsman
Richard Taylor	....	electronic conceptual design

Sound Department
Robert Bradshaw	....	dialogue editor
Gordon Ecker	....	supervising sound editor (as Gordon Ecker Jr.)
Michael Fremer	....	sound design supervisor
Michael Fremer	....	sound
Stan Gilbert	....	dialogue editor
Robert Hathaway	....	sound department supervisor
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor
James LaRue	....	sound mixer (as Jim LaRue)
John M. Lowry	....	assistant sound editor
Vince Melandri	....	sound effects editor
Anthony Milch	....	sound effects editor
Bob Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lee Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob Newlan	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Serafine	....	sound effects design and synthesis
William Shenberg	....	dialog editor
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound effects editor
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	foley editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects technician
Mike Reedy	....	special effects technician
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects (uncredited)
David Domeyer	....	special effects (uncredited)
Hans Metz	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
John Aardal	....	animation compositing camera
Frank Amador	....	photo-rotoscope supervisor
William L. Arance	....	airbrush artist (as William Arance)
Andy Atkins	....	airbrush artist
Don Baker	....	animation compositing camera
Vicki Banks	....	assistant effects animator
John Bates	....	background composite assistant
Greg Battes	....	airbrush supervisor
Peter Blinn	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Allen Blyth	....	assistant effects animator
Bob Broughton	....	opticals
Jan Browning	....	matte production
Deena Burkett	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Don Button	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Glenn Campbell	....	animation compositing camera
Chris Casady	....	effects animator
Ed Coffey	....	assistant effects animator
Kerry Colonna	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Clint Colver	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Barry Cook	....	effects animator
William Cruse	....	animation camera
Dana Duff	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
Eric Durst	....	assistant effects animator
Lee Dyer	....	effects animation supervisor
Douglas Eby	....	animation compositing camera
Dennis Edwards	....	assistant effects animator
Harrison Ellenshaw	....	visual effects supervisor
George Epperson	....	animation compositing camera
Gail Finkeldei	....	effects animator
Mike Gibson	....	visual effects scene coordinator (as Michael Gibson)
John Grower	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Marian Guder	....	photo-rotoscope coordinator
Peter Gullerud	....	assistant effects animator
Sandra Harper	....	background composite assistant
Shelley Rae Hinton	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator (as Shelley Hinton)
Jacqueline Hooks	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator (as Jacqui Hooks)
Jim Keating	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Gayl Kelm	....	photo-rotoscope supervisor
Dick Kendall	....	animation compositing camera
Patric Kenly	....	abel camera
Patric Kenly	....	animation camera operator
Jeffrey Kleiser	....	computer production supervisor, digital effects inc.
Paul La Mori	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
Laura Leiben	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
David V. Lester	....	effects unit manager
Steven Lisberger	....	visual effects concepts
Annie McEveety	....	animation compositing camera
Stephen McEveety	....	effects unit manager
Tim McGovern	....	visual effects (computer animator) (Abel systems programmer)
Kieran Mulgrew	....	animation compositing camera
Craig Newman	....	visual effects scene coordinator
John Norton	....	effects animator
Ron Osenbaugh	....	photo-rotoscope supervisor (as Ron Obenbaugh)
Jim Pickel	....	animation compositing camera supervisor
Ron Rae	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
Roger Rinati	....	photo-rotoscope supervisor
Lynn Ringer	....	matte production
Cat Robson	....	background composite assistant (as Catherine Eby)
Darrell Rooney	....	effects animator
Maria Rosetti	....	assistant effects animator (as Maria Ramocki)
Dana Ross	....	animation compositing camera
Cynthia Rush	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
Marta Russell	....	background composite supervisor
Scott Russo	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
John Scheele	....	effects technical supervisor
Lorraine Schweizer	....	background composite assistant
Dave Scott	....	photo-rotoscope supervisor
Ron Stangl	....	assistant effects animator
David Stephan	....	assistant effects animator
Linda D. Stokes	....	visual effects scene coordinator
Richard Taylor	....	computer effects supervisor
Richard Taylor	....	visual effects supervisor
Lynda Thompson	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator (as Lynda Ellenshaw)
Maureen Trueblood	....	assistant effects animator
John Tucker	....	assistant effects animator
James Valentine	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
John T. Van Vliet	....	effects animator
Neil Viker	....	animation compositing camera
Paul Wainess	....	animation compositing camera
Byron Werner	....	assistant effects animator
Denise Wethington	....	visual effects assistant scene coordinator
Brandy Whittington	....	animation compositing camera
Michael Wolf	....	effects animator
Arnie Wong	....	matte production supervisor
Christopher Dusendschon	....	camera system design team: Robert Abel & Assoc. (uncredited)
Jammie Friday	....	rotoscope (uncredited)
Bill Kent	....	animation compositing camera (uncredited)
David Mattingly	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunts (as Bill Burton)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunt coordinator (as Richard E. Butler Jr.)
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (as Richard E. Butler Jr.)
James Deeth	....	stunts
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts
Rita Egleston	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Hank Hooker)
Gary Jensen	....	stunts
Al Jones	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Ross Reynolds	....	stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (as Glenn Wilder)
James Winburn	....	stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jamie Anderson	....	first assistant camera (as James M. Anderson)
Bernie Bayless	....	best boy
Owen Crompton	....	grip supervisor
Bernie Gagliano	....	background plate photographer
Kristopher Gregg	....	abel camera (as Kris Gregg)
Valerie Hagenbush	....	camera schedule coordinator
Gregg Heschong	....	camera operator
Herbert Hughes	....	electrician supervisor
Dave Iwerks	....	background plate photographer
Horace Jordan	....	first assistant camera
Christopher Keith	....	camera schedule coordinator
Gene Larmon	....	background plate photographer
Rexford L. Metz	....	camera operator
Ron Peebles	....	second grip
Roger Redel	....	gaffer
Stan Reed	....	key grip
Lynn Tomes	....	first assistant camera
Ron Vargas	....	camera operator
Michael D. Weldon	....	first assistant camera
Mario Zavala	....	second assistant camera
Peter McEvoy	....	animation camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Lisa Adams	....	ink and paint artist
Maria Alvarez	....	ink artist (as Maria Luisa Alvarez)
Priscilla Alvarez	....	ink and paint artist
Christopher D. Andrews	....	background artist
Peter Aries	....	international cel coordinator
Christina Caspary	....	ink artist
Gary Conklin	....	background artist
Cathy Crum	....	ink and paint artist
Alison DiCecio	....	ink and paint artist
Janette Downs	....	ink artist
Lillian Fitts	....	ink artist
Larry Grossman	....	background artist
Corey Harris	....	background artist
Paul Hernandez	....	international cel coordinator
May Kong	....	ink artist
Tia W. Kratter	....	background artist
Donald Leich	....	computer animator: Digital Effects Inc.
Peter Lloyd	....	background designer
Gene Miller	....	computer animator: Digital Effects Inc.
Flavia Mitman	....	ink and paint artist
Peter Mueller	....	background artist
Bonny Nardini	....	ink artist
Julian Pena	....	international cel coordinator
Ronnie Prinz	....	ink and paint artist
Elaine Robinson	....	ink and paint artist
Jesse Silver	....	background painting supervisor
Ann Sorensen	....	ink and paint artist (as Ann Marie Sorenson)
Auril Thompson	....	effects ink and paint supervisor (as Auril Pebley)
Donald Towns	....	background artist
Frank Vitz	....	computer animator
James Wang	....	production ink and paint matting: Cuckoo's Nest Studios (as Chung Yuan Wang)
Thomas Woodington	....	background artist
Raulette Woods	....	international cel coordinator
Tim Burton	....	animator (uncredited)
David Halver	....	ink and paint artist (uncredited)
Rick Moore	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jack Sandeen	....	costume supervisor
Jack Sandeen	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Ed Capliano	....	negative cutter
Baylis Glascock	....	assistant editor
Walter Hekking	....	assistant editor
Martin Welsh	....	color timer

Music Department
Richard Bowden	....	conductor: Los Angeles Orchestra
Jorge Calandrelli	....	orchestrator
Wendy Carlos	....	music synthesizer performances and processing
Annemarie Franklin	....	assistant to composer
Michael Fremer	....	music supervisor
Douglas Gamley	....	conductor: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Jeffrey G. Gusman	....	music layout
John Mosely	....	score recordist
Tom Bocci	....	music supervisor: songs (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dyke Johnson	....	effects transportation
Katy Johnson	....	effects transportation

Other crew
Robert Abel	....	abel systems supervisor
Peter Anderson	....	photographic process lab supervisor
Richard 'Dr.' Baily	....	abel systems programmer
Edle Bakke	....	script supervisor
Dave Barnett	....	computer systems and software development
Carolyn Bates	....	background technical inker
Tom Bisogno	....	synthavision production
Nancy Hunter Campi	....	magi/synthavisionscene programmer
Martin O. Cohen	....	synthavision technologist
Michael G. Craig	....	production assistant
Art Cruickshank	....	photographic process lab supervisor
Champ Davenport	....	mcp voice processing
Michael Dilbeck	....	special record coordinator
William Dungan Jr.	....	iii scene programmer
Art Durinski	....	iii object digitizing
Larry Elin	....	magi/synthavision scene creation concepts (as Larry Elin Popielinski)
Stephanie Graziano	....	sample art supervisor
Rob Hummel	....	laboratory coordinator
Dave Inglish	....	computer systems and software development
Don Iwerks	....	mechanical designs and conversions
Debra DeVito Jackson	....	production assistant
Mark Kimball	....	computer systems and software development
Bill Kovacs	....	abel systems programmer
Bill Kroyer	....	computer image choreographer
Eileen Kuramoto	....	film logging
Peggy Lisberger	....	secretary to Mr. Lisberger
Peter Lloyd	....	electronic world conceptual artist
Larry Malone	....	iii scene programmer
Jack Manning	....	mcp voice processing
Mal McMillan	....	iii scene programmer
Syd Mead	....	electronic world conceptual artist
Kenny Mirman	....	abel design supervisor
Mical Morrish	....	production assistant
Anna-Lisa Nilsson	....	assistant: Mr. Lisberger
Denise Olivo	....	production assistant
Bob Otto	....	mechanical designs and conversions
Kenneth Perlin	....	synthavision technologist
Don Porterfield	....	mechanical designs and conversions
Marty Prager	....	computer systems and software development
Jerry Rees	....	computer image choreographer (as Jerry W. Rees)
Craig W. Reynolds	....	iii scene programmer
Judson Rosebush	....	systems supervisor: Digital Effects Inc.
Michael Schulz	....	production assistant
Jeremy Schwartz	....	iii scene programmer
Herbert Steinberg	....	synthavision technologist
Bill Tondreau	....	computer systems and software development
Eugene Troubetzkoy	....	synthavision technologist
Frank Vitz	....	abel systems programmer
Chris Wedge	....	magi/synthavision scene programmer
Lynn Wilkinson	....	iii computer production coordinator
Wendy Williams	....	production assistant
John Beach	....	synthavision production (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Lisberger/Kushner
• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1982) (Australia) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Digital Effects Inc.
• MAGI-Synthavision
• Robert Abel and Associates
• Stargate Films

Other Companies

• Cuckoo's Nest Studios  production ink and paint matting
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Inter Video  24 frame video services

Also Known As:

Tron (UK)
Tron: The Electronic Gladiator (Australia)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA | Taiwan

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Netherlands:MG6 (20th anniversary collector's edition) | Iceland:L | Peru:PT | South Korea:15 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California, USA

Company:

Lisberger/Kushner

Trivia:

While computer animation was used in several scenes, the technology did not exist for a shot to contain both live actors and computer animation. Live-action shots were combined with hand-drawn animation. Strong editing, such as with the light cycle chase, created an apparently seamless blend of actors and computer animation.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Flynn runs through the computer halls shortly before he gets scanned in the computer, you see a crew member sitting behind a column and several others reflected in the glass on the same column.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boy in Video Game Arcade: All right, give me room. Here we go.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Super Best Friends (#5.3)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

1990s Theme

A Beautiful Film

More than just reminiscent of Lang's Metropolis, Tron is a beautiful, well made exercise from a main stream producer (Disney) which reminds us of the time before Jurassic Park and Episode One where creative skill was left to human perception rather than a computer's digitally correct ideal. Owing more to the human colourists than the now outdated computer effects, this film is evidence - similar in a way to Kubric's pre-Moon landing, pre-CGI 2001 - to the creative and more sensory-pleasing abilities of the human artist over soul-less programmers, from a time before when a box would 'parse' it all for you. It's difficult to express how high-powered computers fail to create an image that is satisfactory to the human eye; there is always something that rings false about it. Tron was created in a period of wire diagrams being the best you could coax from a computer; anything else was added by human hand. A film that makes you nostalgic for the time when Disney made films that were accessible for all, almost Bakshi-like in its disregard for the mainstream. There is struggle against adversity; there is an oppressive, evil regime; there are two heroes who survive despite all odds; and there is love conquering all (a token woman is included as love interest. Ironically like the IT industry). The naive use of technical jargon merely adds to the "computer program" style setting and this film is ideally suited for today's retro-chic society. As a Disney film this is aimed predominantly at children, so if you fail to understand the plot then I would recommend sticking to the Lion King or some other pabulum. This is a great film - watch it.