WarGames (1983)

A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes

Stars:

Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, John Wood

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matthew Broderick	...	David
Dabney Coleman	...	McKittrick
John Wood	...	Falken
Ally Sheedy	...	Jennifer
Barry Corbin	...	General Beringer
Juanin Clay	...	Pat Healy
Kent Williams	...	Cabot
Dennis Lipscomb	...	Watson
Joe Dorsey	...	Conley
Irving Metzman	...	Richter
Michael Ensign	...	Beringer's Aide
William Bogert	...	Mr. Lightman
Susan Davis	...	Mrs. Lightman
James Tolkan	...	Wigan
David Clover	...	Stockman

Storyline

A young computer whiz kid accidentally connects into a top secret super-computer which has complete control over the U.S. nuclear arsenal. It challenges him to a game between America and Russia, and he innocently starts the countdown to World War 3. Can he convince the computer he wanted to play a game and not the real thing ?

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Plot Keywords:

game | computer | norad | teenager | high school | 

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Taglines:

"Global Thermonuclear War." You may think it's one hell of a game. You couldn't be more right.

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 June 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

War Games

Filming Locations:

Snohomish High School - 1316 5th Street, Snohomish, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$79,568,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists, Sherwood Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The infirmary door lock keypad has 16 buttons. With a six-digit code as audibly signified as using only two of those buttons, each pressed three times in succession, there would be only 120 possible combinations. Adding the restriction that they be adjacent to each other, there would be only 24 possible combinations for David to try, and only 12 if they were known to be adjacent horizontally.

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Goofs

When David is playing Galaga as Jennifer is talking to him. He has three ships left in the lower left of the screen. After his doubled ships are destroyed the game shows the end of the game screen with his proficiency. However he should have had (3) more ships to continue the game.

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Quotes

FBI Agent George Wigan: He does fit the profile perfectly. He's intelligent, but an under-achiever; alienated from his parents; has few friends. Classic case for recruitment by the Soviets.
Lyle Watson: Now what does this say about the state of our country, hmm?
[General Beringer rolls his eyes]
Lyle Watson: I mean have you gotten any insight as to why a, a bright boy like this would jeopardize the lives of millions?
FBI Agent George Wigan: No sir. He says he does this sort of thing for fun.
John McKittrick: What?
Arthur Cabot: Dammit, John, I want some answers and I want them *now*!

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Connections

Featured in Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

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Soundtracks

Edge Of The World
Performed by Yvonne Elliman
Music by Arthur B. Rubinstein
Lyrics by Cynthia Morrow

User Reviews

How about a nice game of Chess?

"War Games" is for the eighties, what "Colossis: The Forbin Project" was for the seventies, and "Fail Safe" in the sixties. A glitch in a computer security system allows a brilliant but erratic high school student to accidentally cause the military's war computer to begin a game which the military sees as real. Because of human errors in previous game scenarios, the human element was removed from the system and the computer given complete control. The mistakes begin to compound from there as the FBI decide that 16 year old David Lightman is a soviet agent. Meanwhile the command at NORAD is preparing for an inbound soviet missile attack that could come at any moment.

Matthew Broderickis excellent in an all star cast including Dabney Coleman, Ally Sheedy, Barry Corbin and John Woods with direction by John Badham. An excellent film all round.