WarGames (1983)

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Lawrence Lasker (written by) &
Walter F. Parkes (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

3 June 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The only winning move is not to play.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Computer | Joshua | High School | Norad | Teenager

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

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	...	Nigan
David Clover	...	Stockman
Drew Snyder	...	Ayers
John Garber	...	Corporal in the Infirmary
Duncan Wilmore	...	Major Lem
Billy Ray Sharkey	...	Radar Analyst
John Spencer	...	Jerry
Michael Madsen	...	Steve
Erik Stern	...	Commander
Gary Bisig	...	Deputy
Gary Sexton	...	Technician
Jason Bernard	...	Captain Knewt
Frankie Hill	...	Airman Fields
Jesse D. Goins	...	Sergeant (as Jesse Goins)
Alan Blumenfeld	...	Mr. Liggett
Len Lawson	...	Boys Vice Principal
Maury Chaykin	...	Jim Sting
Eddie Deezen	...	Malvin
Stephen Lee	...	Sgt. Schneider
Lucinda Crosby	...	Nurse in Infirmary
Stack Pierce	...	Airman
Art LaFleur	...	Guard
Brad David	...	Flight Pilot Leader (as Brad David Berwick)
Martha Shaw	...	Vice Principal's Secretary
Howie Allen	...	Boy in Arcade
Michael Adams	...	Travis
James Ackerman	...	Joshua
Jim Harriott	...	Newscaster
Tom Lawrence	...	Sgt. Sims
Frances E. Nealy	...	Visitor (as Frances Nealy)
Charles Akins	...	Major Ford
Glenn Standifer	...	Major Wenstin
Edward Jahnke	...	NORAD Officer
Paul V. Picerni Jr.	...	Technician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William H. Macy	...	NORAD Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Badham

Writing credits
Lawrence Lasker		(written by) &
Walter F. Parkes		(written by)
Walon Green		uncredited

Produced by
Leonard Goldberg	....	executive producer
Richard Hashimoto	....	associate producer
Harold Schneider	....	producer
Bruce McNall	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Arthur B. Rubinstein

Cinematography by
William A. Fraker		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Wallis Nicita		(as Wally Nicita)

Production Design by
Angelo P. Graham

Art Direction by
James J. Murakami

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Barry Francis Delaney		(costumes: men) (as Barry F. Delaney)

Makeup Department
Michael Germain	....	makeup artist (as Perry Michael Germain)
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair stylist
Brenda Todd	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Richard Hashimoto	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold	....	first assistant director
Robert J. Doherty	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Gregg H. Bilson	....	property master
Robert Scaife	....	construction coordinator
John M. Schenk	....	assistant property master
Kevin Shanks	....	tile/floor covering (uncredited)
Daniel Turk	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Peter Van Zyl	....	greensman (uncredited)
Mike Villarino	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound effects editor
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
William L. Manger	....	supervising sound effects editor
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Craig Harris	....	voice processing (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mick Baran	....	special electronic effects crew
Bill Cobb	....	special electronic effects crew
Robert Cole	....	special electronic effects foreman
Joe Digaetano	....	special effects
Richard Hoffenberg	....	special electronic effects crew
Bruce Knechtges	....	special electronic effects crew
Robin Dean Leyden	....	special electronic effects crew
Robin Reilly	....	special electronic effects crew
Mark Stivers	....	special electronic effects crew
Robert Wilcox	....	special electronic effects crew (as Robert G. Wilcox Jr.)
David Domeyer	....	special effects (uncredited)
R.J. Hohman	....	special effects wireman (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Colin Cantwell	....	computer graphics design consultant
Jack Cooperman	....	miniature photography
Marcia Dripchak	....	computer graphics unit
Michael L. Fink	....	visual effects supervisor
Linda Fleisher	....	visual effects consultant
Steve Grumette	....	computer video consultant
Don Hansard	....	process coordinator
David R. Hardberger	....	computer graphics unit (as David Hardberger)
Judith Herman	....	computer graphics unit
Geoffrey Kirkland	....	visual consultant
Sylvia Lovegren	....	computer graphics unit
Jonathan Seay	....	computer graphics unit
Wayne Baker	....	assistant camera: miniature unit (uncredited)

Stunts
Marguerite Happy	....	stunts
Al Jones	....	stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Rick Avery	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Elliott	....	stunt double: Matthew Broderick (uncredited)
Marguerite Happy	....	stunt double: Ally Sheedy (uncredited)
Al Jones	....	stunt double: John Wood (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Anderberg	....	grip
Gerald H. Boatright	....	assistant chief lighting technician
David E. Diano	....	assistant camera
Gary R. Dodd	....	key grip (as Gary Dodd)
To Lee	....	camera assistant trainee
Ralph Nelson	....	still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.)
Doug Pentek	....	chief lighting technician
Richard Turner	....	assistant camera
Richard Walden	....	additional camera operator
Steve Yaconelli	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Pat Orseth	....	location casting: Seattle

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Matthews	....	costumer: women
Ray Summers	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Ray Martin	....	color timer
Liza Randol	....	assistant film editor
Michael Ripps	....	associate film editor

Music Department
Mark Hoder	....	orchestrator
Joe Tuley	....	music editor
Anthony Marinelli	....	musician: synthesizer (uncredited)
Anthony Marinelli	....	song producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Randy Musselman	....	driver captain

Other crew
Joy Anzarouth	....	production coordinator
Robert C. Decker	....	location manager (as Robert Decker)
Robert Eggenweiler	....	location manager
Lyla Foggia	....	unit publicist
John Garber	....	dialogue coach
Dana Satler Hankins	....	assistant: Mr. Badham (as Dana Satler)
Richard Keefe	....	process librarian
Harold Michelson	....	continuity consultant
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor
Derry J. Pearce	....	production auditor
Bill Watson	....	pterosaur consultant
Duncan Wilmore	....	technical advisor
Mike Berro	....	computer programmer (uncredited)
Lynn Hendee	....	production executive (uncredited)
Kevin King	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Anthony Marinelli	....	synthesizer programmer (uncredited)
Lynn Dee Schwarz	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• United Artists
• Sherwood Productions

Distributors

• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (UK) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1984) (USA) (video) (CED Videodisc)
• Guardian Television Network (GTN) (2006) (USA) (TV)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (25th anniversary edition)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (UK) (VHS) (PEV 99405 / Pre-Cert Video)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals
• UAA Films Limited, Australia  production services

Also Known As:

"War Games" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:12 (1984) | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | UK:12 (re-rating) (2013)

Filming Locations:

333 S Arden Blvd, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

The computer seen in the black and white film of Falken is made up from components of an IBM AN/FSQ-7 Combat Direction Central, built in 1954 to protect the US from Soviet bomber attack. It was the largest and heaviest computer system ever built, the full system weighing 6000 tons and taking up an entire floor of a bomb-proof blockhouse. Components of decommissioned systems were sold for scrap and bought by film and television production companies who wanted futuristic looking computers, despite the fact they were built in the 1950s. The components used in this film were previously used in 'The Time Tunnel (1966)' and 'The Towering Inferno (1974)' amongst many others.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scene where an unknown Air Force woman is walking around Joshua and is apparently working on checklist, there is no paper on the clipboard as you can see the reflection from the clipboard.

Quotes:

Stephen Falken:The whole point was to find a way to practice nuclear war without destroying ourselves. To get the computers to learn from mistakes we couldn't afford to make. Except, I never could get Joshua to learn the most important lesson.
David Lightman:What's that?
Stephen Falken:Futility. That there's a time when you should just give up.
Jennifer:What kind of a lesson is that?
Stephen Falken:Did you ever play tic-tac-toe?
Jennifer:Yeah, of course.
Stephen Falken:But you don't anymore.
Jennifer:No.
Stephen Falken:Why?
Jennifer:Because it's a boring game. It's always a tie.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features Donkey Kong (1981) (VG)

Soundtrack:

History Lesson (Long Line Leading To Man)

Let's play Global Thermonuclear War

WarGames is a film which in some ways seems hopelessly dated and in other ways seems to have been way ahead of its time. There's the Cold War angle, the United States and the Soviet Union gearing up for the seemingly inevitable World War III and the nuclear holocaust that would go along with it. It's a 1980s storyline which doesn't play as well all these years later with the Soviet Union long having been consigned to the dustbin of history. Nowadays the threat comes not from one communist superpower but from...well, pretty much anywhere it seems. But then again this movie, made in 1983, is at its heart really about a computer hacker. Who, in 1983, even knew there was such a thing as a computer hacker? Ahead of its time this movie is.

While certain aspects of the story may seem less relevant today there is no denying that WarGames is an effective, entertaining thriller. There may be some flaws in the movie's logic now and again, not everything we see seems entirely plausible. But the movie works. The story centers around Seattle high school student David Lightman, who is not doing particularly well in school. But it's not because he isn't bright, he certainly is. He just seems unmotivated and perhaps distracted by his obsession with computers. That obsession plays itself out as he attempts to hack into a video game manufacturer's computer...and instead unknowingly hacks into a Defense Department computer. In playing the "games" on that computer he almost starts World War III. Whoops.

Matthew Broderick plays David and his performance is excellent as he portrays a young teen who finds himself caught up in a situation behind his imagination. Ally Sheedy plays his friend Jennifer, a character who seems a tad bit underdeveloped. It often seems that Jennifer's just along for the ride rather than having any real purpose in the plot. But Sheedy does well with what she has to work with. Our young hero and heroine are very much the focus of the story, at times to detrimental effect. All the adults in the story seem rather one-dimensional. Some of them have very important roles to play in the story yet we never know much of anything about them. Besides David and Jennifer there's really only one other character for whom there is any kind of character development going on and that character doesn't even show up until rather late in the proceedings. But this is a movie which will definitely hold your attention. It's a tense, taut thriller which also has some heart to it. And it often looks spectacular, most notably in the scenes which take place inside the NORAD war room, a movie set which was stunningly impressive for its time and actually would still be stunningly impressive today. All in all WarGames is a well-made, suspenseful, enjoyable film. It has its flaws but it is still a film well worth seeing.