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WarGames (1983)

PG | | Sci-Fi, Thriller | 3 June 1983 (USA)
WarGames Poster
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.

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Stars:

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Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
... David
... McKittrick
... Falken
... Jennifer
... General Beringer
... Pat Healy
Kent Williams ... Cabot
... Watson
Joe Dorsey ... Conley
Irving Metzman ... Richter
... Beringer's Aide
... Mr. Lightman
Susan Davis ... Mrs. Lightman
... Wigan
David Clover ... Stockman
See full cast »
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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 ? Written by Colin Tinto <cst@imdb.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

teenager | hacker | cold war | paranoia | game | See All (80) »

Taglines:

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

Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

3 June 1983 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

The Genius  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,227,804, 5 June 1983, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$79,568,000
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

,  »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(70 mm prints)| (35 mm prints)

Color:

(Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Matthew Broderick would work with John Wood and Dabney Coleman again. Wood in Ladyhawke (1985). And Coleman in Inspector Gadget (1999). See more »

Goofs

When David, Jennifer, Stephen Falken and their driver are running down the tunnel at NORAD, the door securing the mountain is shown to be close to be closed and moving toward being fully closed. When they arrive at the door with Pat, the door is further open than it was before. See more »

Quotes

Mr. Lightman: This corn is raw!
Mrs. Lightman: I know, isn't it wonderful? It's so crisp!
Mr. Lightman: Of course it's crisp! It's raw!
Mrs. Lightman: No, it's terrific. You can just taste the Vitamin A and E in here. It's great.
Mr. Lightman: Could we have pills and cook the corn?
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game (1997) See more »

Soundtracks

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did David manage to connect with such a secure defense system computer like "Joshua", aka the WOPR?
Q: What's the video game that David is playing at the arcade when he's late for school?
Q: Why was David letting his computer dial so many random numbers in the Sunnyvale area?
See more »

User Reviews

 
Ahead of it's time
18 June 2005 | by – See all my reviews

Wargames was a movie that was way ahead of its time. No one was making films about hacking into computer systems. The only computers used in movies were on space ships. No home computer has ever really been brought to the big screen. Wargames broke from the normal studio sci fi norm of either Earth being visited by aliens (E.T) or battles of Good and Evil in space (Star Wars, Star Trek). With the raise in hacker crime rate now, and seeing how Dependant we've become on computers, Wargames was a movie with it the eye on the future. Imaginative story, great cast (who, despite other reviews, do not phone it in) Wargames is a true gem, as it was recently listed by AFI as one of the top 100 sci fi movies of all time. Broderick was perfect as a slacker teen, and Ally Sheedy turns in one of her best performance, making the most of an under developed character. Dabney Coleman showed why he was one of the busiest actors in the 1980's (though he always better cast as a villain), and Barry Corbin could play almost anything convincingly. while the special effects may be dated by todays standard, Wargames helped shape the way people think and speak. Backdoors, hacking, were not common terms like they are today. Without a doubt, much in agreement with AFI, Wargames remains one of the most important films ever made.
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