Electric Dreams (1984)

An artificially intelligent PC and his human owner find themselves in a romantic rivalry over a woman.

Director:

Steve Barron

Writer:

Rusty Lemorande

Stars:

Lenny von Dohlen, Virginia Madsen, Maxwell Caulfield

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lenny von Dohlen	...	Miles Harding
Virginia Madsen	...	Madeline Robistat
Maxwell Caulfield	...	Bill
Bud Cort	...	Edgar (voice)
Don Fellows	...	Mr. Ryley
Alan Polonsky	...	Frank, Co-Worker
Wendy Miller	...	Computer Clerk
Harry Rabinowitz	...	Conductor
Miriam Margolyes	...	Ticket Girl
Holly De Jong	...	Ryley's Receptionist
Stella Maris	...	Woman at Airport
Mary Doran	...	Millie
Diana Choy	...	Check-Out Girl
Jim Steck	...	Removal Man
Gary Pettinger	...	Removal Man

Storyline

Miles buys himself a state-of-the-art computer that starts expressing thoughts and emotions after a having champagne spilled down on him. Things start getting out of hand when both Miles and Edgar, how the computer calls himself, fall in love with Madeline, an attractive neighbour.

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Plot Keywords:

cello | smart house | artificial intelligence | boy wearing glasses | human versus computer | 

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Taglines:

The most unusual triangle in the history of love: a boy, a girl, and a computer.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 July 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amor é Música

Filming Locations:

1115-1117 Mason Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,009,586, 22 July 1984, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$2,193,612

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,467,664

Company Credits

Production Co:

Virgin

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cello piece played by Madeline in the song "The Duel" is the Minuet #4 in G (BWV Anh.II.114) from "Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach" by Christian Petzold (formerly attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach).

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Goofs

In the final sequence where the theme song "Together In Electric Dreams" is being played, a person carrying a 80's boom box styled Hi-Fi walks past, in the reflection of the tape deck of the Hi-Fi the crew and equipment are visible.

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Quotes

[having just played The Duel improv with Edgar, Madeline attempts to communicate, thinking it was Miles]
Madeline Robistat: [into air vent] Hello? Can you hear me down there? I... just wanted to say that... well, that was wonderful! Hello? Can you hear me? Hello? Now, don't be shy; that was just beautiful!
[camera pans up from Miles' empty apartment into vent and up to Madeline's vent]
Madeline Robistat: [to herself] Hmm. Very smart. But weird.
[clicks vent shut]

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Crazy Credits

In the opening credits: Green Text: A VIRGIN PICTURES PRODUCTION Multicolored Text: hello Green Text: HELLO Multicolored Text: is this a story? Green Text: YES Multicolored Text: what type? Green Text: FAIRYTALE FOR COMPUTERS Multicolored Text: name? Green Text: ELECTRIC DREAMS Then, both texts disappear and the movie's title appears in the multicolored text.

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Alternate Versions

When released on DVD in region 2, distributed by Hollywood Classics on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC and made available to the UK exclusively by Second Sight Films, the opening card was again the MGM lion, with URL added, but omitting the a capella opening lyrics entirely. The opening text starts at "A VIRGIN PICTURES PRODUCTION".

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Connections

Featured in Culture Club: The Dream (1985)

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Soundtracks

Let It Run
Performed, Composed and Produced by Jeff Lynne
(c)1984 Virgin Music (Publishers) Limited

User Reviews

A movie to make you miss the 80's

This movie takes us back to 1984, a time when computers were still mysterious machines which inspired notions of science fiction in the minds of average persons.

I was only 12 years old when I first saw this movie on HBO back in 1984(5?). This movie really captured my imagination. Computers fascinated me and "Electric Dreams" bolstered that fascination with a fluid plot, dazzling special effects, and a captivating soundtrack. The music, in particular is so good, I could still sing/hum the tunes for years after first seeing the movie. My favorite has to be the "Duel" song between a cello and the computer. Wild, wacky, wonderful stuff!