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 | computer | love | 

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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 cabinet video game Madeline plays at the convenience store is a later version release of the original Space Invaders video game. In turn, Space Invaders' design was partly inspired by video game - Breakout - which involves destroying bricks. Madeline's love interest includes Miles - who is attempting to produce earthquake-proof bricks.

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Goofs

When Miles asks Madeleine out, she says she has rehearsals every night except Wednesday. Then later she says she can see him Wednesday, he asks 'what about rehearsal?' And she replies 'they cancelled it'.

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Quotes

Miles Harding: [after a date gone wrong] Wake up! We're gonna have it out right now! WAKE UP GOD DAMN IT!
[Miles slams keyboard]
Edgar: [emits an infernal yell]
Miles Harding: What was that?
Edgar: [screen turns red] Don't *ever* do that again.
Miles Harding: *Don't* tell me what to do!
Edgar: [emits another infernal yell]
Miles Harding: And stop that infernal noise! She'll hear you!
Edgar: Maybe that's what I want.
Miles Harding: GOD DAMN IT! Listen, I'm warning you, if you ever...
[...]

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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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Connections

References Alien (1979)

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Soundtracks

Karma Chameleon
Adapted by John Gregory and Harry Rabinowitz
Composed by Boy George (as George O'Dowd), Jon Moss, Mikey Craig (as Michael Craig),
Phil Pickett
(c)1983 Virgin Music (publishers) Limited/Warner Bros. Music Limited

User Reviews

computer life

Steve Barron's "Electric Dreams" will almost certainly be one of the hardest movies to find, but if you can you should definitely check it out. It got released around the time when computers were starting to become part of everyone's lives, and it seems to be predicting just how much these devices would come to dominate our lives. Lenny Von Dohlen (never heard of him until I saw this movie) plays an architect who buys a computer to get better organized, but an unexpected event turns the thing into a sillier version of HAL...especially after the owner falls for his musician neighbor (a young Virginia Madsen).

At once piece of light entertainment and a look at relationships, this movie does it just right. Some scenes are probably just comic relief, like the concert, but the computer does teach the man a good lesson about life. You're bound to love what the computer does in the movie's last scene.

All in all, a really fun movie. I can't believe that it's out of print while tons of boring movies get special edition DVDs. Definitely check it out if you can. Watch for a young Miriam Margolyes as a ticket taker.