6.6/10
50,281
98 user 44 critic

Short Circuit (1986)

PG | | Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi | 9 May 1986 (USA)
Short Circuit Poster
Trailer
1:49 | Trailer

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ON DISC
Number 5 of a group of experimental robots in a lab is electrocuted, suddenly becomes intelligent, and escapes.

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

S.S. Wilson, Brent Maddock

Stars:

Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens | See full cast & crew »
50
Reviews
Popularity
2,777 ( 721)
1 win & 3 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

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Photos

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Short Circuit 2 (1988)
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Robot Johnny Five comes to the city and gets manipulated by criminals who want him for their own purposes.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ally Sheedy ... Stephanie Speck
Steve Guttenberg ... Newton Crosby
Fisher Stevens ... Ben Jabituya
Austin Pendleton ... Howard Marner
G.W. Bailey ... Skroeder
Brian McNamara ... Frank
Tim Blaney ... Number 5 (voice)
Marvin J. McIntyre ... Duke
John Garber John Garber ... Otis
Penny Santon Penny Santon ... Mrs. Cepeda
Vernon Weddle Vernon Weddle ... General Washburne
Barbara Tarbuck ... Senator Mills
Tom Lawrence ... Howard Marner's Aide
Fred Slyter Fred Slyter ... Norman
Billy Ray Sharkey Billy Ray Sharkey ... Zack
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

Number 5, one of a group of experimental military robots, undergoes a sudden transformation after being struck by lightning. He develops self-awareness, consciousness, and a fear of the reprogramming that awaits him back at the factory. With the help of a young woman, Number 5 tries to evade capture and convince his creator that he has truly become alive. Written by Jean-Marc Rocher <rocher@fiberbit.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

mistaken for alien | animal lover | artificial intelligence | robot | struck by lightning | See All (49) »

Taglines:

Life is not a malfunction. See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 May 1986 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Cortocircuito See more »

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA See more »
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Box Office

Gross USA:

$40,697,761
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures,Producers Sales Organization (PSO),Turman-Foster Company See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve Guttenberg (Newton Crosby) and G.W. Bailey (Skroeder) appeared in Police Academy (1984) and Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987). See more »

Goofs

The grill of the disassembled car is first shown lying across 2 logs, but in later shots, the logs are gone. See more »

Quotes

Stephanie Speck: I thought you were alive, Number 5. I let you tear my house to shreds and you're a ROBOT! You're a machine from that dumb war lab place. God, I'm so stupid!
Number 5: Stupid - foolish, gullible, doltish, dumbell...
See more »

Crazy Credits

The credits are played out over a montage of scenes from the movie, including a pair of scenes that failed to make the final cut. One involves an encounter between Number 5 and a toy robot, the other involves a scene in a scrap yard where a scrapped car that Number 5 is currently sitting in is crushed. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Half in the Bag: Interstellar (2014) See more »

Soundtracks

Who's Johnny
("Short Circuit" Theme)
Written by Péter Wolf (as Peter Wolf) and Ina Wolf
Performed by El DeBarge
Courtesy of Motown Records
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is "Short Circuit" about?
Q: Is Stephanie's dog missing a leg?
Q: What happened to SAINT #4?
See more »

User Reviews

 
A very fun movie!
30 July 2002 | by Troy2Slick – See all my reviews

I remember watching this when I was 8 years old. It was all that and then some. When you are a kid, anything amazes you though, I guess.

However, I recently had the chance to watch this flick again. I must say, that it still has it's redeeming value to it.

If you ask me, Number 5, is STILL alive! I recommend this movie to anyone. 7 out of 10.
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