6.6/10
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Short Circuit (1986)

PG | | Comedy , Family , Sci-Fi | 9 May 1986 (USA)
Short Circuit Poster
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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
3,881 ( 477)
1 win & 3 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

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Photos

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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 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 »
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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:

Something wonderful has happened... Number Five is alive! 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

On both front fenders of Stephanie's van, "Parties Catered" is misspelled. Perhaps Stephanie made the mistake herself or the filmmakers just didn't notice it, but sure enough, the van says "Partys Catered". See more »

Quotes

Ben Jabituya: [noticing that Newton is having a hard time driving through the semi-dark streets of town] Do you know what most people are liking at night?
Newton Crosby: No, what?
Ben Jabituya: Headlights.
[reaches across the dashboard and switches the lights on]
Newton Crosby: Oh, yeah... that's a lot better! Thanks!
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 Fallout 2: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game (1998) 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: Who designed Johnny 5?
Q: Is "Short Circuit" based on a book?
Q: What happened to SAINT #4?
See more »

User Reviews

 
A sweet and genuine comedy
17 September 2000 | by MisterWhiplash – See all my reviews

I think anyone any age can appreciate this film, and some might even find it funny. Not terribly funny, but just good. The plot involves a robot (#5) who after getting electricuted, becomes malfunctioned, in a good way (the robot thinks it's alive). And some light hearted comedy (and some messages about life) ensues. Nice to watch on a weekend day. A-
25 of 27 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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