Hardware (1990)

The head of a cyborg reactivates, rebuilds itself, and goes on a violent rampage in a space marine's girlfriend's apartment.

Director:

Richard Stanley

Writers:

Steve MacManus (story "SHOK!"), Kevin O'Neill (story "SHOK!")

Stars:

Dylan McDermott, Stacey Travis, John Lynch

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carl McCoy	...	Nomad
Iggy Pop	...	Angry Bob
Dylan McDermott	...	Moses Baxter
John Lynch	...	Shades
Mark Northover	...	Alvy
Stacey Travis	...	Jill
Paul McKenzie	...	Vernon
Lemmy	...	Taxi Driver
William Hootkins	...	Lincoln Wineberg Jr.
Mac McDonald	...	Newscaster
Chris McHallem	...	Premier Boelgaxof
Barbara Yu Ling	...	Chinese Mother
Oscar James	...	Chief
Arnold Lee	...	Chinese Family
Susie Savage	...	Chinese Family (as Susie Ng)

Storyline

In the future, a nuclear war has transformed the Earth into a radioactive wasteland where the sea has dried up leaving it as a post-apocalyptic desert. In the desert, A desert scavenger named Nomad discovers a robotic head, arriving in New York City, A space marine named Moses Baxter buys the robotic head from Nomad as a Christmas present for his girlfriend Jill Grakowski, who decides to use it for one of her sculptures. But all hell starts breaking loose, when the robotic head is activated and begins to rebuilt itself. When Alvy, a junkyard dealer discover the robotic head is a Mark 13, a military cyborg of a project that was abandoned. Moses learns Jill's life is in danger, as the Mark 13 cyborg goes on a violent rampage in Jill's apartment as Jill has become the the prime target for extermination.

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Plot Keywords:

post apocalypse | cult film | woman on top | based on comic | based on comic book | 

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Taglines:

You Can't Stop Progress

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Severin Films

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

M.A.R.K. 13

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,381,285, 16 September 1990, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$5,728,953

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,100,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Palace Pictures, British Screen Productions, British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Shok", the short story from the British magazine "2000AD" that the film is based on, was about Mike, a Strato-Bat Pilot, who buys the head of a Shok trooper robot as a gift for his artist girlfriend Lyn who then uses it for her metalwork. The Shok trooper robot reactivates and goes on a rampage in Lyn's apartment.

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Goofs

After Jill attacks it with the buzz-saw, the Mark 13 steps back: if you look closely, you can see the legs of the man underneath the droid suit. The same thing can be seen towards the end as Jill and the robot are entering the bathroom.

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Quotes

Jill: It's stupid, sadistic and suicidal to have children right now.

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Alternate Versions

The film was uncut in New Zealand and was given the R18 rating. When the film was released on DVD in New Zealand, also uncut, it was given the R16 rating.

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Connections

Referenced in De Kijk van Koolhoven: Post-apocalyptische film (2018)

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Soundtracks

Stabat Mater
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
New arrangement by Simon Boswell
Licenced courtesy of Atmosphere Music Ltd.

User Reviews

Hollywood did not destroy this movie

I saw this movie in the theater the week it opened way back when. It was a very, very late showing, and there were approximately five other people in the theater. Two walked out during the film. As the film credits rolled, the two women sitting next to us said, "My god! That was the worst film I have ever seen!" My only thoughts were, "They have not seen Starcrash!"

Both my friend and I loved Hardware. I introduced my SO to it this weekend, and he loved it. I think what I like about it is that it's a small movie that manages to execute its space perfectly. The universe of Hardware is dark, dirty, claustrophobic (without being small). The narrative is pure dystopia, which fits very well with the droid gone wild theme. The droid is so unrelenting, as is the dreariness of existence in this post apocalyptic space. I like how tight the movie is. I also like how clean the narrative is. There isn't any extraneous fluff.

I think this movie will appeal to the slightly more sophisticated film lover. It doesn't have big movie pretensions. Hollywood did not destroy this movie. The symbolism is far more subtle than in big productions. The pacing is also different. I loved the slow buildup.

This movie worked, but it's not an easy movie. If you're willing to work a little with a movie that doesn't have the big movie facade of Terminator II or Independence Day, and you enjoy dystopic science fiction, I think you will like this one.