The head of a cyborg reactivates, rebuilds itself, and goes on a violent rampage in a space marine's girlfriend's apartment.The head of a cyborg reactivates, rebuilds itself, and goes on a violent rampage in a space marine's girlfriend's apartment.The head of a cyborg reactivates, rebuilds itself, and goes on a violent rampage in a space marine's girlfriend's apartment.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
15K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Steve MacManus(story "SHOK!")
- Kevin O'Neill(story "SHOK!")
- Richard Stanley
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Steve MacManus(story "SHOK!")
- Kevin O'Neill(story "SHOK!")
- Richard Stanley
- Stars
- Awards
- 3 wins & 4 nominations
Videos1
Susie Savage
- Chinese Familyas Chinese Family
- (as Susie Ng)
- Director
- Writers
- Steve MacManus(story "SHOK!")
- Kevin O'Neill(story "SHOK!")
- Richard Stanley
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
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. —Daniel Williamson
- Taglines
- It activates it exhilarates... it exterminates
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThe nomad who unearths the MARK-13 robot is played by Carl McCoy, lead singer of the goth rock band Fields of the Nephilim, for whom Richard Stanley had previously directed two music videos and designed an album cover. According to him, McCoy's character in "Hardware" is basically the same as it was in the Nephilim work. The character, then titled Preacher Man, had a prosthetic hand, yellow contact lenses and wore an old black coat with a cowboy hat.
- GoofsWhen the droid rebuilds itself, it picks up a circular saw. When it uses that circular saw as a weapon later, it is completely different design, with an all different cutting disk.
- Alternate versionsThe film was heavily cut to receive an M rating for its Australian theatrical run. The cuts were later restored for the R rated video release.
- ConnectionsEdited into Brave (1994)
- SoundtracksThe Order of Death
Written by John Lydon, Keith Levene and Martin Atkins
Performed by Public Image Ltd.
Published by EMI Songs Ltd/Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd/Complete Music Ltd.
Top review
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.
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.
helpful•12427
- jwolter
- Sep 18, 2000
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- M.A.R.K. 13 - Hardware
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,728,953
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,381,285
- Sep 16, 1990
- Gross worldwide
- $5,728,953
- Runtime
- 1h 34min
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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