Arcade (1993)

A virtual reality game begins taking over the minds of teenagers.

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writers:

Charles Band (story), David S. Goyer (screenplay)

Stars:

Megan Ward, Peter Billingsley, John de Lancie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Megan Ward	...	Alex Manning
Peter Billingsley	...	Nick
John de Lancie	...	Difford (as John DeLancie)
Sharon Farrell	...	Alex's mom
Seth Green	...	Stilts
A.J. Langer	...	Laurie
Bryan Dattilo	...	Greg
Brandon Rane	...	Benz
B.J. Barie	...	DeLoache
Humberto Ortiz	...	Boy
Norbert Weisser	...	Albert
Don Stark	...	Finster
Dorothy Dells	...	Mrs. Weaver
Todd Starks	...	Burt Manning
Alexandria Byrne	...	Kid at Arcade Parlour

Storyline

Alex Manning is a troubled suburban teenager. Her mother committed suicide and the school counselor feels that she has not dealt with her feelings properly. Manning and her friends decide to visit the local video arcade known as "Dante's Inferno" where a new virtual reality arcade game called "Arcade" is being test marketed by a computer company CEO who is more than willing to hand out free samples of the home console version and hype up the game as if his job is depending on it, and it is. However, it soon becomes clear that the teenagers who play the game and lose are being imprisoned inside the virtual reality world by the central villain "Arcade". And it gets worse when a virtual reality game begins to take over the minds of teenagers. The computer company felt it would be a good idea to use a boy's brain cells in order to make the game's villain more realistic. Instead, it made the game deadly. And so now Nick and Alex must enlist the help of the game's programmer and head to the...

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Plot Keywords:

kiss | arcade | copyright infringement | cyberpunk | reference to virtual reality game | 

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Taglines:

Once you start to play the game, your deepest fears come alive.

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's teaser trailer re-uses music from Arena.

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Quotes

Arcade: Nick! Alex! All your friends are here.
Alex Manning: We know what you are.
Arcade: A heartless monster, of course.
Alex Manning: Fuck you!
Arcade: Anytime.
[Arcade laughs]
Arcade: See you on the other side.
[Arcade resumes laughing]

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Alternate Versions

The Argentinian VHS release of the film, released by Teleargentina, has the version with the original deleted CGI effects.

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Connections

Referenced in Adjust Your Tracking (2013)

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Soundtracks

GYPSY QUEEN
Written and Performed by Peter Kenvin
Terrortunes Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

But they dressed her funny.

This is a harmless little sci-fi for pre-teens that mom and dad can scan at any time and see no sex and only a touch or two of violence grace the screen. The plot and pseudo- science are of the leave-your-brain-at-home variety while the graphics are nothing special. The direction is slow, clear and undistinguished. The photography is pedestrian, but not bad. The cast is cute, led by the beautiful Megan Ward. She is demure and fully clothed as a teenaged heroine who saves her boy friend and pals from an evil virtual-reality game gone amuck. The fact that she was 23-years-old at the time and a little too old for the part did not bother me at all. Her fresh face and great beauty allowed me to watch the whole thing! The once vampish Sharon Farrell has a small part as the star's mom which she plays flawlessly with just a touch of irony.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arcade - Un Video Game Diabolico

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Full Moon Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1