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:

Kiss reality goodbye!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed back-to-back with Dollman.

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Quotes

DeLoache: Who gives a fuck about Arcade anyway?
Arcade: What do you mean?

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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

Featured in Horrorvision (2001)

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Soundtracks

ISRAEL
Written and Performed by Peter Kenvin and Rick Harchol
Terrortunes Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Kiss Your Overblown Hollywood Expectations Goodbye!

The newest video game sensation is "Arcade", a virtual reality game that one must win....or lose your mind and forever be part of the game. Alex (Megan Ward) and her friends try the game, but Alex's boyfriend loses and disappears. One of Alex's friends tries a home version of the game and disappears before her eyes. Determined to get their friends back, Alex and her friend Nick (Peter Billingsley) take on the mind-reading Arcade!

While the plot may be familiar to anyone who's seen TRON, this is a decent low-budget sci-fi film. Many of the actors are now familiar faces: Seth Green, A.J. Langer and John DeLancie among them. Although director Albert Pyun usually directs low-budget boredom (DOLLMAN, CYBORG, etc.), this movie actually has a good story and some pretty good actors. The pace is somewhat slow, and the CGI F/X won't impress today's kids accustomed to video game-like movies with endless amounts of special effects, explosions and loud music, but fans of movies that actually have a plot and characterization will find it entertaining. I'd place this with Pyun's better movies such as RADIOACTIVE DREAMS and THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER.

Charles Band, the film's producer and CEO of Full Moon Pictures, held this movie's release back for a year in order to redo the CGI F/X. For those curious to what they originally looked like, watch the 10 minute "Videozone" featurette included on the DVD. I think it was a wise move, and the movie benefits greatly because of it. The only complaint I really have is that the DVD didn't include the full "Videozone" segment, which included this film's trailer. (This DVD was part of a import boxed set of region-free DVDs.)

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arcade

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