A struggling author (Bruce Davison, veteran of everything, the man's been in great movies and television, and has played pretty much every type of character), whose wife is an obese shrew (that doesn't clean up the house and gorges on bon-bons; she's nosy, loud, and bossy), with an equally heavy son always noising with a guitar (the amplifier so loud it causes one's teeth to jitter), receives a word processor from his late nephew (who died in a car crash thanks to his drunk father, also killing the wife/mother). Bruce Davison notices that the word processor, made from whatever parts were available to the boy, has special powers and can actually "grant wishes". Spanish gold doubloons are just a start—before long, Davison realizes he can remove from his life certain specific "annoyances". This is one of those "may your wish be fulfilled" kind of tales where someone who has a really crummy life is given a chance to *start over* anew. Davison, who looks fresh-faced and young here, shows subtly the duress underneath the surface, without conveying aloud his frustration and disappointment in a life he is not happy in, stuck with a family that would try anyone's patience. The word processor is no different than Aladdin's lamp, in that it allows Davison a chance to better his life, even if it erases real people. To have the family he always wanted, quite an interesting close, but disturbing in that others are sacrificed because of poor choices he himself made (no matter how obnoxious certain people may be, that doesn't condone their being "removed" like wiping snot from a nose).
Tales from the Darkside (TV Series)
The Word Processor of the Gods (1984)
User Reviews
Review this title15 Reviews
One of the more well known episodes.
shellytwade14 January 2022
If I were to make a list of the 5 or 10 most known episodes this one would make the list. Partly because it's written by Stephen King but also the premise is delivered well. Also because it's one of the easier episodes to understand so it got played more than the others back when it was on TV/VHS.
A neat and uplifting change-of-pace positive episode
Woodyanders28 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Meek and henpecked struggling writer Richard Hagstrom (a fine performance by the always dependable Bruce Davison) receives a homemade word processor from his nephew Jonathan (a sweet and engaging portrayal by Jon Matthews) after said nephew dies in an automobile accident. Richard soon discovers that the word processor has the ability to change things, so he decides to rewrite his miserable domestic life for the better. Directir Michael Gornick, working from a clever script by Michael McDowell (it's based on a short story by Stephen King), relates the interesting story at a steady pace, maintains a warm tone throughout, and follows the nifty science fiction angle through in a crafty and enjoyable manner that culminates in an atypical upbeat ending which qualifies as a welcome and refreshing departure from the usual grim norm for this series. The sound acting from the capable cast holds everything together: Davison makes for a likable lead, with sturdy support from Karen Shallo as Richard's shrewish wife Lina, Patrick Piccinni as obnoxious teen son Seth, and Bill Cain as the friendly Tom Nordhoff. A pleasant and charming show.
Recycling the TWILIGHT ZONE
BijouBob8mm23 June 2006
The Stephen King story "Word Processor of the Gods," which forms the basis for this episode of TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, seems to have borrowed its basic premise from an old episode of the 1950s/1960s TWILIGHT ZONE, and given it a face-lift to make it more in keeping with current technology. (The TWILIGHT ZONE episode in question is Richard Matheson's "A World of His Own," featuring Keenan Wynn.) The TWILIGHT ZONE tale is about a writer who dictates material into a tape recorder, only to find that his recorded words become reality. The TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE outing substitutes the more modern computer for the dictaphone, and tells the tale of a writer who finds that the descriptions he enters into the word processor become reality.
The Word Processor of the Gods (1984) - Michael Gornick
RottenPop-Sid13 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The Word Processor of the Gods is a television episode of the horror anthology series, Tales from the Darkside. It had aired on November 25th, 1984, and is the ninth episode of the first season. Michael Gornick, the cinematographer for Creepshow and Dawn of the Dead, is at the helm for this episode. It's based on a short story by Stephen King, and stars Bruce Davison, Karen Shallo, Patrick Piccininni, and William Cain. It's not the usual guts and gore horror movie that you might be used too. Instead it focuses on creepy situational suspense to deliver the scares.
Richard Hagstrom is a struggling writer that is having issues with his family. However, things turn around when his late nephew leaves him a Word Processor that he had custom-built. A Word Processor with a special trait. Anything that Richard writes about happens in real life. Doesn't like his wife. Blink her out of existence! Don't like your kid? Blink him out of existence. Want some Spanish doubloons? Blink them into reality!
This was a fantastic episode that leaves me wanting more. It's not a good enough story for a full movie, but it could have been one of the features during the failed Creepshow 3. I love how simple this episode can be, yet how entertaining and intriguing the source material is. If you haven't seen Tales from the Darkside yet, then this would be a great introduction. Fun and good for Stephen King fans.
Richard Hagstrom is a struggling writer that is having issues with his family. However, things turn around when his late nephew leaves him a Word Processor that he had custom-built. A Word Processor with a special trait. Anything that Richard writes about happens in real life. Doesn't like his wife. Blink her out of existence! Don't like your kid? Blink him out of existence. Want some Spanish doubloons? Blink them into reality!
This was a fantastic episode that leaves me wanting more. It's not a good enough story for a full movie, but it could have been one of the features during the failed Creepshow 3. I love how simple this episode can be, yet how entertaining and intriguing the source material is. If you haven't seen Tales from the Darkside yet, then this would be a great introduction. Fun and good for Stephen King fans.
One of the better episodes of the series. Neat and nice concept if you don't like life delete it and start a new one.
blanbrn7 March 2009
This "TFTD" episode one of the better ones for it's very unique and neat concept that many would wish to happen in their own life. Titled "The Word Processor of the Gods" and this is based on a short story from legendary horror novelist Stephen King, it has Bruce Davison staring as Richard a married man who's unhappy with the current way of life. As in real life anybody always wants to improve their situation and live better, only this episode shows it can happen in an extreme way. Richard is a struggling writer who can't get anything published, and he's married to an overweight unattractive woman and he has a lazy heavy metal worshiping son. Then when the Davison character has his brother get killed tragically along with his wife and son. A new discovery is found as the nephew has made a homemade word processor for him as a gift. Slowly one by one Richard learns that the computer will delete anything that you type in and wish to disappear. It's just like rewriting his life. As in the end Richard has the life he wanted for one getting the attractive wife he desired(which was his deceased brother's) and his new rewritten son is the loving and brain smart inventor nephew! Fantasy comes a harsh reality! Still good episode that many can relate to and only hope that a fantasy like this could bring them a rewrite of their own lives.
An appealing episode.
Hey_Sweden14 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The always engaging Bruce Davison ("Willard") stars as struggling writer Richard Hagstrom, whose first novel was pretty much a failure. After the death of his brothers' family, he comes into possession of a makeshift word processor gifted to him by his late nephew. The thing may *look* clunky, but it has a truly otherworldly power. And thus Richard is able to *do* something about his unsatisfying home life, with a shrewish wife (Karen Shallo), and an obnoxious, indolent son (Patrick Piccininni).
Complete with warnings from a friendly neighbor (Bill Cain) who truly loved the nephew, and who functions as the doomsayer, this is a good (if not great) episode taken from a Stephen King short story. Scripted by Michael McDowell, and directed by cinematographer / director Michael Gornick, it doesn't deliver any big surprises. And yet, it's ultimately upbeat and satisfying stuff, because King, McDowell, and Gornick go to great lengths to make the wife & son characters pretty unsympathetic. Davison is solid as usual, and the rest of the cast (including Jon Shear as the deceased boy genius) likewise does good work.
38 years later, this can't help but come off as a bit dated given current technology. (The SIZE of that diskette!) But looking at it now, it's interesting to see just how far computer usage in the home has come.
Seven out of 10.
Complete with warnings from a friendly neighbor (Bill Cain) who truly loved the nephew, and who functions as the doomsayer, this is a good (if not great) episode taken from a Stephen King short story. Scripted by Michael McDowell, and directed by cinematographer / director Michael Gornick, it doesn't deliver any big surprises. And yet, it's ultimately upbeat and satisfying stuff, because King, McDowell, and Gornick go to great lengths to make the wife & son characters pretty unsympathetic. Davison is solid as usual, and the rest of the cast (including Jon Shear as the deceased boy genius) likewise does good work.
38 years later, this can't help but come off as a bit dated given current technology. (The SIZE of that diskette!) But looking at it now, it's interesting to see just how far computer usage in the home has come.
Seven out of 10.
An unoriginal, but stylish episode.
TOMNEL2 August 2006
Written by Stephen King.............................................. Guest starring Bruce Davison.
This same plot has been used on almost every anthology show, but this one is very fresh. Richard is an unhappy man married with a brat kid. He gets a typewriter (really more of a cheap 80's computer) and finds that whatever he types comes true. Pretty predictable, but it looks really great and Bruce Davison is always good as the nerdy loser. It actually manages to be scary, and it was written by horror guru Stephen King. It's a good episode! Can be found on VHS volume 1.
My rating: Excellent episode. 20 mins. TV PG
This same plot has been used on almost every anthology show, but this one is very fresh. Richard is an unhappy man married with a brat kid. He gets a typewriter (really more of a cheap 80's computer) and finds that whatever he types comes true. Pretty predictable, but it looks really great and Bruce Davison is always good as the nerdy loser. It actually manages to be scary, and it was written by horror guru Stephen King. It's a good episode! Can be found on VHS volume 1.
My rating: Excellent episode. 20 mins. TV PG
The Wishes
claudio_carvalho10 March 2022
Richard Hagstrom is a failed writer with an unhappy marriage with Lina and a loser teenage son, Seth Robert. His brother is an alcoholic that married Richard's passion, Belinda. Richard also loves his nephew Jonathan, who is a computer expert. When Richard's brother is driving his car with his family, he falls off a cliff and kills them all. Richard inherits the computer with word processor that Jonathan was developing and uses it in his basement. Soon Richard learns that the device grants any wish that he writes on the screen. What will be his desires?
"The Word Processor of the Gods" is a good episode of "Tales from the Darkside", with a story by Stephen King. The story is interesting and surprisingly has a happy ending. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "The Word Processor of the Gods"
"The Word Processor of the Gods" is a good episode of "Tales from the Darkside", with a story by Stephen King. The story is interesting and surprisingly has a happy ending. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "The Word Processor of the Gods"
For Anyone Who Ha Ever Thought About Making Their Family Vanish
buckikris30 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is another tale from Tales From The Darkside that is somewhat humorous. I forgot this was based on a Stephen King adaption. A man(Bruce Davidson) gets this homemade Word Processor, from his nephew who has past. He realizes he is in an unhappy marriage, and wants out. So while his wife is off playing Bingo, and his son is upstairs he begins to fool with it. This is no ordinary WP, this thing can make your dreams come true or turn them into a nightmare. He would tell the WP the picture of my wife is not on the table, and hit delete. The WP would delete it, and to make something appear he would punch in something and it would appear. When he decides to delete his son, the WP becomes overloaded. His family he once had no longer exists, and the family he always wanted enters the picture. This is a bizarre tale, but I'm sure it has gone through millions of peoples minds.
A decent Stephen King adaptation.
b_kite18 August 2019
Our episode starts with struggling writer Richard Hagstrom (Bruce Davison, a rare guest role from an actual notable actor for this series) is given a upgraded computer from his super smart nephew Jonathon who has recently been killed. we are hinted at that he along with his mother Belinda where killed when his drunkard brother drove the three off a cliff, killing them. Richard always loved Belinda and loved Jonathon as a son and vise versa. At the resistance of his nagging wife and son. It isn't long that he begins to notice the powers of his new word processor, and uses it to give himself the life he always truly wanted. This one is based on a short story from Stephen King that I haven't red, and while its not a bad story or episode, it feels more like something more suited for "The Twilight Zone" over a supernatural horror series as "Tales from the Darkside" as this is pretty much just a lighthearted fantasy more or less. If you can get past the super outdated computer on display then you might actually enjoy this one for what it is.
Stephen King adapation
BandSAboutMovies29 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Based on the story by Stephen King and adapted by Michael McDowell (Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas), this Michael Gornick-directed episode has Bruce Davison as Richard Hagstrom, a man who has just inherited an upgraded computer from his nephew Jonathan. This computer is quite unique, as it has the power to grant wishes.
Richard's life is rough. He has no real love for his wife Lina or son Seth Robert. The love of his life, Belinda, is married to his brother Robert, an alcoholic. And I should say was married, as Robert has driven their car off a cliff and killed everyone, including Jonathan, one of the few people who Richard likes.
This is one of the better Tales from the Darkside stories, a near-perfect adaption of King's story on a small budget. Somehow, Richard is able to take this gift and use it to find a happy ending, something that rarely - if ever - happens with wishes.
Richard's life is rough. He has no real love for his wife Lina or son Seth Robert. The love of his life, Belinda, is married to his brother Robert, an alcoholic. And I should say was married, as Robert has driven their car off a cliff and killed everyone, including Jonathan, one of the few people who Richard likes.
This is one of the better Tales from the Darkside stories, a near-perfect adaption of King's story on a small budget. Somehow, Richard is able to take this gift and use it to find a happy ending, something that rarely - if ever - happens with wishes.
Strictly average tale from the darkside.
poolandrews18 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Tales from the Darkside: The Word Processor of the Gods starts as Richard Hagstrom (Bruce Davison) takes delivery of a word processor made for him by his nephew Jonathan (Jon Matthews) who recently died in a car accident when his drunk father drove them off a cliff. Richard sets the word processor up & switches it on, to his amazement whatever he types becomes reality & decides to turn his loser life around with his new found gift...
Episode 8 from season 1 this Tales from the Darkside story originally aired in the US during November 1984, the second of three Tales from the Darkside episodes to be directed by Michael Gornick this is yet another light Disney child friendly type fantasy. The script by Michael McDowell was based on a story by Stephen King & most of us long suffering horror fans know that most King adaptations suck & unfortunately The Word Processor of the Gods is no exception. The story isn't what I would horror at all & apart from a couple of instances of people being 'deleted' is squeaky clean, the predictable sickly sweat happy ending also isn't what I'm wanting in a horror TV anthology series. I'm sorry but if I was Richard I'd have just made some wish which would have given me millions of £'s, would anyone else really think differently? Not my type of story I'm afraid, this really didn't do much for me & I'll give it a 5 because it only lasts for 20 minutes & the basic premise is mildly interesting even though nothing is done with it.
Like episode 5 Mookie and Pookie the computer equipment on display here dates this badly, it's well made for sure but it could easily be described as a bit static & bland. This one certainly isn't scary & doesn't even try to be & there's no twist at the end either. The acting is fine from all involved.
The Word Processor of the Gods has a stupid title & is a disappointingly bland & forgettable episode with no scares or horror elements at all as far as I'm concerned.
Episode 8 from season 1 this Tales from the Darkside story originally aired in the US during November 1984, the second of three Tales from the Darkside episodes to be directed by Michael Gornick this is yet another light Disney child friendly type fantasy. The script by Michael McDowell was based on a story by Stephen King & most of us long suffering horror fans know that most King adaptations suck & unfortunately The Word Processor of the Gods is no exception. The story isn't what I would horror at all & apart from a couple of instances of people being 'deleted' is squeaky clean, the predictable sickly sweat happy ending also isn't what I'm wanting in a horror TV anthology series. I'm sorry but if I was Richard I'd have just made some wish which would have given me millions of £'s, would anyone else really think differently? Not my type of story I'm afraid, this really didn't do much for me & I'll give it a 5 because it only lasts for 20 minutes & the basic premise is mildly interesting even though nothing is done with it.
Like episode 5 Mookie and Pookie the computer equipment on display here dates this badly, it's well made for sure but it could easily be described as a bit static & bland. This one certainly isn't scary & doesn't even try to be & there's no twist at the end either. The acting is fine from all involved.
The Word Processor of the Gods has a stupid title & is a disappointingly bland & forgettable episode with no scares or horror elements at all as far as I'm concerned.
Disappointing adaptation of a Stephen King story
Leofwine_draca22 April 2015
THE WORD PROCESSOR OF THE GODS is a pretty uninteresting early episode of TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE. Although it's based on a Stephen King story, it fails to gel with any of that kooky atmosphere that King is known for; instead the story comes across as over simplified and rather trite. The protagonist (Bruce Davison) is a writer who finds himself with the titular device, which has the power to make the written word come true.
It's no DEATH NOTE, and the episode as a whole is clunky and feels forced. Sure, the premise is a decent one - that's always the case with Stephen King efforts - but I just didn't care for the surprisingly lightly handled way things panned out. THE WORD PROCESSOR OF THE GODS is hardly the best the series has to offer although not the worst either.
It's no DEATH NOTE, and the episode as a whole is clunky and feels forced. Sure, the premise is a decent one - that's always the case with Stephen King efforts - but I just didn't care for the surprisingly lightly handled way things panned out. THE WORD PROCESSOR OF THE GODS is hardly the best the series has to offer although not the worst either.
One more in endless line of lousy King adaptations...
Bored_Dragon1 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
20 minutes never was, isn't and never will be enough time for decent adaptation of Stephen King. Story is of course good, but so intensely hasty and compacted that it loses any meaning. It does not have that recognizable King's charm at all and if I didn't know it was King adaptation I would never guess.
So, if you had computer that by pressing Enter button makes real whatever you typed on the screen, but from the moment you realized that till complete overload and breaking down you have just a few minutes available, what would you type? Let's say, first three things that would came to your mind in those few minutes of excitement, shock and panic?
5/10
So, if you had computer that by pressing Enter button makes real whatever you typed on the screen, but from the moment you realized that till complete overload and breaking down you have just a few minutes available, what would you type? Let's say, first three things that would came to your mind in those few minutes of excitement, shock and panic?
5/10
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