Monday, May 3, 2010

SHORT CIRCUIT (Short Circuit)


Director : John Badham
Release Dates : 9 May 1986 (USA), 20 August 1986 (France)
With : Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy, Tim Blaney (Johnny's voice) & Fisher Stevens
Genre : Family, Comedy, Sci-Fi

SUMMARY : Number 5 (voiced by Tim Blaney) is one of five prototype robots proposed for Cold War use by the U.S. military, although the scientists mainly responsible for creating them, Newton Graham Crosby, Ph.D. (Steve Guttenberg) and his partner Ben Jabituya (Fisher Stevens), are more interested in peaceful uses of theirartificial intelligence, like playing musical instruments. While a demonstration takes place on the grounds of the developer's company, Nova Laboratories in Damon, Washington, a lightning storm forces an end to the presentation. A power surge hits Number 5 while it is recharging and alters its program, causing a malfunction. An associated accident causes it to be taken off company grounds and it wanders away, unable to communicate and not knowing where it is.

Number 5 finds itself at the home of animal-lover Stephanie Speck (Ally Sheedy) in Astoria, Oregon, who initially thinks the robot is anextraterrestrial visitor, but then determines that the robot was built by Nova. After she helps it satisfy its cravings for "input" (due to its malfunction), and explains the nature of life and death to it, Stephanie and the robot realize the power surge has brought the robot to life. The robot subsequently gains a respect for life, rejecting the destructive nature of its military programming, as well as a fear of the disassembly that awaits it back at Nova, believing it to be akin to death.

After several narrow escapes from a troop of soldiers led by Nova's security head Captain Skroeder (G. W. Bailey) — who in his attempt to destroy the wayward robot disobeys orders from Howard Marner (Austin Pendleton), the director of Nova — as well as from Stephanie's unscrupulous ex-boyfriend Frank, Stephanie and the robot finally convince Newton of the robot's sentience, but are cornered by the full weight of Nova's security and the army, who seemingly destroy the robot. Unbeknown to the soldiers, the robot they destroyed was a copy built by Number 5 from spare parts, and with the robot's "destruction," the project that spawned it is ruined and Skroeder is fired. Number 5 (who renames himself "Johnny 5" after hearing the song "Who's Johnny?" throughout the movie) leaves for Montana with Stephanie and Newton, who has subsequently quit his job after siding with the robot.



OPINION : What I like ? For so long time this movie was my fave ! I spent (almost) every day of my childhood to watch it, dreaming of having my own Johnny 5. And so now, it's still an important movie for me. This film is really touching and lovely.

Best scene : One of few scenes I remember : When Johnny 5 learns about our world - reading fast all encyclopedias - I was so impressed.


What I dislike ? For what I remember : Nothing !



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