Movie Flashback: War Games

Is it a game…or is it real?

War Games is a 1983 Cold War Suspense Thriller.

The story revolved around a young computer hacker who gains access to a Top-Secret Military computer. He gets drawn into a “game” with the computer, that may, or may not, actually be leading to the start of World War 3.

The film starred:

Mathew Broderick – David Lightman
Ally Sheedy – Jennifer Mack
Dabney Coleman – Dr. McKittrick
Barry Corbin – General Beringer
John Wood – Dr. Falken

This film marked the first major film roles for stars Mathew Broderick and Ally Sheedy.

In the few years after War Games, Broderick would go on to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, while Sheedy would go on to The Breakfast Club.

The NORAD COMMAND CENTER set built for the film was the most expensive movie set ever constructed at the time.

The Government did not allow the use of any real facilities for the film. The actual NORAD COMMAND CENTER in Colorado actually used 1950′s Technology in 1983 and was not nearly as “high-tech” and “Flashy” as what appeared in the film. Many visitors to the actual Cheyenne Mountain complex would become disappointed when they realized the actual command center looked nothing like what was depicted in the movie.

The role of Dr. Falken was based on Stephen Hawking. Writers originally envisioned John Lennon playing the role when they wrote the screenplay in the late 1970′s.

I was a huge fan of the series “Northern Exposure“. Every time I watch reruns of War Games, I still chuckle when I see Barry Corbin’s performance as General Beringer in this film. In War Games, he IS Maurice Minnifield from Northern Exposure!

John Badham directed the majority of the film. He had directed “Saturday Night Fever” in the 1970′s and later went on to direct films such as “Short Circuit“, “Stakeout“, “Bird on a Wire“, and many others.

Martin Brest was the original director, but was fired not long into shooting. He then went on to direct “Beverly Hills Cop“.

Back in the early 1980′s the true power of what computers MIGHT be able to do was pretty scary to most people. Even though the computer technology is now horribly dated, this movie still holds up as a great suspense thriller after all these years.

Still a classic!

As with all great films of the 1970′s and 1980′s, Hollywood has apparently ran out of original ideas for films, so MGM is hard at work on a remake of War Games, due out in 2012 or 2013. I can tell you right now, it will be hard to top the original.

**John and Kathy, if you try to tell me that you have never seen THIS movie… I will beat you!**