IMDb > WarGames (1983)
WarGames
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Videos (see all 2)
WarGames (1983) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   24,335 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Lawrence Lasker (written by) &
Walter F. Parkes (written by)
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Contact:
View company contact information for WarGames on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 June 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The only winning move is not to play. more
Plot:
A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(21 articles)
User Comments:
Interesting, original idea that delivers for the most part... more (121 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
War Games (USA) (alternative spelling)
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Runtime:
114 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Graphics on the large NORAD war room screens were rendered in advance by an HP 9845C desktop computer running BASIC. In 1982 the 9845C was comprised of a base with built-in keyboard and a 14" color monitor that mounted on top. Cost of a 9845C was about $90,000 (inflation-adjusted) and the entire "desktop" computer weighed about 100 pounds. The computer's resolution was not good enough to project on a large screen or to be filmed from directly, so a high-resolution monochromatic display was connected. The images were filmed from the display, one frame at a time, one color at a time, using filters for red, green, and blue. The process took about 1 minute per frame of film. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: When receiving and sending text from his home computer, the modem RD and SD lights do not flash. On a 300-1200 baud modem, the flashes would be very visible. more
Quotes:
Jim Sting: Remember you told me to tell you when you were acting rudely and insensitively? Remember that? You're doing it right now. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 (2001) (VG) more
Soundtrack:
Video Fever more

FAQ

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21 out of 30 people found the following comment useful.
Interesting, original idea that delivers for the most part..., 29 February 2004
Author: MovieAddict2009 from UK

I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. Matthew Broderick is the teenager computer nerd who hacks into a military database through a "back door" and starts to unintentionally play games--which are, quite surprisingly, not games after all. He's really controlling the military! With WWIII nearing, the movie takes some twists and turns and it's all good fun.

Broderick is well-cast and this is probably one of the roles, along with Ferris Bueller, that stereotyped him as a continual teenager--which makes it hard for him to get adult roles nowadays. (He's in the upcoming remake of "The Producers"--yay!)

Ally Sheedy and Dabney Coleman both have supporting roles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film and rate it a solid "4" of five stars.

Trivia note: Sheedy and Broderick both appeared in separate movies by John Hughes: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "The Breakfast Club."

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for WarGames (1983)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
So much swearing in this movie! benbigwig-1
How did FBI track Lightman down? bmacleod52
targets oldsalt61
25th Anniversary Edition - One Disc or Two? gklinger
Cracking the Launch Code (spoiler) dawelo
Mandark is in this movie!?? jj0908
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