Sunday 2 February 2020

The Near Midnight Meanderings On A Movie With A Microwave Meal Part 23: Short Circuit (1986)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today

Short Circuit is the sort of movie that whilst popular at the time of first screening (1986) almost begins to have it's credibility fragmented soon afterwards. Watching it with 2020 vision the first thing that strikes you is how dated it is' From the title sequence onwards to the tech, the music to the presence of Steve Guttenberg and Ally Sheedy.

And then there's Fisher Stevens playing an Indian scientist. An American actor deliberately darkening his face. Again with year 2020 vision I think we can agree that it's very rare that such an action can be justified now. Especially when it used for comic effect and even more especially given that he not only gets his face darkened but uses "comedy ethnic" voice as well.

And what remarks comes out of his mouth? He mentions his family is from Pittsburgh.

(To Ally Sheedy) " I enjoyed repeatedly throwing you on the ground"

And yes "Goodness gracious"

Arguably the worse kind of racist and sexist attitudes comes from something supposedly liberal. And yes sexist as well. The Ally Sheedy character supposedly tough just eventually goes girlie as the film goes on. And when No 5 sees her in the bath he describes her as having "Nice software".

The plot then is of a Robot Number 5 which whilst being promoted as a new style military machine gets struck by lightening. Now lightening is something used by lazy writers as an excuse for many things to be created whereas as we all know it does nothing more than create damage. In this case it gives the robot the ability to think and feel like a human being. It wants information about all aspects of life (and one of it's means of information? Encyclopedias. Wonder if kids today know what these books did). Lightening then with a degree in electronics. Even an audience of young kids today, being more tech savvy nowadays, would find too incredible to be believed.

A freakish character then is chased by the company's security because it escaped it's headquarters. In essence then it's ET with metal. Tough metal at that. Bashed around yet rarely affected.

So we have a movie that's dated with a laughable premise and questionable attitudes. Promoted let's not forget as a family film.

Steve Guttenberg gives his stock eighties performance as your regular average good guy. He might be a scientist with the company but he wanted the robot (which he invented) to be used for peaceful purposes. Yet don't forget he stayed in the company so not as principled as the film would have us believe.

Ally Sheedy has animals roaming her house yet runs a snack van. Really wouldn't want to buy any merchandise from her.

Also let's mention the robot design. Nowadays robots are portrayed to look like humans. Here they have cartoon faces and tank tracks.

Number 5 can defend itself being designed also for military use. Cue the use of lasers (big thing then) followed by "funny" remarks it learnt from watching television.

So as I've said this is ET with metal. And really there is nothing to commend this film. Racist,sexist,predictable,dated but also popular. It had a sequel which I suspect was even worse. That fact alone fills me with dread.

Until the next time.










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