“Number 5 alive!”
Dimension Films has acquired the rights to remake the 1986 film “Short Circuit,” factoring in the huge leaps in technology that have happened in the past two decades, according to Variety.
The original movie centers on Number 5, one of a series of robots built by the military as piece of advanced Cold War weaponry. But the robot comes to life – taking on a personality, self-awareness and the name Johnny 5 – when it is struck by lightning.
Johnny 5 escapes the military facility where he was created and befriends an animal-loving food vendor named Stephanie (Ally Sheedy), who is determined to protect the naive robot from the military goons who see him as a threat to be neutralized.
I was 9 years old when this movie was released, and I remember watching it happily and repeatedly on video. As I recall, it was quite entertaining despite the questionable talents of Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg and Fisher Stevens. Let’s hope they have a talent upgrade planned along with the technological advancements.
The movie also spawned the unbearable sequel “Short Circuit 2,” a movie so ridiculously bad that not even Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg would set foot near it.
According to Variety, S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, who created the characters and wrote both “Short Circuit” films, are on board to pen the remake. David Foster and Ryan E. Heppe will produce with John Hyde.
Foster produced the original movie with his partner Lawrence Turman and son Gary Foster. In the Variety story, Foster said the film will follow a similar theme as the 1986 version but will reflect the changes in technology.
The trade magazine also reports that Dimension co-chairman Bob Weinstein brokered the deal and called “Short Circuit” “a worthy addition to its family film slate.”
As a side note, I’m apparently not the only one who was influenced by “Short Circuit” growing up. Surely I’m not the only one who’s noticed that Pixar’s “WALL-E” looks remarkably like a squat, sad-eyed, animated version of Number 5? “Come and Follow Me,” indeed.
-BAM
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Oh come on! Fisher Stevens is an awesome actor. Who could forget his superb performances in such forgettable movies like “My Science Project,” “Mystery Date,” Super Mario Brothers” and the always popular with the computer crowd…..”HACKERS!!!” Such a great actor doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with Steve Guttenberg who, although has little acting talent, prints a darn fine Bible!