io9
With Jumper opening today and everyone abuzz about teleportation, it seemed like the perfect time to remind everyone of another movie about teleportation: Tron. The device that zaps Jeff Bridges into the video-game world is actually built to teleport matter from one place to another. Learn the secret history of Tron, after the jump.
That experimental laser that turns Bridges into a video game character actually zips an orange across space first, early in the movie. It's only later that a pissed-off Master Control Program does the same thing to Jeff's pesky ass. Of course, no one at the company seems to remember that they've invented teleportation either, at the end of the movie. Probably a more lucrative line of work to go into than gaming. Here are more secrets of Tron:
- Director Steve Lisberger saw video games in the late 1970s, and was fascinated with the world they existed in. However, he wanted to open that up to people in a non-cliqueish way, and he and his partner Donald Kushner set up an animation studio in 1977 to start developing the film.
- The film was supposed to be animated, with live-action bookends setting up the "human" side of the story. However, Lisberger met with Information International, Inc., who showed him footage of filming real actors in front of back-lit animation. They filmed test-footage of a frisbee champion hurling discs, and this convinced Disney to fund the film.
- Information International, Inc. had previously animated the android-vision in the movie Westworld, and they scanned and animated Peter Fonda's head for the sequel Futureworld, which was the first appearance of 3D computer graphics in a film. They also did animation tests for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Wars, but they ultimately achieved the most success for creating a newspaper and technical document publishing system.
- Moebius, Syd Mead, and tech artist Peter Lloyd all contributed to the production design of the film, with each designing different elements: Moebius the set, Mead the vehicles, and Lloyd the environment. Mead also created the iconic Tron logo.
- Speaking of vehicles, when I was a kid those Recognizers scared the hell out of me. Yes, it's not really trivia related, but can you imagine one of these, on fire, and piloted by a Sleestak? Holy hell.
- Peter O'Toole was originally signed on to play Sark/Dillinger, but when he arrived on set and didn't see any of the physical sets or props, he balked.
- Apparently Jess Bridge's manhood created too much of a bulge in his "Clu" outfit, so he had to wear a dance belt to conceal it. The Big Lebowski, indeed.
- Debbie Harry screen-tested for the role of Yori. She probably told the producers to "Call Me," which they never did. Yes, that was a bad Blondie joke. Sorry.
- The scenes of the ENCOM labs with the laser teleportation array were shot at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Their own real laser is able to produce 28 trillion watts of power on target. The lab is now the home of the faster computer in the world, Blue Gene.
- The Tron videogame was a smash hit compared to the movie, which did moderately well. The game has far outgrossed the movie. In fact, it took several dozens of my quarters back in the 80s. It spawned a sequel called Discs of Tron, which is worth it just for the black light effect alone.
- A game sequel that ties into the movie, Tron 2.0, was released in 2003. It features Jet Bradley, the son of Alan Bradley (Tron) being zapped back into the computer world. It didn't do that well financially, but is worth picking up and playing. I still play the damn thing from time to time.
- Supertramp was supposed to provide two songs for the movie, but eventually those were provided by Journey. They are "Only Solutions" and "1990's Theme," and are pretty forgettable.
- Composer Wendy Carlos provided the rest of the soundtrack, doing most of the work on MOOG synthesizers. She had also provided the scores for The Shining and A Clockwork Orange.
- The Academy left Tron out of the voting for any visual effects awards, because they felt they'd cheated by using a computer. Oh Academy, always so forward-looking.
- A sequel for the film has been in the works since 1999, and last September Disney announced that the project continues to move forward based on a script by Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, who both write for Lost. Jeff Bridges has said he's excited about possibly reprising his role as Flynn.
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Comments
Classics never die. Cult Classics like Tron.. If you've never seen them, you should die.
But I'm still sore that Tron 2.0 never came out on a decent system.
A sequel? What, the MCP is recovered from a dusty tape drive somewhere and seeks revenge via the Internet? The teleportation machine has fallen into the hands of terrorists, and only Flynn can stop them?
Sorry, but the minute I hear an idea like this, I get scared. Leave Tron alone.
Sequel?
yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes
yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes
End of line.
Love this movie. Anyone in Seattle should know that it is playing at the Cinerama in a couple weeks. Very very cool on the big screen. And you can really see the Micky Mouse head clearly.
@NefariousNewt: I don't think that Steve Liesberger would mess with the plot that much, but I do worry that they will go overboard with the design because they can now. Keep it simple, do the same look as before just use computers to make it easier on yourself and maybe increase the scope a little.
@Garrison Dean: Let's hope so. Plus he's attached as a producer.
One of the first big arguments my now-wife and I had was over Tron.
My roommate and I were shocked that she had never even heard of Tron.
She was shocked that we could be so Americanmiddleclasswhiteteenageboysofthe80s in our worldview of what was and what was not shocking or assumable about other people's experiences.
She expressed her shock more eloquently than we had expressed ours. I, chastened, fell in love.
...but to this day I can't get her to watch Tron when it comes on...."Oh, Tron is on TV? Oh don't worry hunny, I know what Tron is. It's so awesome that everybody knows Tron."
The redundant part below is redundant.
in 1977 he and his partner Donald Kushner set up an animation studio in 1977 to start developing the film.
Sincerely,
Grammar Police
1. TRON is simply one of the most beautiful-looking movies i've ever seen, and i think most successfully captures the alien "otherness" of science fiction without making it overly gritty OR dated-looking. Bravo on these snippets.
2. the recognizers also make an awesome sound. I'd say that overall the sounds of TRON are as good as the visuals.
@NefariousNewt: i'm tempted to agree, but i would love to get some more TRON. plus, if they made a sequel, there's a chance they would re-release the original, and a digitally projected big-screen TRON would be heaven right about now.
@92BuickLeSabre: I basically can't get my wife to watch any science fiction. She laughs a lot at Star Wars.
The orange was "digitized", not teleported. It was turned into data and somehow materialized inside the computer, not sent to a different location in actual space. Nevermind that the whole concept is absurd (turning something physical into a metaphorical construct on a computer screen?). Tron is still one of my favorite movies of all time.
@DSTRYA: But a lot of what makes Tron such a classic is its simplicity. I see a future version rife with CGI, that would kill the charm of the story.
About the teleporting orange thing. I've always wondered if there were programs standing around in the cyberworld when all of a sudden an orange popped into existence. They would look at it puzzledly before it popped out again when it got reassembled in the Encom lab. That thought has always made me chuckle.
@NefariousNewt: Where did we go wrong?
I couldn't even get her to love Kanye/DP/Tron.
(Although my wife gets points from me for loving LOTR - and if I were going to prioritize her loving any particular trilogy, that would be my choice.)
I guess I'll be seeing this hypothetical(ly awesome) sequel alone.
Sequel? Sure, just don't put Jeff Bridges into one of those suits again. Or Boxleitner. Please.
I'll see this sequel, and Real Genius 2.
@92BuickLeSabre: Haha, dude.. key part of your sentance -SHE- had never heard of Tron.
For the record, my lady went with me to go see Tron at the El Capitain in LA and loved it. Big Screen always helps.
Ooh, waaaay cool... I just watched the clip with the sound down, while my iPod was playing; completely unintentionally, Daft Punk's "Alive" started playing just as the computer started scanning Bridges...
@NefariousNewt: i agree. they'll go all Matrix and it will suck.
OR, our prayers come true and they shoot for a nostalgic look and it could be lovely.
or, they could pull a LUCAS on this and on The Dark Crystal Sequel and on all my childhood joys.
I actually got excited about the Clone Wars TV "trailer" on the SW site until i remembered that George Lucas RUINS EVERYTHING HE TOUCHES.
the TRON sequel will suck.
Um... Tron is my favorite movie of all time. I dream in Tron-world. I became and IT guy because of Tron. I take a Tron lunch box to work every day.
@SunZhiQian: Thank you. Thank you.
@SuperPope: Hey, they digitized it, then made it reappear. That's what they do on Star Trek. Just beam your "stored digital pattern" somewhere. That's teleportation in my book!
TRON. Oh man,love it. It's one of the few DivXs I keep on disk AND permantently on my media hard drive. Syd Mead is probably one of the most visionary designer/illustrators the world has ever seen. Most of his art gives me the chills, it captures emotion and place as well as technology. Still pissed that the Star Wars folks never gave credit where credit is due and admitted to stealing the whole Walker/ATAT concept from him. The fact that his original illustration has these walker moving in the snow is just coincidence, right?
I can't believe they didn't mention that this is Al Gore's favorite movie.
If not for Tron, we wouldn't have the internet or global warming.
/kidding, obviously
@92BuickLeSabre: I cannot get my wife to watch it either, though she had heard of it. I actually, on occasion, put the DVD in at night and fall asleep to it, as for some reason I find its beauty and simplicity soothing.
@Garrison Dean: I think its the complete lack of Kanye West lyrics. Haha, see how I brought it back? Once in, never out.
To be fair, Alan Bradley DID ask if the laser could send him to Hawaii, so I guess he did have some teleportation ideas.
@zenpoet: YOU DIRTY SON OF A B.. haaa. good one. You know he'll contribute to the soundtrack. a Wendy Carlos remix. he's better than Journey, thats for sure.
Tron was my first official "Fanboi" film. I own an original Laserdisc copy of the movie as well as a VCR copy, a bootleg VCR copy, 2 DVD copies, and I'm waiting for the Bluray release (well, if it ever comes out). My friend had a copy of the movie, and I used to go over to his place at least once a week and watch it. It facinated the hell out of me. The movie sustained me throughout my childhood and motivated me to pursue gaming and computer animation when these things weren't really an option in college.
Here's hoping for a sequel on the big screen, with the way computer graphics have evolved I hope they maintain the style used in the original as much as possible.
Tron 2.0 was great as well, probably the best use of the disc weapon in a video game.
"...but can you imagine one of these [Recognizers], on fire, and piloted by a Sleestak? Holy hell."
A Sleestak in clown makeup.
While the Jaws theme plays in the background.
@Garrison Dean: I am the bad penny. I am the root beer burp. I am the cold sore.
I am eternal!
Oh, and if it was Wendy and Lisa, then I would go for the remix.
And what can beat Journey? Steve Perry solo! "But I should've been gone!"
@zenpoet: Wendy and Lisa as they are now, doing scoring for Heroes?
Or Wendy and Lisa from back when Prince was on Appolonia?
I thought it was gay...but in the good way. Anyway, if they remake it, or sequelize it, I hope the environment takes on a much more interesting level of complexity. The spandex thing is only good on hot women.
How can I be the first to mention [www.tron-sector.com] ?
TRON 2.0 is actually one of the best PC games I've played in awhile. The mesh of FPS and RPG elements kicked butt.
There is also the Slave Labor Graphics comic book, taking place after the events of TRON 2.0 It's a decent read, and visually very appealing.
As to the movie sequel, I'll believe it when I see it. There is so much potential for greatness, or total suckitude, that I just don't want to think about it until it's more concrete.
I heart Tron.
More postings about Tron, please.
Hah! Just watched bits of this last night. A ladyfan and I were comparing dvds, and we both have 20th anniversary widescreen copies, but she had never seen Mickey OR Pac-Man.
I loved Tron and Tron 2.0 they need to make another game from that universe.
Because of this movie and the impact it had on me as a kid (it sparked my creative gene, I suppose), I've always changed the phrase, "In Like Flint" to "In Like Flynn" because Flynn was able to use his tank program to hack stuff. I love it. Granted, his program takes a faceplant at the beginning of the movie, but I've always imagined that Flynn and his hacking software had many adventures.
@92BuickLeSabre: Is there no end to the madness. Fairly soon this is going to turn into a six degrees of kanye west fiasco.
And either/or, as far as Wendy and Lisa are concerned. They were great with Prince, and remain great without. For them then, "in this bed I scream."
The two TRON video games are available to download on the Xbox 360: the controls aren't as good as the arcade, but they are still fun.
Sorry, I just had to chime in. :)
Also, I know where there is an in tact Discs of Tron that I have my greedy little eyes on.
Anyway, this movie is the reason I work in games today. Nothing fed the imagination of my 10-year-old mind like this movie. Nothing. If they make a sequel and go all Highlander 2 with it, heads will roll.
OMG, Flynn, do you read me? Those tanks reported you derezzed.
OK, I am really a big Tron dork and anything in the realm of a new Tron motion pictures makes me mess myself... repeatedly. I too devoured EVERYTHING Tron as a kid. Tron, Maze-A-Tron on the Intellivision, Tron Deadly Discs, Discs of Tron (coolest arcade game EVER).
Shot out to Meepszor and Flynn - I hear ya, pals. Tron is my fav too... I understand brothers... I understand...
Greetings Programs:
Gimme gimme gimme gimme more TRON.
At first I laughed at some of the points of this movie, such as the converstational yet arcane CLI on the Apple-supplied computer equipment (am I the only one who noticed that in the establishing scene, Flynn was banging away on an Apple ///?):
The password sequence LSD 123 ... Reindeer Flotilla lives inscribed upon my brane.
I always thought there was another chapter to tell, and I'd love to see it. Bring it on.
i would kill as many as twelve people if it meant a sequel to tron.
@Antimatty - what if one of the twelve was a midget?