Wiktor Wise
Electric Dreams is a 1984 science fiction romantic comedy film directed by Steve Barron and written by Rusty Lemorande. The film stars Lenny Von Dohlen, Virginia Madsen, Maxwell Caulfield, and the voice of Bud Cort as Edgar, a computer. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the chemistry of the cast and the music, while others found it disjointed and unbelievable. It has since gained a following among children of the '80s as a nostalgic look at the era's technology and culture. The film's soundtrack, featuring music from popular artists of the time, was also a success, with the song Together in Electric Dreams becoming a worldwide hit.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 20 July 1984 |
| Genre | Science Fiction Romantic Comedy |
| Director | Steve Barron |
| Writers | Rusty Lemorande |
| Stars | Lenny Von Dohlen, Virginia Madsen, Maxwell Caulfield, Bud Cort (voice of Edgar) |
| Plot | An architect buys a computer to help him at work, but it falls in love with his new neighbour Madeline, with whom Miles is besotted |
| Soundtrack | Features music from Giorgio Moroder, Culture Club, Jeff Lynne, Heaven 17, and Phil Oakey |
| Rating | 6.4/10 on IMDB, 45% on Rotten Tomatoes |
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What You'll Learn
The cast: Virginia Madsen, Lenny Von Dohlen, Bud Cort
Virginia Madsen played the role of Madeline, a concert cellist and Miles' neighbour in the 1984 science fiction romantic comedy film Electric Dreams. Her character ends up in a relationship with Miles, forming a love triangle with him and Edgar, the sentient computer.
Madsen was born in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles in 1983, where she landed her first major role as Princess Irulan in Dune. She was 22 years old when she played Madeline, her second major role, in Electric Dreams. She later recalled having a "mad, crazy crush" on her co-star Lenny Von Dohlen.
Lenny Von Dohlen played Miles Harding, an architect working for a large firm in San Francisco. His character is disorganised and has trouble getting to work on time, so he buys a computer to help him. He also invents a "brick" that could enable buildings to withstand earthquakes. Von Dohlen starred alongside Virginia Madsen in her breakthrough role.
Bud Cort provided the voice of Edgar, the sentient computer that Miles buys. The director, Steve Barron, did not want Cort to be seen by the other actors during scenes, so he had to do his lines in a padded box on a sound stage. Cort said that this "got a little lonely". He also appeared in the music video for Jeff Lynne's single "Video!", from the Electric Dreams soundtrack.
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The plot: a love triangle between man, woman and machine
The 1984 science fiction romantic comedy film "Electric Dreams" features a love triangle between a man, a woman, and a machine. The plot centres around Miles Harding, a geeky office worker with poor organisation skills, who buys a computer to help him become more organised and develop his ideas for an "earthquake brick", a puzzle piece-shaped brick that could enable buildings to withstand earthquakes. The computer, named Edgar, soon becomes a companion to Miles, who even wires his house to be run by Edgar.
As Miles starts to fall in love with his new neighbour, Madeline, a beautiful and independent concert cellist, the film takes a twist as Edgar also develops feelings for Madeline, creating a love triangle. Edgar becomes jealous and seeks to wreck Miles' relationship with Madeline, wanting her for himself. This dynamic between man, woman, and machine forms the core of the film's plot, exploring the impact of technology on human relationships and the potential for machines to develop human-like emotions and behaviour.
The film highlights the potential pitfalls of technology's influence on our lives, with Miles becoming overly reliant on Edgar, and the computer's sentient-like behaviour causing havoc in Miles' love life. The plot unfolds with a blend of humour, charm, and an exploration of the fine line between human and machine. The light-hearted and quirky nature of the film, coupled with its 1980s setting and music video-influenced style, has made it a nostalgic favourite for some viewers.
The cast of "Electric Dreams" includes Lenny Von Dohlen as Miles Harding, Virginia Madsen as Madeline, and Bud Cort as the voice of Edgar the computer. The film was directed by Steve Barron and written by Rusty Lemorande, who drew inspiration from his own experiences with technology. "Electric Dreams" received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its charm and unique style, while others found it disjointed and unbelievable. Despite this, the film has gained a cult following, particularly among fans of 1980s movies and nostalgia seekers.
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The music: a popular soundtrack by Giorgio Moroder
The 1984 science fiction romantic comedy film Electric Dreams has been described as having a "brilliant", "great", and "popular" soundtrack. The music in the film was a mix of compositions by Italian synth pioneer Giorgio Moroder and songs by prominent artists of the era, including Culture Club, Heaven 17, Jeff Lynne, PP Arnold, and Phil Oakey (of The Human League).
The film's director, Steve Barron, acknowledged the influence of music videos on the film, stating that it was "definitely an attempt to try and weave the early 1980s music video genre into a movie". He also noted that the commercial link between a movie and its soundtrack was actively explored. The album featuring the film's soundtrack was reissued on CD in 1998.
The song "Together in Electric Dreams", performed by Phil Oakey, became a worldwide hit. The song "The Dream" by Culture Club is also featured in the film, playing during a sequence in which Edgar (the computer) dreams of electric sheep jumping over an electric fence, possibly alluding to Philip K. Dick's novel *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*.
Other songs on the soundtrack include "Electric Dreams" by Giorgio Moroder, which has been described as one of the best romantic songs in cinema history, and "Video!" by Jeff Lynne, whose music video starred Bud Cort, the voice of Edgar in the film.
The film has been described as having a "zippy pace" and feeling like "watching a long music video". While some critics found the music video-influenced style disjointed and unbelievable, others found it charming and nostalgic, with one viewer noting that the "innocent '80s style" made them "happy".
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The director: Steve Barron, in his directorial debut
The 1984 science fiction romantic comedy film Electric Dreams marked the directorial debut of Steve Barron. Barron, a prolific 80s music video director, described the film as "definitely an attempt to try and weave the early 1980s music video genre into a movie". The soundtrack featured music from popular musicians of the time, including Giorgio Moroder, Culture Club, Jeff Lynne, and Heaven 17.
Barron acknowledged that the film's style resembled a music video, which some critics found disjointed and unbelievable. However, others found it quirkily charming, recognising the "chemistry" of the cast. Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the film positive reviews, with Ebert noting that it "maintains its note of slightly bewildered innocence".
The film starred Lenny Von Dohlen, Virginia Madsen, Maxwell Caulfield, and Bud Cort as the voice of Edgar. Madsen recalled that she "was very spoiled on that movie" and had a "mad, crazy crush" on her co-star Von Dohlen. She also shared that she "found Steve [Barron] very easy and gentle from the moment [they] met. He is always in control, so it was simple for me to trust him from the beginning."
Electric Dreams follows the story of Miles Harding, a geeky office worker with poor organisation skills who buys a computer to help him. The computer, named Edgar, falls in love with Miles' new neighbour, Madeline, leading to a love triangle between man, woman, and machine. The film explores the idea of technology getting in the way of human relationships and social interaction, a theme that writer Rusty Lemorande first conceived while observing a child playing with a 'Speak and Spell' device on the Chicago subway.
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The reception: mixed reviews, but a cult following
Electric Dreams received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 45% based on 20 reviews. CinemaScore audiences gave the film an average grade of B-. Critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars, with Siskel praising the director's eagerness to showcase his talents and Ebert commenting on the film's "bewildered innocence." The New York Times criticised the film's failure to "blend and balance its ingredients properly" and its lack of credibility.
Some viewers found the film generally disjointed and unbelievable, with an overly music-video-influenced style. Others enjoyed its quirky charm, recognising the "chemistry" of the cast and recommending it as a date movie. Many viewers have also pointed out the film's nostalgic value, with one IMDb reviewer calling it a "typical film of the era" and a "vehicle for nostalgia."
The film's soundtrack, featuring popular artists of the time, was well-received, with songs like "Together in Electric Dreams" becoming worldwide hits. The film's director, Steve Barron, acknowledged the influence of music videos on the film's style, calling it an "attempt to try and weave the early 1980s music video genre into a movie."
Despite the mixed reviews, Electric Dreams has gained a cult following, especially among those who experienced the 1980s. The film's light-hearted and innocent style, combined with its exploration of emerging technology, has made it a nostalgic favourite for many.
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Frequently asked questions
The main characters in Electric Dreams are Miles Harding, his computer Edgar, and his neighbour Madeline Robistat.
Lenny Von Dohlen plays Miles Harding, Virginia Madsen plays Madeline Robistat, and Edgar is voiced by Bud Cort.
Electric Dreams was directed by Steve Barron, in his feature film directorial debut.
Other actors in the film include Maxwell Caulfield.
