| | | | Tron
(1982) |
et in the days of the booming mainframe computer industry, Tron tells the story of a young programmer named Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges). Flynn used to be work for a giant computer company named Encom. During his spare time, he would program video games.
One day, he goes to work on his games and finds them missing, only to discover that another Encom employee named Ed Dillenger (David Warner) has stolen his work and presented them to Encom as his own work. The games become gigantic hits. Dillenger ends up climbing the corporate ladder all the way up to senior executive vice president, and Flynn ends up starting his own video game arcade. For years, Flynn has been breaking into the Encom system trying to find evidence of what Dillenger did.
Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) is an Encom programmer who is working on a security program for Encom. After Flynn breaks into the system yet again, Dillenger locks out all users with the access level that Flynn has been using to gain access, including Alan. Frustrated, Alan goes to see Flynn along with his girlfriend Lora (Cindy Morgan), an Encom scientist who also used to be Flynn's girlfriend.
They decide to team up and go back to Encom to try and find the evidence of Dillenger's crimes. Once they get there, Flynn is electronically transported inside the world of the computer by the all-powerful Master Control Program (MCP).
Flynn finds himself inside the Encom system in an environment of glowing light and pulsating sound. He is quickly put into a cell with other programs that the Master Control Program has seized control of to fight for his life inside a series of video games. He manages to find a program named Tron (Bruce Boxleitner), the security program that Alan was working on and teams up with him to bring down the MCP.
Along with Yori (Cindy Morgan), the computer representation of Lora, they must fight for their lives to bring down the MCP for good.
The production of Tron was groundbreaking, in many ways. More work went into this film than most anyone truly realizes.
The power of computer graphics were nowhere near the level that you see today. The idea of using computer graphics in this manner was hardly even a thought of at the time. Director Steven Lisberger had been fascinated by the idea of what a computer could do to an animated environment. Coming from a traditional animation background, he saw the instant advantages that one could have using computers to animated environments. The film was shopped around to multiple studios until Walt Disney Studios became intrigued by the idea and decided to produce it.
The film was a staggering production. The more traditional element of production, the actual live photography, was even a challenge. The actors were required to wear unusual outfits for much of the production. They were also typically acting by themselves against flat backgrounds, to be later inserted into the computer generated environments.
The film also does incorporate a large amount of traditional hand animation to supplement the computer animation. Being at Walt Disney Studios was a natural advantage for this. Much of this work was shipped out of the country to be done, as there was such a large volume that needed to be done.
The computer animation was handled by multiple companies, but two of them did the primary work on the film.
A company called the Mathematical Applications Group Incorporated (MAGI) did scenes that needed to be fast action such as the light cycle sequence as they had a system that was easy to work with but was a little more limited in what complexity it could handle.
Another company called Information International Incorporated (Triple-I) did the work on the more complex sequences in the film. A couple other companies such as Robert Abel & Associates as well as Digital Effects, Incorporated worked on the film as well.
The complexities of handling the production of all these various elements in the film was staggering. In some frames of the film, there can be dozens of different cells all combined to compose the final frame. Elements such as the photographed actors (of which multiple actors may not have been filmed at the same time) needed to be combined with computer animated objects, hand animated componenets and many other combinations of said elements. The process for keeping tract of this whole system was enough to boggle the mind, not the least of which was managing the elements that were being sent out of the country to be worked on.
In the end, the film proved that not only could computers be used to produce animated film elements, but it could also be done without losing focus of telling a compelling story in a wonderful and unique environment. All the elements came together to make a breathtaking film, in both visuals and narrative. The film pushed production technologies farther than anyone had or would for years to come.
You can learn much more about this classic at the excellent Gold Rated Site listed in the links section.
Hot News: A very special 2 disk 20th Anniversary DVD Edition of Tron has been released on January 15th, 2002 in the USA. Features include:
• All-new extensive "The Making of Tron" documentary
• Deleted scenes with all-new introductions by Bruce Boxleitner
• Production photo gallery including archival photos not presented in the laser disc edition
• Commentary with writer/director Steven Lisberger, producer Donald Kushner and visual effects supervisors Harrison Ellenshaw and Richard Taylor
• Storyboard-to-film Comparisons
• Extensive still frame galleries
• Pre-production animation tests
• Deleted original soundtrack music
• ...And much more!
You can order it NOW at a great price by using our search device.
 Don't forget that Tron is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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Tron was a movie way ahead of it's time, and it still holds up well today.
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According to Steven Lisberger, the name TRON is shorthand for "elecTRONic", and was a character he'd used in a radio promo long before the film's script was written.  -Thanks to Jonah Falcon
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I noticed that it was stated below that John Lassiter formed Pixar after leaving Disney. This is not completly true. John Lassiter joined Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), George Lucas' special effects company. At the time ILM was starting up a computer division to push digital filmmaking and this is what Lassiter became involved with. Pixar didn't become a company until 1986 when Lucas/ILM sold the company to Steve Jobs of Apple Computer fame. -Thanks to Daniel Biehl
One of the rides at Epcot Center in Florida uses the computer simulated landscape used in the film. -Thanks to Andrew
Flynn's program is named "Clu". CLU is an old programming language.
One of the Walt Disney Studio's "Imagineers" (as they call them) working on "Tron" was an aspiring filmmaker named John Lassiter. Seeing the potential of Computer Generated Image animation for the movies, John dreamed of doing a completely CGI animated film, but Disney couldn't afford it due to a hostile takeover bid in 1984 (which the company survived). So, John left Disney and in 1987 founded Pixar Animations, producing short CGI films, until returning to Disney in 1992. Since then, Disney and Pixar have collaborated and have so far had five successful feature length, fully CGI-animated movies: "Toy Story 1 & 2" (1995 & 1999), "A Bug's Life" (1998), "Monsters Inc." (2001) and "Finding Nemo" (2003). -Thanks to C.T. Warren
TV commercial director Joseph Kosinski is in final negotiations to develop and direct 'Tron 2'. Described as "the next chapter" of Disney's 1982 cult sci-fi classic, the new movie is being produced by Sean Bailey via the Live Planet banner and Steven Lisberger, who co-wrote and directed the original film. Director Kosinski, who last month signed on to helm the remake of 'Logan's Run' for Warner Brothers, will oversee the visual development of the project and have input on the script, which is being penned by 'Lost' writers Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Story details are being kept secret. Tron 2 will hopefully hit theaters sometime in 2010. -Thanks to phatpants
In the solar sailer sequence, there is a scene where the solar sailer passes over a giant landscape in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head.
The sequel to Tron we hoped was going to be a movie has turned out to be a videogame entitled Tron 2. -Thanks to Mark
Actor Bruce Boxleitner who portrayed 'TRON' went on to star as Captain John Sheridan in the cult sci-fi series 'Babylon 5'.
Actor Dan Shor who portrayed computer program/hero 'RAM' can also be seen in the fantasy/comedy 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' as Billy the Kid.
Actress Cindy Morgan's first starring role was in the hit comedy 'Caddyshack' in which the first thing she had to do was take her clothes off!
Actor Peter Jurasik who portrayed 'CROM' also made the move to 'Babylon 5' but way before Bruce Boxleitner did. Peter has been with the show since it started in the early nineties.
In the scene where Flynn is marching single file with the other programs and sees TRON for the first time, he pauses and says, "Hey! Who's that guy?" A program replies, "That's TRON he fights for the users!" Immediately after this Flynn receives a nudge from the program behind him, urging him to move on. The 'nudging' program is none other than 'American Ninja' star Michael Dudikoff. -Thanks to Phantom Planet
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check out this list: ..... Empire Strikes Back ..... Night of the Comet ..... Aliens ..... Back To The Future ..... Last Starfighter ..... Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ..... Circuitry Man ..... Brazil ..... Blade Runner ..... Thing ..... Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan ..... Return to Oz ..... Starman ..... Somewhere In Time ..... Strange Invaders ..... Short Circuit .....[More]
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Peter O'Toole really wanted to be Tron in the movie, but was not cast. He was offered the part of "Dillinger", but turned it down.
In the original DVD version of the movie (pre-20th anniv. release), when Alan and Laura meet Flynn at his arcade right after he beats his game, you can see the boom microphone appear at the bottom of the shot, right after he (Flynn) claps his hands as he greets them -- this has been removed in the 20th anniversary release. -Thanks to Darrell Fulwilder
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|  |  |  | | Tron
Locations |
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 Featured Movie Location: Encom Corp
Wanna see the real life filming location used for Encom Corp in the movie? These scenes were actually shot at The Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, located in Livermore, N. California. [New! Show Google Map]
The Trans-America building in downtown San Francisco was used for the Encom Headquarters. [Thanks to J]
Apart from the early scenes set in the real world Tron was filmed entirely on a soundstage and was an animated production.
Flynn's is in Culver City near the fire station and is a restaurant. It is off of Washington Blvd. [Thanks to Cynthia]
I am told that the laser lab, in which an orange, & later Flynn, were both "digitized", was actually the interior of the Shiva laser, at the time the largest laser in the world (it was the one which was used to measure the temperature of the sun's interior). Unfortunately I don't know its location, or if another, more powerful, laser has since been built. [Thanks to David]
Can you help? Do you know any of the N. California (or any other) filming locations used for Tron, particularly Flynn's bar? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[16:9 -Widescreen Enhanced]](16_9.gif) | ![[5.1 CH SURROUND]](dd5.gif) | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette, OutTakes |
| Our
Comments: Fantastic special edition DVD! |
| | | | Trailer, Commentary, Featurette, OutTakes |
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Comments: Special edition DVD |
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As well as the score to the movie, the rock group Journey* contributed two songs, "Only Solutions" & "1990's Theme" which are featured on the soundtrack. The soundtrack was previously only ever available on Vinyl (LP). Wendy Carlos, the composer, worked hard to get a remastered CD soundtrack released. And now its out! Use our search device to locate a copy. Track listing:
1. Creation of Tron
2. Only Solutions - By Journey*
3. We've Got Company
4. Wormhole
5. Ring Game and Escape
6. Water, Music, And Tronaction
7. Tron Scherzo
8. Miracle and Magician
9. Magic Landings
10. Theme from Tron
11. 1990's Theme - By Journey*
12. Love Theme
13. Tower Music - Let Us Pray
14. Light Sailer
15. Sea of Simulation
16. New Tron and the MCP
17. Anthem
18. Ending Titles
19. Tronaction [Original Version]
20. Break In [for Strings, Flutes, and Celesta]
21. Anthem for Keyboard Solo
Before Journey, Supertramp was approached to contribute to the Tron soundtrack. -They turned it down because, according to Roger Hodgson, they were "just way too busy".
Wendy Carlos, who composed the music for "Tron", was originally a man named Walter Carlos! Before the sex-change, he had been responsible for the music in the Kubrick masterpiece "A Clockwork Orange". -Thanks to Axel H.
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Soundtrack Available:
Used On CD
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