50 films: 1982 - TRON

I rather like TRON, it looks great, the premise is sweet (and sweetly dated), Wendy Carlos' music is great (we'll pretend the Journey thing isn't there), and David Warner's Dillinger/MCP/SARK is just the best villain.

But I can't love TRON because it was the 80s - you have our "hero" driven not by fighting for good, or right, but because he got cheated out of some money and fame - so when Alan/TRON and Lora/YORI and Walter Gibbs are fighting to prevent MCP from taking over, Flynn is just bothered about his name and reputation.

I know this is how he was written, but I think a film in any other decade would have written him as a person that a modern (21st century) audience might have had some empathy with, or understanding of (even if they didn't like him). But in the 80s it was OK to write a character like Flynn because in the 80s there was a tendency to like selfish people like him.

I don't mind my heroes being flawed, bad, or even wrong, I just don't think I like them being wankers.

(play on YouTube)

50 films and 50 albums