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From: knudsen@ihnss.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: HUMAN unrealism in WarGames
Message-ID: <1582@ihnss.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Jun-83 21:52:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnss.1582
Posted: Tue Jun 28 21:52:40 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Jun-83 10:33:26 EDT
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 28

Nobody has seemed to notice the most improbable plot event in
"WarGames": that a non-social, non-athletic boy whose only intrest is
computer hacking & games should end up kissing a beautiful girl whose
main interest is jogging, aerobic dancing, and other trendy getting physical.
David finally seems to recognize the enormity of this mismatch when,
on Dr. Falken's island, he admits to Jennifer that he suffers the
same physical defect as the frog in the Frogger game.
But this well-made film makes this seem plausible, as it does with
the more techinical issues.  First, David shows he isn't so square as
to be into adult morality (by fixing grades).  Second, he can explain
articulately his interest in computers (boy, don't we wish...)--
when she asks "what's so special about playing games with a computer"
he answers "But this one can Learn from its mistakes!"  I've found that
a sincere desire to share one's interests with others who are socially
"above" such things can in fact work.  And of course David shows genuine concern
that he may be blowing up the human race, and Jennifer is old-fashioned enough
to like people who care.  And so we believe.
	In this respect the movie is PRO-technology, in showing that,
properly introduced and explained and demonstrated, computing is attractive
to attractive (pun?) and not necessarily "intelligent" people, i.e.,
anyone can love it.  In fact, this flick does more to UNDO the NURD
stereotype than anything else has lately.  Two genuine nurds are shown
to prove the point that we're not all like that (all the time...).
	Say, how come everyone picks technical nits and nobody ever
discusses the human angle of plots in sci-fi movies?  Those kids are as
real as the people in Officer & Gentleman (within an order magnitude)
so let's give some equal time.
	mike k