MovieChat Forums > Tron (1982) Discussion > A childhood 'Tron' anecdote

A childhood 'Tron' anecdote

posted 9 years ago by Fluke_Skywalker
3 replies | jump to latest

Not sure anyone will care, but I've been listening to the Tron score this afternoon and I remembered something from my childhood that always makes me chuckle.

It was maybe '83 or '84, and I was reading the local TV guide and (thought I) saw that Tron was airing the next day at 1 PM. Problem was, it was a school day. So I played sick and then spent the day chomping at the bit waiting for 1.

I had my grandma make me lunch timed up with the start of the movie. At 1 I put it on channel 19 (a station out of Cincinnati that would later become a Fox affiliate) and as soon as the movie began I knew something was wrong. It was clearly from the 70s and seemed to be set in Europe. I was like "They're playing the wrong movie!". So I checked the TV guide again. Turns out I had misread it, and the movie they were actually playing that day was Trog (1970) . Needless to say, I was not happy and shut off the TV. It seems obvious now that there's no way Tron would be airing on afternoon TV a year or two after its release, but I was like 9.

To this day I always think of that day whenever I watch or hear Tron and I've still never seen Trog.

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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/

[–] Blueghost 9 years ago

I remember similar stuff happening to me when I was younger. You misread the TV guide or got the date and time wrong or something. Frustrating.

But look at it this way. You can get TRON on bluray and watch it on some large TV. I think it was worth the wait.

It really is a remarkable movie.

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 9 years ago

Tron really was ahead of its time. Not only the visuals and the score, but the story as well. Back in '82 I think it was a bit confusing to some. Computers were just going mainstream at the time. But I think as the years have gone by people's appreciation for it has grown.

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A journey into the realm of the obscure: http://saturdayshowcase.blogspot.com/

[–] Blueghost 9 years ago

Not to tip my own hat too much, but note the scene where Bridges rescues Cindy Morgan with a kiss, and she looks at him with amazement, then asks how and why he brought her back. Then note Tron (Boxleiter) confirming to Bridge's character that Bridges is down here to straighten things out and that there's a bigger plan. But Bridges responds with something like "You know how it is. You just keep on doing what you think you ought to be doing, no matter how crazy is sounds." Bridges then adds that that's the way it works "in the real world".

It's a new myth pitting faith against knowledge, and taking comfort in that knowledge can and should win.

It's brilliant writing, and one of the most intriguing films of all time.

It really is a fantastic film on all levels.