Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Jonathan Roberts 'Electric Dreams' isn't the sort of film I'd usually watch, but I was drawn to it for a few reasons. The first was Lenny von Dohlen - I'd only known him as Harold from 'Twin Peaks', and thought he was a peculiar choice for a lead role. The second was Virginia Madsen; I'm not too familiar with much of her work, but I watched 'Candyman' a few months ago and thought she was a brilliant actress. Neither of these two performers disappoint in 'Electric Dreams'. The writing is a little hit-and-miss, especially when the computer begins to acquire a personality. It isn't as detrimental as it could have been, though, due to the film's lightheartedness. This was director Steve Barron's first feature project and the only film he directed in the '80s - he spent most of the decade directing music videos for the likes of Bryan Adams, A-ha and even Michael Jackson. The director's background will make a lot of sense when you watch 'Electric Dreams' -- if you're expecting something quite cerebral like Spike Jonze's 'Her', you'll be disappointed.

a_clee Briefly, this is Cyrano de Bergerac for the computer age. We get a ravishingly pretty and sweet, yet sophisticated and street smart heroine in Virginia Madsen as Madeline Robistat, a gifted professional cellist; and a hapless, naive and disorganised but very decent and stalwart hero, Lenny Dohlen as Miles Harding, a civil engineer and very unpracticed suitor, whose attraction is not rakish charm, but empathy and pureness of heart. Then we have the ambiguous third wheel, a computer with self-awareness and a mysterious love of music and pretty girls who can create music.The film is imaginative, funny and also wise about both love and life. It is staffed by good actors who have good material and use it well. Besides the excellent pairing of Virginia Madsen and Lenny Dohlen, we get Bud Cort as the voice of Edgar, the computer (the name references Wuthering Heights and the third wheel character in that love tragedy); Cort gives a splendid performance in this voice role, always hitting exactly the appropriate tragic-comic note.Music is the essence of the story and the film is full of fine music, both new-wave pop (early 1980s style) and classical with a modern twist. The story is about music as well as about love and relationships, and it has some intriguing things to tell us. For example, it takes Miles, who cannot play an instrument, to know that when Madeline accidentally breaks her cello, it is a setback rather than an irretrievable disaster. Miles, who could never have played Madeline's cello, knows that the true magic is in Madeline, and not in her cello. One of the themes of the film is a really intelligent observational study of music and how music works.This is a really smart and stylish film, which also has depth and substance behind the 1980s flashiness. It still has the power to entertain.

azamlondon This was the movie which made me fall in love with the computers, cello and girls ha. OK it was in 1980's but this movie is not about time, its still relevant today.Its an excellent movie over all with loads of music strong plot and funny moments.I like the part where a disorganised person goes out to get a "PC" to organise his life. Clearly that does not work and I am sure it will be the same today. So many people have phones with more power then old PC's but they still have no ideaIf you have not seen it then do it now.

minnyca One by one recently I have been digging up all the movies from the 80s & 90s that I remember liking.Recently I procured a copy of Electric Dreams, remembering how much I liked the music in this movie.Watching it, I quickly realized this movie is one of the best performances and characters from the 80s that Virginia Madsen was in. Her character is interesting and at times comical. As is most of her 80s films she is absolutely stunning in this film - my favorite scene is The Duel - the actress & character really look like they are having such a fun time dueling with the Computer ... and what is it with this actress and men in towels? Funny scene though as is the one in Creator ... The scenes at Alcatraz are good also. Then as now she has to be one of Hollywood's best actresses - it is her voice and her eyes, the expressions in her eyes, that I find most interesting about her. Her voice as well - she is so good at projecting her voice, soft at times, strong willed and defiant at other times.Lenny Von Dohlen also gives a good performance as the perfect Computer "geek" and quite pleasant to the eye as well. He is perfect as the geeky Miles, the architect with the Earthquake brick. The scene at the live concert with his battle with the pager - very funny - he looks so mortified and embarrassed though Madsen's character is definitely intrigued.Max Caulfield with a bit part in this as well as the shallow Bill.Bud Cort turns in a good performance also as the very spoiled and juvenile voice of Edgar, the newly created Artificial Lifeform. Edgar is very spoiled but turns out some wonderful musical compositions first the Duel, then Love Is Love a love song written and performed by the sultry, soft vocals of Boy George & Culture Club and of course Madeline's Theme. I love that piece of music. And Together in Electric Dreams performed by Philip Oakley - it is really the music that really shines in this movie. Bud Cort also as the juvenile Edgar - spoiled brat at times, comical at times but in the end has some hard life value lessons to be learned. That love is give and not take.Is this movie for everyone? Probably not and since this is not in Wide release or widely available on DVD it may hurt its exposure a little bit even now - they are releasing so many movies now to DVD, why not this one? Definitely worth finding if you like movies of this sort - for it to make sense - no but just a movie with good fun and how a computer can take over a person's life. Do they go wrong to the extent as this one does? No hopefully not but they can be equally as frustrating. And they do seem to have personalities - work perfectly at one time and act stupid another.I found this film entertaining and enjoyable and if you like 80s music this one is for you.