War Games | Episode 510

·57 min·5 clips

How did a 1983 film about a teenage hacker accidentally starting World War III actually change how the government treated nuclear threats?

Jim Adams opens the episode by announcing a departure from the season's anniversary theme to discuss 'War Games,' a 1983 film that has regained relevance. He sets the historical context, explaining the pervasive fear of nuclear war during the Cold War, referencing the Mutual Assured Destruction doctrine. Adams details the film's plot: a high school student, David Lightman, hacks into a NORAD computer system thinking it's a game company, inadvertently causing the military to believe a Soviet attack is imminent. The host describes the film's production, noting director John Badham was brought in to lighten the tone after original director Martin Brest envisioned a darker version. He highlights the careers launched by the film, including Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, and mentions supporting actors like Dabney Coleman and Michael Madsen. Adams explains the film's technological setting, emphasizing the primitive state of home computers and dial-up modems in the early 1980s. He recounts key scenes, such as the opening missile silo test and the climax where the AI, WOPR, learns through tic-tac-toe that nuclear war cannot be won. The host connects the film's themes to contemporary issues, noting parallels with modern AI ethics and ongoing nuclear threats from countries like Iran. He discusses the film's box office success, its sequel 'War Games: The Dead Code,' and where to stream both. Adams concludes by praising the film's believable storytelling and thought-provoking nature, despite its age.

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