Short Circuit

"Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive."

1986 1h 38m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

🍅

62%

FRESH

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

6.6

IMDB

★6.7TMDB · 1,688🍅62%Rotten Tomatoes●50Metacritic★6.6IMDB · 69,830

Science FictionComedyFamily

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.

“Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Ally Sheedy
Stephanie Speck
Steve Guttenberg
Newton Crosby
Fisher Stevens
Ben Jabituya
Austin Pendleton
Howard Marner
G.W. Bailey
Skroeder
Brian McNamara
Frank
Tim Blaney
Number 5 (voice)
Marvin J. McIntyre
Duke

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Badham
Writers: Brent Maddock, S.S. Wilson
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 4.1× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Part of the "Short Circuit Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Badham, shot by Nick McLean. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by David Shire. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Frank Morriss shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg and Fisher Stevens carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Badham directs. Nick McLean behind the camera. David Shire scores. Frank Morriss cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 4.1× over at the box office.
240 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "Short Circuit Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by John Badham, shot by Nick McLean. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by David Shire. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Frank Morriss shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg and Fisher Stevens carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Something wonderful has happened... No. 5 is alive.".
9IMDB entry: tt0091949 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Nick McLean
Original score: David Shire
Editing: Frank Morriss
Production design: Dianne Wager
Makeup / hair: Tom Lucas
Sound: Wayne Artman
Stunt coordinator: Walter Scott
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $10,000,000
Box office: $40,697,761
Return: 407% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Short Circuit (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes: 62% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 50/100
IMDB rating: 6.6/10 · 69,830 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

1 win & 5 nominations total

Part of

Short Circuit Collection

Number 5, one of a group of experimental military robots, undergoes a sudden transformation after being struck by lightning. He develops self-awareness, consciousness, and a fear of the reprogramming that awaits him back at the factory. With the help of a young woman, Number 5 tries to evade capture and convince his creator that he has truly become alive.