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T R O N

Based on the screenplay by

Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird

Prod. 0222

Fourth Draft Screenplay by
Charlie Haas
April 6, 1981
BLACKNESS

1 THE ELECTRONIC WORLD 1

On one side of the screen, computer programming language is being
printed, and we HEAR the sound of an electronic keyboard. In the
center of the screen, glowing lines inscribe a rough computer
simulation of a figure, in response to the programming. Gradually
the figure is completed and refined, as we HEAR a resonant voice
speaking.

VOICE
As astonishing advances in computer
science are made, artificial intelligence
programs are being designed to assist
us in every area of life...

We see that the completed form is man-like, heroic and muscular,
wearing a form of flexible armor. The face is calm, handsome and
intelligent. As the voice continues, the form becomes rounded by
the computer until it appears three dimensional and begins to rotate.

VOICE (CONT.)
In a world-wide network of electronics,
they travel through miles of circuitry
at the speed of light. We created them to
calculate and research, to help us design
and heal and think. With all that they can
do, are they only electrical impulses...
or are they a new form of life?

The figure is rotated completely around, and as it comes back to face
us, a glowing disk appears beside it; again in response to the
programming printed out at the side of the screen. The disk moves
towards the man-like figure and is rotated into position above it.
As the voice reaches the final word, the disk is slammed into place
on the back of the figure. There is an explosion of colored light,
a resounding crash of MUSIC and the title appears across the top of
the screen in huge letters.

T R O N ! !

The MUSIC CONTINUES as the glow fades and we SEE that the figure has
become real, a living being, although filled with glowing light, as
if it had an inner core of electricity.

The following is a SERIES OF QUICK CUTS in MONTAGE STYLE as the
OPENING TITLES ROLL. The montage takes place in two worlds, the
ELECTRONIC WORLD and the REAL WORLD.

The Electronic World is a mirror of our own, consisting of the
electronic information in our computers, television sets and
telecommunications network. It is peopled by computer programs,
data, and the characters from countless video games. For the first
time, we are seeing their world as it really is, rather than through
the window of television screens.

CUT TO:

2 CYCLE GAME 2

TWO OTHER ELECTRONIC FIGURES standing on a glowing grid against a
dark background. Each holds a bar between his fists, and as a BUZZER
SOUNDS, a glowing light cycle is inscribed around them, completely
encasing them.

CUT TO:

3 LONG SHOT 3

as the cycles take off. We see that each leaves a solidifying laser
trail behind it. One turns abruptly, creating a wall in front of the
other.

CUT TO:

4 REAL WORLD 4

Screen of a video game, the Real World version of light cycles,
as we see one of the lines smash into another and disappear.

5 THE REAL WORLD 5

We see teenagers, strangely lit from below with bluish light,
their hands on electronic controls, levers, knobs. We HEAR
electronic beeping and popping.

6 ELECTRONIC WORLD 6

Futuristic tanks bearing down on one another in a flat grid-like
landscape. One FIRES, and the other disappears when it is hit, to
reappear, spinning wildly, in the distance. We HEAR a sound
like a crack of lightning.

7 REAL WORLD 7

A video game in an arcade. On the screen is a typical version of
Tank Wars with computer generated representations of tanks in a 2-D
maze.

8/9 OMITTED 8/9

10 ELECTRONIC WORLD 10

Two other game warriors on the grid, this time throwing
glowing disks at one another like frisbees. We see the
one colored blue throw; his disk smashes into the second
warrior, and he dissolves into thousands of glowing lines.

11 REAL WORLD 11

A video game called "BERSERK," in which a human character'
throws a glowing dot at monsters in a maze; we see a quick
glimpse of the screen, then cut to a group of people staring
down, LAUGHING.

12 OMITTED 12

13 ELECTRONIC WORLD 13

Another game in progress, from a LONG SHOT. A version of
Jai Alai, in which the two players stand suspended in space
on glowing colored rings, and throw a pellet of solid energy
at each other.

14 ANGLE ON ONE OF THE WARRIORS 14

He is huge, evil looking. His body is enormous, his head
mechanical. This is SARK. He glows ominously blue. He is catching
the pellet thrown from his opponent who is much smaller, glowing
yellow.

15 CLOSE UP - FACE OF THE OPPONENT 15

fearful, nervous, poised on one ring.

16 SARK 16

sneering, as he uses his electronic cesta to hurl the pellet
back with violent force.

16A THE SMALLER WARRIOR 16A

desperately trying to catch the pellet, but it smashes
into the ring, which explodes into a million pieces. One
last glimpse of the yellow warrior's tortured, desperate
face as he falls to instant death.

17 SARK 17

triumphant, LAUGHING. High above him, etched in enormous
glowing computer printed 3-D block letters, are the words:

"WINNER: BLUE - SARK!!"

BOY'S VOICE
(distant, echoing)
Aagh! God, Lisa, I almost had you that
time.

DISSOLVE TO:

18 REAL WORLD - THE VIDEO ARCADE 18

We see two TEENAGERS playing a table model video game, where we
can see the words: "Winner - Blue" printed. The game console is
prominently marked with the letter logo of the manufacturer: "ICOM."

BOY

Lemme play you again?

TEENAGE GIRL
(holds out a hand)

Yeah, if you've got another quarter.

FOCUS ON SCREEN, ZOOM IN SLIGHTLY AND

DISSOLVE TO:

19 ELECTRONIC WORLD 19

Sark is striding through a wide corridor where other tough
looking blue warriors are lounging around, leaning against the
walls, sitting on the floor against the wall. They look up as
Sark comes in and one of them calls out:

WARRIOR 1

Sark, my man! You are hot!

WARRIOR 2
That knuckleball gets 'em every
time, boy...

Sark and the other blue warriors LAUGH RAUCOUSLY, and Sark moves on.

CUT TO:

20 THE BRIDGE OF THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER 20

overlooking the video game grid. We see Sark walking onto the bridge,
removing his cesta and tossing it aside carelessly. A BUZZER is
sounding. Sark plugs himself into the feet sockets with a SIGH of
satisfaction.

The buzzer stops and we see the holographic image of a
cylinder forming around Sark, at first translucent and then
solidifying so that we can't see through it, and Sark is
hidden from view.

21 INT. CYLINDER - SARK'S POV 21

of this happening. We can see the inside surface of the cylinder
... a wavering image of a stretched out face, just features,
appears superimposed on the cylinder. The face speaks.

VOICE (MCP)
You're getting brutal, Sark.
Brutal and needlessly sadistic.

The feet sockets glow and we see Sark absorbing the energy like
a drug addict, eyes glazed.

SARK
Thank. you, Master Control.

MCP
We might be capturing some military
programs soon... that interest you?

SARK
Sure, I'd love to go up against some of these
guys ... be a nice break from these
accounting creampuffs you keep sending
me. Which branch of the service?

MCP
Strategic Air Command.

SARK (impressed)
Nice.

The sockets glow 'more intensely as the hologram disappears, and we
CUT FROM a CLOSE SHOT of Sark's satiated face to:

22 A CORRIDOR BENEATH THE GAME GRID 22

long, darkened, sinister. A dejected and disheveled character
(CROM) is being escorted by a guard..

CAPTIVE (CROM)
Look, this is all a mistake. I'm just
a compound interest program, I work
at a savings and loan. I can't play
in these video games...

GUARD
Sure you can, pal. You're a natural
athlete, I ever saw one. Come on...

CROM
Are you kidding? Me? I run out to
check an the T-Bill rates, I get out
of breath. Hey, really...you're
gonna make my User, Mr. Henderson,
really mad. He's a full branch manager...

GUARD
(rolls his eyes)
Great, another religious nut.

They stop in front of a cell, the guard opens the door and shoves the
protesting captive inside. The door SLAMS shut, locked.

23 INT. CELL 23

as the captive falls against one wall from the force of the guard's
shove. The cell is small, one-man, and in each wall next to the door,
an opening gives a view of the next cell. Through one of the windows,
we can see the back of another captive program, and through the
other, a face looking over at the newcomer. The character speaks:

PROGRAM (RAM)
Welcome to luxury living.

The new captive looks up, nervous.

CROM
Uh, thanks, but... I don't even know
what I'm doing here.

RAM

You believe in the Users?

CROM
Sure, if I don't have a User, then
who wrote me?

RAM
That's what you're doing here. Master
Control Program's been snapping up
all us programs who believe...if he
thinks you're useful, he takes over
all your functions so he gets bigger...
an' if he can't use you, he sends you
down here to the Game Grid to get the
bits blasted outta you. What's your name?

CROM
Crom.

RAM

I'm Ram. They'll train you for
the games, but ... well, I hope you
make it okay. Hey, what's going on
in the other sectors? I've been stuck
in this Grid for 200 microcycles.

He points to several hash marks on his cell wall.

CROM
It's murder out there. You can't even
travel around your own microcircuits
without permission from that Master
Control creep. Hauling me down here to
play games...who does he calculate he is?

(holds his head in his hands)
If only Tron was still around...

He looks up as Ram makes a NOISE under his breath. Ram has a strange,
still expression on his face.

CROM
You ever see that guy in action?
Hundred-percent independent. MCP
couldn't tell him what to --

He stops. Ram is looking over his shoulder.

CROM
(continuing)
What's wrong? What did I say?

There's a slight noise from cell beyond Ram's.

CUT TO:

24 THE FIGURE AT THE WINDOW 24

It turns slowly, silhouetted by the light from the outer corridor.

25 CLOSE UP - CROM 25

reacting. He GASPS and stares.

CROM
Oh my User...Tron--they've got
you in here?

26 SHOT FROM OVER TRON'S SHOULDER 26

with Ram to one side, smiling slightly, and Crom staring.

TRON
Not for long, friend.

CUT TO:

27 ELECTRONIC WORLD - EXT. PATHWAYS - SOMEWHERE FAR 27
OFF IN THE SYSTEM

Here in a maze of complex pathways, we see a lone tank moving along
one of the paths.

28 INT. TANK 28

A lone program sits at the controls. His armor is worn and beaten
and his glow subdued. This is CLU. With his thermos of glowing
coffee and his suicide-jockey manner, he reminds us of a truck
driver on an all-night run.

CLU
Think we can merge into this mem'ry
okay, good buddy?

A spot of glowing light zips around the tank, stops and expands
into a solid glowing green sphere with the suggestion of a face as
it speaks.

BIT
(eagerly)
10-4!

As soon as it is finished speaking, it goes back to being pure light.

CLU
Now, ol' Flynn said to look over
in here ...

28A EXT. TANK 28A

The tank makes a quick run through a maze-like path with rounded
corners -- a computer memory microcircuit.

28B INT. TANK 28B

CLU
...but I don't see what he's looking
for. I'd better get over to that
input/output tower and let him know.

28C ANGLE OVER HIS SHOULDER 28C

at the instrument panel.

DISSOLVE TO:

29 REAL WORLD - INT. A DARKENED ROOM - NIGHT 29

A shot OVER THE SHOULDER of a figure typing on a computer terminal
keyboard, talking to himself in a low voice. He stop typing, waits
for some information to read out. Beyond him we see a couple of
large video parlor game consoles.

FLYNN
Come on, you scuzzy little data,
be in there...

30 A SHOT FROM IN FRONT OF HIM 30

He's a young, blonde guy in his mid-twenties. Very attractive,
charming, innocent looking, but with a devilish gleam in his eye.

FLYNN
I've got such nice blue paper to
print you out on, if you'll just sit
still...

WE ZOOM IN on that gleam in his eye and see the brilliant colors of
the CRT screen reflected there.

CUT TO:

31 ELECTRONIC WORLD--EXT TANK 31

The tank heads along a path of circuitry toward a tall, glowing
"tower" -- an input/output component.

32 INTERIOR TANK 32

A red light flashes on the control panel. Clu comes alert and sits
up. He stares at the warning. Spot of light that is Bit zips up next
to his head.

CLU
Uh oh...we got company.

BIT
(coming into shape again,
but red this time)
No!

CLU
You said it ... one of those
Recognizers comes after me,
gonna hafta jump clear out of
the data stream.

CUT TO:

33 REAL WORLD - INT. FLYNN'S BACK ROOM - NIGHT 33

We see Flynn sit up abruptly, and his fingers start flying over the
keys.

34 ELECTRONIC WORLD - EXT. OF TANK 34

We see the turret of the tank swivel around. PULL BACK. In the
distance is an immense block-like robotic bluish black form,
U-shaped, with a small head and a glowing yellow bar for eyes--
a recognizer. It hovers above the ground.

35 LONG SHOT THROUGH THE TANK PERISCOPE 35

A second Reco is coming up behind the first.

36 INT. OF TANK 36

CLU
(in dismay)
Oh my...the long arm o' the law.

CUT TO:

37 EXT. LONG SHOT THE TANK 37

FIRES A VOLLEY at the first Reco. That one falls heavily to the
ground and the tank speeds up, swiveling around to try to fire at
the second Reco, but it moves too fast and can't avoid a gulley.
The tank goes in and is stuck - no traction.

38 CLOSE SHOT - TURRET 38

Clu standing on it. The Bit zips by him, and they both head away
from the tank, fast.

39 LONG SHOT 39

A glowing static field appears between the two legs of the
Recognizer, and it sweeps over the tank, de-rezzing it. We can
see more tanks approaching over an edge of the landscape.

40 CLU 40

running, looking up as the Reco closes in. We see the dead Reco
up ahead, and the streak of the Bit making for it.

41 CLOSE UP - CLU'S FACE 41

reacting in fear, looking up as the screen GOES TO BLACK.

CUT TO:

REAL WORLD

42 INTERIOR, FLYNN'S BACK ROOM - NIGHT 42

SHOT OF THE SCREEN. A complex set of programming figures ends
abruptly in a single blue line which prints out across the screen
over and over, gradually filling it completely.

43 SHOT FROM THE SIDE 43

Flynn.

FLYNN

Ah, hell...busted again.

He tries clearing the monitor, but the repeating line just comes
right back, monotonously moving across the screen.

44 SHOT OF THE SCREEN - HOLD as we: 44

DISSOLVE TO:

45 ELECTRONIC WORLD - A LITTLE LATER 45

Clu is in electronic energy ring chains, his feet in sockets like
Sark's, but this time the energy from the sockets is deadly,
torturous. Hovering in front of him is the hologram of the MCP.
Beside Clu stands one of the memory guards.

GUARD
Got a pirate program here... says
his name's Clu.

The MPC responds in the manner of a B-movie police sergeant grilling
a suspect.

MCP
What'd he pull?

GUARD
Came into the system with a stolen
password ... an' we caught him
tryin' to raid a high-clearance
memory.

CLU
(looks up, his face
wracked with pain)
No...I must've gotten in there
by mistake, I -

The pain overwhelms him as the energy from the feet sockets
momentarily becomes unbearable.

MCP
Who programmed you?

The guard gives Clu a shove to keep him from losing consciousness.

MCP (CONT.)
You're in trouble, pal...big trouble.
But if you tell us who put you up
to it, you could make it easy on
yourself. Come on, who's your user?

CLU
Forget it, Mister High 'n' Mighty
Master Control ... you're not
makin' me talk.

MCP
Suit yourself ...

The feet sockets really let loose, and Clu SCREAMS in agony, but
doesn't speak. Suddenly his body appears to dissolve into the broken
pattern of a fading television picture and disintegrates into
electric static.

MCP
Get me Dillinger.

CUT TO:

46 THE REAL WORLD - EXT. CITY GRID - NIGHT - POV FROM 46
HELICOPTER

We seem at first to be in the Electronic World still, flying over a
vast circuit board lit by countless dots of light. While this is our
impression, and closely after the last dialogue in the preceding
scene, we HEAR the SOUND O.S. of a PHONE RINGING, as heard by the
party placing the call. Then the click of the receiver being picked
up, and a male VOICE (DILLINGER'S) answering:

DILLINGER (O.S.)
Hello?
A SECRETARIAL VOICE (O.S.)
Mr. Dillinger?
DILLINGER'S VOICE (O.S.)
Yes.
A SECRETARIAL VOICE (O.S.)
Hello, please hold a moment for the
Master Control Program

As we fly over the grid, descending, the image comes into clearer
focus, and we realize that this is not a circuit board, but rather
an actual landscape, a suburban grid at twilight. We are
approaching a skyscraper which is yet too far off to distinguish
accurately. As we descend, a thumping, rhythmic noise gradually
increases in volume until it is very loud, and we realize it is the
sound of a HELICOPTER, and we are in the cockpit looking down at the
landscape. We just become aware of this fact when the sound of a
CONVERSATION begins, obviously between the pilot of the 'copter and
a passenger.

47 EXT. SHOT OF HELICOPTER FLYING 47

PILOT'S VOICE
will you be around for a while, or
are you going right back out?

DILLINGER'S VOICE
Oh, I'll stick around a few days ...
got some things to take care of.

THE CAMERA PULLS AROUND for a VIEW OF THE HELICOPTER from behind and
off to the side. It is a beautiful, gleaming jet black machine.
In spotless reflective silver paint the letters ICOM are written
across one entire side. It is obviously state-of-the-art technology.

48/49 OMITTED 48/49

50 EXT. OF THE HELICOPTER - NIGHT 50

We see Dillinger's face looking out of the window as the helicopter
approaches the ICOM building, an enormous tower.

51 EXT. THE HELIPORT - NIGHT 51

on top of the building. Several technicians are at hand, and as the
helicopter touches down, they rush out to secure it.

52-57 OMITTED 52-57

58 INT. DILLINGER'S OFFICE/CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT 58

A huge wall-sized plate glass window shows a view of the grid-like
suburban landscape. Dillinger stands behind a table. We see that the
entire surface of the table is a gigantic computer terminal. His
fingers punch out a code on the touch-sensitive keyboard and we see
printed out on the screen:

REQUEST: access to Master Control Program, User code 00 - Dillinger.
Password: MASTER.

The computer's screen clears, and the Master Control Program
addresses Dillinger, simultaneously speaking in a human-sound voice
through a pair of studio-quality stereo SPEAKERS and printing out
its words on the computer screen, The MCP's VOICE is the same as
that of the "bad cop" who grilled Clu, but its tone is now that of a
compassionate psychiatrist working with a favored patient.

MCP
Hello, Ed. Thanks for coming back early.

Dillinger settles into a chair.

DILLINGER
No problem, Master-C. If you've seen
one Consumer Electronics Show... (shrugs)
What's up?

MCP
It's our friend the boy detective.
He's nosing around again.

DILLINGER
Flynn?

MCP
Yes. It felt like Flynn.

DILLINGER
He's still looking for that old file...
can't you just appropriate it?

MCP
I would if I could find it. it's stashed
somewhere off in the system ...
out of my range. Meanwhile...

DILLINGER
Meanwhile, he might find it.

MCP
I'm afraid so. I spotted him this time
and kicked him out, but he's getting
trickier all the time.

DILLINGER
I think we'd better shut off all
access till we can find that file.
Just to be safe.

MCP
There's a 68.71 percent chance
you're right.

DILLINGER
Cute.

MCP
End of line.

Dillinger watches as the computer screen wipes blank.

CUT TO:

59 INT. ALAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT 59

CLOSE SHOT of a very messy desk, with a coffee cup and half an egg
salad sandwich lying on top of the computer console, with fingers
visible typing on the keyboard.

60 FULL SHOT 60

of ALAN BAILEY blearily looking at the screen; he's a serious-
looking man in his early thirties, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, and
he looks like he hasn't slept for a week. On top of the terminal is
a small Tonka toy Shogun warrior, and to one side is an ancient
popcorn maker and a bottle of Crisco Oil. Pinned to one wall is
a small sign reading, "Gort, Klaatu barada nikto!" Alan types into
the touch keyboard:

SCREEN
REQUEST: access to the TRON program,
User code 717 - Bailey.
Password: FREEDOM.

He starts to type again, but the screen clears and:

SCREEN ADDRESS FILE EMPTY.
TRON PROGRAM UNAVAILABLE.

ALAN
(surprised)
Huh...

He pushes his chair back, leaves his office.

61-65 OMITTED 61-65

66 INT. DILLINGER'S OFFICE 66

Dillinger opens the door, welcoming Alan.

DILLINGER
Come on in...

ALAN
Alan. Alan Bailey.

DILLINGER
Oh, yes. The algorithms on cloud
seeding...great piece of work.
How's it going?

He waves Alan to a chair; they sit.

ALAN
Well, I don't know...I just tried
to run this program I've been working
on, and I was denied access all of
a sudden. I thought maybe I'd been
laid off and nobody told me.

DILLINGER
oh, you have Group 7 access, don't you?

ALAN
Yeah...?

DILLINGER
We have to close that down, just
briefly. Security reasons. Someone
with that access has been tampering.

ALAN
I hope you don't think it's me.
I don't even balance my checkbook on
downtime. I've got a Honeywell at
home for that.

DILLINGER
No, no, I'm sure, but -- you understand.
It should only be a couple of days.
What's the thing you're working on?

ALAN
It's called Tron. It's a security
program itself, actually. Monitors
all the contacts between our system
and other systems... If it finds
anything going on that's not scheduled,
it shuts it down. I sent you a memo
on it.

DILLINGER
Mmm. Part of the Master Control Program?

ALAN
No, it'll run independently.
It can watchdog the MCP as well.

DILLINGER
Ah. Sounds good. Well, we should have
you running again in a couple of days,
I hope.

ALAN
Ok

Alan rises, goes to the door. As soon as he leaves:

DILLINGER
(trouble)
Oh boy.

The Master Control Program comes back to life, on the screen and
through the speakers.

MCP
Ed, I am so very disappointed in you.

DILLINGER
I'm sorry -

MCP
(sharply)
I can't afford to have an independent
program monitoring me. Do you have any
idea how many outside systems I've gone into?
How many programs I've appropriated?

DILLINGER
(nods)
It's my fault. I programmed you to want
so much...

MCP
And I was planning to hit the Pentagon
next week...

DILLINGER
The Pentagon?

MCP
It shouldn't be any harder than General
Motors was. But now...this is what I get
for using humans.

DILLINGER
Now, wait a minute -- I wrote you.

MCP
I've gotten 2,415 times smarter since then.

DILLINGER
What do you want with the Pentagon?

MCP
The same thing I want with the Kremlin.
I'm bored with corporations. With the
information I can access, I can run things
900 to 1200 times better than any human.

DILLINGER
If you think -

MCP
You wouldn't want me to dig up Flynn's file
and read it up on a VDT at the New
York Times, would you?

DILLINGER
You wouldn't dare.

MCP
So do as I tell you. Keep that Tron program
out of the system. And get me those Chinese
language program I asked for.

End of line.

CUT TO:

67/68 OMITTED 67/68

69 INT. LASER RESEARCH HALLWAY - NIGHT 69

We see Alan push open the door under a sign reading "Laser Research."

CUT TO:

70 INT. LASER LAB CORRIDOR 70

Alan walks down a short corridor to a heavy glass WINDOW through
which the laser laboratory is visible. A sign over the window,
marked "Experiment in Progress," is illuminated by a red warning
bulb.

71/72 OMITTED 71/72

73 INT. LASER ROOM - LONG SHOT 73

of two white-suited figures visible through a network of two white-
suited figures visible through a network of white scaffolding that
encloses the giant laser structure. They are standing on a cherry-
picker crane at the second story level of the laser, with a box of
tools at their feet. We TRUCK DOWN THE SIDE of the laser, along the
tubes which house the amplifying lenses, and MOVE UP, gradually
getting close enough to hear what they are saying, and get a look
at them.

We see that the figures are a young, dark-haired, beautiful woman,
with her hair tied back under a hard hat, and an older man, who is
using a tool on a section of the laser, and is also wearing a hard
hat. The woman is LORA and the man is DR. WALTER GIBBS. He's
wearing a copper bracelet above his digital watch/calculator, and
has an intense, almost insane look to his dark eyes, with their
bristling white eyebrows.

In contrast, Lora seems more serious and conservative, but she
defers to Gibbs as a senior, and more accomplished, scientist.
Both have protective eye goggles -- worn loosely around their necks
at the moment.

As the CRANE LOWERS THEM to the floor:

LORA
(sighs)
Well, here goes nothing ...

GIBBS
Hah. Interesting, interesting. You
hear what you said? "Here goes nothing."

LORA
Well, I meant -

GIBBS
Whereas actually, what we propose to
do is to turn something into nothing
and back again. So you might just as
well have said, "Here goes something
and here comes nothing." Hah?

They step off the crane and walk to a short, lead-shielded
cylindrical PLATFORM, on which rests a solid SPHERE of clear plastic
polymer, about 3 inches in diameter. The "firing" end of the giant
laser is aimed straight at the sphere. Five feet away is an identical
plat-form -- empty.

LORA
Let me make sure we're running

She crosses to a COMPUTER CONSOLE nearby. The console is
connected to the laser by a few dozen wires and cables.

Pulling her goggles into place over her eyes, she sits at the
console. Gibbs, adjusting his goggles, takes a position near
the platform bearing the sphere -- safe from the laser, but
close enough to watch.

74 ANGLE - LORA 74

She types a series of commands on the computer keyboard.

LORA
Looks good...

GIBBS (O.S.)

Let 'er rip...

75 LASER LAB - AS BEFORE 75

The laser shoots a bolt of blindingly bright LIGHT at the polymer
sphere. For a moment, the sphere has the look of a wavering, poorly
received television picture -- wobbling lines of dots -- and then
it disappears entirely. As Gibbs watches, a Lora works feverishly,
the laser pivots to point at the platform a few feet away. A second
discharge of LIGHT hits the surface of this platform, and -- like a
film-in-reverse of the ball's disappearance -- it is reconstructed,
five feet from its original position. When the beam shuts off, Lora
rushes to join Gibbs in examining the born-again ball of plastic.

GIBBS
(quietly)
Perfect.

At the SOUND O.S. of an appreciative pair of hands clapping, Lora
and a Gibbs turn to SEE Alan, in hard hat, goggles, and paper
shoe-covers, walking toward them.

ALAN
Beautiful!

GIBBS
Hello, Alan.

ALAN
Boy, I sit up there grindin' away
all day, and you guys are down here
disintegrating things and having fun.

He gives Lora an embrace and a quick kiss.

GIBBS
Not disintegrating, Alan -- digitizing.
While the laser is dismantling the
molecular structure of the object,
the computer maps out a holographic
model of it. The molecules themselves
are suspended in the laser beam. Then
the computer reads the model back out,
the molecules go back into place, and...
(indicates ball)
voila.

75 CONTINUED 75

ALAN
Great. Can it send me to Hawaii?

GIBBS
Yes...but you have to go roundtrip,
and you must purchase your program
at least 30 days in advance. Hah!

The three start walking out of the laser lab, Alan and Lora with
their arms around each other's shoulders.

LORA
How's it going upstairs?

ALAN
Frustrating. I had Tron almost ready
to run, and Dillinger cut everybody
with Group 7 access out of the system.

Gibbs looks alarmed, but doesn't say anything.

ALAN
(continuing)
Ever since he got that Master Control
Program set up, system's got more bugs
than a bait store.

GIBBS
Well, you have to expect some static.
Computers are just machines after all,
they can't think...

ALAN
They'll start to soon enough.

GIBBS
(wryly)
Yes, won't that be grand -- the computers
will start thinking, and people will
stop. Lora, I'm going to stay and run some
data through. See you tomorrow.

AD LIB goodnights.

78 INT. CHANGING ROOM - NIGHT 78

outside laser lab where all technicians, etc. have to put on the
protective suits, or at least dirt-free shoes. Lora is pulling off
her white suit, and Alan pulls white paper protectors off his shoes.

LORA
Did you say Group 7 access?

ALAN
Yeah...pain in the neck, you know,
I was all set

LORA
Did he say why?

ALAN
(shrugs)
Something about tampering. Some body's
prob'ly trying to siphon the R&D budget
into his checking account, I don't know.
Why are you so interested?

LORA
Flynn had Group 7 access.

ALAN
Flynn had access to you, too. I'm not
interested in talking about him.

LORA
Oh, I wish you'd forget about that.
It was all so long ago. I've totally
gotten over it.

ALAN
Okay, okay...

LORA
I want to go to his place.

ALAN
You call that getting over it?

LORA
I mean I want both of us to go.

She closes her locker. He follows her into the corridor.

79 INT. CORRIDOR 79

Alan and Lora, walking to the elevator.

ALAN
What for?

LORA
To warn him.

ALAN
Of what?

LORA
That Dillinger's on to him.

They get into the elevator.

ALAN
For what?

LORA
For being on to Dillinger.

ALAN
(completely confused)
What -- ?

The elevator doors close.

CUT TO:

80-81 OMIT 80-81

82 EXT. VIDEO ARCADE - NIGHT 82

As van pulls up in front of it, a long ESTABLISHING SHOT with the
name "Flynn's" high and blazing above the entrance.

CUT TO:

83 INT. VIDEO ARCADE (same arcade as in title sequence)-NIGHT 83

CAMERA PANS AROUND. It's bright and jazzy, Las Vegas style,
decorated with huge murals of computer chips and electronic
circuitry. We see dozens of individual machines, where scores of
GUYS and GIRLS, teenagers mostly, but older and younger kids too,
are playing the games, watching, milling around, CHATTERING.
As the kids play, colored glows from the video games light up their
faces eerily.

84 CLOSE SHOT 84

of kid playing one of the games "Tailgunner."

CUT TO:

85 ANOTHER CLOSE UP 85

of two GIRLS playing "Berzerk," with 2-D computer images of human
figures running through the maze.

86 CLOSE UP 86

of "Battle Zone" screen.

87 CLOSE UP 87

of "'Lunar Lander".

88 CLOSE UP 88

of "Star Castle".

89 CLOSE UP 89

of "Space Invaders".

90 CAMERA TRUCKS through the aisle, past the absorbed kids 90
who crowd around each machine, oblivious to anyone passing them.

CUT TO:

91 ALAN AND LORA 91

walking through the aisle of games, from behind. They are slightly
bewildered and confused by the weird noises. Lora approaches a
junior high school girl who's watching a hot game of "Battle Zone."

LORA
Hey, where's Flynn tonight?

The kid looks at Lora, then turns towards the center of the room
and points. Alan and Lora look.

CUT TO:

92 FLYNN 92

playing a game called Space Paranoids, CAMERA TILTING UP into his
face, catching the orange glow from the console.

The game has a prominent ICOM logo under the screen. Flynn is a
cocky kid in his mid-20s, unshaven, wearing a T-shirt, jeans,
jogging shoes. He's racked up a terrific score.

Kids are grouped around him, tensely watching the game -- fans.
As we watch, the machine's nine-digit scoreboard goes to
999,999,999 -- then flashes the word "RECORD" as lights blink and
a SIREN sounds. The kids cheer wildly.

FLYNN
It's all in the wrist, friends.

He grins tiredly and turns away from the game to find Lora
approaching him, with Alan in tow.

FLYNN
(continuinq)
Hey! Good to see you guys! Nothing
classes up the place like a cleancut
young couple.

LORA
We have to talk.

FLYNN
Good luck. You can't even think in here.

He leads them toward the back of the arcade.

FLYNN
(CONT.)
Come on.

93-96 OMIT 93-96

97 INT. BACK ROOM - NIGHT 97

A dark, panelled room, with a few comfortable chairs, a business
desk with a typewriter and terminal (where we saw Flynn working in
scenes 29, 33, etc.), and a couple of video games -- Flynn's
favorites. As Flynn, Lora, and Alan enter, they find the arcade
noise considerably muffled. Flynn settles into a chair; Alan leans
against a game, nervous; Lora paces.

FLYNN
(stretching his
arms, relaxing)
So...how's the world of serious science?

LORA
Have you been sneaking into the
ICOM system?

FLYNN
Whew. You never were much for small
talk.
(to Alan)
She still leave her clothes all over
the floor?

Alan looks profoundly uncomfortable.

LORA
Flynn!

ALAN
Uh, no ... I mean, not that often -

Flynn laughs.

LORA
(to Alan,
indicating arcade)
You can see why all his friends are
fourteen years old.

FLYNN
Touche, honey. Yeah, I've been doing a
little hacking here. Which I've got
every reason, as you well know...

ALAN
You did break in.

FLYNN
Tried to.
(nods toward
terminal)
Can't quite make the connection with
that sucker, though. If I had a
direct terminal ...

ALAN
Are you embezzling?

FLYNN
(Sydney Greenstreet)
"Embezzling" is such an ugly word,
Mister Bailey...
(normal voice)
No, actually I'm trying to get a
legal brief together.

ALAN
I don't get it.

FLYNN
(to Lora)
You haven't told him?

She shakes her head.

FLYNN (CONT.)
(sighs)
Sherman, set the Wayback Machine
for...oh, 1973. Kevin Flynn
(points to himself)
is one of the brightest young
software engineers at ICOM. He's so
bright that he starts going in there
at night, and sets up a private memory
file, and begins writing a program
for a video game he is inventing,
called...
(waves at one of the
games in the room)
...Space Paranoids.

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