TRON
When I was a kid, I was keen on reading movie novelisations, the main reason being that we couldn't afford to go see all the movies I wanted to see, but a book back in the 70s and 80s was much more affordable. Besides, I could play the movie in my head when I read the book, so I got essentially the same experience, if not a better one that movie-goers. One such book was TRON. I really wanted to see the movie, but there was no way, so I read the book instead. I loved it. When I finally got to see the movie, I wasn't nearly as impressed with it as I was the book. Looking back on it, I understand why. I saw in my head future CGI, but the movie could only provide imagery from the technology available to it at the time of filming.
The film is airing on G4 right now and I can honestly say I'm enjoying it more now than I did when I saw it in the mid-80s. The nostalgia that surrounds it is palpable for me. Despite its antiquated computer effects, the movie truly was ahead of its time, and I can appreciate this more now than I could as a teenager. It's sort of like Atari games. When I get the chance to play Atari, I enjoy it much more now than I did when it was all the rage. I can appreciate its simplicities, despite it being cutting edge in its heyday. Before, I was frustrated with the games' limitations, just as I was frustrated with the funky effects in TRON. Now? Not so much.
So Disney is making a sequel to TRON, called TR2N or TRON2. Some people are up in arms about this, saying it will ruin a classic, going on the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Others are very excited about what can be done to bring the computer world to life 26 years of technological advancement since the making of the original. I'm in the latter camp. Given the virtual realm and the existence of a whole other reality in Teh Intarwebs, I'm thinking it would be a mortal sin if TR2N didn't get made.
When TRON was released, it was done so on the premise that we were living in a rapidly-changing reality that depended more and more upon machines and AI. It opened the door for further exploration in the CGI realm and the creation of video games. To want such a maverick of a film to stagnate in the vaults of posterity goes against everything the movie stands for, in my opinion. I'm hoping that, with TR2N, the programs are much more sophisticated and independent, relying on themselves and each other as much if not more than their users. This would accurately reflect the current state of AI in our modern world.
The film is airing on G4 right now and I can honestly say I'm enjoying it more now than I did when I saw it in the mid-80s. The nostalgia that surrounds it is palpable for me. Despite its antiquated computer effects, the movie truly was ahead of its time, and I can appreciate this more now than I could as a teenager. It's sort of like Atari games. When I get the chance to play Atari, I enjoy it much more now than I did when it was all the rage. I can appreciate its simplicities, despite it being cutting edge in its heyday. Before, I was frustrated with the games' limitations, just as I was frustrated with the funky effects in TRON. Now? Not so much.
So Disney is making a sequel to TRON, called TR2N or TRON2. Some people are up in arms about this, saying it will ruin a classic, going on the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Others are very excited about what can be done to bring the computer world to life 26 years of technological advancement since the making of the original. I'm in the latter camp. Given the virtual realm and the existence of a whole other reality in Teh Intarwebs, I'm thinking it would be a mortal sin if TR2N didn't get made.
When TRON was released, it was done so on the premise that we were living in a rapidly-changing reality that depended more and more upon machines and AI. It opened the door for further exploration in the CGI realm and the creation of video games. To want such a maverick of a film to stagnate in the vaults of posterity goes against everything the movie stands for, in my opinion. I'm hoping that, with TR2N, the programs are much more sophisticated and independent, relying on themselves and each other as much if not more than their users. This would accurately reflect the current state of AI in our modern world.