Love Bytes
After turning up late for work again Miles (Lenny von Dohlen - Love Kills) is persuaded by his colleague to get himself the latest Casio organiser. But when Miles goes to the shop to buy one he ends up being talked in to buying a state of the art computer system which can do everything for him, from controlling appliances to assisting in his design work. All he has to do is master it which isn't without its teething problems. But things get interesting as, cellist, Madeline Robistat (Virginia Madsen - The Magic of Belle Isle) moves in to the flat above him and not only does Miles become attracted to her but so does Edgar, Miles' computer system.
Oh how I wish I had watched "Electric Dreams" back in 1985 when I was just thirteen as not only would my crush on Virginia Madsen have started earlier but I reckon I might have been completely blown away by it and the fantasy of what Edgar the computer could do. I know for sure the first musical scene where Madeline plays her cello and Edgar accompanies her to give us this mix of electric and classic would have been played again and again until everyone in the house would have been sick of it. And that is not the only musical scene in "Electric Dreams with others which make you smile just as much.
The thing is that as I write this review of "Electric Dreams it is 2016 and I have to admit that I have only recently gotten around to watching this gem from the 1980s and whilst those musical scenes are wonderful and Virginia Madsen is clearly the ultimate girl next door, "Electric Dreams" made me smile for some wrong reasons. Of course I know that "Electric Dreams is escapism of the fantasy variety but thinking back to how many Kb of power a home computer would have had back in 1985 it is hard not to be amused by the story and Edgar's capabilities. Even the whole set up of adapters to control appliances almost felt ahead of its time and you almost wonder whether the likes of Steve Jobs watched "Electric Dreams and were inspired by the ideas in it.
Anyway get beyond the technology what you have in "Electric Dreams is a romance with Miles and Madeline ending up close but with a couple of problems, one of which is Edgar, the other is Bill, a musician who thinks he is a real lady's man. It is fun but for me the whole romantic side of the movie is unsurprisingly typically 80s, full of innocence although the occasional bit of grown up comedy tossed in to the mix for good measure.
What this all boils down to is that truth be told I can understand why anyone who watched "Electric Dreams" as a teen in he 80s might still have a sweet spot for this movie. But watched now for the first time "Electric Dreams is still entertaining but some times for the wrong reasons.
