Average Lemmy enjoyers:
[Matthew] Broderick plays David Lightman, a young computer hacker who unwittingly accesses a United States military supercomputer programmed to simulate, predict and execute nuclear war against the Soviet Union, triggering a false alarm that threatens to start World War III.
… It was a widespread critical and commercial success, grossing $125 million worldwide against a $12 million budget. At the 56th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for three Oscars, including Best Original Screenplay. … WarGames is credited with popularizing concepts of computer hacking, information technology, and cybersecurity in wider American society.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarGames
It also helped popularize the concept of computer gaming, which was still in its early days back then. Specifically, by showing that they could be more than arcade-style games like Galaga, and be more sophisticated interactive simulations. And while there had been several movies with AI characters in it before, this was the first one that involved needing to teach an AI, in a way that resonates with later machine-learning approaches. Also, the whole concept of someone who was “really into computers”, and who might thereby influence the world, was still very new.
- https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x93117c the link from above
- https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x929m0q another copy?
- https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8zdk1a German dub
RIP Dabney Coleman, btw.
This movie made me the man I am today (the guy in the middle of the first screenshot basically).
I was obsessed with robots as a very young kid . They wwre everywhere in 1980s culture. So I watched Short Circuit, John Badham’s follow up to Wargames, and Short Circuit 2 constantly.
But when I warched Wargames at about age 5 it felt so real, like computers really were beginning to take over the world and I could be a part of it. 30+ years later I have a nearly 20 IT career under my belt.
… by showing that they could be more than arcade-style games like Galaga, and be more sophisticated interactive simulations.
Galaga was great. I still play it often, via Mame. It’ll always be my favorite from that era. 
Oh yeah, not hating on Galaga, I just mentioned it bc in the movie they showed MC playing it.
Personally I’m most impressed with Battlezone. 3D graphics in 1980! Sure, it’s wireframe, but… this was back when PONG was still a thing!
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/Battlezone1980
Cloak and Dagger is not nearly as cool, but has spies and video games as well. From the same era.
