Starring the Computer is a website dedicated to the use of computers in film and television. Each appearance is catalogued and rated on its importance (ie. how important it is to the plot), realism (how close its appearance and capabilities are to the real thing) and visibility (how good a look does one get of it). Fictional computers don't count (unless they are built out of bits of real computer), so no HAL9000 - sorry.

Please let me know if you spot any mistakes, or have any tips about films not mentioned here that feature computers.

James Carter <james@starringthecomputer.com>

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News

2012-05-15 00:27 Two more PS/2s

Fair Game and the Columbo episode Murder, Smoke and Shadows both feature the IBM PS/2 (model 50 or 70).

2012-05-01 22:29 What the Dell?

The episode Kill Zone, from the first season of CSI: Miami, has a small role for a Starring-the-Computer debutante, the Dell Axim X5. Perhaps surprisingly, this is the very first Dell to hit the database.

2012-04-27 21:52 Seksmisja not Family Viewing?

The cult Polish sci-fi Seksmisja has a rare sighting of a Tektronix 4051, and Family Viewing has small roles for the rather more mundane Commodore 64 and Amiga 1000.

2012-04-23 22:59 Virtual Versa

The NEC VERSA P makes its Starring-the-Computer debut in the Virtual Slide episode of Sliders.

2012-04-14 15:46 Capricorn Five-O

The Hawaii Five-O episode (actually a pair of episodes) Once Upon a Time and the film Capricorn One both feature panels from the IBM AN/FSQ-7.

2012-04-02 22:45 Another Couple of Commodores

Two more brief Commodore appearances: an Amiga 3000 in City Slickers and an SX64 in Blind Fury.

2012-03-27 22:33 Galactica 1620

Bits of IBM 1620 make brief background appearances throughout the short-lived Galactica 1980.

2012-03-10 23:45 Sony Stuff

The Stuff has a brief view of an Atari 800 and Ground Zero features a Commodore 64 and, making its Starring-the-Computer debut, a Sony SMC-70G.

2012-03-05 22:23 Many More Apples

As they tend to turn up with frankly tedious regularity, I'm bunching up my Apple updates. All of the following feature Apple machines of one variety or another: My Best Friend's Wedding, Stargate SG-1, Tron: Legacy, Orphan, Showtime, Bridget Jones's Diary, Full Frontal, The Sopranos, Domestic Disturbance, Vanilla Sky, Kate and Leopold, and The Last Mimzy.

2012-02-20 23:02 Two mysteries solved

Two new machines have been added to the database and their entries removed from the Most Wanted list. There is the Sperry Rand Solid State which appears in That Touch of Mink, and the Sharp Wizard OZ-9500 which makes a brief, but important, appearance in Paws. I've added a new mystery machine to the Most Wanted list. Can anyone work out the model of this Univac in Rollerball?