Synopsis
After a lightning strike awakens an experimental military robot named Number 5, the newly sentient machine escapes from its laboratory. In Astoria, Oregon, he befriends animal lover Stephanie Speck, who helps him understand language, nature, and human behavior while the military and his creators pursue him. As Number 5 searches for safety and identity, his curiosity challenges everyone around him to reconsider what it means to be alive.
Factoids & Trivia
- The screenplay originated in a UCLA Extension writing class, where Brent Maddock worked on its structure while co-writing it with S. S. Wilson.
- The production had only five months to create robots capable of performing the script's demanding actions. More than 40 robotic builders worked under Eric Allard, using designs by Syd Mead.
- Seventeen robots were built for the production, with approximately $3 million of the film's $15 million budget spent on them. Different versions of Number 5 were used for different types of shots.
- Number 5's arm movements were controlled through a telemetry suit. Sensors on the puppeteer's joints transferred movements directly to the robot, while the voice was generally performed in real time to improve interaction with the human performers.
- The film was shot in Oregon locations including Astoria, Portland, Cascade Locks, and Bonneville Dam, with additional scenes filmed in Southern California at Disney Ranch, Laird International Studios, and Vasquez Rocks.
- Number 5's design was influenced by PAL, a robot from Douglas Trumbull's Showscan short "LETS GO." Syd Mead, known for his futuristic production designs, was responsible for the finished visual concept.
- The sequence in which Number 5 imitates the dance moves from "Saturday Night Fever" functions as an in-joke connected to the filmmaking team behind both movies.
- Released in the United States on May 9, 1986, the film earned approximately $40.7 million worldwide against its $15 million budget. Its success led to the sequel *Short Circuit 2*, released in 1988.