Tron is a 1982 Disney science fiction film starring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a hot shot computer programmer turned computer hacker who tries to that he created a series of popular video games by gaining direct access to a mainframe computer with the help of his ex-girlfriend (Cindy Morgan) and her current boyfriend (Bruce Boxleitner). The corporation’s artificial intelligence discovers what Flynn is doing and uses a high tech laser to digitize and transport him inside the computer world. It was written and directed by Steven Lisberger. Tron was one of the first films from a major studio to use computer graphics extensively.
The inspiration for Tron occurred when Lisberger saw video games for the first time. He was immediately fascinated by them and wanted to do a film incorporating them. Originally, the film was conceived to be predominantly an animated film with live-action sequences acting as book ends. The rest would involve a combination of computer generated visuals and back-lit animation. Lisberger planned to finance the film independently but had little success and eventually approaching Disney, selling them on the concept with a test reel.
Tron proved to be moderately successful during its theatrical run, grossing approximately double its budget but critical reviews were mixed. It has since become a cult film favorite due mainly to its innovative use of computer graphics and its computer and video game plotline.
