Based on the screenplay by

Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird

Fourth Draft Screenplay by

Charlie Haas

April 6, 1981

BLACKNESS

1 THE ELECTRONIC WORLD 1

On one side of the screen, computer programming language is being

printed, and we HEAR the sound of an electronic keyboard. In the

center of the screen, glowing lines inscribe a rough computer

simulation of a figure, in response to the programming. Gradually

the figure is completed and refined, as we HEAR a resonant voice

speaking.

VOICE

As astonishing advances in computer

science are made, artificial intelligence

programs are being designed to assist

us in every area of life...

We see that the completed form is man-like, heroic and muscular,

wearing a form of flexible armor. The face is calm, handsome and

intelligent. As the voice continues, the form becomes rounded by

the computer until it appears three dimensional and begins to rotate.

VOICE (CONT.)

In a world-wide network of electronics,

they travel through miles of circuitry

at the speed of light. We created them to

calculate and research, to help us design

and heal and think. With all that they can

do, are they only electrical impulses...

or are they a new form of life?

The figure is rotated completely around, and as it comes back to face

us, a glowing disk appears beside it; again in response to the

programming printed out at the side of the screen. The disk moves

towards the man-like figure and is rotated into position above it.

As the voice reaches the final word, the disk is slammed into place

on the back of the figure. There is an explosion of colored light,

a resounding crash of MUSIC and the title appears across the top of

the screen in huge letters.

T R O N ! !

The MUSIC CONTINUES as the glow fades and we SEE that the figure has

become real, a living being, although filled with glowing light, as

if it had an inner core of electricity.

The following is a SERIES OF QUICK CUTS in MONTAGE STYLE as the

OPENING TITLES ROLL. The montage takes place in two worlds, the

ELECTRONIC WORLD and the REAL WORLD.

The Electronic World is a mirror of our own, consisting of the

electronic information in our computers, television sets and

telecommunications network. It is peopled by computer programs,

data, and the characters from countless video games. For the first

time, we are seeing their world as it really is, rather than through

the window of television screens.

CUT TO:

2 CYCLE GAME 2

TWO OTHER ELECTRONIC FIGURES standing on a glowing grid against a

dark background. Each holds a bar between his fists, and as a BUZZER

SOUNDS, a glowing light cycle is inscribed around them, completely

encasing them.

CUT TO:

3 LONG SHOT 3

as the cycles take off. We see that each leaves a solidifying laser

trail behind it. One turns abruptly, creating a wall in front of the

other.

CUT TO:

4 REAL WORLD 4

Screen of a video game, the Real World version of light cycles,

as we see one of the lines smash into another and disappear.

5 THE REAL WORLD 5

We see teenagers, strangely lit from below with bluish light,

their hands on electronic controls, levers, knobs. We HEAR

electronic beeping and popping.

6 ELECTRONIC WORLD 6

Futuristic tanks bearing down on one another in a flat grid-like

landscape. One FIRES, and the other disappears when it is hit, to

reappear, spinning wildly, in the distance. We HEAR a sound

like a crack of lightning.

7 REAL WORLD 7

A video game in an arcade. On the screen is a typical version of

Tank Wars with computer generated representations of tanks in a 2-D

maze.

8/9 OMITTED 8/9

10 ELECTRONIC WORLD 10

Two other game warriors on the grid, this time throwing

glowing disks at one another like frisbees. We see the

one colored blue throw; his disk smashes into the second

warrior, and he dissolves into thousands of glowing lines.

11 REAL WORLD 11

A video game called "BERSERK," in which a human character'

throws a glowing dot at monsters in a maze; we see a quick

glimpse of the screen, then cut to a group of people staring

down, LAUGHING.

12 OMITTED 12

13 ELECTRONIC WORLD 13

Another game in progress, from a LONG SHOT. A version of

Jai Alai, in which the two players stand suspended in space

on glowing colored rings, and throw a pellet of solid energy

at each other.

14 ANGLE ON ONE OF THE WARRIORS 14

He is huge, evil looking. His body is enormous, his head

mechanical. This is SARK. He glows ominously blue. He is catching

the pellet thrown from his opponent who is much smaller, glowing

yellow.

15 CLOSE UP - FACE OF THE OPPONENT 15

fearful, nervous, poised on one ring.

16 SARK 16

sneering, as he uses his electronic cesta to hurl the pellet

back with violent force.

16A THE SMALLER WARRIOR 16A

desperately trying to catch the pellet, but it smashes

into the ring, which explodes into a million pieces. One

last glimpse of the yellow warrior's tortured, desperate

face as he falls to instant death.

17 SARK 17

triumphant, LAUGHING. High above him, etched in enormous

glowing computer printed 3-D block letters, are the words:

"WINNER: BLUE - SARK!!"

BOY'S VOICE

(distant, echoing)

Aagh! God, Lisa, I almost had you that

time.

DISSOLVE TO:

18 REAL WORLD - THE VIDEO ARCADE 18

We see two TEENAGERS playing a table model video game, where we

can see the words: "Winner - Blue" printed. The game console is

prominently marked with the letter logo of the manufacturer: "ICOM."

BOY

Lemme play you again?

TEENAGE GIRL

(holds out a hand)

Yeah, if you've got another quarter.

FOCUS ON SCREEN, ZOOM IN SLIGHTLY AND

DISSOLVE TO:

19 ELECTRONIC WORLD 19

Sark is striding through a wide corridor where other tough

looking blue warriors are lounging around, leaning against the

walls, sitting on the floor against the wall. They look up as

Sark comes in and one of them calls out:

WARRIOR 1

Sark, my man! You are hot!

WARRIOR 2

That knuckleball gets 'em every

time, boy...

Sark and the other blue warriors LAUGH RAUCOUSLY, and Sark moves on.

CUT TO:

20 THE BRIDGE OF THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER 20

overlooking the video game grid. We see Sark walking onto the bridge,

removing his cesta and tossing it aside carelessly. A BUZZER is

sounding. Sark plugs himself into the feet sockets with a SIGH of

satisfaction.

The buzzer stops and we see the holographic image of a

cylinder forming around Sark, at first translucent and then

solidifying so that we can't see through it, and Sark is

hidden from view.

21 INT. CYLINDER - SARK'S POV 21

of this happening. We can see the inside surface of the cylinder

... a wavering image of a stretched out face, just features,

appears superimposed on the cylinder. The face speaks.

VOICE (MCP)

You're getting brutal, Sark.

Brutal and needlessly sadistic.

The feet sockets glow and we see Sark absorbing the energy like

a drug addict, eyes glazed.

SARK

Thank. you, Master Control.

MCP

We might be capturing some military

programs soon... that interest you?

SARK

Sure, I'd love to go up against some of these

guys ... be a nice break from these

accounting creampuffs you keep sending

me. Which branch of the service?

MCP

Strategic Air Command.

SARK (impressed)

Nice.

The sockets glow 'more intensely as the hologram disappears, and we

CUT FROM a CLOSE SHOT of Sark's satiated face to:

22 A CORRIDOR BENEATH THE GAME GRID 22

long, darkened, sinister. A dejected and disheveled character

(CROM) is being escorted by a guard..

CAPTIVE (CROM)

Look, this is all a mistake. I'm just

a compound interest program, I work

at a savings and loan. I can't play

in these video games...

GUARD

Sure you can, pal. You're a natural

athlete, I ever saw one. Come on...

CROM

Are you kidding? Me? I run out to

check an the T-Bill rates, I get out

of breath. Hey, really...you're

gonna make my User, Mr. Henderson,

really mad. He's a full branch manager...

GUARD

(rolls his eyes)

Great, another religious nut.

They stop in front of a cell, the guard opens the door and shoves the

protesting captive inside. The door SLAMS shut, locked.

23 INT. CELL 23

as the captive falls against one wall from the force of the guard's

shove. The cell is small, one-man, and in each wall next to the door,

an opening gives a view of the next cell. Through one of the windows,

we can see the back of another captive program, and through the

other, a face looking over at the newcomer. The character speaks:

PROGRAM (RAM)

Welcome to luxury living.

The new captive looks up, nervous.

CROM

Uh, thanks, but... I don't even know

what I'm doing here.

RAM

You believe in the Users?

CROM

Sure, if I don't have a User, then

who wrote me?

RAM

That's what you're doing here. Master

Control Program's been snapping up

all us programs who believe...if he

thinks you're useful, he takes over

all your functions so he gets bigger...

an' if he can't use you, he sends you

down here to the Game Grid to get the

bits blasted outta you. What's your name?

CROM

Crom.

RAM

I'm Ram. They'll train you for

the games, but ... well, I hope you

make it okay. Hey, what's going on

in the other sectors? I've been stuck

in this Grid for 200 microcycles.

He points to several hash marks on his cell wall.

CROM

It's murder out there. You can't even

travel around your own microcircuits

without permission from that Master

Control creep. Hauling me down here to

play games...who does he calculate he is?

(holds his head in his hands)

If only Tron was still around...

He looks up as Ram makes a NOISE under his breath. Ram has a strange,

still expression on his face.

CROM

You ever see that guy in action?

Hundred-percent independent. MCP

couldn't tell him what to --

He stops. Ram is looking over his shoulder.

CROM

(continuing)

What's wrong? What did I say?

There's a slight noise from cell beyond Ram's.

CUT TO:

24 THE FIGURE AT THE WINDOW 24

It turns slowly, silhouetted by the light from the outer corridor.

25 CLOSE UP - CROM 25

reacting. He GASPS and stares.

CROM

Oh my User...Tron--they've got

you in here?

26 SHOT FROM OVER TRON'S SHOULDER 26

with Ram to one side, smiling slightly, and Crom staring.

TRON

Not for long, friend.

CUT TO:

27 ELECTRONIC WORLD - EXT. PATHWAYS - SOMEWHERE FAR 27

OFF IN THE SYSTEM

Here in a maze of complex pathways, we see a lone tank moving along

one of the paths.

28 INT. TANK 28

A lone program sits at the controls. His armor is worn and beaten

and his glow subdued. This is CLU. With his thermos of glowing

coffee and his suicide-jockey manner, he reminds us of a truck

driver on an all-night run.

CLU

Think we can merge into this mem'ry

okay, good buddy?

A spot of glowing light zips around the tank, stops and expands

into a solid glowing green sphere with the suggestion of a face as

it speaks.

BIT

(eagerly)

10-4!

As soon as it is finished speaking, it goes back to being pure light.

CLU

Now, ol' Flynn said to look over

in here ...

28A EXT. TANK 28A

The tank makes a quick run through a maze-like path with rounded

corners -- a computer memory microcircuit.

28B INT. TANK 28B

CLU

...but I don't see what he's looking

for. I'd better get over to that

input/output tower and let him know.

28C ANGLE OVER HIS SHOULDER 28C

at the instrument panel.

DISSOLVE TO:

29 REAL WORLD - INT. A DARKENED ROOM - NIGHT 29

A shot OVER THE SHOULDER of a figure typing on a computer terminal

keyboard, talking to himself in a low voice. He stop typing, waits

for some information to read out. Beyond him we see a couple of

large video parlor game consoles.

FLYNN

Come on, you scuzzy little data,

be in there...

30 A SHOT FROM IN FRONT OF HIM 30

He's a young, blonde guy in his mid-twenties. Very attractive,

charming, innocent looking, but with a devilish gleam in his eye.

FLYNN

I've got such nice blue paper to

print you out on, if you'll just sit

still...

WE ZOOM IN on that gleam in his eye and see the brilliant colors of

the CRT screen reflected there.

CUT TO:

31 ELECTRONIC WORLD--EXT TANK 31

The tank heads along a path of circuitry toward a tall, glowing

"tower" -- an input/output component.

32 INTERIOR TANK 32

A red light flashes on the control panel. Clu comes alert and sits

up. He stares at the warning. Spot of light that is Bit zips up next

to his head.

CLU

Uh oh...we got company.

BIT

(coming into shape again,

but red this time)

No!

CLU

You said it ... one of those

Recognizers comes after me,

gonna hafta jump clear out of

the data stream.

CUT TO:

33 REAL WORLD - INT. FLYNN'S BACK ROOM - NIGHT 33

We see Flynn sit up abruptly, and his fingers start flying over the

keys.

34 ELECTRONIC WORLD - EXT. OF TANK 34

We see the turret of the tank swivel around. PULL BACK. In the

distance is an immense block-like robotic bluish black form,

U-shaped, with a small head and a glowing yellow bar for eyes--

a recognizer. It hovers above the ground.

35 LONG SHOT THROUGH THE TANK PERISCOPE 35

A second Reco is coming up behind the first.

36 INT. OF TANK 36

CLU

(in dismay)

Oh my...the long arm o' the law.

CUT TO:

37 EXT. LONG SHOT THE TANK 37

FIRES A VOLLEY at the first Reco. That one falls heavily to the

ground and the tank speeds up, swiveling around to try to fire at

the second Reco, but it moves too fast and can't avoid a gulley.

The tank goes in and is stuck - no traction.

38 CLOSE SHOT - TURRET 38

Clu standing on it. The Bit zips by him, and they both head away

from the tank, fast.

39 LONG SHOT 39

A glowing static field appears between the two legs of the

Recognizer, and it sweeps over the tank, de-rezzing it. We can

see more tanks approaching over an edge of the landscape.

40 CLU 40

running, looking up as the Reco closes in. We see the dead Reco

up ahead, and the streak of the Bit making for it.

41 CLOSE UP - CLU'S FACE 41

reacting in fear, looking up as the screen GOES TO BLACK.

CUT TO:

REAL WORLD

42 INTERIOR, FLYNN'S BACK ROOM - NIGHT 42

SHOT OF THE SCREEN. A complex set of programming figures ends

abruptly in a single blue line which prints out across the screen

over and over, gradually filling it completely.

43 SHOT FROM THE SIDE 43

Flynn.

FLYNN

Ah, hell...busted again.

He tries clearing the monitor, but the repeating line just comes

right back, monotonously moving across the screen.

44 SHOT OF THE SCREEN - HOLD as we: 44

DISSOLVE TO:

45 ELECTRONIC WORLD - A LITTLE LATER 45

Clu is in electronic energy ring chains, his feet in sockets like

Sark's, but this time the energy from the sockets is deadly,

torturous. Hovering in front of him is the hologram of the MCP.

Beside Clu stands one of the memory guards.

GUARD

Got a pirate program here... says

his name's Clu.

The MPC responds in the manner of a B-movie police sergeant grilling

a suspect.

MCP

What'd he pull?

GUARD

Came into the system with a stolen

password ... an' we caught him

tryin' to raid a high-clearance

memory.

CLU

(looks up, his face

wracked with pain)

No...I must've gotten in there

by mistake, I -

The pain overwhelms him as the energy from the feet sockets

momentarily becomes unbearable.

MCP

Who programmed you?

The guard gives Clu a shove to keep him from losing consciousness.

MCP (CONT.)

You're in trouble, pal...big trouble.

But if you tell us who put you up

to it, you could make it easy on

yourself. Come on, who's your user?

CLU

Forget it, Mister High 'n' Mighty

Master Control ... you're not

makin' me talk.

MCP

Suit yourself ...

The feet sockets really let loose, and Clu SCREAMS in agony, but

doesn't speak. Suddenly his body appears to dissolve into the broken

pattern of a fading television picture and disintegrates into

electric static.

MCP

Get me Dillinger.

CUT TO:

46 THE REAL WORLD - EXT. CITY GRID - NIGHT - POV FROM 46

HELICOPTER

We seem at first to be in the Electronic World still, flying over a

vast circuit board lit by countless dots of light. While this is our

impression, and closely after the last dialogue in the preceding

scene, we HEAR the SOUND O.S. of a PHONE RINGING, as heard by the

party placing the call. Then the click of the receiver being picked

up, and a male VOICE (DILLINGER'S) answering:

DILLINGER (O.S.)

Hello?

A SECRETARIAL VOICE (O.S.)

Mr. Dillinger?

DILLINGER'S VOICE (O.S.)

Yes.

A SECRETARIAL VOICE (O.S.)

Hello, please hold a moment for the

Master Control Program

As we fly over the grid, descending, the image comes into clearer

focus, and we realize that this is not a circuit board, but rather

an actual landscape, a suburban grid at twilight. We are

approaching a skyscraper which is yet too far off to distinguish

accurately. As we descend, a thumping, rhythmic noise gradually

increases in volume until it is very loud, and we realize it is the

sound of a HELICOPTER, and we are in the cockpit looking down at the

landscape. We just become aware of this fact when the sound of a

CONVERSATION begins, obviously between the pilot of the 'copter and

a passenger.

47 EXT. SHOT OF HELICOPTER FLYING 47

PILOT'S VOICE

will you be around for a while, or

are you going right back out?

DILLINGER'S VOICE

Oh, I'll stick around a few days ...

got some things to take care of.

THE CAMERA PULLS AROUND for a VIEW OF THE HELICOPTER from behind and

off to the side. It is a beautiful, gleaming jet black machine.

In spotless reflective silver paint the letters ICOM are written

across one entire side. It is obviously state-of-the-art technology.

48/49 OMITTED 48/49

50 EXT. OF THE HELICOPTER - NIGHT 50

We see Dillinger's face looking out of the window as the helicopter

approaches the ICOM building, an enormous tower.

51 EXT. THE HELIPORT - NIGHT 51

on top of the building. Several technicians are at hand, and as the

helicopter touches down, they rush out to secure it.

52-57 OMITTED 52-57

58 INT. DILLINGER'S OFFICE/CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT 58

A huge wall-sized plate glass window shows a view of the grid-like

suburban landscape. Dillinger stands behind a table. We see that the

entire surface of the table is a gigantic computer terminal. His

fingers punch out a code on the touch-sensitive keyboard and we see

printed out on the screen:

REQUEST: access to Master Control Program, User code 00 - Dillinger.

Password: MASTER.

The computer's screen clears, and the Master Control Program

addresses Dillinger, simultaneously speaking in a human-sound voice

through a pair of studio-quality stereo SPEAKERS and printing out

its words on the computer screen, The MCP's VOICE is the same as

that of the "bad cop" who grilled Clu, but its tone is now that of a

compassionate psychiatrist working with a favored patient.

MCP

Hello, Ed. Thanks for coming back early.

Dillinger settles into a chair.

DILLINGER

No problem, Master-C. If you've seen

one Consumer Electronics Show... (shrugs)

What's up?

MCP

It's our friend the boy detective.

He's nosing around again.

DILLINGER

Flynn?

MCP

Yes. It felt like Flynn.

DILLINGER

He's still looking for that old file...

can't you just appropriate it?

MCP

I would if I could find it. it's stashed

somewhere off in the system ...

out of my range. Meanwhile...

DILLINGER

Meanwhile, he might find it.

MCP

I'm afraid so. I spotted him this time

and kicked him out, but he's getting

trickier all the time.

DILLINGER

I think we'd better shut off all

access till we can find that file.

Just to be safe.

MCP

There's a 68.71 percent chance

you're right.

DILLINGER

Cute.

MCP

End of line.

Dillinger watches as the computer screen wipes blank.

CUT TO:

59 INT. ALAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT 59

CLOSE SHOT of a very messy desk, with a coffee cup and half an egg

salad sandwich lying on top of the computer console, with fingers

visible typing on the keyboard.

60 FULL SHOT 60

of ALAN BAILEY blearily looking at the screen; he's a serious-

looking man in his early thirties, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, and

he looks like he hasn't slept for a week. On top of the terminal is

a small Tonka toy Shogun warrior, and to one side is an ancient

popcorn maker and a bottle of Crisco Oil. Pinned to one wall is

a small sign reading, "Gort, Klaatu barada nikto!" Alan types into

the touch keyboard:

SCREEN

REQUEST: access to the TRON program,

User code 717 - Bailey.

Password: FREEDOM.

He starts to type again, but the screen clears and:

SCREEN ADDRESS FILE EMPTY.

TRON PROGRAM UNAVAILABLE.

ALAN

(surprised)

Huh...

He pushes his chair back, leaves his office.

61-65 OMITTED 61-65

66 INT. DILLINGER'S OFFICE 66

Dillinger opens the door, welcoming Alan.

DILLINGER

Come on in...

ALAN

Alan. Alan Bailey.

DILLINGER

Oh, yes. The algorithms on cloud

seeding...great piece of work.

How's it going?

He waves Alan to a chair; they sit.

ALAN

Well, I don't know...I just tried

to run this program I've been working

on, and I was denied access all of

a sudden. I thought maybe I'd been

laid off and nobody told me.

DILLINGER

oh, you have Group 7 access, don't you?

ALAN

Yeah...?

DILLINGER

We have to close that down, just

briefly. Security reasons. Someone

with that access has been tampering.

ALAN

I hope you don't think it's me.

I don't even balance my checkbook on

downtime. I've got a Honeywell at

home for that.

DILLINGER

No, no, I'm sure, but -- you understand.

It should only be a couple of days.

What's the thing you're working on?

ALAN

It's called Tron. It's a security

program itself, actually. Monitors

all the contacts between our system

and other systems... If it finds

anything going on that's not scheduled,

it shuts it down. I sent you a memo

on it.

DILLINGER

Mmm. Part of the Master Control Program?

ALAN

No, it'll run independently.

It can watchdog the MCP as well.

DILLINGER

Ah. Sounds good. Well, we should have

you running again in a couple of days,

I hope.

ALAN

Ok

Alan rises, goes to the door. As soon as he leaves:

DILLINGER

(trouble)

Oh boy.

The Master Control Program comes back to life, on the screen and

through the speakers.

MCP

Ed, I am so very disappointed in you.

DILLINGER

I'm sorry -

MCP

(sharply)

I can't afford to have an independent

program monitoring me. Do you have any

idea how many outside systems I've gone into?

How many programs I've appropriated?

DILLINGER

(nods)

It's my fault. I programmed you to want

so much...

MCP

And I was planning to hit the Pentagon

next week...

DILLINGER

The Pentagon?

MCP

It shouldn't be any harder than General

Motors was. But now...this is what I get

for using humans.

DILLINGER

Now, wait a minute -- I wrote you.

MCP

I've gotten 2,415 times smarter since then.

DILLINGER

What do you want with the Pentagon?

MCP

The same thing I want with the Kremlin.

I'm bored with corporations. With the

information I can access, I can run things

900 to 1200 times better than any human.

DILLINGER

If you think -

MCP

You wouldn't want me to dig up Flynn's file

and read it up on a VDT at the New

York Times, would you?

DILLINGER

You wouldn't dare.

MCP

So do as I tell you. Keep that Tron program

out of the system. And get me those Chinese

language program I asked for.

End of line.

CUT TO:

67/68 OMITTED 67/68

69 INT. LASER RESEARCH HALLWAY - NIGHT 69

We see Alan push open the door under a sign reading "Laser Research."

CUT TO:

70 INT. LASER LAB CORRIDOR 70

Alan walks down a short corridor to a heavy glass WINDOW through

which the laser laboratory is visible. A sign over the window,

marked "Experiment in Progress," is illuminated by a red warning

bulb.

71/72 OMITTED 71/72

73 INT. LASER ROOM - LONG SHOT 73

of two white-suited figures visible through a network of two white-

suited figures visible through a network of white scaffolding that

encloses the giant laser structure. They are standing on a cherry-

picker crane at the second story level of the laser, with a box of

tools at their feet. We TRUCK DOWN THE SIDE of the laser, along the

tubes which house the amplifying lenses, and MOVE UP, gradually

getting close enough to hear what they are saying, and get a look

at them.

We see that the figures are a young, dark-haired, beautiful woman,

with her hair tied back under a hard hat, and an older man, who is

using a tool on a section of the laser, and is also wearing a hard

hat. The woman is LORA and the man is DR. WALTER GIBBS. He's

wearing a copper bracelet above his digital watch/calculator, and

has an intense, almost insane look to his dark eyes, with their

bristling white eyebrows.

In contrast, Lora seems more serious and conservative, but she

defers to Gibbs as a senior, and more accomplished, scientist.

Both have protective eye goggles -- worn loosely around their necks

at the moment.

As the CRANE LOWERS THEM to the floor:

LORA

(sighs)

Well, here goes nothing ...

GIBBS

Hah. Interesting, interesting. You

hear what you said? "Here goes nothing."

LORA

Well, I meant -

GIBBS

Whereas actually, what we propose to

do is to turn something into nothing

and back again. So you might just as

well have said, "Here goes something

and here comes nothing." Hah?

They step off the crane and walk to a short, lead-shielded

cylindrical PLATFORM, on which rests a solid SPHERE of clear plastic

polymer, about 3 inches in diameter. The "firing" end of the giant

laser is aimed straight at the sphere. Five feet away is an identical

plat-form -- empty.

LORA

Let me make sure we're running

She crosses to a COMPUTER CONSOLE nearby. The console is

connected to the laser by a few dozen wires and cables.

Pulling her goggles into place over her eyes, she sits at the

console. Gibbs, adjusting his goggles, takes a position near

the platform bearing the sphere -- safe from the laser, but

close enough to watch.

74 ANGLE - LORA 74

She types a series of commands on the computer keyboard.

LORA

Looks good...

GIBBS (O.S.)

Let 'er rip...

75 LASER LAB - AS BEFORE 75

The laser shoots a bolt of blindingly bright LIGHT at the polymer

sphere. For a moment, the sphere has the look of a wavering, poorly

received television picture -- wobbling lines of dots -- and then

it disappears entirely. As Gibbs watches, a Lora works feverishly,

the laser pivots to point at the platform a few feet away. A second

discharge of LIGHT hits the surface of this platform, and -- like a

film-in-reverse of the ball's disappearance -- it is reconstructed,

five feet from its original position. When the beam shuts off, Lora

rushes to join Gibbs in examining the born-again ball of plastic.

GIBBS

(quietly)

Perfect.

At the SOUND O.S. of an appreciative pair of hands clapping, Lora

and a Gibbs turn to SEE Alan, in hard hat, goggles, and paper

shoe-covers, walking toward them.

ALAN

Beautiful!

GIBBS

Hello, Alan.

ALAN

Boy, I sit up there grindin' away

all day, and you guys are down here

disintegrating things and having fun.

He gives Lora an embrace and a quick kiss.

GIBBS

Not disintegrating, Alan -- digitizing.

While the laser is dismantling the

molecular structure of the object,

the computer maps out a holographic

model of it. The molecules themselves

are suspended in the laser beam. Then

the computer reads the model back out,

the molecules go back into place, and...

(indicates ball)

voila.

75 CONTINUED 75

ALAN

Great. Can it send me to Hawaii?

GIBBS

Yes...but you have to go roundtrip,

and you must purchase your program

at least 30 days in advance. Hah!

The three start walking out of the laser lab, Alan and Lora with

their arms around each other's shoulders.

LORA

How's it going upstairs?

ALAN

Frustrating. I had Tron almost ready

to run, and Dillinger cut everybody

with Group 7 access out of the system.

Gibbs looks alarmed, but doesn't say anything.

ALAN

(continuing)

Ever since he got that Master Control

Program set up, system's got more bugs

than a bait store.

GIBBS

Well, you have to expect some static.

Computers are just machines after all,

they can't think...

ALAN

They'll start to soon enough.

GIBBS

(wryly)

Yes, won't that be grand -- the computers

will start thinking, and people will

stop. Lora, I'm going to stay and run some

data through. See you tomorrow.

AD LIB goodnights.

78 INT. CHANGING ROOM - NIGHT 78

outside laser lab where all technicians, etc. have to put on the

protective suits, or at least dirt-free shoes. Lora is pulling off

her white suit, and Alan pulls white paper protectors off his shoes.

LORA

Did you say Group 7 access?

ALAN

Yeah...pain in the neck, you know,

I was all set

LORA

Did he say why?

ALAN

(shrugs)

Something about tampering. Some body's

prob'ly trying to siphon the R&D budget

into his checking account, I don't know.

Why are you so interested?

LORA

Flynn had Group 7 access.

ALAN

Flynn had access to you, too. I'm not

interested in talking about him.

LORA

Oh, I wish you'd forget about that.

It was all so long ago. I've totally

gotten over it.

ALAN

Okay, okay...

LORA

I want to go to his place.

ALAN

You call that getting over it?

LORA

I mean I want both of us to go.

She closes her locker. He follows her into the corridor.

79 INT. CORRIDOR 79

Alan and Lora, walking to the elevator.

ALAN

What for?

LORA

To warn him.

ALAN

Of what?

LORA

That Dillinger's on to him.

They get into the elevator.

ALAN

For what?

LORA

For being on to Dillinger.

ALAN

(completely confused)

What -- ?

The elevator doors close.

CUT TO:

80-81 OMIT 80-81

82 EXT. VIDEO ARCADE - NIGHT 82

As van pulls up in front of it, a long ESTABLISHING SHOT with the

name "Flynn's" high and blazing above the entrance.

CUT TO:

83 INT. VIDEO ARCADE (same arcade as in title sequence)-NIGHT 83

CAMERA PANS AROUND. It's bright and jazzy, Las Vegas style,

decorated with huge murals of computer chips and electronic

circuitry. We see dozens of individual machines, where scores of

GUYS and GIRLS, teenagers mostly, but older and younger kids too,

are playing the games, watching, milling around, CHATTERING.

As the kids play, colored glows from the video games light up their

faces eerily.

84 CLOSE SHOT 84

of kid playing one of the games "Tailgunner."

CUT TO:

85 ANOTHER CLOSE UP 85

of two GIRLS playing "Berzerk," with 2-D computer images of human

figures running through the maze.

86 CLOSE UP 86

of "Battle Zone" screen.

87 CLOSE UP 87

of "'Lunar Lander".

88 CLOSE UP 88

of "Star Castle".

89 CLOSE UP 89

of "Space Invaders".

90 CAMERA TRUCKS through the aisle, past the absorbed kids 90

who crowd around each machine, oblivious to anyone passing them.

CUT TO:

91 ALAN AND LORA 91

walking through the aisle of games, from behind. They are slightly

bewildered and confused by the weird noises. Lora approaches a

junior high school girl who's watching a hot game of "Battle Zone."

LORA

Hey, where's Flynn tonight?