[ boy ]
all right, give me room.
here we go.
- what's this game called ?
- this is lightcycle.
damn !
[ master control program ]
you're getting brutal, sark.
brutal
and needlessly sadistic.
thank you,
master control.
we've kidnapped
some military programs.
i can arrange more
lethal matches.
interested ?
sure.
i'd love to go up against
one of those guys.
it'd make a nice break from
those accounting cream puffs
you keep sending me.
what branch
of the service ?
strategic air command.
nice !
hey, look.
this is all a mistake.
i'm just a compound
interest program.
i work at a savings and loan.
i can't play these video games.
sure you can, pal.
you look like a natural athlete
if i ever saw one.
who, me ?
are you kidding ?
i went out to check
on t-bill rates,
i ran out of breath.
hey, look.  you guys
are gonna make my user,
mr. henderson, very angry.
he's a full
branch manager.
great.
another religious nut !
i'd say, "welcome, friend,"
but not here, not like this.
i don't even know
what i'm doing here.
do you believe
in the users ?
yeah, sure.
if i don't have a user,
then who wrote me ?
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.
if he can't use you, he sends
you down here to the game grid
get your bits blasted.
what's your name ?
crom.
i'm ram.
they'll train you
for the games, but...
[ whistles ]
i hope you make it.
hey, what's been going on
in the other sectors ?
i've been stuck here
for 200 microcycles.
it's murder
out there.
you can't even travel around
in your own microcircuits...
without permission from
master control program.
i mean, sending me
down here to play games.
who does he calculate
he is ?
[ flynn ]
okay, clu,
tonight we check everything
in the right-hand column.
come on.  come on.
where are you ?
there you are.  clu ?
yes, sir.
we don't have much time
to find that file.
this is top priority.
i know, sir.
this isn't correcting
my bank statement...
or phone bill problem--
this is a must.
i understand.
now, i wrote you.
yes, sir.
i taught you everything
about the system.
thank you, but--
no buts.
that's for users.
you're the best program
that's ever been written.
you're dogged and relentless,
remember ?
let me at 'em.
that's the spirit.
keep that tank rolling.
i'll try to cover you
from this end.  go !
you think we can merge
with this memory, bit ?
yes.
hmm.
now flynn is saying
to look over in here,
but i don't see
what we're looking for.
come on, you scuzzy data,
be in there.  come on.
uh-oh !
we've got company.
i don't believe this.
a recognizer.
there's too many !
what is this ?
aahh !
damn it !
- get out of here !
- yes-yes-yes.
busted again !
god, and that was
my best program.
got a pirate program here.
says his name's clu.
[ master control program ]
what did he pull ?
he came into the system
with a stolen password.
we caught him trying to
raid our high-clearance memory.
no !  i must've gotten
in there by mistake.
- [ mcp ]
who programmed you ?
- i was simp--
aah !
[ mcp ]
you're in trouble, program.
make it easy on yourself.
who's your user ?
forget it,
mr. high and mighty
master control.
you aren't
making me talk.
suit yourself.
aah !
[ mcp ]
get me dillinger.
[ helicopter whirring ]
good evening,
mr. dillinger.
thank you, peter.
you can go now.
yes, sir.
[ master control speaks ]
no problem, master c.
if you've seen one
consumer electronics show,
you've seen them all.
what's up ?
flynn ?
yes.
he's still looking
for that old file.
can't you just appropriate it ?
i have.
i put it in my memory,
which he hasn't located.
but he might find it.
i'm afraid so.
i spotted him this time
and kept him out,
but he's getting trickier
all the time.
i think we should
shut down all access...
until