We're beyond hyped for the release of TRON: Legacy on December 17, but we'll always have a soft spot in our hearts for the original 1982 classic, too. Here, OC's own Bettina, Vaughn and Joshua cruise their lightcycles down memory lane to explain why the first TRON film was so influential to them. 

Bettina: As a minor gamer and all-around geek, I'd have to say that TRON is one my Top 10 favorite movies of all time, with its groundbreaking visuals and an amazing soundtrack composed by the great Wendy Carlos, who was also responsible for scoring, in part, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining. Revolutionizing the use and development of digital synths, Carlos was a trailblazer in electronic music. When I was in college, Disney finally released the original TRON soundtrack in CD format, and I remember being totally stoked about it. 

Vaughn: As a kid, the most striking aspect of TRON for me was the special effects. I remember watching it and being amazed by the empty space and sharp angles I saw onscreen. It was so strange and unlike the other major science fiction films of the era, like the Star Wars films or Bladerunner. TRON's extremely minimal and cold virtual world, with its clean lines and bright neon lighting, wasn't trying to fool you into thinking it was real. It was a video-game daydream and the first film to really explore virtual reality.

Joshua: Before I had ever actually seen the original TRON, I watched a documentary of the making of the film a few times (and owned the original action figures). While it did spoil the plot of the film for me, the visuals were still revolutionary to witness, even by today’s standards.

In 1982, computer graphics used in film were still being explored and experimented with. While the first two Star Wars films were already out by that time, George Lucas and company still relied heavily on trick photography and the earliest workings of blue screening and rotoscoping. TRON set out to do something a little different: the environments were completely built using computer coordinates. Using math, the filmmakers would predispose where the actors would be in the frame.

TRON was always about being forward thinking and taking things one step further. The struggle with the era’s available technology is displayed on screen, and can only be considered as one-of-a-kind visual art. From the looks of the TRON: Legacy trailer, Disney has once again taken it one giant step further, embellishing on the world they created back in 1982 and making it a whole new ballgame.



FILED UNDER: tron legacy opening ceremony , tron , film , bettina chin , joshua michael paulin , vaughn leighton , ocny , oc collaboration , disney