A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
Matthew Broderick | ... |
David
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Dabney Coleman | ... |
McKittrick
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John Wood | ... |
Falken
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Ally Sheedy | ... |
Jennifer
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Barry Corbin | ... |
General Beringer
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Juanin Clay | ... |
Pat Healy
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Kent Williams | ... |
Cabot
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Dennis Lipscomb | ... |
Watson
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Joe Dorsey | ... |
Conley
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Irving Metzman | ... |
Richter
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Michael Ensign | ... |
Beringer's Aide
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William Bogert | ... |
Mr. Lightman
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Susan Davis | ... |
Mrs. Lightman
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James Tolkan | ... |
Wigan
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David Clover | ... |
Stockman
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Drew Snyder | ... |
Ayers
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John Garber | ... |
Corporal in the Infirmary
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Duncan Wilmore | ... |
Major Lem
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Billy Ray Sharkey | ... |
Radar Analyst
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John Spencer | ... |
Jerry
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Michael Madsen | ... |
Steve
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James Lemp | ... |
Commander
(as Erik Stern)
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Gary Bisig | ... |
Deputy
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Gary Sexton | ... |
Technician
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Jason Bernard | ... |
Captain Knewt
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Frankie Hill | ... |
Airman Fields
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Jesse D. Goins | ... |
Sergeant
(as Jesse Goins)
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Alan Blumenfeld | ... |
Mr. Liggett
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Len Lawson | ... |
Boys Vice Principal
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Maury Chaykin | ... |
Jim Sting
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Eddie Deezen | ... |
Malvin
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Stephen Lee | ... |
Sgt. Schneider
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Lucinda Crosby | ... |
Nurse in Infirmary
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Stack Pierce | ... |
Airman
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Art LaFleur | ... |
Guard
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Brad David | ... |
Flight Pilot Leader
(as Brad David Berwick)
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Martha Shaw | ... |
Vice Principal's Secretary
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Howie Allen | ... |
Boy in Arcade
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Michael Adams | ... |
Travis
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James Ackerman | ... |
Joshua
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Jim Harriott | ... |
Newscaster
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Tom Lawrence | ... |
Sgt. Sims
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Frances E. Nealy | ... |
Visitor
(as Frances Nealy)
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Charles Akins | ... |
Major Ford
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Glenn Standifer | ... |
Major Wenstin
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Edward Jahnke | ... |
NORAD Officer
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Paul V. Picerni Jr. | ... |
Technician
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Gary Bohn | ... |
NORAD Officer (uncredited)
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Tory Christopher | ... |
Arcade Kid (uncredited)
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Jack Clinton | ... |
NORAD Officer (uncredited)
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Michael Taylor Donovan | ... |
Convenience Store Clerk (uncredited)
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Sally Frei | ... |
NORAD Officer (uncredited)
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Bob Harks | ... |
Major at Norad Control Center (uncredited)
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Katherine Hittelman | ... |
High School Student (uncredited)
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William H. Macy | ... |
NORAD Officer (uncredited)
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Ed McDermott II | ... |
Scientist (uncredited)
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Don Savage | ... |
FBI Agent (uncredited)
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Ed Vandell | ... |
Military Officer (uncredited)
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Tim Werner | ... |
NORAD Officer (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Badham | ... | (directed by) |
Written by
Lawrence Lasker | ... | (written by) & |
Walter F. Parkes | ... | (written by) |
Walon Green | ... | (written by) (uncredited) |
Produced by
Leonard Goldberg | ... | executive producer |
Richard Hashimoto | ... | associate producer |
Bruce McNall | ... | producer (uncredited) |
Harold Schneider | ... | producer (produced by) |
Music by
Arthur B. Rubinstein | ... | (music by) |
Cinematography by
William A. Fraker | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
Tom Rolf |
Editorial Department
Ray Martin | ... | color timer |
Liz Randol | ... | assistant film editor (as Liza Randol) |
Michael Ripps | ... | associate film editor |
Casting By
Wallis Nicita | ... | (casting) (as Wally Nicita) |
Production Design by
Angelo P. Graham |
Art Direction by
James J. Murakami |
Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich |
Costume Design by
Barry Francis Delaney | ... | (costumes: men) (as Barry F. Delaney) |
Makeup Department
Michael Germain | ... | makeup artist (as Perry Michael Germain) |
Lynda Gurasich | ... | hair stylist |
Brenda Todd | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
Richard Hashimoto | ... | unit production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold | ... | first assistant director |
Robert J. Doherty | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
Gregg H. Bilson | ... | property master |
Robert Scaife | ... | construction coordinator |
John M. Schenk | ... | assistant property master |
Frank L. Brown | ... | set dressing lead man (uncredited) |
Chris Courtois | ... | model maker (uncredited) |
Kevin Shanks | ... | tile/floor covering (uncredited) |
Daniel Turk | ... | carpenter (uncredited) |
Peter Van Zyl | ... | greensman (uncredited) |
Mike Villarino | ... | propmaker (uncredited) |
Sound Department
Milton C. Burrow | ... | supervising sound effects editor |
Willie D. Burton | ... | sound mixer |
Carlos Delarios | ... | re-recording mixer |
Michael J. Kohut | ... | re-recording mixer |
William L. Manger | ... | supervising sound effects editor |
Aaron Rochin | ... | re-recording mixer |
Craig Harris | ... | voice processing (uncredited) |
Robin Haskins | ... | re-recordist (uncredited) |
Anthony Marinelli | ... | special sound effects (uncredited) |
Philip Rogers | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Dan Sharp | ... | re-recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
Mick Baran | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Bill Cobb | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Robert Cole | ... | special electronic effects foreman |
Joe Digaetano | ... | special effects |
Richard Hoffenberg | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Bruce Knechtges | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Robin Dean Leyden | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Robin Reilly | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Mark Stivers | ... | special electronic effects crew |
Robert Wilcox | ... | special electronic effects crew (as Robert G. Wilcox Jr.) |
David Domeyer | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
R.J. Hohman | ... | special effects wireman (uncredited) |
Robert W. King | ... | fabricator (uncredited) |
Donald Pennington | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
Colin Cantwell | ... | computer graphics design consultant |
Jack Cooperman | ... | miniature photography |
Marcia Dripchak | ... | computer graphics unit |
Michael L. Fink | ... | visual effects supervisor |
Linda Fleisher | ... | visual effects consultant |
Steve Grumette | ... | computer video consultant |
Don Hansard | ... | process coordinator |
David R. Hardberger | ... | computer graphics unit (as David Hardberger) |
Judith Herman | ... | computer graphics unit |
Geoffrey Kirkland | ... | visual consultant |
Sylvia Lovegren | ... | computer graphics unit |
Jonathan Seay | ... | computer graphics unit |
Wayne Baker | ... | assistant camera: miniature unit (uncredited) |
Stunts
Tom Elliott | ... | stunts |
Marguerite Happy | ... | stunts |
Al Jones | ... | stunts |
Michael Adams | ... | stunt coordinator (uncredited) |
Rick Avery | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Tom Elliott | ... | stunt double: Matthew Broderick (uncredited) |
Marguerite Happy | ... | stunt double: Ally Sheedy (uncredited) |
Al Jones | ... | stunt double: John Wood (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Anderberg | ... | grip |
Gerald H. Boatright | ... | assistant chief lighting technician |
David E. Diano | ... | assistant camera |
Gary R. Dodd | ... | key grip (as Gary Dodd) |
To Lee | ... | camera assistant trainee |
Ralph Nelson | ... | still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.) |
Doug Pentek | ... | chief lighting technician |
Thomas P. Powell | ... | mgm rigging gaffer: Los Angeles Unit |
Richard Turner | ... | assistant camera |
Richard Walden | ... | additional camera operator |
Steve Yaconelli | ... | camera operator |
Casting Department
Pat Orseth | ... | location casting: Seattle |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Matthews | ... | costumer: women |
Ray Summers | ... | wardrobe supervisor |
Location Management
Robert C. Decker | ... | location manager (as Robert Decker) |
Robert Eggenweiler | ... | location manager |
Lynn Dee Schwarz | ... | location scout (uncredited) |
Music Department
Mark Hoder | ... | orchestrator |
Joe Tuley | ... | music editor |
Robert Adcock | ... | musician: cello (uncredited) |
Dale Anderson | ... | musician: drums, percussion (uncredited) |
Don Ashworth | ... | musician (uncredited) |
Israel Baker | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Marilyn Baker | ... | musician: viola (uncredited) |
Rick Baptist | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
Charles Boito | ... | musician: clarinet (uncredited) |
Jacqueline Brand | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
William David Brohn | ... | additional orchestrator (uncredited) |
Tom Brown | ... | music copyist (uncredited) |
Bobby Bruce | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Denyse Buffum | ... | musician: viola (uncredited) |
Larry Bunker | ... | musician: drums, percussion (uncredited) |
Norman Carr | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Gene Cipriano | ... | musician (uncredited) |
Wayne Coster | ... | music copyist (uncredited) |
Isabelle Daskoff | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Alan DeVeritch | ... | musician: viola (uncredited) |
Bob Dougherty | ... | musician: bass (uncredited) |
Christine Ermacoff | ... | musician: cello (uncredited) |
Dominick Fera | ... | musician: clarinet (uncredited) |
Ron Folsom | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Endre Granat | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Susan Greenberg | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
Mario Guarneri | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
Barbara Hunter | ... | musician: cello (uncredited) |
Ron Jannelli | ... | musician (uncredited) |
Tommy Johnson | ... | musician: tuba (uncredited) |
Jim Kanter | ... | musician: clarinet (uncredited) |
Anne Karam | ... | musician: cello (uncredited) |
Roland Kato | ... | musician: viola (uncredited) |
Katie Kirkpatrick | ... | musician: harp (uncredited) |
Gayle Levant | ... | musician: harp (uncredited) |
Peter Limonick | ... | musician: drums, percussion (uncredited) |
Harry V. Lojewski | ... | orchestra manager (uncredited) / supervising music copyist (uncredited) |
Charlie Loper | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
Warren Luening | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
Ray Mace | ... | music copyist (uncredited) |
Virginia Majewski | ... | musician: viola (uncredited) |
Anthony Marinelli | ... | musician: synthesizer (uncredited) / performer: additional arrangements (uncredited) / song producer (uncredited) |
Lew McCreary | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
Malcolm McNab | ... | musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited) |
Tommy Morgan | ... | musician: harmonica soloist (uncredited) |
Kenneth Munday | ... | musician: bassoon (uncredited) |
Barbara Nahlik | ... | music copyist (uncredited) |
Richard Perissi | ... | musician: french horn (uncredited) |
Barbara Porter | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Debbie Price | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Tom Raney | ... | musician: drums, percussion (uncredited) |
Uan Rasey | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
David Riddles | ... | musician: bassoon (uncredited) |
George Roberts | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
Aaron Rochin | ... | music recordist (uncredited) |
Arthur B. Rubinstein | ... | conductor (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited) |
Ralph Sauer | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
Jim Self | ... | musician: tuba (uncredited) |
David Shostac | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
Haim Shtrum | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Joe Soldo | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
Tina Soule | ... | musician: cello (uncredited) |
David Speltz | ... | musician: cello (uncredited) |
Sally Stevens | ... | singer (uncredited) |
Thomas Stevens | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
Sheridon Stokes | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
Vicki Sylvester | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Tommy Tedesco | ... | musician: guitar (uncredited) |
Phillip A. Teele | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
Richard Todd | ... | musician: french horn (uncredited) |
Louise Di Tullio | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
Ian Underwood | ... | musician: keyboards (uncredited) |
Allen Vizzutti | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
Miwako Watanabe | ... | musician: violin (uncredited) |
Chauncey Welsch | ... | musician: trombone (uncredited) |
Don Williams | ... | musician: drums, percussion (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
Harold Michelson | ... | continuity consultant |
H. Bud Otto | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
Chester Haffey | ... | transportation |
Randy Musselman | ... | driver captain |
Additional Crew
Joy Anzarouth | ... | production coordinator |
Lyla Foggia | ... | unit publicist |
John Garber | ... | dialogue coach |
Dana Satler Hankins | ... | assistant: Mr. Badham (as Dana Satler) |
Richard Keefe | ... | process librarian |
Derry J. Pearce | ... | production auditor |
Bill Watson | ... | pterosaur consultant |
Duncan Wilmore | ... | technical advisor |
Mike Berro | ... | computer programmer (uncredited) |
Lynn Hendee | ... | production executive (uncredited) |
Alexander Kanellakos | ... | prop runner (uncredited) |
Kevin King | ... | payroll accountant (uncredited) |
Anthony Marinelli | ... | synthesizer programmer (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1983) (United States) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1983) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1983) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Cinéma International Corporation/Département Universal (1983) (France) (theatrical)
- Nova Film (1983) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (Australia) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (Italy) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (Norway) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1983) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- CBS/Fox (1984) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1984) (United States) (video) (CED Videodisc)
- Warner Home Video (1984) (Australia) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1984) (United Kingdom) (VHS) (PEV 99405 / Pre-Cert Video)
- Warner Home Video (1984) (West Germany) (VHS)
- United Artists Corporation (1985) (India) (theatrical)
- Audio Visual Enterprises (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (1988) (United States) (VHS)
- Antenne 2 (A2) (1989) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (United States) (VHS)
- TBS Superstation (1992) (United States) (tv)
- TNT (1995) (United States) (tv)
- Varus Video (Russia) (VHS)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1996) (United States) (VHS) (for MGM/UA)
- Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
- MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (United States) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Spain) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Guardian Television Network (GTN) (2006) (United States) (tv)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (United States) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (United States) (DVD)
- MGM Networks (2009) (India) (tv)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2012) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2013) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Swashbuckler Films (2019) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (2020) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD) (reprint for MGM)
- Ciné+ (2022) (France) (tv)
- MonsterVision (United States) (tv)
- Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Cannes Film Festival (festival)
- Dolby Laboratories (sound post-production)
- Dolby Stereo (in selected theatres)
- Intrada (score album released by) (limited edition)
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (titles and opticals)
- Polydor Records (soundtrack) (original release)
- Quartet Records (soundtrack) (2-CD expansion)
- UAA Films (production services)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
A young computer whiz kid accidentally connects into a top secret super-computer which has complete control over the U.S. nuclear arsenal. It challenges him to a game between America and Russia, and he innocently starts the countdown to World War 3. Can he convince the computer he wanted to play a game and not the real thing ?
Written by Colin Tinto |
Plot Keywords | |
Taglines | The only winning move is not to play. See more » |
Genres | |
Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
Budget | $12,000,000 (estimated) |
Opening Weekend United States | $6,227,804, 05 Jun 1983 |
Did You Know?
Trivia | According to John Badham, the jeep trying to crash through the gate at NORAD and turning over was an actual accident. The jeep was supposed to continue through the gate. They added the scene of the characters running from the jeep and down the tunnel, and used the botched jeep stunt. See more » |
Goofs | When WOPR is searching for the launch code, it is shown to be able to lock onto each digit individually. In which case, it would only take 360 tries (one for each letter and digit), to definitely find the entire code. See more » |
Movie Connections | Edited into Crosby, Stills & Nash: War Games (1983). See more » |
Soundtracks | Video Fever See more » |
Quotes |
[after playing out all possible outcomes for Global Thermonuclear War]
Joshua: Greetings, Professor Falken. Stephen Falken: Hello, Joshua. Joshua: A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess? See more » |