Movies / Home Theatre

Tron: The Original Classic

By Hervé St-Louis
April 3, 2011 - 12:02

Not the actual cover used for this collected package

Would you believe this comic book fan and aficionado of science fiction had not completely seen the original Tron movie released by Disney in 1982 until a few days ago? Oh, I’ve seen snippets of the movie. For example, I was quite aware and familiar with the cycle chase scene and for some reason expected it to be the brunt of the movie. In reality the motorcycle game probably lasts no more than ten minutes in the entire film. Reruns of Tron have played on television for decades, the original DVD was released a few years ago. Yet, if it were not for the new collected edition containing the original Tron movie for the first time on Blu-Ray, I probably would not have discovered Tron Classic.

Tron Classic is the original Tron movie where a human, Kevin Flynn, played by Jeff Bridges, is swallowed inside a computer and discovers a world where programs have human qualities and must race to escape the world computer world and defeat the Master Control Program that has destroyed his life as a human.

At the time, the production of Tron, inspired by a comic book / cartoon character concept developed years earlier by director Steven Lisberger and friends, was ground-breaking. The effects used to developed the computerized world made of 3D meshes and blue-screened actors was an almost impossible feat of special effects that the team, sponsored by Disney achieved, realistically for the time.

Of course, watching this film officially for the first time and as an adult, it was more amazing to see how it had even been possible for the production crew to perform this feat so far ago. But looking at the film with its simple storyline of good versus evil and touchscreen tables, it was an eye opener to see technical jargon used all the time in 2011 used in Tron way back when most people had no clue about any of these technologies and didn’t even own computers at home. The Tron look has, in hindsight influenced many other design elements, the latest being Google’s new update for Android, its mobile operating system in the form of the HoneyComb update. It’s shiny fluorescent lines organized almost organically as circuits on black backgrounds.

Tron Classic comes in a five-disc package containing a 3D version of Tron Legacy on Blu-Ray, a regular version of Tron Legacy on Blu-Ray, a DVD copy of Tron Legacy on DVD, and digital copy of Tron Legacy. It’s too bad that the original Tron Classic film was only available as a Blu-Ray release and not as a DVD. The features in the Blu-Ray edition include much of the behind the scenes documentaries, features  and interviews  of the original DVD release, except they have not been remastered for the Blu-Ray. The movie itself has been retouched and looks great on Blu-Ray. It’s quite a feat that the producers of this DVD could have access to the original prints and release a quality worthy version of this film. Many potential fans may stay on the sidelines wondering if getting Tron Classic as a DVD release is a good thing, given how good the DVD was. Well, like I wrote above, the quality of the film visually is there and just to see it without any artifacts is worth the money.

It’s amazing because the original Tron movie that started the franchise may get forgotten when viewed in the entire collection that Disney is releasing. However, as you decide to watch the Tron legacy collection, be sure to start with Tron Classic to appreciate the progressed made in special effects, and computing technology since 1982. Many have said that Tron Classic was ahead of its time. Perhaps they are right. But it’s certainly not past our time, today.

Iconic Imagery (Bonus)Small Frame

Stage Presence of David Warner (Bonus)


Securing Bruce Boxleitner (Bonus)

Rating: 8.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12