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Starring the Computer is a website dedicated to the use of computers in film and television. Each appearance is catalogued and rated on its importance (ie. how important it is to the plot), realism (how close its appearance and capabilities are to the real thing) and visibility (how good a look does one get of it). Fictional computers don't count (unless they are built out of bits of real computer), so no HAL9000 - sorry.

Please let me know if you spot any mistakes, or have any tips about films not mentioned here that feature computers.

James Carter <james@starringthecomputer.com>

News

2025-05-05 23:54 The Net, Revisited
A few people have pointed out over the years that I missed some machine in The Net. I've fixed the existing entry for the Apple Powerbook Duo and added the missing Apple Powerbook 540c, Power Macintosh 7100 and Compaq Prolinea.
2025-05-04 11:46 All Apple
There are so many Apple Macs on my to-do list! Here are a few of them. There is an iBook G3 in Picture This and Glass, along with a Unibody iMac. Interview has a small but important role for an iBook G4. Finally there are very fleeting glimpses of a Power Mac G4 Cube in Cheaper by the Dozen, and an iMac G4 in Michael Clayton.
2025-04-26 16:31 Commodore bits
Here's a collection of Commodore appearances. Blue Beetle is a bit of a Commodore-feat with Commodore 64s, a PET and a rare appearance of a Commodore Plus/4. Also there is a VIC-20 in Der Schatz der weißen Falken, and a Amiga 500 in Sevimli Hirsiz.
2025-04-21 15:53 SEs and Classics
These films feature Apple Macintosh SEs or Macintosh Classics, or both! The Maid and Teaching Mrs Tingle both have small roles for the SE. House of Gucci has a brief glimpse of a Classic and Golden Years has a room full of both.
2025-04-13 16:14 Two more ICT 1301s
Here are two more appearances of the ICT 1301. In The Famous Five, Five Go to Kirren Island, professor Kirrin uses an ICT 1301 for his research, and in Doctor Who, Revenge of the Cybermen, the Nerva Beacon also features an ICT1301 panel.
2025-03-30 23:15 The Dead Zone
Season 2 of The Dead Zone has a number of computers on display including Johnny's Apple Powerbook G4 that appears throughout the season. In Episode 4 there is an Apple iMac G5 and another Powerbook G4. iMac G5s also appears in Episode 5, and Episode 7 also has a brief appearance of a Panasonic Toughbook.
2025-03-09 22:47 A Pile of Powerbooks
Here's a collection of films that include Apple Powerbooks. The Don's Analyst has a 5300 and Hitman's Run has a 520c (and an incidental Commodore PET 2001 keyboard in a prop that has appeared in a number of places). Finally, The Omega Code and Town & Country both have Powerbook G3s.
2025-03-01 21:50 Ted K's Computers
The film Ted K about the life of the Unabomber has a scene set in a computer store. In that you can see an Apple Macintosh, a Commodore Amiga 1000 and an Amiga 2000 and an IBM PC XT, PC AT and PS/2 Model 50/70. Later there is a scene in a library where an Apple Macintosh SE can be seen.
2025-02-09 15:13 All Apple IIs
Here is a collection of Apple II appearances. Armageddon Time has a classroom of Apple IIs and "The Goldbergs" episode Crazy Calls also has a classroom full, this time of Apple II plus machines. An Apple II makes a brief appearance in Bones and All and acts as the TXL Series 4 computer in Today's Special.
2025-01-26 16:20 Laptop debutantes
Continuing the laptop theme, here are some first-time appearances of laptops. Jungle 2 Jungle sees the first Compaq LTE Elite in the database, along with a Compaq Prolinea 3/4. Ghostbusters: Afterlife offers two new comers: the Dell Latitude E5520 and HP Stream (as well as the classic Casio PB-100). Finally the Acer Extensa 5620 makes its first appearance in Bad Ass.