Movies that feature a video phone (original) (raw)

Whirlpool

last updated –

posted 2004-Apr-10, 7:40 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-10, 7:40 pm AEST

User #10986 3542 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 2:07 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 2:07 pm AEST

O.P.

A friend is doing a Ph.D. about technology and its success and failure. A classic failure was the Picturephone launched at the 1964 World Fair. However, the concept has lived on in movies ever since.

Can anyone think of specific examples of movies (or any other pop culture I suppose) that make use of the concept of a video phone?

A few examples:
Mission Impossible (both the original tv series and the movies)
James Bond
Total Recall
Star Trek

Lets have 'em. What else is out there?

User #18136 2606 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-8, 2:17 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 2:17 pm AEST

Not a movie - but Astroboy made profuse use of Video-phones.

Only reason I mention it, is that they have always been the "best" example I have ever seen of video-phones. ie. what I would want/expect real-life ones to look/work like.

eg. nice slimline design/shape etc - and presentation.

User #23968 6035 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 3:07 pm AEST

edited 2004-Apr-8, 3:16 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 3:07 pm AEST(edited 2004-Apr-8, 3:16 pm AEST)

Didnt they have one in Back to the Future 2? Seem to remember the guy getting fired over the video phone

Edit- Blade Runner also had them

User #31172 5547 posts

In the penalty box

posted 2004-Apr-8, 4:50 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 4:50 pm AEST

Blade Runner had a video phone.

Simon

EDIT: Doh! fdr! *shakes fist* :D

User #10986 3542 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-8, 5:17 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 5:17 pm AEST

O.P.

fdr writes...

Back to the Future 2

Oops, that was what I meant - not III.

User #12455 11320 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:10 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:10 pm AEST

Dick Tracy had a video phone.

User #20294 6524 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:44 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:44 pm AEST

There was a Simpsons episode that had a video phone in it :)

User #38088 286 posts

Forum Regular

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:55 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:55 pm AEST

I think Alien or Aliens had one, but i may be wrong. Havent seen that movie/s for a while.

User #42164 23744 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:58 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 6:58 pm AEST

pauli writes...

User #12455 11320 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 7:07 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 7:07 pm AEST

User #38551 1088 posts

Whirlpool Enthusiast

posted 2004-Apr-8, 8:14 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 8:14 pm AEST

There was one in Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion ;)

User #40997 18032 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 8:28 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 8:28 pm AEST

This isn't a movie but CNN use video phones to give reports.

User #9364 3009 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 9:16 pm AEST

edited 2004-Apr-8, 9:21 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 9:16 pm AEST(edited 2004-Apr-8, 9:21 pm AEST)

The Stanley Kubrick classic - 2001: A Space Odyssey

There is the scene in the future where the father is speaking to his young daughter on a videophone in a futuristic Pan-Am "airport" - tho I guess you would assume its a "spaceport" due to space travel/etc. being the norm in Kubrick's take on 2001. :)

And with the year of the movie being 1968, it fits in quite nicely with the 1964 world fair failure... :)

Also Austin Powers does video phone to Basil it in his "shaguar" in Austin Powers 2 :)

The Back to the Future 2 one is correct also - Future McFly is talking to his mate "Needles" (played by Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Flea") about a CC scam - calls him chicken - swipes the card - then gets fired almost instantly by his Asian boss. I always love how he shouts out "Mc-Fryyyyy" when he addresses him in his furious voice :)

User #18136 2606 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 10:43 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 10:43 pm AEST

Risky^ writes...

Then theres Dick Tracy in 1945 with a videowatch.

Dick Tracy's video phone was never in a movie though - only his wrist radio ("Calling Dick Tracy, Calling Dick Tracy" , "I'm on my way!"). It only ever appeared in Comic form.

In fact, there was actually a lot of backlash from readers that it was taking things too far (advanced technology), and so was reverted to just a wrist radio.

User #11293 13406 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-8, 10:45 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-8, 10:45 pm AEST

I saw it used just recently in Alias or 24, can't remember which one it was, Most likly Alias!

User #32829 5066 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-9, 10:26 am AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 10:26 am AEST

you can use video phones right now on some mobile phones.

User #13578 6613 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:37 am AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:37 am AEST

Arthas writes...

Aliens

Yes, when Ripley talks to Paul Riser's character (Bourke maybe?)

User #11293 13406 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:38 am AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:38 am AEST

FreeTibet writes...

you can use video phones right now on some mobile phones.

Really you don't say!

User #6658 2148 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:42 am AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:42 am AEST

Johnny Mnemonic
Demolition Man

User #41895 2829 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:53 am AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 11:53 am AEST

Edit - sorry someone said it, didn't read

User #43500 614 posts

Service Provider

posted 2004-Apr-9, 4:26 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 4:26 pm AEST

In the Inspector Gadget cartoons penny and brain had a video watch and collar.

User #11645 4395 posts

Whirlpool Forums Addict

posted 2004-Apr-9, 8:45 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 8:45 pm AEST

Ennui Moyen writes...

Challenge anyone to find an older movie with video phones (-:

I might be able to up you :-)
Does anyone know if Fritz Lang's Metropolis features video phones?

When I get some free time I'll skim through it and check

User #15612 3869 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-9, 9:30 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 9:30 pm AEST

Minority Report - not 100% but i think it did!!

User #37480 156 posts

Forum Regular

posted 2004-Apr-9, 10:25 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-9, 10:25 pm AEST

I'm fairly sure The Jetsons had a videophone they used often in it.

User #43500 614 posts

Service Provider

posted 2004-Apr-10, 1:32 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-10, 1:32 pm AEST

Yeah I think you're right about Minority Report.

User #20494 4066 posts

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posted 2004-Apr-10, 7:40 pm AEST

posted 2004-Apr-10, 7:40 pm AEST

what about Fith element and bladerunner?

Star trek, picard has that little gaybo video phone in his office,.