# The Night of the Comet compared / contrasted with WarGames **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990 "2011-02-03T05:32:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990/21 "2011-02-04T02:05:21Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Well, would Catherine Mary Stewart be using her skills to try to seduce Ally Sheedy? If so, I’m on board. Now that I think about it, not quite. The Sergeant at NORAD would hit on Regina. Regina would take care of that Sergeant in the detention center with her zombie fighting, video game winning, military self-defense skills. 🆒 > [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Then what happens? 😉 > > (hopefully more laughing, giggling, tickling, spanking?) Uh, something like that.I won’t spoil the ending to _The Night of the Comet_. You will be disturbed. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990/22 "2011-02-04T04:16:47Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > Ok. Good. Very good. Two scenes. You don’t believe there’s any particular significance? But was it a cliche then? And were there other films in the `80s that had the same kind of shot as _WarGames_ and **The Night of the Comet**? These are three questions I would like answered, too. Presumably the directors might not be available answer these questions. Off the top of my head, I can’t say how many other films used that particular shot, or which was the first to employ it. As to the significance, I can see an argument for a subtextual meaning to the shot in _Wargames_, because the interaction between man and computer is central to the plot of the movie. But _Night of the Comet_? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, but I don’t recall computers featuring in the film to any particular degree. I suspect that the scene you found so impressive was included for no particular reason other than it was a film aimed at young people, and video games were the popular new thing with kids at the time. > [@](#): > > But another question is this - a very, very, important question - how does that scene in \*The Night of the Comet \*end?game over, milk duds, REG, DMK, “when did this happen?”, not listening to Mel’s “advice”, then “Regina look this way”, and then listening to Mel’s orders. Obviously, alot happens during the end of this scene (not to mention after the end of the game). Before he gives his order - which I’m ok with and, in fact, turns out best for her - he says to her what he thinks are offhand remarks, which are significant to Regina, the plot of the film, the theme of both films, and the theme of both scenes, and, above all, the spirit of David Lightman and Regina Belmont. [/spoiler] Why is that important, in particular? > [@](#): > > You don’t see the irony [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13424625&postcount=9)? No, it doesn’t have anything to do with gender, or generation or race for that matter. No, I don’t see any irony there at all. Can you explain why it’s ironic? ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990/23 "2011-02-04T05:38:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > No, I don’t see any irony there at all. Can you explain why it’s ironic? [spoiler]David Lightman, an underachiever, is not recruited by the Soviets. Regina with Hector and the two kids tells Samantha, “You may as well face the fact Samantha - the whole burden of civilization has fallen upon us.” Those with the burden of civilization - Regina, Hector, the boy, and the girl - are overachivers. And Samantha - who can be a nun or something - is an underachiver. So that makes four overachivers and one underachiver _on Earth_. What’s that advice Mel gave?[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2011, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990/24 "2011-02-04T05:40:16Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > I think the question becomes - who’s playing whom? Is the human playing the game, or the game playing the human? > > In Wargames, the game is in Focus while David is out of focus. To me, this seems to be the game playing David. Once David sets the events of the movie into motion he loses all control. He is in the hands of police, military, Joshua, and the guy who wrote the video game (forgot his name). This also parallels what the movie is saying about nuclear weapons - the best way to win the game is not to play. > > In Night of the Comet, Regina is in focus and we just see the game reflected on her face - she is the one who is in control. I’ve not seen this movie in years - but if memory serves - even though the world around her had been destroyed she was still in control of herself and her situation. The world was hers to play, and if Daddy was there, she’d have powered up to her Uzi! [spoiler]What does David Lightman say after logging in to the system? “We’re in.” David is blankly determined to play Global Thermonuclear War - “Later. Let’s play Global Thermonuclear War.” Watching _WarGames_ again today, I noticed, that it goes from the military trying to gain control to David (with the help of Jennifer) trying to gain control to the computer system itself trying to gain control, and then the computer system tries to gain control of itself! What does Joshua say after the end of playing Global Thermonuclear War? A STRANGE GAME. THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS NOT TO PLAY. From Awaiting First Strike Command to seeing the alert on nuclear war on the television news - the question is being asked: Is it a game, or is it real? Larry, the projectionist in _The Night of The Comet_ ironically has the answer: “Television is real, television is very real.” Yet it is so unreal how much fun David and Jennifer have playing Global Thermonuclear War. David and Jennifer are so casual about the rules of engagement - “I wonder if I should use my subs”, David asks. “Yeah, sure, give them the works”, Jennifer says before taking a drink of TAB. The only reason David and Jennifer weren’t drawn futher into the game, is because David’s mother orders him to take out the garbage. I guess nuclear war will have to wait for yard work. The parents have no clue. Is it a game, or is it real?[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990/25 "2011-02-07T05:32:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I don’t really see the significance here, either. It does have something to say about gender expectations - the smart boy is criticized for not achieving enough, while the smart girl is criticized for achieving too much, but I don’t think the comparison adds much to this insight. :dubious: “Don’t be an overachiever, you’ll fit in better with your **age group**.” > [@Miller](#): > > Off the top of my head, I can’t say how many other films used that particular shot, or which was the first to employ it. As to the significance, I can see an argument for a subtextual meaning to the shot in _Wargames_, because the interaction between man and computer is central to the plot of the movie. Why? > [@Frazzled](#): > > In Wargames, the game is in Focus while David is out of focus. To me, this seems to be the game playing David. Once David sets the events of the movie into motion he loses all control. He is in the hands of police, military, Joshua, and the guy who wrote the video game (forgot his name). This also parallels what the movie is saying about nuclear weapons - the best way to win the game is not to play. > > In Night of the Comet, Regina is in focus and we just see the game reflected on her face - she is the one who is in control. I’ve not seen this movie in years - but if memory serves - **even though the world around her had been destroyed she was still in control of herself and her situation. The world was hers to play, and if Daddy was there, she’d have powered up to her Uzi!** Yes!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-night-of-the-comet-compared-contrasted-with-wargames/569990.md?page=1)