There’s two incidents I can think of where the code “TK421” was used in movies:
STAR WARS: When Han, Luke, ObiWan, Chewie, r2d2 and c-3p0 were hiding out in the MF’s cargo bays, and then the humans in the party suckered some Troopers into the ship to steal their uniforms, the guy up in the control tower calls to the missing troopers on his radio “TK421, why aren’t you at your post?”
BOOGIE NIGHTS: When “Buck” is selling stereo equipment at the store, he keeps on trying to sing the “TK421” modification to his customers.
What the Hell?
Do any of you Dopers know of other movies (or whatever.) where this is mentioned?
Actually, TK-421 is THX-1138 in the Star Wars novel.
Here’s another one: The phone numbers for the house in WHEN A STRANGER CALLS is the same phone number for the Ghostbusters emergency line in the movie GHOSTBUSTERS I. 555-2368
TK421 is in Boogie Nights as an homage to Star Wars - there’s a different reference to Han Solo in Boogie Nights also. Paul Thomas Anderson has mentioned that he was a big fan of the movie. (Sorry, no cite - I read it in an interview somewhere).
BTW, I was the one who added that trivia to the Boogie Nights section in the IMDB - it was pretty funny for me to see it referenced here.
TK-421 also appears as the serial number on the world map in the Fallout 2 computer rpg, along with a plethora of other Star Wars and fanboy refrences.
THX=1138 is also seen on the chalkboard in the opening credits of Animaniacs, which is produced by Steven Spielberg IIRC. Of course, THX-1138 was George Lucas’s first sci fi movie thingy. Interesting movie despite its Logan’s Run similarities.