Paper Man (1971)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This is actually an enjoyable little computer thriller that shows off the popular perception of computers in 1971. Aside from enjoying Dean Stockwell's great early-70s hair, it's great to see the characters gather around a hard copy terminal as they enter input, and shuffle through the piles of printed output. Taking advantage of a computer error, a group of college students create computer records for a fictitious persona to use an untraceable credit card - an early attempt at identity theft that becomes dangerous when the students start dying one by one. I am a big fan of these 1970s TV movies, and this is a decent example with the mystery keeping my interest throughout.

Well this one will certainly take you back, back to an era when a computer wasn't a computer unless it filled an entire room and had all those blinking lights. You know, like the ones you saw in the original 'Twilight Zone' and 'Star Trek' series. An interesting concept was presented here, because in today's age when identity theft is as ubiquitous as the household PC, a group of college students attempts to create an identity in order to use an errant credit card, and the computer hijacks the information and takes off on an agenda of it's own. Dean Stockwell as the mastermind programmer was pretty good here, but he could have cracked a smile every now and then to lighten things up. It's been a long time since I've seen Stefanie Powers in anything at all, going all the way back to her 'Hart to Hart' days with Robert Wagner. And it looks like James Stacy just blew in from his Johnny Lancer gig on that well received TV Western. I was surprised to read how many viewers were terrified by the possibilities presented here for computers to take over and rule the world. I suppose it could happen if things get really out of control. If that's the case, we'll all end up just like Tina Chen who couldn't outrun the program and wound up getting the shaft.

Times have certainly changed and that makes this dated "techno-thriller" rather interesting in spite of its early 1970's trappings. Stacy, Powers, Street and Chen (all close to over well over 30 years in age!) play a quartet of college students who are unable to get credit due to their age/lack of employment. Through the school's super computer, they create a fictitious persona and, with the aid of grad-student Stockwell, fabricate an entire background and history for him. They then apply for credit in his name and go about charging things all over town like a deluxe chess set and a "new spring coat"! These are honorable thieves, however, as they intend to pay back their purchases with money sent from home! Unfortunately, the entire situation spirals out of control when they are forced to continue tweaking the situation and eventually it becomes clear that the "paper man" they've created may actually be a real person. And he isn't happy! Soon, people begin dying and all eyes are on Stockwell since he programmed the computer and has a history of mental imbalance. Powers give a solid performance, even though she (and everyone else) is far too old for this movie. Stacy, just a couple of years before his devastating motorcycle accident, is interesting and handsome, though his character isn't particularly likable. Street and Chen are less involved in the story, but Chen does have a memorable sequence in which the computer seems to be targeting her, even stalking her. Olson appears as a technician who vies for Powers' attention with Stacy. In an age of identity theft and when credit cards come in the mail to everyone with promises of low interest and other perks, it's fascinating to see these folks desperately trying to get credit and to see how things were done in the pre-ATM and pre-electronic charging era. It's a rather predictable tele-film, but has the benefit of a decent cast and some nice, creepy atmosphere to help it along.

I can remember seeing "The Paper Man " during a midnight movie session in about 1975. I can remember being terrified, as a 12 year old, thinking that this was possible. I think it is amazing to think that this movie now has possibilities of becoming true and actually happening. It is a scary thought. I love to watch movies about computers taking over and there are several I have seen. I would love to see this movie again as it scared the life out of me and I wonder if after all the horrors since, if it can still scare me.