Anybody ever seen the movie "The Wizard"?

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Its about an autistic boy who is a wizard at games, they put him in an institution, nobody ever believes in him, ppl make fun of him, treat him so bad, even the mother didn't think he was capable of doing anything, then one day his half brother got him to play video games and realized that Jimmy(the autistic) was a wizard at games, could figure out how to beat or do amazing at any video game. ITs a good movie, its from the 80s, you can tell if you saw it because its the ollddd nintendo. Fred savage, and christian slater is in it! In the movie they never say autism, just mentally ret*d, or space case, or mentally handicap, but even my mother could diagnosis him with autism! Autism wasn't really known back then anyways...
Anybody ever seen it, its called "the wizard"?

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Being Normal Is Vastly Overrated

Saw it when it came out, and kind of thought it was a thinly-veiled advertisement for Super Mario Brothers 3.

I liked that movie. When I saw it when I was a kid I didn't know what autism was, but I didn't think anything was mentally wrong with him. I just thought he refused to interact because of the trauma of losing his sister. Later when I learned what autism was, my opinion changed. But I didn't remember them saying anything specific about him so I wasn't sure.

Oh yeah, and it's pretty obvious Nintendo had a hand in it. As much as I liked the movie, even as a little kid I sensed the commercialness about it. It's ok though, it was funner to watch than most commercials. And I bought Mario 3 before I saw it so I didn't feel so much like a sucker.

I forgot about that movie, i do like it though. I will be searching the video stores for a copy now.

I always thought that movie was a bad modern update on Tommy by the Who.

Pick up a copy of "The Illusionist." Also of "Proof." You and your friend will enjoy it. One is a good story, the other "Proof" is a good lesson.

Best,
Btdt

Never saw it, though I remember the TV ad for it.

I did see "Mac and Me", which was even more obviously produced by McDonalds. I have a problem with invasive product placement being passed off as entertainment today, but when it was done back them, it just somehow seemed more playful than pandering. You could have fun with it, because it was such an obvious commercial.

For example, when the writer of the Transformers comic found out Marvel was cancelling his book, he decided to have fun with that very film by sending the Decepticons to a planet called Klo, which is German for toilet. It turns out to be MAC's homeworld, and the Cons embrace their commercial-tainment bretheren by graphically slaughtering them, making the surface of Klo run creamy-yellow with their blood. Unfortunately, the Autobots show up before we learn if they found a way to convert Klo's natural Coca Cola springs into energon.

I'm not making any of that up. See issue #79 of the US TF comic.

I wanna' see the Wizard too. Is it out on DVD, or would anyone interested need to find a rental store that hasn't purged their tapes yet?

Yeah, there have been several 70's or 80's depictions of "autistic" people that were made that way through trauma. I think there was a horror movie with one and another scifi thriller. Of course with the "trauma" as cause, there is always a cure in the happy endings.

I LOVED that movie when I was a kid.

I have this movie on vhs, I love it. It used to be my favorite movie.

I never saw him as autistic, just a grieving boy.

little known fact:

haley in "the wizard" is played by jenny lewis of the band "rilo kiley", they have some pretty good songs..and also she released a solo album that was OK, had a cool cd cover inspired by "The Shining"