WarGames (1983) - Dr. Stephen Falken - John Wood [May Contain Spoilers]

Unease at the stairs.

Director: John Badham

I do not own any rights of this video.

[BritanniaPacific]

A millisecond of brilliant light, and we’re vaporized. Much more fortunate than the millions who wander sightless through the smoldering aftermath. We’ll be spared the horror of survival.

[andrewhuckle]

The actor John Wood would have made a great Dr Who.

[kissmy_butt]

As a kid you always thought it was an interesting teen age angst movie. Looking back this was beyond brilliant. AI, the internet, ethics, etc.... so many layers and ahead of it's time.

[jeffcarlisle]

This scene has been in my mind a lot in recent days.

[AlaskaRS]

'We'll be spared the horror of survival.'
I'd always said that if someone set a nuke off to where I live I'd prefer to be on the drop spot rather than survivable distance. Never really seen that sobering notion spotlighted in a movie until this one.
Really liked the contrast of Falken's resigned nihilism vs the young optimism that motivates David to keep finding solutions.

[mindriot_]

"But humanity planning its own destruction....that a phone call won't stop"

[johnhaladay]

I remember watching this movie as a kid. Even then, I knew that there was something important that David was trying to make Falken understand. As an adult, this is, by far, the most poignant part of the film. Wood is brilliant in this scene.

[johnfreeland]

This is probably one of the most critical, informative and seminal scenes from a movie in the modern age.

[mwnciboo]

As a kid i watched this...as a 40 something...I WANT HIS HOUSE!
That is some Timber kings level housing!

[stevenbeoethy]

A chilling scene, esp. when
He's walking up the stairs...

But Ally Sheedy...Girl was 🔥!!!

[amrose]

They both at fault. Falken started the computer program and David broke in and started nuclear war, poor jennifer just wants to live.

[vincentvecera]

Seeing this movie and being exposed to these problems as a kid really shaped my life. What a great movie.

[stuartsharman]

"I am only 17yrs old, I don't want to die just yet..." What a great line, well said young lady!!

[JohnDoe-xkdv]

I've seen WarGames plenty of times, and I suddenly only just noticed in this scene Jennifer's hand that goes on Falken's shoulder.

Likely its this physical touch of warmth, reminding him of humanity (and holding his deceased son, and wife) as well as David's passionate and spirited words for hope, that confront Falken's nihilism, jointly bringing him out of his denial and stupor here.

Great and subtle moment there from Ally Sheedy - don't know if it was scripted or not, but it brings a lot to this scene.

[awwwyeaboyeeee]

Ally Sheedy sure was a beautiful young woman.

[kali]

"Greetings, Professor Falken."
"Hello, Joshua!"

[seatspud]

"Maybe the bees..." Heh, about those bees now, Professor Falken.

[Patchuchan]

I can understand his point of view after dealing with all the crap that happened this year.

[brendennothe]

"Extinction is part of the natural order"
Dr Falken would be the best supervillain

[grandicellichannel]

Falken is such an introguing character, and Wood plays it in a majestic way... too bad they gave him quite little screentime. Wish they made a sequel of this film when we see him possibly improving his whole Joshua NORAD computer to solve the problems it caused it the first film's crisis collaborating with David - the latter that was supposed to do the same thing in the original script but as an assistent of McKittrick at the end of the film.