Electric Dreams

Electric Dreams (1984) is a romantic comedy with a sci-fi twist — watch it online on iFILM. Directed by Steve Barron, best known for his music videos including a-ha's Take On Me, the film is set in San Francisco and stars Lenny von Dohlen and Virginia Madsen in a love story that adds one unusual third party.

Miles Harding buys a cutting-edge home computer, knocks a glass of champagne into it, and inadvertently brings the machine — Edgar — to life. Edgar starts eavesdropping on the cellist next door, Madeline, and teaches himself to compose music just to get her attention. By the time Miles realises he's falling for her too, Edgar is already jealous in every sense of the word.

The film's biggest asset is its soundtrack: Giorgio Moroder scored the whole thing, and Philip Oakey's Theme from Electric Dreams reached number five in the UK charts. It's a film that wears its 1980s earnestness without apology, and that guilelessness is exactly what makes it work. Stream Electric Dreams (1984) online on iFILM.