Re: movies with quiz bowl

bristlesage <Nancy> wrote,

"We're
sitting here pondering: is there another movie with a
plot similar to that of "The Computer Wore Tennis
Shoes"? The plot of that fine piece of cinema is
basically that a kid (college bowl player) downloads an
entire computer encyclopedia into his head, but with an
error in the facts which he has downloaded--an error
that costs him the "big game". 

IIRC, that's
not the plot (at least, not the ending) of either the
Kurt Russell version (with Pat Harrington of the Steve
Allen era "Tonight Show" and Schneider the super on
"One Day At A Time" as the host of the "College
Knowledge Bowl"), or the Kirk Cameron version (containing
the immortal quote about toss-up strategy, "let's
buzz in like maniacs and hope that [the answer's]
there"). There's no factual error in the program, the
human computer just runs out of juice; and as to who
wins, well, that would be spoiling. :)

Perhaps
the deja vu stems from the fact that both the
original and its remake show up occasionally on the Disney
Channel.

Other shows that include quiz competition include (but
certainly are not limited to) Murphy Brown, The Brady
Bunch, the afrementioned Head of the Class (it's a shame
Welcome Back Kotter never tried using it as a plot
device), and the episode of The Young Ones entitled
"Bambi." College Bowl itself is referenced in (again, at
least) The Odd Couple, the movie Diner, a Robert Klein
routine, and a rant from the early years of the Dennis
Miller Show.

Tom

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