Overdrawn at the Memory Bank is a 1984 science fiction television film, starring Raul Julia and Linda Griffiths. Based on the 1976 John Varley short story by the same name, the film takes place in a dystopian future where an employee for a conglomerate gets trapped inside the company's computer and ends up affecting the real world. It was co-produced by Canada's RSL Productions in Toronto and New York television station WNET. Because of its limited budget, the film was shot on videotape instead of film and was pre-sold to small American cable companies.
It premiered on the CBC in 1984 and was later broadcast on American Playhouse in 1985. The film received mixed reception from critics. Overdrawn at the Memory Bank was featured in the eighth-season finale episode of the comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1997.
Plot
In a future dystopia, Aram Fingal, a programmer working for conglomerate Novicorp, is caught watching Casablanca at his workstation. To rehabilitate him, the company assigns him mandatory prophylactic rehab, where subjects are "doppeled" into wild animals to experience relaxation. Aram is sent into a baboon and is monitored by controller Apollonia James. Aram begins to enjoy his existence until he is threatened by an elephant shaking the tree he is perched on. He activates an escape clause that is supposed to return his mind to his original body. However, during his doppel preparation, a tour of young students had visited the transfer center and one student switched the routing tag on Aram's body. Due to the tag swap, no one can locate his body. Aram's mind must be kept active by storing it in Novicorp's central computer – the HX368 which controls everything from finances to the weather. His mind can only be maintained in such a way for a limited time before it is destroyed.
Aram's disappearance is reported to a rival corporation. The news is broadcast worldwide, causing Novicorp's share price to crash. Majority shareholders force Novicorp's Chairman to divert resources to keep Aram alive and find his body. Apollonia is assigned to locate and keep him from hacking into Novicorp's mainframe. With Apollonia's help, Aram creates a virtual world where he encounters characters from Casablanca, including a version of Humphrey Bogart's character, Rick. Aram quickly grows bored, eventually plotting to bring down Novicorp's finances without being removed and killed. Apollonia tries to keep him out of trouble, placing herself in opposition to Novicorp's leaders, eventually finding herself falling in love with Aram and develops a conflict of interest.
With Apollonia's help, Aram eventually "interfaces" with the mainframe and defeats his antagonists. He also returns to his body, which has been discovered before undergoing a sex change operation. Finally corporeal and reunited with his accomplice, Aram has taken complete control of the HX368. After ordering bonuses and stocks for every employee, committing Novicorp's Chairman to a month of "compulsory rehab" via doppeling and changing both his and Apollonia's identity to those of Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca, Aram vows to fight against the dystopian government. The film ends with the new couple walking out the door and, now free from Novicorp's oppression, talking about opening a club on the other side of town: Rick's Place.
Cast
Raul Julia as Aram Fingal/Rick Blaine
Linda Griffiths as Apollonia James
Donald C. Moore as Novicorp Chairman/The Fat Man
Wanda Cannon as Felicia Varley/Lola
Helen Carscallen as Dr. Darwin
Chapelle Jaffe as Djamilla
Gary Farmer as Tooby
Louis Negin as Pierre
Maury Chaykin as Gondol
Production and release
Based on the 1976 John Varley short story by the same name, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank was co-produced by New York television station WNET and Toronto-based production company RSL Films, Ltd. It was shot between August 20 to September 12, 1983. Co-producer Robert Lantos said that the film's budget "exceeded well into seven figures". To alleviate the costs, it was pre-sold to small American cable companies. The film was shot on videotape, with Lantos claiming that if it was shot on photographic film, it would have been as expensive as Blade Runner. It was directed by Douglas Williams with the film treatment written by Corinne Jacker.
The film premiered on the CBC on September 22, 1984. It was later shown on PBSs anthology series American Playhouse on February 4, 1985. It was released on VHS by New World Video and LaserDisc by Image Entertainment.