The original Tron was released in 1982. That was the golden age of arcade gaming. Arcade games and arcade culture were central to the film. And to the making of it, too.
"I remember I couldn't believe it we showed up the first day at work and around the walls of the studio — this is the first Tron — are video games that you have to put quarters in just all over," Jeff Bridges said in a recently published interview. Bridges told the director that all those arcade games might make getting down to work difficult.
"It did hold up the work every once in a while but it was great fun," Bridges continued. "I remember I got locked into this game, Battle Zone. You familiar with that game? The tanks. God, hours and they would come and try to yank me away. I'd say I'm preparing, I'm preparing."
Bridges has talked about his love for Battle Zone previously, and his adoration for video games pretty much stops there. He was impressed with how well the original arcade from the first movie was re-created. "It's as closely as they could come," said Bridges. "I mean I think that was a practical location in the original and it's torn down."
In the original Tron, Bridges played software engineer Kevin Flynn, who hoped to start his own game company, but ended running a video game arcade.