Paper Man (1971)

Dreadfully Boring

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It's not a bad film - it's rather advanced for its time but the way they go about it is rather boring for me to watch. The film could not keep my interest held.5 college kids 3 end up dead after they create a "paper man". The "paper man" is a fraudulent man - in fact, he doesn't exist. The group now has a credit card in the "paper man's" name... they are committing fraud. The one that guy that had the smarts to do all of this stepped out of it not long after "paper man" was created - he felt guilty and knows how deep his crime goes - he knows he faces prison. The rest of the group continues with what they started.2/10

Times have certainly changed and that makes this dated "techno-thriller" rather interesting in spite of its early 1970's trappings. Stacy, Powers, Street and Chen (all close to over well over 30 years in age!) play a quartet of college students who are unable to get credit due to their age/lack of employment. Through the school's super computer, they create a fictitious persona and, with the aid of grad-student Stockwell, fabricate an entire background and history for him. They then apply for credit in his name and go about charging things all over town like a deluxe chess set and a "new spring coat"! These are honorable thieves, however, as they intend to pay back their purchases with money sent from home! Unfortunately, the entire situation spirals out of control when they are forced to continue tweaking the situation and eventually it becomes clear that the "paper man" they've created may actually be a real person. And he isn't happy! Soon, people begin dying and all eyes are on Stockwell since he programmed the computer and has a history of mental imbalance. Powers give a solid performance, even though she (and everyone else) is far too old for this movie. Stacy, just a couple of years before his devastating motorcycle accident, is interesting and handsome, though his character isn't particularly likable. Street and Chen are less involved in the story, but Chen does have a memorable sequence in which the computer seems to be targeting her, even stalking her. Olson appears as a technician who vies for Powers' attention with Stacy. In an age of identity theft and when credit cards come in the mail to everyone with promises of low interest and other perks, it's fascinating to see these folks desperately trying to get credit and to see how things were done in the pre-ATM and pre-electronic charging era. It's a rather predictable tele-film, but has the benefit of a decent cast and some nice, creepy atmosphere to help it along.

I saw this on TV when I was 8; it was incredibly scary then. Saw it years later and marveled at the prescient use of computers and identity theft mixed with s.f. horror that could have appeared in "Ring." And there would be no "Videodrome" without it.

I have found a reseller and the place where he got this film. The name was on the box but it took a little time to track down the web site. It is not the best copy but if yours is like mine was, the tape finally started to deteriorate. It is interesting to see the actors as they were in this movie the girl that teaches the computer to say breath (death) is in the movie "Three Days of the Condor" I would tell you more about the baddy(s) but you may not have seen the movie.