Paul Asadoorian

The movie "Hackers" was released 30 years ago today. It still stands as my favorite hacker movie. What is your favorite "Hackers" movie quote?

Here are some reasons why it remains my favorite:

- The hacker handles suggested by Joey were aliases of real hackers (at the time)
- The books passed around at the club were all real
- The soundtrack
- The Emanuel Goldstein reference (And many other references to hacker people)
- The Ginsberg quote is relevant to Hacker culture

Sep 15, 2025 at 7:05pmWeb
Show threadPaul AsadoorianSep 15, 2025
- The writers attended a 2600 meeting and went to dinner with Eric Corely and Mark Abene
- “The Plague” was a real hacker who also consulted on the movie
- "Da Vinci Virus" was a well-placed joke.
- Other works depicted either the lone hacker (“War Games”) or a group of professional hackers (“Sneakers”), whereas Hackers presented the notion of hacker groups and hacker culture.
- The casting: The on-screen chemistry was real!
- The cast read books about hacking that influenced many of us
Show threadPaul AsadoorianSep 15, 2025

- The reasons we didn’t get text-based and realistic-looking scenes of actual hacking are well-documented
- A small faction of hackers despised the movie so much that they took action against MGM and defaced its website
- One of the most quotable hacker movies (“Hack The Planet!”)

And so many more...

Show threadgarySep 15, 2025
@paulasadoorian borat is a social engineering movie
Show threadGenette Sep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian absolutely love the small details in hackers! Though I didn't know about a lot of the stuff in the second and third posts! Makes me love it even more! Another little easter egg I found at the scene with the payphones in the school was a little poster for the HOPE conference!
Show threadAlter KakerSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian what are the reasons? I'm curious
Show threadJenny 🏳️‍🌈Sep 16, 2025
@alter_kaker @paulasadoorian I also didn't know that the reasons are documented and I just went on a search to find them and couldn't. So if anyone here knows where they are documented a nudge in the right direction would be very appreciated.
Show threadPaul AsadoorianSep 16, 2025
@HackyScientress @alter_kaker I believe my source for this is here: https://www.slashfilm.com/541326/hackers-oral-history/
Show threadJenny 🏳️‍🌈Sep 17, 2025
@paulasadoorian @alter_kaker thanks, that's an interesting read!
Show threadRachel GreenhamSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian as a hacker I knew at the time said, it’s not what it looks like, but it is what it feels like.
Show threadMoss; 0x2E40 Sep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian
- the sickass fashion
Show threadRob Vincent 🎙️Sep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian The "hack" on MGM's site was not a genuine hack. It was an on-theme stunt by the folks running the site, which remained on the page for as long as MGM kept the movie websites from that era going.
Show threadPaul AsadoorianSep 16, 2025
@Rob_T_Firefly Interesting! Is this documented anywhere?
Show threadDEF CONSep 17, 2025
@Rob_T_Firefly @paulasadoorian
It was a real hack, the first web site defaced every actually.
Show threadVolt4ireSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian the actors (including Angelina Jolie et al) attended the meetings too
Show threadJay 🆘Sep 17, 2025
@paulasadoorian The point about it uniquely depicting hacker culture is spot on. Other movies have a “cyberpunk” aesthetic, but I can’t think of any other movie where all the protagonists are cyber-punks in the cyberpunk era.
Show threadSimon ZerafaSep 15, 2025

@paulasadoorian

The soundtrack is amazing. Stands up today along with the music composed specifically for the movie.

There is a new physical media release shortly!

Hack the Planet! 🙂🖖

Show threadCaseySep 15, 2025
@paulasadoorian I’m attending an anniversary party this Friday at one of my favorite local bars. Also tops my list as most formative movie for me. #HackThePlanet #HackersMovie #Hackers30th
Show threadF4GRX SébastienSep 15, 2025
@paulasadoorian the mentor's Hacker Manifesto
Show threadTim SchmitzSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian I still code to this soundtrack sometimes, and I still wish I could play the game with the huge screen in the arcade
Show threadTom NardiSep 17, 2025

@Timschmitz @paulasadoorian
You'll have to bring your own huge screen, but you can play the game (Wipeout) in the browser these days:

https://phoboslab.org/wipegame/

wipEout

Show threadTim SchmitzSep 17, 2025
@tomnardi @paulasadoorian Whoooooa, I had no idea it was a real game! I always assumed it was something they made just got the movie. Now if you'll pardon me, I have an afternoon to waste 😆️
Show threadMichael BorlandSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian
Show threadsteve mookie kongSep 16, 2025

@paulasadoorian @jarunmb

Hack the planet!

Show threadLudwig VielfrassSep 16, 2025
@mookie @paulasadoorian @jarunmb "They're trashing our rights!"
Show threadAl & Val's Modern HomesteadingSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian And here I thought I was the only one affected this much by this particular movie. It didn't hurt that the cast was amazing, and a young Angaline Jolie was poster fodder along with my Toshiba..
Show threadInfinitySep 16, 2025

@paulasadoorian “The Pantom Phreak? The king of Nynex? I know you play the game.” and “You and me Lucy. We’re gonna show ‘em baby.” are two of my favourite quotes, but “Cancer, brain… brain, cancer?” also gets me every time.

https://www.cemp.ac.uk/scriptzone/script.php?type=download&id=264

Show threadBryceSep 16, 2025

@paulasadoorian my favorite quote:
"It's in that place I put that thing that time"

I still say this often, not many get the reference though.

Show threadMonte FreemanSep 17, 2025
@NationMeta @paulasadoorian Nobody gets it when I use that line either. 🤓
🥺
Show threadEric LeavellSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian I still say “Never fear, I is here” some times pretty sure the bad guy says that when he rolls up on rollerskates? Brilliant movie
Show threadPete CarrSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian This movie turned me on to electronic music, which has been a life long love. I've since seen Underworld, The Prodigy, and Orbital live. So cool.
Show threadNate Vack 🍴Sep 16, 2025

@paulasadoorian I always liked the poster with the tagline "Their only crime was curiosity"

when, like... THEY HACKED NEW YORK CITY'S TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO BE FOUR-WAY GREEN AND CAUSED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

Definitely a crime!

Pretty sure a bunch of the pranks they pull on Gill were also straight-up crimes but they don't count because Gill was a jackass

Show threadRaykoSep 16, 2025

@paulasadoorian "Magic people voodoo people" That song from The Prodigy is unforgettable and a perfect fit.

https://youtu.be/W5fM6WpC_nE?si=OZPIc9qXZbNidmok

Hackers PRODIGY - voodoo people

YouTube
Show threadTerin StockSep 16, 2025
@paulasadoorian
Also the 25th anniversary release of the soundtrack, which was able to license tracks that had to be excluded from the original

(one benefit of consolidation in the industry…)
Show threadMike FraserSep 17, 2025
@paulasadoorian Ironic in this picture they're all in front of extinct tech.
Show threadHenk LangeveldSep 20, 2025

@mike @paulasadoorian The first hackers were phreakers.

The picture is very appropriate.

Show threadMike FraserSep 20, 2025
@hlangeveld @paulasadoorian Yes, I know, I was there. I just meant in today's context.
Show threadMark Sep 19, 2025
@paulasadoorian "You're the dumbest smart person I know."