Where's Willie?

An exceedingly ordinary family movie, filmed with the younger generation especially in mind, the premise of a boy genius works out to be amusing at times but drone at other times, and the film makes overall nothing more than satisfactory viewing. The acting, the technical side of the film and the screenplay are all quite average in quality - although, it might be of concern to some that the science behind it all is a little bit off. Not really a film for adults, perhaps the younger viewers will be able to take something out of it, but either way, it does not come highly recommended as anything better than just 'okay'.

I remember seeing this moving on at least two occassions while still in High School. It was sometime between 1981 and 1983, and the movie was playing together with some other show as a double feature at the Valley Twin theater in Kearns, Utah. This movie was rather interesting. It featured a young kid (who I thought looked a little bit like Barret Oliver, and later discovered it wasn't him) who was a computer and electronic genious. He'd talk to his friends at night over his cb radio when he was supposed to be in bed sleeping. He was always getting into mischief. He had invented some kind of remote control device that would do the impossible. An example was a scene where he was in school, he discretely points the remote at the clock on the wall and the time fast-forwards, causing the bell to ring and class lets out early. There were other scenes involving this same gadget where, if I recall, it confused traffic lights and caused a traffic jam. There is also something about a bank, where I believe the kid uses the remote to bypass the bank's security. His father, if I remember correctly, played some kind of authorative role in the movie, I think he was a police officer, I'm not sure. I thought the movie was rather cute. It was a school kid's fantasy, somewhat like "Ferris Beuhler's Day Off", only aimed at younger kids. I thought the movie was rather cool. A bit far-fetched, but a good show that the entire family would enjoy watching. Hardly anyone's heard of this one and I'm glad to know somebody out there actually remembers it! I have no idea where to find this show on video tape.

The movie is actually set in the town of Kerrville, Texas and came on the heels of a movie made there the year before (Pony Express Rider). My grandfather has a bit part in the movie as the judge in Willies dream sequence. It has taken me over 3 years to find a copy of this movie as it went directly to TV and had a limited video release. The story is OK and the acting is adequate while the FX leaves a lot to be desired even by 1978 standards.

I was in this movie filmed in Kerrville Texas. Although my scene only saw the editing room floor. I never saw a penny from the week of filming.

There was a big controversy in the San Antonio paper about how the company did not pay the actors (notice all the Kerrville people). I went to see it in the theater when it came out and that is how I found that my scene was cut. Just a bad experience for a 8 year old kid at the time.

Movie was not that good so maybe it was for the best I did not show up in it.

I remember this movie been shot here in Kerrville..They shot this movie at my school,at that time and had a lot of us kids in it.I was in the movie also..I can see my self as the camera pans in the school room screen..its so funny.I also remember meeting the actors too, just a normal kids like us.It was a OK movie back then but now when i see it it so boring and to see how Kerrville has changed over the years..One of my friends had a copy of the movie which he made me a copy of it and looking back on this movie makes me wonder how Kerrvile is a nice place to live..As of now i still reside in beautiful Kerrville Texas.So i rate it it a 5. Was good back then, but now its plain and boring but like i said its sure to see Kerrville the way it looked back then compare to now.