The Vectrex in a science fiction film?

Released in 1982, the science fiction film Android by Klaus Kinski is a B-movie. Made with a modest budget but plenty of ideas, this feature tells the story of an android named Max 404 in search of love and humanity. While the film has faded from mainstream memory, it remains a good curiosity among retro sci-fi fans. But did you know that Android features a cameo by the Vectrex console?

The Vectrex as a futuristic set piece

In the world of Android, androids live in secret, isolated on space stations. One of the early memorable scenes shows Max 404 playing a video game. And not just any game, he’s playing Star Trek: The Motion Picture on a Vectrex. The gameplay is clearly visible, recognizable by its characteristic vector graphics. 

This scene doesn’t just show a game in action, it also suggests that the Vectrex is being used as an interface within the space station’s environment. Several consoles appear to be literally built into the station’s command bridge. It’s one of the rare instances where multiple Vectrex units are used as physical elements of a high-tech set. In this space station, the console almost takes on the role of a scientific instrument.

Mark Indictor’s “Android Computer Graphics” code

Behind this integration was programmer Mark Indictor (programmer of Star trek, Spin ball, Mail plane, Tour de france and Polar rescue). For the film’s production, he developed a custom piece of software called Android Computer Graphics, which ran directly on the Vectrex. This code was used to animate the scanner screens seen in the film, especially during the sequences when the Minos and Neptune ships approach the station.

The demo version of the program, used on set, started with a title screen followed by an interactive menu. The four buttons on the controller launched four different scanning animations. Not all of them were included in the final cut, but they still exist on the rare chips known to contain this code. Although the software has been digitally preserved, it is not currently available for public download.

A retro film about humanity and gadgets

Beyond the Vectrex, Android is filled with tech details straight out of the 1980s. For example, characters Dr. Daniel and Gunther Keller both wear a watch model that strongly resembles the GCE Sports Time, an LCD watch also produced by General Consumer Electronics (the company behind the Vectrex). This choice of props and gadgets reinforces the aesthetic consistency of the film’s universe, while making Android a valuable snapshot of early ’80s tech culture.

A vector cameo in space