Kurt Russell plays a student of Medfield College named Dexter. When his class talks the local model citizen/bookie into donating a computer to the college, weird things start to happen. When the computer blows a circuit Dexter volunteers to get the new part. When he returns it is pouring down rain and he doesn't realize the computer got wet too. When he replaces the circuit board and touchs two wires he gets zapped with the computers memory. Now he seems to be the smartest man in the world. When everyone wants him and the bookie will stop at nothing to shut him up, things get funny.

I'm giving the movie five stars for entertainment and my wife gives it five stars for Kurt being so cute then. My wife and I love this movie. The movie is wonderful early Disney comedy at its best. Kurt Russell and the rest of the cast probably had a blast making this movie. Fans of the Disney movies "The Strongest Man in the World" and "Now You See Him, Now You Don't" will want this one too. Great comedy for the whole family. For the price the transfer is decent but the movie would be better in a Platinum Edition with Widescreen, commentary, making of, and other extras.

This film was FILMED in fullscreen. Just thought I'd let everyone know. It's aspect ratio is 1.33:1, meaning it's a "full frame" film. In order for it to be widescreen, the top and bottom portions of the full frame image would have to be covered with black bars, in order to create a widescreen image. This process is called "Soft Matte". Anyway, the DVD for this film does present the whole image for this movie.

No wonder the company is about to be taken over and broken up -- DVD was introduced to be an alternative to video, to offer more than video: better picture, more extras, and most importantly, more picture. Letterboxing. Widescreen. The complete image. So what does Disney do? They take some of their most beloved live-action films such as this one, and dump it on DVD in full-frame editions. What is the point of that? Who isn't used to widescreen DVDs yet? Why should I waste my money replacing my old Disney videos with the same crappy full screen image as before? Disney just doesn't get it, and their sales show it.

A decade before "Escape from New York" transformed him into action hero beefcake, Kurt Russell played a hunky, fresh-faced teenager who exuberantly outwitted older authority figures in eight Disney movies, from "The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit" (1968) to "The Strongest Man in the World" (1975). They were not box office bonanzas, but they effectively mollified adult fears during the era of Woodstock and Kent State by presenting a harmless, good-natured youth rebellion (and one limited to white, middle class, hetero kids).

"The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes" is the first of Kurt's three forays as Dexter Riley, a mild-mannered misfit vaguely studying science at Medfield College -- essentially the same role that Tommy Kirk played in "The Misadventures of Merlin Jones" and "The Monkey's Uncle." But Tommy, recently out and outed, was obviously miserable and struggling with the role, and his co-stars hysterically overacted to keep him in line. Kurt is relaxed and confident, having fun with the role. [I feel] there is still a gay subtext, but it occurs naturally in the interaction of the characters (several played by gay actors).

There is a subdued hetero love interest and a lot of pleasant buddy-bonding, but, as in most collegiate movies, the major plot dynamic is in the conflict between exuberant youth and mendacious adulthood.

I agree with many others whose reviews echo my own ... DISNEY, get a clue WIDESCREEN FORMAT PLEASE!... Lack of Widescreen is the sole reason I haven't purchased this classic Kurt Russell film. Great childhood memory, a film I'd love to share with my kids who like the grown-up Kurt & would love to see him in his 'Disney day's. Hasn't anyone @ Disney been keeping up with technology? Haven't they heard of HDTV? Have they purchased a DVD lately? If it's not widescreen, it's not worth the investment. Try again Disney,I'm waiting with my $ in hand!