Pirates of Silicon Valley

Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999) is a made-for-television docudrama written and directed by Martyn Burke. Based on the book, Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer, it tells the trials and tribulations of two small time start-ups that would later become Apple Computer and Microsoft. Stars Anthony Michael Hall as Bill Gates, Noah Wyle as Steve Jobs, and Joey Slotnick as Steve Wozniak.

Related Topics:
1999 - Docudrama - Martyn Burke - Apple Computer - Microsoft - Anthony Michael Hall - Bill Gates - Noah Wyle - Steve Jobs - Joey Slotnick - Steve Wozniak

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Director Martyn Burke views his film as an "unauthorized biography" and claims every scene in the film can be verified by at least two people. Regarding his film, Burke says:

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:Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are the true revolutionaries of our time. Not the students who occupied the dean's office in the late '60s. Not the anti-war marchers who were determined to overthrow the establishment. Jobs and Gates are the ones who changed the way the world thinks, acts and communicates.

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Steve Wozniak has stated on his website that the film is mostly accurate, though some details and events are occasionally simplified or slightly edited. He also notes that the personalities of the film's subjects are true to life.

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The soundtrack consisted largely of 80s pop music. One of the main songs was "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears. The song was once played by Bill Gates during a technology demonstration involving an intelligent 3D personal agent.

Related Topics:
80s - Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

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Pirates of Silicon Valley was originally aired on Turner Network Television in the summer of 1999 and subsequently released on VHS and later (2005) on DVD.

Related Topics:
Turner Network Television - 1999 - VHS - 2005 - DVD

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In the film, Noah Wyle stars as Steve Jobs, depicting a much more flawed and multifaceted human being than what his public image suggests. Scenes in the film include:

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• Fighting with his then-girlfriend Arlene in front of the Apple building denying her pregnancy.
• Repeated berating and dressing down of his employees, as well as overworking the Macintosh team with 80hr/week shifts.
• Refusal to hire anyone who resembled an "IBM type".
• Coming in to view Xerox's secret prototype GUI computer with mouse against the wishes of the development team, allowing Apple to steal the idea to create the Macintosh.
• Handing out "90 hour a week" achievement T-shirts.
• Steve "tearing the company apart" by pitting the Macintosh people competitively against the Apple II people. When confronted, Steve says "The people need a cause. Creation is messy.".
• Despite a paternity test proving Steve's connection with his daughter, and the Times running an article about it, he refuses to give Arlene $20,000 for the baby, thus continuing to deny fathering the child.
• Later coming to terms with his estranged daughter Lisa, having her live with him through her teenage years.
• A confrontation between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates where Jobs accuses Gates of using their partnership as a ploy to steal the Macintosh idea and clone it. Gates spent the rest of the night convincing Jobs that Microsoft Windows is mostly "smoke and mirrors" and is of no threat to Apple.
• A final confrontation after a Macintosh team preview where Gates admits to stealing the Macintosh design to make Windows.
 
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