Hackers at 30: The full story behind the cult cyber fairytale

The mid-90s saw the dawn of a new era in popular culture, as the information superhighway promised to transform lives across the globe. The internet, once a niche interest, was exploding with activity, and its influence could be seen in every aspect of life. From Keanu Reeves' sci-fi romp Johnny Mnemonic to Sandra Bullock's snooze-fest The Net, screens were flooded with features that put cyber-culture front and centre.

One film, in particular, would capture the zeitgeist of this era: Hackers. Released in 1995, this cult classic has been delighting audiences for over two decades with its unique blend of style, substance, and nostalgia. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, we take a closer look at the making of this iconic film.

"It seemed to be quite a niche, geeky area," says Iain Softley, director of Hackers, "but I felt this could be the next moment in pop culture to break through into the mainstream – just as rock 'n' roll and pop music had been in the early 60s." Softley's vision for the film was to create a world where nerds were the cool kids.

The screenplay was informed by 2600: The Hacker Quarterly magazine and figures like Mark Abene, a 22-year-old New Yorker also known as Phiber Optik. Writer Rafael Moreau brought this cerebral script to life, and Softley assembled a cast of soon-to-be-famous stars, including Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller, Matthew Lillard, Lorraine Bracco, Wendell Pierce, Fisher Stevens, and Penn Jillette.

The film's visual landscape was captured by cinematographer Andrzej Sekula, fresh off success on Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. The setting of Manhattan in the mid-90s was vividly brought to life, with postcard destinations like Washington Square Park, the Empire State Building, and Grand Central Station serving as backdrops for the film's neon-lit nightclubs and cyberpunk world.

"The colour palette was psychedelic," says Softley, "because people were using technology almost as a trip." The focus on club culture was inspired by research trips to London institutions like Heaven and New York spaces. This attention to detail helped inform another of the film's most widely-discussed facets: its sensational 90s dance music soundtrack.

"It had this kind of symphonic, ambient quality that was so appropriate to the film," says Softley. "The way that music and film combine is one of the most thrilling things about cinema to me." The soundtrack featured ethereal classics like Orbital's "Halcyon" and "On and On", The Prodigy's "Voodoo People", Underworld's "Cowgirl", and the likes of Leftfield, Massive Attack, and Stereo MCs.

Despite its critical acclaim, Hackers' box office return was disappointing. Despite capturing a cultural moment (Stuyvesant High School, a key shooting location, was dubbed 'Hacker High' by the New York Daily News after its students were investigated by the FBI in 1995), it failed to recoup even half of its $20m budget upon release.

Criticism pointed to the favouring of style over substance and a litany of "unbelievable events", with one review in the Orange County Register calling the idea of pictures being broadcast on computer screens "preposterous". However, Softley maintains that Hackers was never intended to be high art.

"It's impossible to predict where we're going now, and you don't want to make a film that's going to be completely irrelevant in a year's time," says Softley. The film has since built a loyal following as pop culture continues to evolve with new cyber-culture trends and news cycles.

"Everyone involved in Hackers has been approached [about a sequel]," says Softley, "but it was only about five years ago that I seriously considered it." He describes discussing it on stage at Electromagnetic Field festival with an Anonymous-affiliated hacker once dubbed one of the "most-wanted cyber-criminals on the planet". However, Softley claims it's not quite that simple.

"With Hackers, it was really just one concept in terms of technological advance – a cyber world becoming a part of everyone's lives. It's impossible to predict where we're going now," says Softley. "But with the right concepts about human relationships, there could be a new tale to tell in my 'cyber-delic' world."

Get ready for Hackers' 30th anniversary celebrations!

Don't miss the screenings of this cult classic at London's Prince Charles Cinema on September 18. Find out more about Hackers' deluxe new 88 Films home media release here.