Robots makeovers -- 'Short Circuit' to 'Terminator'

By Jevon Phillips and Patrick Day, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

It turns out Johnny 5 is indeed alive.

The announcement in 2008 that Harvey and Bob Weinstein's Dimension Films would be remaking the 1986 family comedy about a lovable wisecracking robot given a personality by a bolt of lightning is welcome news for vintage robots fans.

Already this decade they've seen some of their favorite old-time robots given sparkly new sheens: KITT the car, the dreaded Cylons and Optimus Prime. But what sort of improvements have these recent robot revisions brought?