X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa

The film profiles important individuals involved in the creation of the computer, plus its life after cancellation, both as an entry-level Macintosh-compatible and as a collectible. Though there were other notable computers with graphical user interfaces before the Apple Lisa, it stands out as the clear foundation for what we all use today. Whether you use a Macintosh, Windows, iOS or Android, you're using the legacy of the Lisa. This 108-minute movie has three parts: Part I - Genesis: The Apple Lisa at Apple, Part II - Second Life: The Apple Lisa after Apple, Part III - Legacy: The Apple Lisa Today. Interviews with former key Apple employees involved: John Sculley, Former Apple CEO and the man known for "firing" Steve Jobs, Bill Atkinson, Former Apple Engineer on both Lisa and Macintosh, John Couch, Former Lisa Development Manager. Plus, many other former Apple employees, Apple dealers and enthusiasts/collectors. "Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa" is a fascinating look into the computer that really changed the way we use personal computers; it started the modern personal computer revolution. Not only did key people from the project go on to help create the Macintosh, but so did key hardware and software fundamentals. In the end, Apple even converted the Lisa into a Macintosh-compatible computer, before canceling it altogether. Find out why it mattered then, and why it's a valuable computer collectible now. The Apple Lisa was a failure... but it changed the world.

Loading. Please wait...

Content not available in your region? ExpressVPN can help you stay connected wherever you are. Get 4 extra months FREE with TV Guide's exclusive offer.

Cast & Crew See All

Ray Arachelian
Self
Bill Atkinson
Self
Bob Cook
Self

You May Also Like See All

Lawrence of Arabia
The Leopard
Compensation
Best Kept Secret

Popular Movies See all movies

History of the World: Part I

1 hr 32 mins
Mel Brooks brings his one-of-a-kind comic touch to the history of mankind covering events from the Old Testament to the French Revolution in a series of episodic comedy vignettes.
47   Metascore
1981 Comedy, Documentary, Music

Popcorn Porn: Watching 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno'

1 hr 14 mins
This film follows the making of Kevin Smith's latest film, Zack and Miri Make A Porno.
2009 Documentary, Comedy

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

1 hr 59 mins
Bruce Springsteen's journey crafting his 1982 album Nebraska, which emerged as he recorded Born in the USA with the E Street Band. Based on Warren Zanes' book.
59   Metascore
2025 Documentary, Drama, Music

Miracle

2 hr 15 mins
The inspiring story of the team that transcended its sport and united a nation with a new feeling of hope. Based on the true story of one of the greatest moments in sports history, this tale captures a time and place where differences could be settled by games and a cold war could be put on ice. In 1980, the United States Ice Hockey team's coach, Herb Brooks, took a ragtag squad of college kids up against the legendary juggernaut from the Soviet Union at the Olympic Games. Despite the long odds, Team USA carried the pride of a nation yearning for a distraction from world events. With the world watching, the team rose to the occasion, prompting broadcaster Al Michaels' now famous question to the millions viewing at home: Do you believe in miracles? Yes!
68   Metascore
2004 Documentary, Drama, Sports

Cutting Through Rocks

1 hr 35 mins
As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara's intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.
80   Metascore
2025 Documentary, Family

Song Sung Blue

2 hr 12 mins
The inspiring true story of two down-on-their-luck performers who form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it's never too late to find love and follow your dreams.
61   Metascore
2025 Documentary, Drama, Music