My Science Project (1985)

Director:

Jonathan R. Betuel

Writer:

Jonathan R. Betuel (written by)

Release Date:

9 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The funniest sci-fi movie of the summer.

Plot:

Michael and Ellie break into a military junkyard to find a science project for Michael's class, and...

Plot Keywords:

Time Travel | Mutant | Plato | Prehistoric Creature | School

Cast

John Stockwell	...	Michael 'Mike' Harlan
Danielle von Zerneck	...	Ellie Sawyer
Fisher Stevens	...	Vince Latello
Raphael Sbarge	...	Sherman
Richard Masur	...	Police Detective Jack Nulty
Barry Corbin	...	Lew Harlan
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Dolores
Dennis Hopper	...	Bob Roberts
Candace Silvers	...	Irene
Beau Dremann	...	Matusky
Pat Simmons	...	Crystal
John Vidor	...	Jock #1
Vincent Barbour	...	Jock #2
Jaime Alba	...	Jock #3
Robert Beer	...	President Eisenhower
John Carter	...	General
Cameron Young	...	General's Aide
Noel Conlon	...	Secret Service Man
Jackson Bostwick	...	Sentry
Robert DoQui	...	Desk Sergeant
Elven Havard	...	Fireman
Linda Hoy	...	Librarian
Robin Allyn	...	Ellie's Friend
Michael Berryman	...	Mutant #1
Chuck Hemingway	...	Coy
Pamela Springsteen	...	Hall Monitor / Ellie's Friend
Matt Hoelscher	...	Preppie
Jack O'Leary	...	Sentry at Air Force Guardhouse
Clare Peck	...	Policewoman
Joel Harrison	...	Wino
Ann Culotta	...	Trucker's Wife
Hank Calia	...	Neanderthal Man
Scott Bailey Spangler	...	Guard #2 at Air Force Guardhouse
Frank Welker	...	Aliens (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Al Leong	...	Vietnamese Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Jonathan R. Betuel

Writing credits
Jonathan R. Betuel		(written by)

Produced by
E. Darrell Hallenbeck	....	associate producer
Jonathan T. Taplin	....	producer (as Jonathan Taplin)

Original Music by
Peter Bernstein

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh

Film Editing by
Carroll Timothy O'Meara		(as C. Timothy O'Meara)

Casting by
Bill Shepard

Production Design by
David L. Snyder

Art Direction by
John B. Mansbridge

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Betsy Jones

Makeup Department
Rick Baker	....	special makeup effects artist
David B. Miller	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
E. Darrell Hallenbeck	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carole Keligian	....	second assistant director
Jerry Sobul	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Nigel A. Boucher	....	leadman
Dennis DeWaay	....	construction coordinator
Charles R. Lipscomb	....	lead man

Sound Department
Tom Gerard	....	sound re-recording mixer
James E. Webb	....	production sound mixer
David A. Whittaker	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Michael Burnett	....	T-Rex crew
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects
Tony Gardner	....	T-Rex crew
Hans Metz	....	special effects foreman
Mike Reedy	....	special effects technician
Ken Speed	....	special effects assistant: post production
Brian Tipton	....	special effects: first unit

Visual Effects by
William L. Arance	....	airbrush artist
Craig Clark	....	special effects animator
Allen Gonzales	....	visual effects: animator
Christopher Keith	....	visual effects camera coordinator
Richard Mosier	....	visual effects supervisor
John Scheele	....	visual effects supervisor
Joseph Thomas	....	ink and Paint/animation cameraman
John T. Van Vliet	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Alonzo Brown Jr.	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts
Larry Duran	....	stunts
David M. Graves	....	stunts (as David Michael Graves)
Tracy Hutchinson	....	stunts
Max Kleven	....	stunts
Joel Kramer	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts
Walt La Rue	....	stunts
Al Leong	....	stunts
Anderson Martin	....	stunts
Rex Pierson	....	stunts
Bill Saito	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (as Glenn Wilder)
Eddie Wong	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Edesa	....	camera operator
Ralph Nelson	....	still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.)

Animation Department
Scott Santoro	....	animator

Editorial Department
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
David Spear	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Julianna Arenson	....	production estimator
Rolf Darbo	....	location manager
Robert Werden	....	unit publicist
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Silver Screen Partners
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Touchstone Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Available Light Productions

Runtime:

94 min | West Germany:80 min (video)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 (video) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Norway:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners

Trivia:

In a scene where John Stockwell's character is under his car fixing it, Fisher Stevens says to him: "Ya know, I seen this movie where this haunted car flames guys out.", referring to John Carpenter's Christine (1983) in which Stockwell had a major role.

Quotes:

Michael Harlan: [at the school library counter] We need a book.
Sherman: Oh, a car book?
Vince Latello: [mockingly] A car book?
Michael Harlan: No, a book on strange things.
Sherman: Like Vince.
Vince Latello: [grabs Sherman] Hey, syonara dicknose!

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Hard To Believe

Part of the science comedy movie craze.

Movies come in phases now and then where a bunch of movies with similar themes come out at about the same time. There was the underwater craze of 89 ("The Abyss", "Leviathan", and "Deepstar Six") and there was the body switch craze ("Big", "Vice Versa", and one with Dudley Moore). This movie came out during the comedy with a science twist. The other two movies that came out during this phase are "Real Genius" and "Weird Science". I liked this phase as I enjoyed all three movies quite a bit. This one was no exception as it combined humor and science fiction very well. This one has a couple of kids finding this strange device that I think ended up being some type of engine. Anyway when this thing gets hooked up with power and turns on all sorts of strange stuff starts happening. The thing seems to be able to move time or open portals. The end is great as the thing really goes berserk and it turns the school (I think it was the school) into a battle zone complete with different times. There is a dinosaur and mutants. All in all I am probably in the minority in liking this one, but I thought it was really good.