Flight of the Navigator (1986)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Randal Kleiser

Writers:

Mark H. Baker (writer)
Michael Burton (writer)

Release Date:

30 July 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Come along on the greatest adventure of the summer!

Plot:

In 1978, a boy is moved 8 years into the future and has an adventure with the alien ship that is responsible for that.

Plot Keywords:

Independence Day | 1970s | Frisbee | 1980s | Brain Scan

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Joey Cramer	...	David Scott Freeman
Paul Reubens	...	Trimaxion / Max (voice) (as Paul Mall)
Veronica Cartwright	...	Helen Freeman
Cliff De Young	...	Bill Freeman
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Carolyn McAdams
Matt Adler	...	Jeff Freeman, 16 Years
Howard Hesseman	...	Dr. Faraday
Robert Small	...	Troy
Albie Whitaker	...	Jeff Freeman, 8 Years
Jonathan Sanger	...	Dr. Carr
Iris Acker	...	Mrs. Howard
Richard Liberty	...	Mr. Howard
Raymond Forchion	...	Detective Banks
Cynthia Caquelin	...	Woman Officer
Ted Bartsch	...	Night Guard Brayton

Also Known As:

The Navigator (Norway)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA | Norway

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:G | UK:U | USA:TV-PG (cable rating) | New Zealand:G | Norway:7 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | USA:PG | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

New Star

Trivia:

Reference to _E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)_: David gets out of the spaceship at the gas station to "phone home".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When David is interviewed by NASA the first time, a lady asks him what happened that night. David's reply is that he chased after his brother for a while, then turned - but he did not chase his brother. In the scene, he turned to chase, but heard the noise and immediately went toward the ravine.

Quotes:

Radar operator 1: Japanese air force report sightings of the aircraft above Tokyo sir.
Dr. Faraday: Tokyo?
Radar operator 2: Japanese air force reports the aircraft has left Japanese airspace.
Dr. Faraday: Where's it going now?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#1.3)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Blame It On The Bossa Nova

Fantastic!

This film is to blame for my over active imagination. Saw it on TV when i was at school and watched it over and over ever since! Though the quality of the film was not something i would have noticed when i was that age, i did notice the amazing special effects (for that era of cinematographic effects).

The ship design (Steve Austin) is truly inspired (especially when in 'first class manouvre' mode!!) and stylistically has stood the test of time (it could quite easily pass off as futuristic in new films today. Maybe he should have done some more design work(?).

And my favourite character ... 'Al', the big guy at the service station ('Rusty' Pouch), best bit of acting ever!

The flight scenes and the concept of flying in a cool spaceship caught my young mind most of all. As i watched it time and time again, the many other factors proved to play a major part of the film. The music score for one is great and for me has become a critical part of the film (I love the 80's synth!)

All in all, this piece of cinema was very very well thought out, constructed, produced, acted, all fitting together in a film that many films could never achieve.

Go buy it on DVD!

E:)