Explorers (1985, J. Dante)

AllMovieGuide Synopsis:

Explorers turns out to be much ado about nothing, but it's so sublimely assembled we're willing to overlook the sappy climax. Young sci-fi geek Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) (could he possibly be based on director Joe Dante?) would give anything to travel in space. Thanks to his computer-happy pal Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix), Ben gets his wish, together with best bud Darren Woods (Jason Presson). In the Great Beyond, the boys encounter an extraterrestrial (Robert Picardo), whose knowledge of earth is limited to what he's gleaned from 1960s TV sitcoms (this is unusual?) Lots of outer-space fun ensues before the film's inevitable downward spiral. Moderately successful in theatres, Explorers had a healthy second life on video and cable TV, especially after director Dante rethought the film and rearranged a few scenes for better dramatic (and comic) impact.

The previously mentioned 80's List preparation and the continuing thread on Joe Dante at The Criterion Forum has sparked something of a Dante renaissance recently. I always watch Gremlins at Christmastime and The Howling in October, but I haven't seen some of his filmography in quite a while. I revisited Innerspace a couple weekends ago and that will be a subject of a future post, but this post is all about Explorers.

Explorers is not a film I saw much in my youth. In fact, I can't remember if I ever even saw it beyond the VHS box cover at the video store. I find it hard to believe, as I was a slave to HBO back in the day and have seen anything Amblin produced roughly a billion times. But if I had watched it back then; I believe the film would've gotten me more into science. I was already playing "Cardboard Box Spaceship" when I was little but I feel this would've compelled me to build a real spaceship in my backyard with my friends. The Goonies made me want to go treasure hunting and The Monster Squad made me want to start a club to hunt vampires; I feel this film would've had the same impact. I think I could've ended up more like River Phoenix's character when in actuality I was probably more like Ethan Hawkes: all excitement and naivety.

Thoughts While Watching Explorers:

If made today, I feel like the kids would've taken they first spaceship test/trip twenty minutes earlier than they did. It was about 40-45 minutes before the kids tested the thing out. I think the film is better for it; there is more character development to make the test more exciting.

There's a not so subtle reference to Star Wars in the film. The only sci-fi film that Presson watches, on television at home that isn't a pre-existing film, resembles the Lucasfilm as the lead character is referred to as "Starkiller" (no-brainer) and when Starkiller says "he was my father" (no-brainer as in there's no brain).

When the kids meets aliens, one of the aliens spouts out nothing but pop culture sayings like "What's up, Doc?" and sings the Mr. Ed theme song. This particular alien character (as the other is well-spoken) seems to get all his information on the earth culture from the television; not unlike kids nowadays as well as the Presson character (although he doesn't go about quoting TV shows).

When an alien listens to Presson's Walkman, the looks at the boy questioningly. Either Presson or Phoenix says "It's 80's music. It's cool!" I laughed out loud. You would think that this would be a time-stamp on the film but I think that a number of people would still say that phrase (including myself).

It was moving when the kids land and they watch their spaceship sink.

And what's with the girl at the end? When Hawke sees the spaceship appear in the classroom and the kids go flying (literally, not in the spaceship), the girl is there and she kisses Hawke midair Superman-style. But why is she there? Is this a dream and she's the girl of his dreams and...? She saw the kids land in the spaceship, so she believes them and can go flying? The ending is simultaneously baffling, poetic, cheesy, and satisfying without being so.

I wish I had seen this more when I was younger, but I love it anyways. It's an 80's movie; it's cool!