Explorers (1985) – Nostalgia Central

With an imagination fuelled by countless science-fiction films and magazines, young Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) dreams of adventure, excitement and discovery beyond the stars.

Sharing his dreams with his enterprising junior high school pals, Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix) and Darren Woods (Jason Presson), gives the trio clues on how they might achieve their dream of space travel.

Wolfgang’s concept of scientific theories and Darren’s knack for things mechanical, fuelled by Ben’s abounding enthusiasm, eventually get their backyard-constructed spaceship into full flight.

After some hair-raising trial and error, they eventually break the bonds of the Earth’s atmosphere and are transported deep into space, where they meet alien beings that look like creations of Dr Seuss and are obsessed with our junk culture – which they obsessively reproduce.

Wonderfully constructed and dazzling visual effects by George Lucas’s Industrial Light and Magic blend into the story, and despite the feeling that you’ve seen most of this before, Explorers has an innocent charm.

Ben Crandall
Ethan Hawke
Wolfgang Müller
River Phoenix
Darren Woods
Jason Presson
Lori Swenson
Amanda Peterson
Steve Jackson
Bobby Fite
Steve Jackson’s Gang
Bradley Gregg
Georg Olden
Chance Schwass
Mrs Müller
Dana Ivey
Mr Müller
James Cromwell
Ludwig Müller
Taliesin Jaffe
Science Teacher
Brooke Bundy
Darren’s Teacher
Eric Luke
Neek
Leslie Rickert
Starkiller/Wak/Wak and Neek’s Father
Robert Picardo
Wak and Neek’s Father (voice)
Frank Welker
Starkiller’s Girlfriend
Karen Mayo-Chandler
Starkiller’s Girlfriend’s Father
Robert F. Boyle
Gordon Miller
Meshach Taylor
Charlie Drake
Dick Miller

Director
Joe Dante

Video