THE EXPLORERS
US, 1985, 104 minutes, Colour.
Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix.
Directed by Joe Dante.
The Explorers is an oddball boys' own adventure set in an American small town. Written by Erle Luke, the film was directed by Joe Dante, who has excelled with some offbeat looks at small American towns: Piranha, Gremlins, Inner Space, The 'Burbs. The focus on the boys is routine material, but the film changes pace halfway through when the boys go out into space and discover a really oddball galaxy, a place where odd-looking creatures imitate the sounds and sayings of U.S. television shows. Sone points are made about exploration, aliens and American culture - a touch of satire with adventure. It is a peculiar film. One of the stars is a young River Phoenix who excelled in such films as Stand By Me and Running on Empty.
1. Entertaining science fiction, boys' own adventure, American style?
2. An American small town, the boys at school, families, experiments? The atmosphere of the small town?
3. The special effects for space travel? in the capsule, the bubble, the drive-in? Outer space, the bizarre creatures?
4. The boys in their family context, the absence of parents? Wolf. The gang and the close-knit family? At school, fights? Girlfriends? The bonds between the three boys? Science, technology, experiments? The bubble, their travel, the drive-in and the satire on the drive-in horror show? The smashing of the buildings? The helicopter chasing them? The importance of their being in one another's dreams and sharing?
5. The decision to go to space, getting together, the adventures, in space, the ship, the creatures and their TV chatter? The long sequences of TV dialogue and songs? The humour of the screenplay and -Its use of TV dialogue? The irony that these creatures were children and the arrival,
of their parents reprimanding then like Earth parents? The fact that the boys could not stay in outer space?
6. The sketch of the three boys, personalities?
7. The creatures and the parallels to Earth?
8. The helicopter driver, his obsession, search, his own dreams and his support of the boys?
9. What if...? Imagination, science, technology? With the satirical touch?
