Flight of the Navigator (1986)

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:

Flying Saucer | 1986 | Alien | Back Pack | Parent Child Relationship

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Joey Cramer	...	David Freeman
Paul Reubens	...	Max (voice) (as Paul Mall)
Veronica Cartwright	...	Helen Freeman
Cliff De Young	...	Bill Freeman
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Carolyn McAdams
Matt Adler	...	Jeff (16 years)
Howard Hesseman	...	Dr. Faraday
Robert Small	...	Troy
Albie Whitaker	...	Jeff (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)
Avaruuden sankari (Finland) [fi]
Borta med tiden (Sweden) [sv]
Der Flug des Navigators (West Germany) [de]
El vuelo del navegante (Spain) [es]
Navigator (Italy) [it]
Tilbage til virkeligheden (Denmark) [da]
Ucieczka navigatora (Poland) [pl]

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 (certificate #28230) | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

New Star

Trivia:

When David's parents pull up to their house in the beginning of the movie, the song playing on the car radio is "You're The One That I Want" from "Grease", also directed by Randal Kleiser.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): During his "first class maneuver" Max says to David: "I can analyze species from civilizations light years beyond your own". Since a light year is simply a measure of distance, this statement has no logical meaning. Such an improper use of the term "light year" is quite common, however, and perhaps it might be justified as a figure of speech for humans, but not for a machine.

Quotes:

Max: I crashed into electrical towers and my star charts were erased. I need the ones in your head to complete my mission.
David: So you need ME and my INFERIOR brain to fly that thing?
Max: Correction, I need the SUPERIOR information in your INFERIOR brain to fly this... thing.

Movie Connections:

References "Starsky and Hutch" (1975)

Soundtrack:

Lose Your Love

Great fun

'Flight of the Navigator' might have been produced in the mid-Eighties but it certainly hasn't lost it's charm over the last twenty years and it does stand up well against more recent family film offerings.

The story begins in 1978 with twelve-year-old David Freeman, a happy all-American kid who lives with his loving parents and typically bratty eight-year-old brother Jeff. One night he sets off into the woods to look for Jeff only to be knocked unconscious when he falls from a ravine. When David awakes in what seems like hours later to him, he discovers actually eight years have passed and it is now 1986. Although he is still twelve years old, the world has moved on and even his little brother is older than he is. NASA are very interested in David when his EEG scan reveal readings in the shape of a UFO they have discovered and other scans of the boy result in star charts of distant galaxies being spewed out from the computers. But our hero is determined to return to his family so he breaks free and hides aboard the UFO which holds the key to everything.

Joey Cramer gives a likable performance as David, a boy who enjoys adventures but ultimately just wants to be with his family. I think anyone watching the film would empathise with his character's anger and sense of helplessness when David discovers NASA have no intention of letting him go home. Matt Adler as sixteen-year-old Jeff is another notable actor in the film in the way he depicts his character's uncertainty of dealing with his little big brother and his developing protectiveness towards David. Also, look out for a younger Sarah Jessica Parker.

For those who watched 'Flight of the Navigator' as children in the Eighties, there is definitely a nostalgic feeling to it. However, I think children of present day would still enjoy the film as it has a little of everything and issues raised as still relevant and/or interesting today such as pre-teen crushes, annoying kid brothers, the thrill of following a hero on his 'quest', a fun mentor for the hero (even if it is metallic!) and arrogant scientist-types. It is important to remember that this is a children's film aimed very much at an eight- to twelve-year-old demography so it doesn't delve too deeply but the plot is quite unique, the characters are interesting and it is a film that is well put-together. Certainly one to enjoy with the whole family.