Radio Flyer (1992)

Director:

Richard Donner
(more)

Writer (WGA):

David M. Evans (written by)

Release Date:

21 February 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Powered by imagination.

Plot:

A father recounts a dark period of his childhood when he and his little brother lived in the suburbs.

Plot Keywords:

Radio Flyer | Childhood | Belt | Physical Abuse | German Shepherd

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lorraine Bracco	...	Mary
John Heard	...	Daugherty
Adam Baldwin	...	The King
Elijah Wood	...	Mike
Joseph Mazzello	...	Bobby
Ben Johnson	...	Geronimo Bill
Sean Baca	...	Fisher
Robert Munic	...	Older Fisher
Garette Ratliff Henson	...	Chad (as Garette Ratliff)
Thomas Ian Nicholas	...	Ferdie
Noah Verduzco	...	Victor Hernandez
Isaac Ocampo	...	Jorge Hernandez
Kaylan Romero	...	Jesus Hernandez
Abraham Verduzco	...	Carlos Hernandez
T.J. Evans	...	Big Raymond
Victor DiMattia	...	Little Raymond
Adam Hendershott	...	Boy #1
Daniel Bieber	...	Boy #2
Coleby Lombardo	...	Fisher Friend #1
Mike Simmrin	...	Fisher Friend #2
Elden Henson	...	Fisher Friend #3 (as Elden Ratliff)
Lennard Camarillo	...	Fisher Friend #4
Lois Foraker	...	Aunt
William J. Bonnel	...	Uncle
Henry LaPlante	...	Priest
Steve Kahan	...	Coffee Shop Manager (as Stephen Kahan)
Steven Anthony Jones	...	Postman
Paul Tuerpe	...	Market Cashier (as Paul Tuerpé)
Scott Nimerfro	...	Golfer (as Scott Lloyd Nimerfro)
Reye Reed	...	Restaurant Patron
Susan Gale Linn	...	Waitress at Coffee Shop
Dawan Scott	...	Bigfoot
James Oliver	...	Gas Station Attendant
Michael Maiello	...	Gas Station Patron
Hattie Schwartzberg	...	Ticket Taker #1
Joan Hyman	...	Ticket Taker #2
John Mazzello	...	School Boy
Hannah Wood	...	School Girl
James W. Gavin	...	Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Hanks	...	Older Mike (uncredited)
Rob Harris	...	Traffic Director (uncredited)
Daniel Trimble	...	Neighborhood Kid (uncredited)
Scott Trimble	...	Neighborhood Kid (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Donner
David M. Evans		(uncredited)

Writing credits (WGA)
David M. Evans		(written by)

Produced by
Rick Bieber	....	executive producer
Dale De La Torre	....	co-producer (as Dale R. de la Torre)
Michael Douglas	....	executive producer
David M. Evans	....	executive producer
Jennie Lew Tugend	....	co-producer
Peter McAlevey	....	executive producer
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	producer
Richard Solomon	....	co-executive producer
Jim Van Wyck	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
László Kovács

Film Editing by
Stuart Baird
Dallas Puett

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Art Direction by
David F. Klassen

Set Decoration by
Michael Taylor

Costume Design by
April Ferry

Makeup Department
Steven E. Anderson	....	makeup artist
Catherine Childers	....	hair stylist
Joel Harlow	....	special makeup effects artist
Eryn Krueger Mekash	....	special makeup effects artist
Lisa Rocco	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Sue Baden-Powell	....	unit production manager
Chantal Feghali	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Lawrence	....	second assistant director: second unit
Peter MacDonald	....	second unit director
John G. Scotti	....	second assistant director: second unit
Alisa Statman	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Paul Ford	....	set dresser
Thomas Hazlett	....	construction coordinator
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master
Paul Sonski	....	set designer
John Villarino	....	construction coordinator
Mike Villarino	....	construction general foreman
J. Michael Davis	....	assistant greensman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bub Asman	....	sound effects editor
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Robert Fernandez	....	re-recording mixer
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Jim Hilton	....	adr mixer
Jim Hilton	....	sound mixer
Robert Jackson	....	boom operator
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley supervisor
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Guy Himber	....	creature shop mechanical supervisor
Guy Himber	....	puppeteer
Greg C. Jensen	....	special effects
Rick Lazzarini	....	animatronic buffalo
Tom Martinek	....	motion control assistant: Apogee
Scott Oshita	....	animatronics
Scott Oshita	....	machinist
Russell Shinkle	....	animatronic creature effects
John Teska	....	special creature effects
Kevin Yagher	....	special creature effects
Gary Zink	....	special effects
Dan Frye	....	special effects: The Character Shop (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Allen Blaisdell	....	zoptic operator

Stunts
Doc D. Charbonneau	....	stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunts
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts
Harry Hauss	....	stunts
Kanin Howell	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Matt Johnston	....	stunts
Larry Nicholas	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt coordinator
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
John D. Sarviss	....	stunts (as John Sarviss)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Bauer	....	best boy grip
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician
Martin Glover	....	assistant camera
Don L. Henderson	....	grip
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	Steadicam operator
Dennis Seawright	....	second assistant camera
Stephen St. John	....	Steadicam operator
Bill Pelkey	....	electrician: San Francisco (uncredited)

Casting Department
Nancy Hayes	....	casting: San Francisco

Editorial Department
David Mann	....	assistant editor
Sati Tooray	....	colorist
Glenn Richard Côté	....	assistant to editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruce Fowler	....	additional orchestrator
Richard Harvey	....	musician: panpipes
Laura Perlman	....	music editor

Other crew
Donnell Barnes	....	studio teacher
Thomas Bianco	....	production assistant
Matthew J. Birch	....	production assistant
Benita Brazier	....	script supervisor
David Calvio	....	effects artist: Kevin Yagher
Marty Elfalan	....	assistant accountant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
James W. Gavin	....	aircraft coordinator
Rob Harris	....	unit publicist
Amy Jackson	....	production assistant
Larry Madrid	....	animal trainer
Peter McManus	....	assistant accountant
Paul Pav	....	location manager
Jason Roberts	....	assistant: Richard Donner
Jay Newington	....	production assistant: Sonora (uncredited)
John D. Sarviss	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Jon Sperry	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions
• Stonebridge Entertainment

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Video Omega (Argentina) (video)

Special Effects

• Apogee Productions
• Character Shop

Other Companies

• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  production trailers

Also Known As:

A Força da Ilusão (Portugal) [pt]
Flug ins Abenteuer (Germany) [de]
Il grande volo (Italy) [it]
La fuerza de la ilusión (Spain) [es]
Le rêve de Bobby (Canada: French title) [fr]
Lento unelmiin (Finland) [fi]
Vuelo a la libertad (Argentina) [es]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for theme (child abuse) and violence.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (2006) (uncut) | UK:12 (uncut) | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:All | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Spain:13 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Columbia State Historic Park - 22708 Broadway, Columbia, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The sacking of original director David M. Evans, replacing him with Richard Donner, and later re-shoots following test screenings meant that this modest little film's budget jumped from $15 million to $30 million.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When the boys are at the movies they are watching The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). These movies are 10 years apart.

Quotes:

Older Mike: From that moment on, I realized Bobby was my responsibility.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lost Kubrick: The Unfinished Films of Stanley Kubrick (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Cliffhanger II

Rather poignant

'Radio Flyer' is really not the sort of film to watch if you are depressed or have had a violent childhood but the storyline makes for a rather bittersweet film. The film revolves around eight-year old Mike and six-year-old Bobby who move to a small town with their mother and new step-father not long after their biological father abandons them. Instead of heralding a fresh start for the boys, their new life turns to terror and misery when their step-father, who likes to be called the King, physically abuses little Bobby. Mike, desperate to protect his little brother, then plans to turn his Radio Flyer trailer into a plane so they can fly away to safety.

Lorraine Bracco, who plays the boys' mother, was quite good in showing the vulnerability, shame and protectiveness of a mother who realises her children are being harmed by her husband and Stephen Baldwin was very effective in portraying the King's vicious, cruel nature even though we never see his face. However, it is a young Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazzello, who play Mike and Bobby respectively, who carry the film and both rise to the occasion brilliantly. Elijah Wood's Mike was portrayed as a very sympathetic character who you truly felt was loyal and loving to his mother and brother despite his tender age while Joseph Mazzello was very sweet and engaging as Bobby, a little boy who just couldn't comprehend why an adult who was meant to care for him was instead hurting him.

As I said before, this film is definitely not for the very young or those who are very sensitive to issues of child abuse because Bobby doesn't just get a smack or two in the film, he is brutalised to the point where you just want to reach through to the screen and give the King a taste of his own medicine. It is quite disturbing to actually see on-screen the treatment this six-year-old endures. That said, 'Radio Flyer' is an endearing film about how even the youngest of children can be brave, loyal and have wills of steel. And with the ending being rather ambiguous, viewers can interpret for themselves what fate met Bobby.