IMDb > My Science Project (1985)
My Science Project
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My Science Project (1985) More at IMDbPro »


IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
5.4/10   1,691 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Jonathan R. Betuel (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for My Science Project on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 August 1985 (USA) more
Tagline:
The funniest sci-fi movie of the summer. more
Plot:
Michael and Ellie break into a military junkyard to find a science project for Michael's class, and... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
"When you're cool, the sun shines on you 24 hours a day." more (18 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
John Stockwell ... Michael 'Mike' Harlan
Danielle von Zerneck ... Ellie Sawyer
Fisher Stevens ... Vince Latello

Raphael Sbarge ... Sherman
Richard Masur ... Police Detective Jack Nulty

Barry Corbin ... Lew Harlan
Ann Wedgeworth ... Dolores

Dennis Hopper ... Bob Roberts
Candace Silvers ... Irene
Beau Dremann ... Matusky
Pat Simmons ... Crystal

John Vidor ... Jock #1
Vincent Barbour ... Jock #2
Jaime Alba ... Jock #3
Robert Beer ... President Eisenhower
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Additional Details

Runtime:
94 min | West Germany:80 min (video)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In a scene where John Stockwell's character is under his car fixing it, Fisher Stevens says to him: "Ya know, I seen this movie where this haunted car flames guys out.", referring to John Carpenter's Christine (1983) in which Stockwell had a major role. more
Quotes:
Vince Latello: Son of a bitch, whaddaya call this wawa?
Sherman: I believe you'd call him a Neanderthal man.
Vince Latello: Well I don't care what country he's from!
more
Movie Connections:
References The Blob (1958) more
Soundtrack:
Hard To Believe more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
"When you're cool, the sun shines on you 24 hours a day.", 14 August 2005
4/10
Author: Scott LeBrun from Winnipeg, Canada

Mike Harlan (John Stockwell, in his first top-billed role) is a laid-back car junkie who doesn't seem to care about anything else BUT cars. He is handed down an ultimatum by his science teacher, Bob Roberts (Dennis Hopper): hand in a science project or get flunked.

Mike takes what he thinks will be the easy way out: he scours the junk-pile in a forlorn Military enclosure, and makes off with what has already been revealed to be an alien gadget. It can create warps in time and space, not to mention put on a heck of a light show.

When the device is accidentally turned on, Stockwell and associates have to work together to save the world.

The directorial debut for "The Last Starfighter" screenwriter Jonathan Betuel is for me a missed opportunity. It's not as much fun as I think it should have been. It takes too long for the movie to build up any amount of steam, and even the climax does not seem to have an overwhelming amount of energy. The special effects may be a highlight (the dinosaur actually doesn't look too bad) but they pretty much dominate a fairly unsatisfying movie with too much dumb dialog. Vince Latello's one-liners fall flat far too often (although that line that I used to title this review was one of the better ones).

The actors do everything that they can. The adult co-stars are mostly in the background, with the exception of Richard Masur's extended cameo as a broadly played detective with a long, slow drawl, and, of course, the incomparable Dennis Hopper, perfectly cast as the 1960's relic turned high school teacher. Stockwell is acceptable as the low-key hero, Danielle Von Zerneck reasonably appealing as the geeky girl who of course happens to be already rather attractive, Raphael Sbarge stuck in the one-note, over-the-top, grating nerd role (he reminded me too much of Urkel and Screech), and Fisher Stevens displaying his usual comedic energy as the flamboyant and cocky Latello.

As others here have noted, this was one of a number of 1980's pictures to jump on the science fiction-comedy bandwagon. I'm sure others will disagree with me, but I just don't think that this is one of the better ones. Of course, now when I see 1980's pictures and see those fashions and hear that music, I'm always amused because I think, "I actually lived through that." "My Science Project" is not a total disappointment but it leaves me thinking that I would have preferred to watch something else.

Cult actor Michael Berryman and Robert DoQui, "Sgt. Reed" in the "RoboCop" movies, have small roles, as does Pamela Springsteen ("Sleepaway Camp" 2 and 3).

4/10

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Message Boards

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My story Lord_Colum
TimeBusters??? oneforthecash
Movie playing on the tv when Michael comes home. kevinfromtx
Great Movie... doormandiaries
Worth it iamdollheart
prop master keith1066
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