The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)

Director:

Nick Castle

Writer:

Nick Castle (written by)

Release Date:

15 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Between a silent boy and a beautiful girl lies an amazing secret.

Plot:

An autistic boy who dreams of flying touches everyone he meets, including a new family who has moved in after their father dies.

Plot Keywords:

School | Teacher | Social Worker | Flying | High School

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Lucy Deakins	...	Milly
Jay Underwood	...	Eric
Bonnie Bedelia	...	Charlene
Fred Savage	...	Louis
Colleen Dewhurst	...	Mrs. Sherman
Fred Gwynne	...	Uncle Hugo
Mindy Cohn	...	Geneva
Janet MacLachlan	...	Mrs. D'Gregario
Jennifer Michas	...	Mona
Michelle Bardeaux	...	Erin
Aura Pithart	...	Colette
Cameron Bancroft	...	Joe (as Cam Bancroft)
Jason Priestley	...	Gary (as Jason Priestly)
Chris Arnold	...	Sonny
Sean Kelso	...	Bad Boy
Meredith Bain Woodward	...	Female Administrator (as Meredith B. Woodward)
Raimund Stamm	...	Attendant #1
Dan Zale	...	Attendant #2
Dwight Koss	...	Dad
Jim McLarty	...	Tour Guide (as James McLarty)
Betty Phillips	...	Institute Receptionist
Terry David Mulligan	...	Mr. Brandt (as Terry D. Mulligan)
Tannis Rae	...	Ms. O'Neil
Tom Heaton	...	Dr. Nelson
Angela Gann	...	Mrs. Betuel
Scott Irvine	...	Officer
Karen Siegel	...	Dr. Karen Siegel
John Carpenter	...	The Coupe de Villes
Nick Castle	...	The Coupe de Villes
Tommy Lee Wallace	...	The Coupe de Villes (as Tommy Wallace)
Warren Carr	...	Guest Coupe
Jake	...	'Max' (as 'Jake')
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Louise Fletcher	...	Dr. Granada. Psychiatrist

Directed by
Nick Castle

Writing credits
Nick Castle		(written by)

Produced by
Gary Adelson	....	producer
Brian E. Frankish	....	associate producer (as Brian Frankish)
Richard Vane	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Bruce Broughton

Cinematography by
Adam Holender		(director of photography)
Steven Poster		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Patrick Kennedy

Casting by
Barbara Miller

Production Design by
James D. Bissell		(as Jim Bissell)

Art Direction by
Graeme Murray

Set Decoration by
Kimberley Richardson

Costume Design by
Trish Keating

Makeup Department
Susan Boyd	....	hair stylist
Maurice Parkhurst	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Warren Carr	....	unit production manager
Jim Shaw	....	production supervisor: Skycam, carnival flying sequence

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James D. Bissell	....	second unit director (as Jim Bissell)
Pat Ellingson	....	third assistant director
Patrice Leung	....	second assistant director
Matthew O'Connor	....	first assistant director: second unit
Michael E. Steele	....	first assistant director (as Michael Steele)

Art Department
Brent Boates	....	production illustrator
Jeremy Borsos	....	set dresser
Gary Brooks	....	head greensman
Annmarie Corbett	....	assistant set decorator (as Ann Marie Corbett)
Kenneth H. Hawryliw	....	assistant property master (as Ken Hawryliw)
Gail Irvine	....	property assistant
Barry Kootchin	....	stand-by painter
Charles Leitrants	....	construction foreman
Conrad Naegle	....	prop maker (as Connie Naegle)
Peter Peach	....	property assistant
Peter Prior	....	lead hand
Grant Swain	....	property master
William James Teegarden	....	set designer (as Jim Teegarden)
Elmar Theissen	....	head painter
David Willson	....	construction coordinator
Bob Bottieri	....	lead painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Fred J. Brown	....	sound effects editor
B.J. Clayden	....	boom operator
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Carlos De Larios)
Juno J. Ellis	....	adr editor
Chris Glyn-Jones	....	cable man (as Chris Glynn Jones)
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist (as Margie Denecke)
Lauren Palmer	....	adr editor (as Lauren J. Palmer)
Michelle Pleis	....	assistant sound effects editor
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michele Sharp	....	sound effects editor
Rob Young	....	sound mixer
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Randy Cabral	....	special effects technician
Robert Harman	....	flying effects: supervisor (as Bob Harman)
Daniel Hutten	....	special effects technician
Dean Lockwood	....	best boy special effects
William H. Orr	....	head special effects (as Bill Orr)
Reg Smith	....	flying effects: rigger
Robert Spurlock	....	head special effects technician
John Thomas	....	special effects coordinator
Joe Viskocil	....	special effects technician (as Joseph Viskocil)
Randy Algoe	....	visual effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Fredrick Albrecht	....	grip (as Frederick Albrecht)
Susan Alpert	....	production assistant (as Sue Alpert)
Mark Cane	....	grip
Allen Cappuccilli	....	production assistant
Anjelica Casillas	....	model shop purchasing agent
Nancy Cipes	....	assistant: Ronald Moore
Charles Cowles	....	optical camera operator
Margaret Craig-Chang	....	animator
John Curtis	....	model maker
Richard Edlund	....	visual effects supervisor
Leslie Ekker	....	model maker
Robert Eyslee	....	gaffer
Leslie Falkinburg	....	assistant accountant
Paulette C. Fine	....	production accountant (as Paulette Fine)
Bill Hansard	....	special projection (as Bill Hansard Sr.)
Alan Harding	....	optical camera operator
Rebecca Heskes	....	technical animator (as Rebecca Petrulli-Heskes)
Renee Holt	....	animator
Jeff Howard	....	animator
Jerry Jeffress	....	electronics
George Jenson	....	visual effects art director: Boss Film Corporation (as George Jensen)
Ed Jones	....	optical line-up
Neil Krepela	....	director of photography: Boss Film Corporation
Brad Kuehn	....	optical line-up
Dan Kuhn	....	lab technician (as Daniel Kuhn)
Robin Dean Leyden	....	electronics (as Robin Leyden)
Mary Mason	....	production coordinator
George E. Mather	....	production supervisor: Boss Film Corporation
Don McLaren	....	projectionist
Michael McMillen	....	model maker
Virgil Mirano	....	still photographer
Michele Moen	....	matte artist (as Michelle Moen)
Ronald B. Moore	....	visual effects editorial consultant: Boss Film Corporation (as Ronald Moore)
Thaine Morris	....	special effects foreman: Boss Film Corporation
James Nelson	....	production advisor: Boss Film Corporation
Catherine Noble	....	model maker
Dan Owens	....	production assistant
Eric Peterson	....	first assistant cameraman
Samuel E. Recinos	....	technical animator (as Samuel Recinos)
Chris Regan	....	optical line-up
Pat Repola	....	lab technician (as Patrick Repola)
Pete Romano	....	visual effects camera operator (as Peter Romano)
Mindy Rothstein	....	production administration
Tom Rudduck	....	model maker
Richard Ruiz	....	model maker
Dana Miller Schornstein	....	assistant coordinator
Jon Schreiber	....	production assistant
Nick Seldon	....	model maker (as Nicholas Seldon)
Mark Stetson	....	model shop supervisor: Boss Film Corporation
Annick Therrien	....	technical animation supervisor
Lynda Thompson	....	production consultant (as Lynda Lemon)
Patrick Van Auken	....	grip
Paul Van Camp	....	software programmer
Mark Vargo	....	optical supervisor: Boss Film Corporation
Garry Waller	....	special projects supervisor: Boss Film Corporation
Mary E. Walter	....	optical line-up (as Mary Walter)
Mark West	....	design engineer
Charles Whiteman	....	chief engineer: Boss Film Corporation
Robert Wilcox	....	electronics
Bess Wiley	....	matte camera assistant
Claire Wilson	....	assistant: Richard Edlund
Terry Windell	....	animation supervisor: Boss Film Corporation
Matthew Yuricich	....	chief matte artist: Boss Film Corporation
Maryjane Zelicskovics	....	assistant accountant
Laura Buff	....	visual effects consultant (uncredited)
Randall Rudd	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunt double: Eric (as Jim Halty)
Dusty Hyland	....	stunt double
John Scott	....	stunt coordinator
Betty Thomas Quee	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Betty Thomas)
Betty Thomas Quee	....	stunt double: Milly (as Betty Thomas)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Adams	....	generator operator
John S. Bartley	....	gaffer: second unit (as John Bartley)
Carl Berg	....	technician: Skycam, carnival flying sequence
John L. Brown	....	dolly operator (as John Brown)
Rob Brown	....	lighting technician
Richard Buckmaster	....	generator operator (as Rick Buckmaster)
Richard Clark	....	video engineer (as Dick Clark)
Art Collier	....	rigging grip
David Crone	....	Steadicam operator (as Dave Crone)
Harvey Fedor	....	lighting technician
John H. Gilman	....	video engineer (as John Gilman)
Chris Harris	....	second assistant camera
Ken Hemphill	....	grip
R.K. Hill	....	second grip
Tim Hogan	....	key grip
Gary Holt	....	chief lighting technician
Stephen Jackson	....	best boy
Joseph Lederer	....	still photographer (as Joe Lederer)
Ned Lex	....	rigger: Skycam, carnival flying sequence
Peter MacKay	....	operator: Skycam, carnival flying sequence
Ron MacLeay	....	grip (as R. MacLeay)
Dennis McBride	....	lighting technician
John McCallum	....	key focus (as Sandy McCallum)
Larry McConkey	....	operator: Skycam, carnival flying sequence
Larry McConkey	....	pilot: Skycam, carnival flying sequence
Klaus Melchior	....	video playback (as Klaus Melchoir)
Rod Parkhurst	....	camera operator
James Plannette	....	chief lighting technician
Bernard Pornin	....	grip
John Sanderson	....	video playback
Gavin Wilding	....	camera department trainee
Jerry Zawerucha	....	lighting technician
Garrett Brown	....	photographer: Skycam (uncredited)
John Burnett	....	first assistant camera: additional photography (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ken Carlson	....	casting: Chicago
Lynne Carrow	....	casting: Vancouver
Sid Kozak	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lyn Kelly	....	costumer
Tish Monaghan	....	costume supervisor
Jori Woodman	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Bruce Giesbrecht	....	assistant editor
Liza Randol	....	assistant editor
Michael Smith	....	assistant editor
James Stanley	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Mark McKenzie	....	orchestrations (as Mark C. McKenzie)
Patricia Peck	....	music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Peter Borkent	....	driver
Dave Bowe	....	driver (as David Bowe)
R.D. 'Luther' Fairbairn	....	driver
Mark Gould	....	driver
Don Harris	....	driver
Dennis Houser	....	driver captain
Scott Irvine	....	transportation coordinator
Ken Johnson	....	driver (as Ken Johnson Sr.)
Ken C. Johnson	....	driver (as Ken Johnson Jr.)
Bill McCurraugh	....	driver co-captain (as Bill McCurrach)
Terry Newton	....	driver
Thomas Scott Renyard	....	driver (as Scott Renyard)
Norm Walke	....	driver (as Norm Walk)

Other crew
Patti Allen	....	production coordinator
Steve Berens	....	trainer: "Jake", Ray Berwick
Jean Bereziuk	....	script supervisor
Cindy Block	....	stand-in
Janet Brown	....	script supervisor: second unit
Myrna Cobb	....	production office assistant
Dan Curry	....	title design
Jacqueline Dallamore	....	assistant to the production (as Jackie Johnson)
Ken Dudderar	....	precision cinetechnician
Kevin George	....	stand-in
Sherri Lee Guilbert	....	stand-in
Dusty Hyland	....	stand-in
Tracey Jeffrey	....	production office assistant
Linda Kelly	....	assistant production assistant
Jeanie Lamb	....	assistant production coordinator
Nancy Leo	....	secretary: Gary Adelson (as Nancy Jean Leo)
Jack Lyons	....	unit publicist
James Marshall	....	production assistant (as Jim Marshall)
Mark Matthews	....	precision cinetechnician
Alvin Mears	....	trainer: Doberman
Alice Miller	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles
Don Mink	....	production accountant
Matthew O'Connor	....	location manager
Joanne Ryan	....	craft service
Joanne Ryan	....	first aid
Jeff Schultz	....	stand-in
Karen Siegel	....	production associate

Thanks
Louise Fletcher	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Lorimar Productions
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1986) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (laserdisc)
• Roadshow Home Video (1986) (Australia) (video)
• Warner Home Video (video)

Special Effects

• Boss Film Corporation

Other Companies

• Soble/LaPadura Casting  casting: New York (as Soble/Lapadura Casting)
• Extraordinary Casting  extras casting
• Film Fare Caterers  caterers
• Ray Berwick Inc.  "Jake" trained by
• Inter Video  video engineers
• Paramount Pictures Corporation  courtesy of: scenes from TO CATCH A THIEF
• Ginn and Company  used with permission: From On the Edge of the READING 360 Series by Theodore Clymer and others, © Copyright, 1973, 1970
• Cinema Research  titles and optical effects by (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Musco Mobile Lighting Ltd.  acknowledgment
• Skyworks  camera systems by: Skycam (as Sky Works, Inc.)
• William F. White International  grip and electric equipment (as William F. White)
• Panavision  cameras and lenses (as Panavision Canada Ltd.)
• Directors Guild of Canada  acknowledgment (as The B.C. District Council of the Directors Guild of Canada)
• Province of BC, Ministry of Tourism, Film Promotion Office  acknowledgment (as The British Columbia Film Promotion Office)
• City of New Westminster  acknowledgment
• City of Vancouver, The  acknowledgment
• Great Canadian Gaming Corporation  acknowledgment (as The Great Canadian Casino Supply Company Ltd.)
• M.F. Wagner Shows  acknowledgment
• Pinecorp  acknowledgment: Standard Building
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.® affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.)
• Percepto Records  score album released by (limited edition) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min | UK:107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:K-10 | UK:PG | USA:PG (No. 28073) | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Riverview Hospital, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Lorimar Productions

Trivia:

In one scene Fred Savage plays the "Last Starfighter" video game from the 1984 film, also directed by director Nick Castle.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Cables holding Eric can visibly be seen as he and Millie are falling off the roof of the school before they crash into Millie's mom.

Quotes:

Uncle Hugo:Don't shake the floor, please.
[Hugo repeatedly drops a cork on the floor until it lands on its end]
Uncle Hugo:There you go. You see, you can't start on a bottle until the cork lands on its feet. It's very frustrating when it takes a long time. On the other hand, it's quite delightful when it happens on the first toss.
[offers the bottle to Milly]
Uncle Hugo:Care for a drink?
Milly:No, no thank you.
Uncle Hugo:Are you calling me a drunk?
Milly:No.
Uncle Hugo:Why not?

Movie Connections:

References "G.I. Joe" (1985)

Soundtrack:

BACK OF THE BUS

They don't make 'em like this anymore.

I'm so tired of modern family movies full of fart jokes or movies where teenagers make love to pastries and it's supposed to be funny and then they staple on some superficial message at the end in an attempt to be poignant and balance out all the trash that came before. Every other week we are tortured with some nonsense of this calibre and whenever I wish for a movie that stands out from the crowd I have to go back in time and consider some overlooked gem. The Boy Who Could Fly is exactly that.

The characters seem so real and their emotions genuine, it builds at a slow pace but it never gets boring and story development is consistent. This is not a ferociously loud summer crowd-pleaser or something bloated with pointless SFX. Very few movies have the power to make a whole story out of characters and situation alone without feeling the need for some ridiculous set piece or blaring thrash metal guitars.

In fact Bruce Broughton's score is the wonderful opposite of that. The performances, especially the two leads, are flawless and the direction is far more refined than the typical. Everything in this movie comes together perfectly to make a film so unique and charming. If you have lost your faith in the current dreck that graces our screens and if you want a family movie with some meaning and subtext then check this out. And keep an eye out for director John Carpenter as on of the Coupe De Villes.

The DVD is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and in Dolby 2.0. It has an introduction by Jay Underwood and director Nick (Michael Myers) Castle, they also feature in a commentary with Lucy Deakins and Fred Savage.