Solarbabies (1986)

Director:

Alan Johnson

Writers:

Walon Green (screenplay) and
D.A. Metrov (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Who will rule the future?

Plot:

In a future in which most water has disappeared from the Earth, we find a group of children, mostly teenagers...

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Children | Teen | Roller Skating | Post Apocalypse

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Richard Jordan	...	Grock
Jami Gertz	...	Terra
Jason Patric	...	Jason
Lukas Haas	...	Daniel
James Le Gros	...	Metron
Claude Brooks	...	Rabbit
Peter DeLuise	...	Tug
Peter Kowanko	...	Gavial (as Pete Kowanko)
Adrian Pasdar	...	Darstar
Sarah Douglas	...	Shandray
Charles Durning	...	The Warden
Frank Converse	...	Greentree
Terrence Mann	...	Ivor
Alexei Sayle	...	Malice
Bruce Payne	...	Dogger
Willoughby Gray	...	Canis
Kelly Bishop	...	Tutor Nover
Sam Hamann	...	Technician
Vin Burnham	...	Vendor
Carlin Andersen	...	Hooker

Directed by
Alan Johnson

Writing credits
Walon Green		(screenplay) and
D.A. Metrov		(screenplay) (as Douglas Anthony Metrov)

Produced by
Mel Brooks	....	executive producer
Francisco Molero	....	co-producer
Jack Frost Sanders	....	producer
Irene Walzer	....	producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Peter MacDonald

Film Editing by
Conrad Buff IV		(as Conrad Buff)

Casting by
Pennie DuPont		(as Pennie Du Pont)
Fran Kumin
Meg Simon

Production Design by
Anthony Pratt

Art Direction by
José María Alarcón		(as Jose Maria Alarcon)
Don Dossett		(supervising art director)
Fernando González
Raul Paton
Francisco Prósper		(as Paco Prosper)
Leslie Tomkins		(as Les Tomkins)

Set Decoration by
Graham Sumner

Costume Design by
Bob Ringwood

Makeup Department
Eric Fiedler	....	makeup effects technician
Steve Johnson	....	makeup effects designer
Makio Kida	....	makeup effects
Paquita Núñez	....	hair stylist
Richard Ruiz	....	makeup effects
José Antonio Sánchez	....	makeup supervisor
Adam Hill	....	makeup effects moldmaker/puppeteer: Boss Films (uncredited)

Production Management
Francisco Molero	....	unit manager
Paco Molero	....	unit manager
Dennis J. Parrish	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Víctor Albarrán	....	second assistant director (as Victor Albarran)
Kuki López Rodero	....	first assistant director (as Juan Carlos L. Rodero)
Salvador Pons	....	third assistant director
Ian Woolf	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Brent Boates	....	production illustrator
Eddie Fowlie	....	property manager
Ron Gress	....	head painter
Ramón Moya	....	construction manager
Michael Ross	....	property manager
Tadeo Villalba hijo	....	assistant property manager (as Teddy Villalba)
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound effects editor
Mary Andrews	....	adr editor
James Christopher	....	sound effects editor (as Jim Christopher)
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer
Manuel Ferreiro	....	boom operator
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound effects editor
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Laja Holland	....	adr assistant
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark A. Mangini	....	supervising sound editor
Andrew Patterson	....	supervising adr editor
John Pospisil	....	assistant sound editor
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley supervisor
David E. Stone	....	sound effects editor
David Williams	....	foley editor
Jim Willis	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Carl Aldana	....	special effects illustrator
Nick Allder	....	special effects supervisor
Antonio Balandín	....	special effects assistant
Alan Bryce	....	special effects technician
James Hale	....	special effects auditor
Daniel Hutten	....	special effects technician
Herikbuerto Muela	....	special effects illustrator
Richard Parker	....	special effects engineer (as Dick Parker)
Antonio Parra	....	special effects assistant
George Trimmer	....	model maker: dam designer
Randy Algoe	....	visual effects technician (uncredited)
Robh Ruppel	....	model builder (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jim Aupperle	....	matte camera assistant
Michael Backauskas	....	visual effects optical line-up
David Bartholomew	....	visual effects assistant editor
Mat Beck	....	visual effects cameraman
Peter Berman	....	visual effects first assistant photographer
Glenn Chaika	....	visual effects animator
Craig Clark	....	special effects animator
Ed Coffey	....	visual effects animator
Charles Cowles	....	visual effects optical camera operator
Margaret Craig-Chang	....	visual effects assistant animator
Mike Dornfield	....	visual effects optical line-up
Richard Edlund	....	visual effects producer
Robert Eyslee	....	visual effects lighting technician
Donald Fly	....	visual effects chief financial officer
James Garrett	....	visual effects assistant editor
Deborah Gaydos	....	visual effects assistant animator (as Deborah Ann Gaydos)
Michael Griffin	....	visual effects optical camera operator
David R. Hardberger	....	visual effects first assistant photographer
Alan Harding	....	visual effects optical camera operator
Rebecca Heskes	....	visual effects technical animator (as Rebecca Petrulli)
Renee Holt	....	visual effects animation coordinator
Neil Krepela	....	visual effects matte supervisor
Brad Kuehn	....	visual effects optical camera operator
Mauro Maressa	....	visual effects animator
Mary Mason	....	visual effects optical coordinator
George E. Mather	....	visual effects production supervisor
Dennis Michelson	....	visual effects editor
Henry Minski	....	matte camera assistant
Virgil Mirano	....	visual effects still photographer
Michele Moen	....	visual effects matte artist (as Michelle Moen)
Ronald B. Moore	....	visual effects editorial consultant
Thaine Morris	....	visual effects foreman
Bill Neil	....	visual effects director of photography: USA
James Nelson	....	visual effects production advisor
Clint Palmer	....	visual effects first assistant photographer
Samuel E. Recinos	....	visual effects technical animator
Chris Regan	....	visual effects optical co-supervisor
Peggy Regan	....	visual effects animator
Pat Repola	....	visual effects lab technician
Steve Ritchie	....	visual effects lighting technician
Scott Santoro	....	visual effects animator
Mark Stetson	....	visual effects action props and miniatures supervisor
David K. Stewart	....	visual effects director of photography: Spain
Wes Takahashi	....	animation crew
Annick Therrien	....	visual effects technical animation supervisor
Lynda Thompson	....	visual effects production coordinator
Eusebio Torres	....	visual effects assistant animator
George Trimmer	....	model maker
Patrick Van Auken	....	visual effects grip
Paul Van Camp	....	software programmer
Garry Waller	....	visual effects special projects supervisor
Mary E. Walter	....	visual effects optical supervisor
Gene Whiteman	....	visual effects chief engineer
Bess Wiley	....	matte camera assistant
Terry Windell	....	visual effects art director
Stefanie Wiseman	....	visual effects film loader
Matthew Yuricich	....	visual effects supervising matte artist

Stunts
Rémy Julienne	....	stunt coordinator: vehicle stunts
Juan Maján	....	stunt coordinator (as Juan Majan)
Salvador Martos Manson	....	stunts (as Salvador Martos)
Anna Montalvo	....	stunts
Robert Seaquist	....	stunts
José Ignacio Álvarez	....	stunts (as Jose Ignacio Alvarez)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric D. Andersen	....	camera operator (as Eric Andersen)
Frank Batt	....	dolly grip
Nobby Clark	....	assistant rigging electrician (as Roy T. Clark)
Ira Curtis-Coleman	....	video technician
Fermin Estebranz	....	video playback operator
Raphael Garcia	....	assistant camera
Federico G. Grau	....	still photographer
Alec King	....	rigging electrician
Juan Leiva	....	assistant camera (as Juan Martín Leiva)
Domingo Martín	....	assistant camera
José Luis Martínez	....	gaffer
Ricardo Navarrete	....	camera operator: second unit
Fernando Perrole	....	assistant camera
Ray Potter	....	gaffer
Francisco Ramos	....	key grip
Stefan Stankowski	....	first assistant camera

Animation Department
Harry J. Alpert	....	animation crew
Maura Alvarez	....	animation crew
Anjelica Casillas	....	animation crew
Meg Freeman	....	animation crew
Lisa Krepela	....	animation crew
Kevin Kutchaver	....	animation crew
Marianne Tucker	....	animation crew (as Mary Ann Tucker)

Casting Department
Debbie McWilliams	....	casting: London
Pedro Sopeña	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vin Burnham	....	costumer
Agustín Jiménez	....	costumer
Patrick Wheatley	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Peter Amundson	....	associate editor
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Magdalena Paradell	....	assistant editor
María Luisa Pino	....	assistant editor
Clarinda Wong	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
John Arrias	....	score mixer
Stephen Keator	....	music supervisor
William Saracino	....	music editor

Other crew
Lucía Abril García	....	production secretary
Ludy Camacho	....	assistant accountant
Allen Cappuccilli	....	assistant: Mr. Moore
Craig Caton	....	creature crew
Raúl de la Morena	....	medical service
Santiago DeBenito	....	assistant accountant
Quinn Donoghue	....	unit publicist
Ken Dudderar	....	production cinetechnician
Leslie Ekker	....	bodhi crew chief
Leslie Falkinburg	....	purchasing agent
Ira Friedlander	....	assistant production controller
Miguel Ángel González	....	on-set location manager
Deborah Hakim	....	production coordinator
Sam Hamann	....	assistant: Mr. Johnson
Michael Hosch	....	robot sculptor
Robin Dean Leyden	....	electronics
Fernando Marqueríe	....	production assistant
Steven Marr	....	chief electronics engineer
Mark Matthews	....	production cinetechnician
Norma Paulsen	....	liaison: London
Alicia Peribanez	....	production assistant
Susana Prieto	....	production coordinator
Mindy Rothstein	....	production administrator
Adele Sanders	....	unit accountant
Alberto Sanz	....	skate instructor
Dana Miller Schornstein	....	assistant production coordinator
Jon Schreiber	....	special projects assistant (as Jon Screiber)
David Shwartz	....	breakaway moldmaker
Carmen Soriano	....	script supervisor
Robert Spurlock	....	robot crew chief
Richard Stutsman	....	dam crew chief
Steve Warner	....	production controller
Mark West	....	dam design engineer
Claire Wilson	....	assistant: Mr. Edlund

Production Companies

• Brooksfilms
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Gativideo (1988) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Boss Film Studios

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Rémy Julienne Group  vehicle stunts

Also Known As:

Runtime:

UK:94 min | USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

The end theme song, "Love Will Set You Free" performed and written by Smokey Robinson, is about Jesus offering an invitation for Christian discipleship, with direct quotes from Jesus' sermons in the Bible.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Ivor is leading Darstar to meet Canis in the old funhouse, you can see the eyes blink and mouth twitch of an actor who is supposed to be a wax figure hangman.

Quotes:

The Warden:[words of wisdom to the Solarbabies] Remember, behavior determines existence... Stick with us, learn to serve the Order, and you'll achieve a decent life-grid.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Fugitive Alien (#4.10)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Love Will Set You Free

Rollerskating orphans vs fascist government

If you don't love cheesy scifi....are too cool and all, don't bother. I mean it. But if magic alien spheres, weird roller sports, tiretown, and eco warriors make you happy, than this is your movie. It has a subtle beauty. 80s madness at its best. From the misunderstood tribal kid who calls birds to the cool mascot hearing impaired kid, its just, well its just....just see it. The hair and music alone are worth it, even if you do not realize how awesome the story is. Check out the cut offs. The only conceivable reason this movie is not in any hall of fame is because there is no award for Best Cheesy Sci Fi, or ...people just suck. Givin that, I am sure there IS an award somewhere. So do not deny yourself the futuristic bad news bears on skates. Why, afraid you may pull out those old hot pink wheeled roller-skates you know you have? Afraid you may try to save the world in a spray painted tank top? I know I am.