*batteries not included (1987)

Apartment block tenants seek the aid of alien mechanical life-forms to save their building from demolition.

Director:

Matthew Robbins

Writers:

Mick Garris (story), Brad Bird (screenplay),

Stars:

Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Frank McRae

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hume Cronyn	...	Frank Riley
Jessica Tandy	...	Faye Riley
Frank McRae	...	Harry Noble
Elizabeth Peña	...	Marisa Esteval
Michael Carmine	...	Carlos
Dennis Boutsikaris	...	Mason Baylor
Tom Aldredge	...	Sid Hogenson
Jane Hoffman	...	Muriel Hogenson
John DiSanti	...	Gus
John Pankow	...	Kovacs
MacIntyre Dixon	...	DeWitt
Michael Greene	...	Lacey
Doris Belack	...	Mrs. Thompson
Wendy Schaal	...	Pamela
José Angel Santana	...	Goon #1 (as José Santana)

Storyline

A group of tenants in an apartment block are being forced to move out so that it can be demolished. The tenants are reluctant to move, so the developers hire a local gang to 'persuade' them to leave. Fortunately, visiting alien mechanical life-forms come to town. When they befriend the tenants, the aliens use their extraterrestrial abilities to defeat the developers.

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | memory loss | skyscraper | restaurant | pepsi cola | 

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Taglines:

Five ordinary people needed a miracle. Then one night, Faye Riley left the window open.

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Genres:

Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 December 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Milagro en la calle 8

Filming Locations:

East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$32,945,797 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally intended to be a story featured in the TV series Amazing Stories. Steven Spielberg liked the idea so much he decided to make it a theatrical release.

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Goofs

When Carlos escapes from the cellar after throwing Harry down the stairs, he tries the door to the main entrance which is locked. In the same scene, Harry beats Carlos up and throws him out of the door, however, Harry opens the door without ever using a key to unlock it.

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Quotes

Mr. Lacey: Why am I paying a demolition crew to sit around eating in a restaurant they're supposed to be knocking down?

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Crazy Credits

During the opening credits, pictures of young Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy are shown.

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Connections

Referenced in Conan: The Doomsday Device (Batteries Not Included) (2012)

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Soundtracks

"LET'S HAVE ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE"
by Irving Berlin
Performed by Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn

User Reviews

when you are desperate you always wish for..

There is always hope when people are in desperate need of help. Either it may come from the heaven or may not be. But the film is not just with the hope. Its beauty is with characters it has. The mad woman and her husband, the pregnant girl left by the boyfriend, the artist left by the girl friend and a rowdy who is an orphan and longing for somebody who can say "bobbie my little boy". I like it very much. I loved the movie when I was a school going boy ten years ago. I like it the same way now too.