Adventures in Babysitting (1987)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writer:

David Simkins (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

1 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

She thought babysitting was easy money - until she started hanging out with the Andersons.

Plot:

Chris has a big night out planned when her boyfriend cancels on her. She agrees to babysit for a pre-teen girl and a pubescent boy...

Plot Keywords:

Bus Station | Flat Tire | Party | Tow Truck | Babysitter

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Elisabeth Shue	...	Chris Parker
Maia Brewton	...	Sara Anderson
Keith Coogan	...	Brad Anderson
Anthony Rapp	...	Daryl Coopersmith
Calvin Levels	...	Joe Gipp
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Dawson / 'Thor' (as Vincent Phillip D'Onofrio)
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Brenda
George Newbern	...	Dan Lynch
John Ford Noonan	...	Handsome John Pruitt
Bradley Whitford	...	Mike Todwell
Ron Canada	...	Graydon
John Davis Chandler	...	Bleak (as John Chandler)
Dan Ziskie	...	Mr. Anderson
Allan Aarons	...	Janitor #1
Marcia Bennett	...	Nurse
Rummy Bishop	...	Janitor #2
David Blacker	...	Cleminski
Lolita Davidovich	...	Sue Ann (as Lolita David)
John Dee	...	Old Man
Monica Devereux	...	Teenage Runaway
Clarke Devereux	...	Gangster at Table
Rick Goldman	...	Adulterer
Deryck Hazel	...	Maitre D
John Hemphill	...	Drunk at Party
Frank Hill	...	El Train Attendant
Philip Honey	...	Jock
Clark Johnson	...	Black Gang Leader
Maryann Kelman	...	Passenger
Kirsten Kieferle	...	Sesame Plexor
Peter Lavender	...	Hot Dog Vendor
Kevin Lund	...	Huge Guy
Southside Johnny Lyon	...	Band Leader at Frat Party (as Southside Johnny)
Allan Merovitz	...	Man with Gun
Sam Moses	...	Dr. Nuhkbane
Les Nirenberg	...	Fat Man
Juan Ramírez	...	Chicano Leader
Richard Rebiere	...	Friend
Diane Robin	...	Nurse
Sandi Ross	...	Bag Lady
Charlene Shipp	...	Mrs. Pruitt
Sandra Shuman	...	Mrs. Parker
Linda Sorenson	...	Mrs. Anderson
Walt Woodson	...	Gang Member
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jaap Broeker	...	Maitre'D (uncredited)
Albert Collins	...	Himself (uncredited)
Jordan-Patrick Marcantonio	...	Boy on Street (uncredited)
Andrew Shue	...	Extra (uncredited)
David Simkins	...	Frat Boy with Playboy (uncredited)

Directed by
Chris Columbus

Writing credits
David Simkins		(written by)
Elizabeth Faucher		uncredited

Produced by
Debra Hill	....	producer
Lynda Obst	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Ric Waite		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Fredric Steinkamp
William Steinkamp

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Todd Hallowell

Art Direction by
Barbara Dunphy

Costume Design by
Judith R. Gellman

Makeup Department
Linda Gill	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Daniel J. Heffner	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Todd Hallowell	....	second unit director
Madeleine Henrié	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tory Bellingham	....	assistant property master
Eve Cauley	....	leadperson: Chicago
Bill Harman	....	construction coordinator
Matthew Lammerich	....	key scenic artist
Don Miloyevich	....	property master
Tom Southwell	....	production illustrator
Drew Struzan	....	poster artist
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	stand-by painter: Chicago (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Jim Borgardt	....	adr editor
David Lee	....	sound mixer
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator
William Jacobs	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Neil Trifunovich	....	special effects supervisor (as Neil N. Trifunovich)

Visual Effects by
John Coats	....	visual effects cameraman
Tim Donahue	....	visual effects art director: Introvision
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
Rick Rische	....	matte painter
David Stump	....	visual effects cameraman
Marcus Tate	....	visual effects cameraman

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunts (as George Aguilar)
Allan Angus	....	stunts
Dan Beckon	....	stunts
Eddie J. Fernandez	....	stunt driver (as Eddie Fernandez)
James Fierro	....	stunts
Linda J. Gamboney	....	stunts
Jennifer Granger	....	stunts
Mark Harper	....	stunts
Michael Hernandez	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts (as Rick LeFevour)
Nina Leone	....	stunts
Stacy Logan	....	stunts
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunts
Leslie Munro	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Alison Reid	....	stunts
Corinne Stafford	....	stunts
Barry Swatuk	....	stunts
Kay Whipple	....	stunts (as Kay H. Whipple)
Rich Wilkie	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	gaffer
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
Paolo Cascio	....	second assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruce Babcock	....	orchestrator
Seth Kaplan	....	music supervisor
John Moses	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Ron Annabelle	....	mechanic
Kathy Bond	....	production assistant
Linda Callow	....	stand-in: Linda Sorenson
Monica Devereux	....	choreographer
Ron Gwynne	....	location scout
Orest Haba	....	assistant location manager
Deb K. Oyer	....	production coordinator
Sioux Richards	....	script supervisor
Gerry Therrien	....	animal coordinator
Lisa S. Girolami	....	associate production executive (uncredited)
Omar McClinton	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Silver Screen Partners III (in association with)
• Touchstone Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Pictures

Special Effects

• Introvision International

Other Companies

• Buena Vista Sound  re-recorded at (as The Disney Sound Facility)
• Filmextra Services  extras casting canada (as Film Extra Services)
• Illinois Film Commision  special thanks to
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Pacific Title  opticals by
• Segue Music  music editing
• The Ontario Film Development Corporation  special thanks to
• Video Options  video playback by

Also Known As:

A Night on the Town (Australia) (UK)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:15 (TV rating) | UK:PG (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #28566) | Australia:M | Finland:K-10 | Iceland:L | Sweden:11 | UK:12 (video re-rating) (2003) | UK:15 (video rating) (1988)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners III

Trivia:

Kathleen Turner was the first choice for the lead role.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Sara is in Chicago's downtown looking for her parents' building, she walks by a closed "Scotia Bank". Scotia Bank is a Canadian bank; however, it has had a branch in Chicago since 1892.

Quotes:

Chris: So, when the babysitter looked more closely at the kids, she saw that... THEY HAD NO FACES!
Sarah: Oh my God!
Chris: Just a pool of mushy goo!
Sarah: Like spaghetti-O's?
Chris: Spaghetti-O's with meat!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Cosby Show: Adventures in Babysitting (#7.17)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Babysittin' Blues

This movie set new boundaries in movie-making.

I didn't want to go see this movie back in '87 with my kids, but I was dragged into it. The movie was awesome then, and it still remains a great movie. Why? The music. Anyone even remotely interested in "The Blues" as a music genre should have this DVD in their library. Not only do you get some great blues music as part of the scoring, the incidental Blues Club Scene, vintage Chicago, pulls this out of the ordinary to a slam for music lovers.

And, ... how about the straggling scene after the credits, which is standard today. Heck, I'm in my 50s, and I still have to pull this movie out to hear the harp licks.