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IMDbPro

Explorers

  • 1985
  • PG
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
23K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,209
88
Explorers (1985)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:12
2 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureComedyFamily

A boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind, which he draws for his inventor friend. With the help of a third kid, they follow it... Read allA boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind, which he draws for his inventor friend. With the help of a third kid, they follow it and build themselves a spaceship. Now what?A boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind, which he draws for his inventor friend. With the help of a third kid, they follow it and build themselves a spaceship. Now what?

  • Director
    • Joe Dante
  • Writer
    • Eric Luke
  • Stars
    • Ethan Hawke
    • River Phoenix
    • Bobby Fite
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    23K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,209
    88
    • Director
      • Joe Dante
    • Writer
      • Eric Luke
    • Stars
      • Ethan Hawke
      • River Phoenix
      • Bobby Fite
    • 109User reviews
    • 63Critic reviews
    • 58Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 6 nominations

    Videos2

    Explorers
    Trailer 1:12
    Watch Explorers
    Late-Breaking Summer of '85 Movie News
    Clip 3:07
    Watch Late-Breaking Summer of '85 Movie News

    Photos125

    Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Robert Picardo and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Robert Picardo and Jason Presson in Explorers (1985)
    Ethan Hawke and Robert Picardo in Explorers (1985)
    Simone Blue and Bobby Fite in Explorers (1985)
    Dick Miller and Meshach Taylor in Explorers (1985)
    Robert Picardo and Karen Mayo-Chandler in Explorers (1985)
    Robert Picardo in Explorers (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ethan Hawke
    Ethan Hawke
    • Ben Crandall
    River Phoenix
    River Phoenix
    • Wolfgang Müller
    Bobby Fite
    • Steve Jackson
    Bradley Gregg
    Bradley Gregg
    • Steve Jackson's Gang
    Georg Olden
    • Steve Jackson's Gang
    Chance Schwass
    • Steve Jackson's Gang
    Amanda Peterson
    Amanda Peterson
    • Lori Swenson
    Danny Nucci
    Danny Nucci
    • Nasty Kid at School
    Jason Presson
    Jason Presson
    • Darren Woods
    Dana Ivey
    Dana Ivey
    • Mrs. Müller
    Taliesin Jaffe
    Taliesin Jaffe
    • Ludwig Müller
    James Cromwell
    James Cromwell
    • Mr. Müller
    Brooke Bundy
    Brooke Bundy
    • Science Teacher
    Tricia Bartholome
    • Girl in Classroom
    Eric Luke
    Eric Luke
    • Darren's Teacher
    Robert Picardo
    Robert Picardo
    • Starkiller…
    Karen Mayo-Chandler
    • Starkiller's Girlfriend
    Robert F. Boyle
    Robert F. Boyle
    • Starkiller's Girlfriend's Father
    • Director
      • Joe Dante
    • Writer
      • Eric Luke
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When the helicopter pilot looks at the newspaper, one of the headlines says "Kingston Falls 'Riot' Still Unexplained". Kingston Falls was the town where the events in Gremlins (1984) (also directed by Joe Dante), took place.
    • Goofs
      When the spaceship "Thunder Road" crashes through a building, it is supposed to be encased in an impenetrable force field. Yet debris and rubble is shown directly on the surface of the ship.
    • Quotes

      Wak: Look, I know I must look weird to you but how do you think you look to me? Listen, I watched four episodes of "Lassie" before I figured out why the little hairy kid never spoke. I mean, he rolled over, sure, he did that fine but, I don't think he deserved a series for that.

    • Alternate versions
      Some international video and television versions omits several musical cues from the soundtrack including a moment where Jerry Goldsmith's score accompanies the Mr. Ed theme sung by Wak and the 80s music Wak listens to on Darren's Walkman (in these versions, you can't hear the music at all). Several score cues are also missing aboard Wak's spaceship and in the first third of the film. It is unclear where this is a mastering issue or a music rights issue.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Phoenix Portal (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      All Around the World
      by Robert 'Bumps' Blackwell (as R. Blackwell) and Monica Millet (as M. Millet)

      Performed by Little Richard

      Courtesy of Speciality Records, Inc.

    User reviews109

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Amazing in childhood, and amazing still now.
    wow. i love this film. i saw it when i was pretty young and absolutely loved it, as i do much of Dante's flicks from this time - The Burbs, Gremlins, InnerSpace - and i still love it to this very day. in fact, i understand the ending a little better now. i remember the ending being quite disappointing in some senses - the aliens just dont live up to the majesty that proceeds them - but this is exactly how the main character played by Ethan Hawke feels. So in some senses this could be seen as truly amazing film-making. But maybe i am being a little silly through my love of the film, which also i must add, has one of the best themes. A theme which only arrives half way through the film, when their craft is almost finished in its building. I love this film, but i can understand that some people may not enjoy it or even find it to be that good a film. I of course dont agree with this in any way - and less than 6/10? Outrageous. it deserves at least 7 anyway. But nevertheless, people have their opinions, and in mine i shall give it 8.5/10.
    helpful•27
    6
    • stoopidmac
    • Jan 7, 2003

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    FAQ2

    • What happened to the plot toward the ending?
    • What are the differences between the DVD versions and the original theatrical version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 12, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Istraživači
    • Filming locations
      • 920 D Street, Petaluma, California, USA(Lori Swanson's house)
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,873,044
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,607,340
      • Jul 14, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $9,873,044
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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