SpaceCamp (1986)

The young attendees of a space camp find themselves in space for real when their shuttle is accidentally launched into orbit.

Director:

Harry Winer

Writers:

Clifford Green (screenplay) (as W.W. Wicket), Casey T. Mitchell (screenplay)

Stars:

Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Capshaw	...	Andie Bergstrom
Lea Thompson	...	Kathryn Fairly
Kelly Preston	...	Tish Ambrosei
Larry B. Scott	...	Rudy Tyler
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Max (as Leaf Phoenix)
Tate Donovan	...	Kevin Donaldson
Tom Skerritt	...	Cmdr. Zach Bergstrom (Andie's Husband)
Barry Primus	...	Brennan
Terry O'Quinn	...	Launch Director
Mitchell Anderson	...	Banning
Scott Coffey	...	Gardener (as T. Scott Coffey)
Daryl Keith Roach	...	NASA #1 (as Daryl Roach)
Peter Scranton	...	NASA #2
Hollye Rebecca Suggs	...	Young Andie
Terry White	...	NASA #3

Storyline

American kids go to a space camp during the summer holidays. They learn how to operate the Space Shuttle. A team consisting of a guy who just entered to meet girls, a wanna be astronaut and an instructor who wanted to go on a mission instead of teaching can sit in the Shuttle while testing the engines. Then they're launched by mistake ...

---

Plot Keywords:

space camp | space shuttle | astronaut | human in outer space | mixed caps in title | 

---

Taglines:

[Max] WOW! At SPACE CAMP they're training kids to be the astronauts of the future. But there's a real emergency, and we're heading into orbit! Come along and share the excitement of SPACE CAMP!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Space Camp

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,918,072, 8 June 1986, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$9,697,739

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joaquin Phoenix's feature film debut. He is credited as Leaf Phoenix.

---

Goofs

The Space Shuttle Main Engines operated independently of the Solid Rocket Boosters, and were easily able to be shutdown on the pad in case of an emergency. Further, firing the Shuttles engines in no way affected the temperature of the fuel in the Solid Rocket Boosters.

---

Quotes

Tish: What're you gonna write your essay on?
Kathryn: [Kathryn has been made Pilot after specifically requesting Shuttle Commander] "Why I'm Going to be the First Female Shuttle Commander."
Tish: Oh, that oughta go down REAL big.
Kathryn: Yeah, Andy'll love that. What about you?
Tish: I'm gonna do "I want to go into space to find creatures that exist on chemicals other than carbon and oxygen."
Kathryn: You should visit my high school!

---

Connections

Referenced in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

---

Soundtracks

So Far Away
by Mark Knopfler
Chariscourt Ltd. adm. by Almo Music Corp. in USA and Canada
Performed by Dire Straits
Courtesy of Phonogram Ltd./Warner Bros.
Records by arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

A callback to a more optimistic age

Impossible? Of course it is, but 'Space Camp' is a good 'ol piece of wide-eyed, optimistic 80s feel-goodery. God, I miss it. But revisiting it turned out to be more than a mere nostalgia trip. 'Space Camp' is a well made, well acted, adventure film that deftly mixes comedy, drama and thrills.

Featuring a cast of talented and likable actors that you will recognize from better known films, top notch special effects and a rousing score by the great John Williams, 'Space Camp' is the type of film that today's kids need to see. Its message? Work hard, dream big and reach for the stars. It's a lesson they're not getting from our popular culture today, and it's one they desperately need to hear.