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IMDbPro

*batteries not included

  • 19871987
  • PGPG
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
36K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
6,973
1,011
Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)
Apartment block tenants seek the aid of alien mechanical life-forms to save their building from demolition.
Play trailer1:18
1 Video
39 Photos
ComedyFamilyFantasy
Aliens help a feisty old New York couple in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.Aliens help a feisty old New York couple in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.Aliens help a feisty old New York couple in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
36K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
6,973
1,011
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Matthew Robbins
    • Writers
      • Mick Garris(story by)
      • Brad Bird(screenplay by)
      • Matthew Robbins(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Hume Cronyn
      • Jessica Tandy
      • Frank McRae
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Matthew Robbins
    • Writers
      • Mick Garris(story by)
      • Brad Bird(screenplay by)
      • Matthew Robbins(screenplay by)
    • Stars
      • Hume Cronyn
      • Jessica Tandy
      • Frank McRae
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 94User reviews
    • 24Critic reviews
    • 54Metascore
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:18
    Official Trailer

    Photos39

    *batteries not included (1987)
    Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Frank McRae in *batteries not included (1987)
    Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)
    Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Frank McRae in *batteries not included (1987)
    Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Frank McRae in *batteries not included (1987)
    Elizabeth Peña and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)
    Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)
    Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, and Luis Guzmán in *batteries not included (1987)
    Jessica Tandy in *batteries not included (1987)
    Jessica Tandy in *batteries not included (1987)
    Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)
    Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, and Dennis Boutsikaris in *batteries not included (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Hume Cronyn
    Hume Cronyn
    • Frank Riley
    Jessica Tandy
    Jessica Tandy
    • Faye Riley
    Frank McRae
    Frank McRae
    • Harry Noble
    Elizabeth Peña
    Elizabeth Peña
    • Marisa Esteval
    Michael Carmine
    Michael Carmine
    • Carlos
    Dennis Boutsikaris
    Dennis Boutsikaris
    • Mason Baylor
    Tom Aldredge
    Tom Aldredge
    • Sid Hogenson
    Jane Hoffman
    • Muriel Hogenson
    John DiSanti
    John DiSanti
    • Gus
    John Pankow
    John Pankow
    • Kovacs
    MacIntyre Dixon
    • DeWitt
    Michael Greene
    Michael Greene
    • Lacey
    Doris Belack
    Doris Belack
    • Mrs. Thompson
    Wendy Schaal
    Wendy Schaal
    • Pamela
    José Angel Santana
    • Goon #1
    • (as José Santana)
    James Le Gros
    James Le Gros
    • Goon #2
    • (as James LeGros)
    Ronald L. Schwary
    Ronald L. Schwary
    • Louie
    • (as Ronald Schwary)
    Susan Shoffner
    • Receptionist
    • Director
      • Matthew Robbins
    • Writers
      • Mick Garris(story by)
      • Brad Bird(screenplay by)
      • Matthew Robbins(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally intended to be a story featured in the TV series Amazing Stories (1985). Steven Spielberg liked the idea so much he decided to make it a theatrical release.
    • Goofs
      After Mason fights with his girlfriend, he throws his paintings out his window, which Marisa notices when she sees the paintings falling from his apartment about two floors above. When Mason and Marisa discover their items(Mason's door; Marisa's statue)fixed, Marisa comes out of her room, which is on the same floor as Mason's, which makes it impossible for Marisa to be about two floors down from Mason. One explanation is simple; Mason has a two story apartment. The next morning when Mason wakes up and sees the garbage truck leaving and his paintings gone, he runs down a flight of stairs and then out of his door. However, when Marisa comes out of her apartment, her door is on the opposite side of the building. So how Marisa saw them fall is still up in the air.
    • Quotes

      Frank Riley: The quickest way to end a miracle is to ask it why it is... or what it wants.

    • Crazy credits
      During the opening credits, pictures of young Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy are shown. This includes their actual wedding photo, since the actors (who often play a married couple on stage or in the movies) were married for decades.
    • Alternate versions
      When aired on KTLA in 1991, the following scenes were omitted: When Frank attempts to give Faye her medicine; Before Frank asks for somebody to help them, he breaks a vace and kicks a chair; a scene of Carlos and his gang planning; Frank and Faye are reading the newspaper and while one of the spaceships pours them coffee, Faye asks what ever happened to General Eisehower; Harry searches his room for his whistle; While Marissa, Hector and his friends hold a fiesta in the apartment, Mason sits outside and drinks.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Moonstruck/Overboard/September/*Batteries Not Included/Ironweed (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee
      (uncredited)

      Written by Irving Berlin

      Performed by Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn

    User reviews94

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Use only as directed...
    *batteries not included is a very underrated movie, especially among reviewers on the IMDb. The pros, such as Roger Ebert seem to give it some respect (along with 3 thumbs up). There was nothing sugar coated about the performances of the 5 main characters in *batteries not included. Jessica Tandy gives one of the best performances of her career as Faye Riley who appears to be in the early-to-mid stages of Alzheimer's disease. Hume Cronyn is Faye's husband Frank, owner of a small diner with no customers. Elizabeth Peña is Marisa Esteval, a single soon-to-be mother who clings to her statue of the Virgin Mary for what little hope she has. Dennis Boutsikaris is the cynical artist/painter Mason Baylor, who has a heart as big as his artistic talent, yet no one other than Marisa seems to acknowledge his talent. Finally there's Frank McRae as the former boxer extraordinaire Harry Noble, now living in the basement of the building that houses each character and the Riley's diner. Oh... Harry watches way too much TV... especially the commercials. His only lines (which were few) in this movie were lines from commercials. This movie represents a cross section of people who are on the verge of losing their homes to a real estate developer, who will stop at nothing to get them out of their building. After throwing large sums of money at them (to no avail), the developer hires Carlos (Michael Carmine) to run them out using whatever means are necessary, including force. The characters are developed to the point that you actually care for all 5 of them. Just when it looks hopeless for our friends, small spaceships, compliments of Industrial Light and Magic show up and start fixing everything. And flipping burgers in Riley's Dinner. They also wash dishes, repair broken Virgin Mary statues and stopwatches and they replicate using spare pots and pans and electrical appliances, fused together by at least 1.21 gigawatt's of electricity. Although the aliens are portrayed as mechanical beings with heart, they certainly give hope to the residents, and help bind them together. The visual effects are a treat... especially for those of us who have tired of CGI effects that look more like a cartoon than reality. There's something about filming a real model, built by human hands against a blue screen, then matting it into the film that makes it look more realistic than computer animated visuals. Many have written that this movie tries to suck the viewer in, using emotional techniques, as opposed to making it an intellectual masterpiece. I believe it takes more talent to get the audience to emotionally invest themselves in a movie than to create eye candy. Thanks to great acting, a decent-enough script, good cinematography and an equally emotional score from James Horner, this picture works in every way... even 20 years later. If you haven't seen this movie in 20 years, go ahead and give it a spin. It's as good today as it was in 1987! Prices may vary in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico...
    helpful•81
    8
    • jimbo700
    • May 12, 2006

    FAQ2

    • Where did the dog come from? It seems to suddenly appear with the group while they're out searching the streets. Are we to assume it was attracted by Harry's dog whistle and decided to stay with him?
    • What is Batteries Not Included about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Das Wunder in der 8. Straße
    • Filming locations
      • East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Amblin Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $32,945,797
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,326,530
      • Dec 20, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $65,088,797
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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