Innerspace (1987)

A test pilot is miniaturized in a secret experiment, and accidentally injected into a hapless store clerk.

Director:

Joe Dante

Writers:

Chip Proser (story), Jeffrey Boam (screenplay)

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Lt. Tuck Pendleton
Martin Short	...	Jack Putter
Meg Ryan	...	Lydia Maxwell
Kevin McCarthy	...	Victor Eugene Scrimshaw
Fiona Lewis	...	Dr. Margaret Canker
Vernon Wells	...	Mr. Igoe
Robert Picardo	...	The Cowboy
Wendy Schaal	...	Wendy
Harold Sylvester	...	Pete Blanchard
William Schallert	...	Dr. Greenbush
Henry Gibson	...	Mr. Wormwood
John Hora	...	Ozzie Wexler
Mark L. Taylor	...	Dr. Niles
Orson Bean	...	Lydia's Editor
Kevin Hooks	...	Duane

Storyline

Tuck Pendleton is a cocky pilot, who is taking part in a miniaturization experiment. When some bad guys break into the lab to steal the technology, one of the scientists takes a syringe which contains the miniaturized Tuck and vessel. Now in the vessel is part of the material needed to restore him. But the other part which is the lab is stolen. The scientist's shot but before dying he injects Tuck into Jack Putter, a hypochondriac, who feels that something is wrong with him all the time. When Tuck links himself to Jack's systems, he discovers that something happened. So they go back to the lab, and discover what happened. Now they are told that unless they retrieve the material that was stolen they won't be able to restore Tuck before his oxygen is depleted. Now the government rep decides that the only thing that matters that as long as they have the other half of the material, it is useless to the thieves. So Tuck eggs Jack to go out and find the thieves. They enlist the aid of ...

---

Plot Keywords:

miniaturization | hypochondriac | trapped in a human body | heroine | male objectification | 

---

Taglines:

An Adventure of Incredible Proportions

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Chuck Jones: as a customer in the scene in the supermarket queue eating carrots. He utters the line regarding buying the aspirin, "At eight hundred dollars a bottle, who'd want to?"

---

Goofs

After Jack takes the drink of Southern Comfort to fill Tuck's flask, the flask is obviously dripping wet on the outside of the pod but suddenly bone dry when he retrieves it.

---

Quotes

Jack Putter: God, I can't believe how hostile I feel towards you right now.
Lt. Tuck Pendleton: Because I'm stimulating your adrenal gland, pal.
Jack Putter: Maybe that's the reason and maybe not.
Lt. Tuck Pendleton: You got something to say, just say it.
Jack Putter: [referring to Lydia] She deserves better. That's all.
Lt. Tuck Pendleton: [annoyed] Better than what?
Jack Putter: Better than you!
Lt. Tuck Pendleton: I knew it! You think she goes for you, don't you? You know what she sees in you? She sees me.
Jack Putter: All right, Pendelton, that's it.
[starts pounding himself]
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

The Special Effects credit at the end of the movie states "Mr Short's Interiors by Industrial Light and Magic".

---

Connections

Referenced in Total Recall (1990)

---

Soundtracks

Hypnotize Me
Written and Performed by Wang Chung
Courtesy of GEFFEN RECORDS
By Arrangement with WARNER SPECIAL PRODUCTS

User Reviews

Fantastic Voyage Too

INNERSPACE (1987) *** Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan, Kevin McCarthy. Fast-paced and frenzily funny action/comedy/sci-fi film with Quaid as a washed up military pilot who volunteers to be miniaturized in a scientific experiment a la "Fantastic Voyage" inside a bunny but is mistakenly injected into hyper hypochondriacal Short (in arguably his finest comic role) who provides the physical comedy with Ryan as Quaid's long-suffering journalist girlfriend. Nice performances and some truly eye-popping Oscar-winning visuals. Directed by Joe Dante

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 July 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Innerspace

Filming Locations:

377 Filbert St., San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,739,913, 5 July 1987

Gross USA:

$25,893,810

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,893,810

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., The Guber-Peters Company, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1