Explorers (DVD, 2004)

Favorite childhood movie... I am so glad that it is finally on DVD! This movie is up there with movies like Goonies and Stand by me... Just a great movie for those of us who were alive in the 80's...

Explorers is a 1985 science fiction, fantasy film targeted at a family audience. It was the first feature film for both River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke. The third young actor in it was Jason Presson. The story was written by Eric Luke and the film was directed by Joe Dante.

The film received an MPAA rating of PG. It was filmed in 70mm color with 6-track sound, and runs for 109 minutes. The special effects in the movie were produced by Industrial Light and Magic.

The film did not do well at the box office, owing in large part to being released on the same weekend that the Live Aid concert occurred, although it did better in video rentals and DVD sales. It has gained a cult following among fans of Dante's work, as well as science fiction fans and those who feel it is an overall family friendly movie.

I grabbed this movie with a last minute bid because I loved it as a kid, and now, my kids love it too. The movie is not full of darkness and off humor, it is not full of violence, but it still delivers a strong plot and good laughs.

Just right for my price range!

Search ebay and you can find a copy on VHS or DVD.

This is a movie that my children, now grown loved as kids and I was happy to find it on e-bay for my grandson to experience. Great movie, great price. Great e-bay experience.

never received my movie. its been months. they seemed to have the wrong address or something. never asked me how to fix the problem and i never received a refund.

a young Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix and Jason Presson. Three hapless friends.
all share a common bond of being bullied. One stands up to the bully and then another, even the science geek. They all stand up. They all share the different home lives. Bullied at home, encouraged in science and technology and day dreaming. Then one of them receives images of electronics imagry he shares it and soon they see something miraculous come about. A buble that moves by itself. No enertia it moves quickly but with out g-force the inside occupants will not be crushed. AS the experiments and dreams continue, the three lads, build their own space craft. the Deputy sheriff (ron miller)(gremlins) who has also had these dreams all his life, and wants to do space travel. Sees the boys flying one night. He investigates and finds the ship.
The 3 lads take off one night after building a miniture air machine. And the whole thing runs on a car battery. The computer, the air machine, and their travels begin.
A great family movie to have on the shelf to encourage our children that we also were kids once....and we dreamed these things too!

This was just a good movie & the fun you can have with some old things like we did when i was that age

This is a great movie. My wife also loved it. It has some strange parts, but heck, it was the 80's, so don't expect too much. ;-)

Explorers is a fun family sci-fi comedy movie.

The DVD is good, but I was disappointed that some scenes were cut from the movie and added into an "extra scenes" section on this disc.

This movie was by far one the best movies i saw when i was a child. Even today this movie brings out the child in me. Building a space ship and going into outer space to see the unknown. all i have to say is this is a must for any adult that has a child with a vary active mind.

buy it!! buy it!! the last tme i saw this movie is when i was bout 9 years old i bought this movie 14 years later and brought back memories.

Great movie, I saw the movie in the 80 and I see now and I feel the same sensation, excellent film.

Film critic

Charlene Engel observed Close Encounters "suggests that humankind has reached the point where it is ready to enter the community of the cosmos. While it is a computer interface which makes the final musical conversation with the alien guests possible, the characteristics bringing Neary to make his way to Devil's Tower have little to do with technical expertise or computer literacy. These are virtues taught in schools that will be evolved in the 21st century."[11] The film also evokes typical science fiction archetypes and motifs. The film portrays new technologies as a natural and expected outcome of human development and indication of health and growth.[11]

Other critics found a variety of Christian analogies. Devil's Tower parallels Mount Sinai, the aliens as Gods and Roy Neary as Moses. Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments is seen on television at the Neary household. Some found close relations between Elijah and Roy; Elijah was taken into a "chariot of fire", akin to Roy going in the UFO. Climbing Devil's Tower behind Jillian and faltering, Neary exhorts Jillian to keep moving and not to look back, similar to Lot's wife who looked back at Sodom and turned into a pillar of salt.[11] Spielberg explained, "I wanted to make Close Encounters a very accessible story about the everyday individual who has a sighting that overturns his life, and throws it in to complete upheaval as he starts to become more and more obsessed with this experience."[10]

Roy's wife Ronnie attempts to hide the sunburn caused by Roy's exposure to the UFOs and wants him to forget his encounter with them. She is embarrassed and bewildered by what has happened to him and desperately wants her ordinary life back. The expression of his lost life is seen when he is sculpting a huge model of Devil's Tower in his living room, with his family deserting him.[11] Close Encounters also studies the form of "youth spiritual yearning". Barry Guiler, the unfearing child who refers to the UFOs and their paraphernalia as "Toys", serves as a motif for childlike innocence and openness in the face of the unknown.[11] Spielberg also compared the theme of communication as highlighting that of tolerance. "If we can talk to aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind," he said, "why not with the Reds in the Cold War?"[12] Sleeping is the final obstacle to overcome in the ascent of Devil's Tower. Roy, Jillian Guiler and a third invitee climb the mountain pursued by government helicopters spraying sleeping gas. The third person stops to rest, is gassed, and falls into a deep sleep.

I love the movie when it first came out. The end results were THE BOMB! I decided to buy it because my children sometimes don't believe me about some movies I've seen in the past. They want me to prove it. So I have to prove it to them.

Package was received in a very timely manner and product was the quality I expected. Will do business again.

This is a fun, rainy day movie, similar to "Goonies" in it's entertainment value for kids and the young at heart.

Extremely rare and hard to find DVD. The quality and adventure experience is on par with the 80's classic "The Goonies". A must have title if you have preteens in your household. Family friendly.

Doing business with Willnow has always been a pleasant experience. I received my item promptly and it was in excellent condition.

Did Not Recieve...Now Seller No Longer Registered...Ripped Off..........................................

I seen this some time back and thought it a great family movie, a sci fi thats easy and fun to watch. no killings just the friendly meating of others from space.

You will love this movie! Fun and enjoyable for all ages! And its very interesting to watch a young river Phoenix and Ethan Hawke in their very first movie roles ever. All the young actors give great performances. You will not be disappointed with this movie!