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EricLewin

Solarbabies (1986)

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This is a movie I would always see on cable when I was little, and its pure wtf:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091981/

Trailer:

http://youtu.be/0gMfFHmebi0

 

Mel Brooks executive produced it, it made $1,579,260 at the box office on a budget of $7,500,000, and it ended the directing career of the director.

 

This IMDB review best sums it up:

"Are children lovable prisoners of a Nazi-Fetish, post-apocalyptic corporation/government agency that inexplicably decides to profit by running a child-labor camp in the desert? Check. Are the children also forced to play an arena sport involving roller skates? Check. Does a glowing alien ball appear randomly and befriend the children, with no apparent connection to anything else in the film? Check. Do the children breakdance with the glowing alien ball-friend? Check. Does the glowing alien ball require the children to escape the prison and go on a quest? Yep. Do the children "escape" simply by roller-skating away from the "prison" (through a desert)? Um, yes. Does the glowing alien ball-friend require the children to join hands in a ritualized new-age circle of friendship/love in order to achieve its full glowing alien ball powers? You betcha."

 

You guys should totally do it! (It's also on Netflix Instant)

 

Edit: apparently the whole thing is on YouTube as well:

http://youtu.be/DtTnmhishW4

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I would second this one. Very watchable with a big budget and nice set design, and lots of rollerskating.

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I'm not even ten minutes in, and this movie is 100% everything I ever want in a bad 80's movie.

 

"This postapocalyptic adventure follows a group of imprisoned, skate-ball playing youths who find an orb with prophetic powers"-Netflix synopsis

 

This movie is only on Netflix streaming until May 1st, but dear god in heaven, you have to see this. This is like BMX Bandits mixed with Mad Max mixed with Waterworld, with a villain who looks like M Bison's fey little brother dressed in baby blue industrial flooring.

 

And a random owl WHAT IS HAPPENING?

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I barely remember this but I saw it in the theater. I loved it as a kid, all those stupid 80s movies like Rad (a BMX movie) and Thrashin (which is a totally ridiculous skateboarding movie with Josh Brolin and an early Red Hot Chili Peppers performance). All those dumb movies based around skating/biking were awesome when you were >10 years old.

 

Maybe I'll put on Solarbabies tonight when I do laundry. Nice Mel Brooks connection, what with his co-starring role in Gymkata and all.

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How does a movie about spunky teens overthrowing a corrupt goverment with the power of rollerskates and glowing orb named Bohdai not have a million more responses.

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This also happens to be the first teamup of Jason Patric and Jami Gertz, whom the next year would work together again on The Lost Boys! It was also Patric's film debut as well.

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This certainly has a loving cult following, with its overpowering "only in the 80's" vibe that, admittedly, makes it endearing. An unabashed Road Warrior rip-off that is also equal parts E.T. and The Mighty Ducks. I feel like the only creative notes were throw some kids in American Gladiators uniforms and have them rollerskate around in the desert, but make sure they have an alien pal.

Blown away there hasn’t been more love (er, hate?) for getting this one made.

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If you haven't seen this movie yet, prepare to have your mind fucking blown. It's so quintessentially 80's its amazing to behold.

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As a young kid in the 80s, this was one of those HBO reruns that I've seen 100 times. Can't wait

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I have to watch this now. I see Peter DeLuise is in it. Loved him in 21 Jump Street. (Johnny Depp was too pretty.)

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