| | | | Space Camp
(1986) |
starry-eyed young girl gazes longingly into the night sky in the hopes of catching John Glenn’s launch into orbit...
...After perceiving his afterburners as a wink at her from the heavens, she vows to go up herself someday.
Fast forward to a now adult woman – Andie Bergstrom – ace pilot and hopeful astronaut lamenting NASA passing over once again for the shuttle team. Her astronaut husband Zack is rather grateful of this: It means that he’ll have her assistance this summer at Space Camp, a prospect she’s less than thrilled about.
Her campers: Young hotshot pilot wannabe Katherine, “slacker with potential” Kevin, “a bit slow on the uptake but trying really hard” Rudy, scatter-brained genius Tish, and junior camper Max. After a very bumpy beginning (Max nearly causes the crash of an expensive maintenance droid, Katherine and Kevin get caught breaking curfew, and the entire crew is “killed” in a flight simulator when they display complete lack of teamwork), they are thrilled when they find that they will be allowed to sit in the actual space shuttle Atlantis during a booster test. One problem: Max has wished aloud to be sent into space within earshot of the malfunctioning maintenance droid Jinx – and Jinx has made all the necessary arrangements.
That’s the plot. Jinx causes a malfunction of the boosters that forces them into actual launch, and Andie must coach her crew into becoming a solid team if they are to make it home safely, which of course, she does, even after an accident disables Andie from landing the craft.
 Don't forget that Space Camp is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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Solid performances by all (both the adults and the adolescents), and you can show it to the kids!
Seriously, it's fun for all ages, and one of those "no bad guy" adventure fantasies. Everyone's a hero here, and gets the chance to shine.
Even with the somewhat formulaic plot, the "each according to his own gifts" character building device is effective. Sure, you know everyone will come home all right, but it's inspiring to see them get there by working as a team and by fulfilling their personal potential...
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Space Camp suffered from some bad timing in its release. Originally scheduled for release in spring of 1986, actual release was delayed due to the unfortunate parallels between the malfunctions of the movie’s space shuttle Atlantis and the tragic crash of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28th of that year which plunged the nation into mourning for the seven astronauts (including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe). Even with the delay, the American public just wasn’t ready for an action/adventure involving a space shuttle and the film was a disappointment at the box office. 
Although the parents of the Phoenix clan chose rather “flower children” names for their offspring (case in point, River and Rain), they didn’t give their son the name “Leaf.” He assumed that as his screen name before being encouraged by his brother River to have pride in his own given name of Joaquin, which he goes by now in his current, very successful film career.
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Rediscover your favorites! If you like
Space Camp or 80's Sci-Fi / Fantasy classics, then be sure to
check out this list: ..... Empire Strikes Back ..... Night of the Comet ..... Aliens ..... Back To The Future ..... Last Starfighter ..... Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ..... Circuitry Man ..... Brazil ..... Blade Runner ..... Thing ..... Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan ..... Return to Oz ..... Starman ..... Somewhere In Time ..... Strange Invaders ..... Short Circuit .....[More]
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In order to create the image of the zero gravity in space, the shuttle set was suspended in a gyroscopic rig (very similar to that Lea Thompson was required to steady in the film), allowing the “bottom” of the set to be on any wall, floor, or ceiling. The actors were suspended in harnesses and pulled themselves along the walls, etc. This made for a very realistic weightlessness effect.
More long shots (i.e. full body shots) of the actors in the weightlessness harnesses were planned, but they weren’t quite ready for the physical endurance required to maneuver in the harnesses (if you’ve seen Superman, you know that Christopher Reeve had to get into peak condition just to keep his body straight for those flying scenes). Only former dancer Lea Thompson had the physical strength and control to pull off the look of zero gravity while being hung by a single cable from the hip, so hers were the only shots that were used in the film.
Joaquin Pheonix was the youngest of the space camp members at 12 years old. -Thanks to Brook
Some of the filming took place on a sound stage next door to where Michael Jackson was shooting his latest video, a few of the young cast were fans and managed to get in to meet him. -Thanks to Erika
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|  |  |  | | Space Camp
Locations |
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 Featured Movie Location: Space Camp
Wanna see the real life filming location used for Space Camp in the movie? These scenes were actually shot at U.S. Space & Rocket Center, located in Huntsville, Alabama. [New! Show Google Map]
The film was shot on location at the real Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama (except for launch shots at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida & some shots of the interior of the capsule, which had to be done in the studio due to (1) the fact that the Atlantis simulator at Space Camp didn't include the entire craft interior, and (2) the fact that NASA didn’t want the filmmakers to put their costly shuttle on a suspension rig!).
Featured Link: Visit Space Camp
Can you help? Do you know any of the Huntsville, Alabama (or any other) filming locations used for Space Camp? [Please send them in]
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I was lucky enough to have the soundtrack on cassette, and it's been lovingly worn to warped splendor, unfortunately.
This soundtrack was released as a limited edition of 1,000 copies in Japan in 1992 [Thanks to James]
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Soundtrack Available:
Used Vinyl LP / Tape
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