INNERSPACE (1987)

As a boy, before I took a deeper interest in the art of filmmaking, I assumed that any movie that “Steven Spielberg presents” came straight from the director of favourites like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). That misconception encompassed the Amblin Entertainment releases of Joe Dante’s Gremlins (1984), Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future (1985), and Richard Donner’s The Goonies (1985). They all share a similar aesthetic and have a family-friendly vibe, so it was an easy mistake to make. I still have great affection for Amblin’s output — particularly up until Jurassic Park (1993) — as that era helped define my cinematic tastes.

I’d forgotten just how good Joe Dante’s Innerspace is. It was always a favourite of mine growing up, but nearly 40 years after its release, I was braced for the humour to feel old-fashioned and the cutting-edge VFX to look lame. Surprisingly, it’s held up astonishingly well. The sequences set inside the human body (which deservedly won the Academy Award for ‘Best Visual Effects’) are particularly impressive. I still don’t entirely understand how they were achieved in a pre-digital world; it appears they built physical representations of blood vessels, ear canals, and retinas, which has prevented the film from looking dated. You can pick fault with the odd compositing effect, but such shots are few and far between. For the most part, Innerspace remains a technical marvel.

The concept itself is inspired by Fantastic Voyage (1966), a film that all “miniaturised people” movies can never truly escape comparison to. It makes sense that Dante directed Innerspace; classic sci-fi is one of his major passions, alongside the Looney Tunes (hence those Bugs Bunny plushies) and the playful, anarchic energy found in all his work.

Here, washed-up aviator Lt Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) agrees to be the guinea pig for a top-secret experiment where he’s to be miniaturised and injected into a rabbit. Unfortunately, after the laboratory is attacked by a rival organisation just as Tuck’s shrunken down inside a syringe, he ends up being smuggled away and injected into the backside of neurotic supermarket worker Jack Putter (Martin Short). Once Tuck establishes audio-visual contact with his “new host”, this mismatched duo embarks on an adventure to restore Tuck to normal size before his air supply runs out — all while being chased by evil scientists desperate for the prototype shrinking chip inside Tuck’s pod.

The brilliance of Innerspace is that the VFX and the sheer wonder of Tuck’s predicament never overwhelm the narrative, as they easily might in a modern production. The internal sequences are used only to advance the plot, with the heart of the adventure taking place in the outside world. In that sense, it often plays more like a comedy about a hypochondriac who begins “hearing voices” that lead him to become a braver, more capable individual.

Jack starts the movie as a total mess: he suffers from recurring nightmares, gets stood up on dates, and constantly plagues his doctor with imaginary ailments. Tuck is the complete opposite — an alpha male type, albeit one with a drink problem and a stalled career. Through their two-way conversation, Jack is pushed out of his comfort zone. He grows in confidence, impresses the girl, overcomes his neuroses, and transforms into a courageous adventurer speeding away in a Mustang by the time the credits roll.

Dante enthusiasts will also get a kick from seeing his long-time collaborator Robert Picardo as ‘The Cowboy’, a smuggler looking to buy the shrinking chip. B-movie legend Kevin McCarthy also gets ample screen time as the villainous Victor Scrimshaw, and there’s a fun role for Henry Gibson (The ‘Burbs) as Jack’s boss. Plus, of course, the obligatory cameo from Dante stalwart Dick Miller, here playing a San Francisco taxi driver.

Innerspace flags slightly in the middle when the story integrates Tuck’s reporter girlfriend, Lydia Maxwell (Meg Ryan). This was one of Ryan’s earliest roles and she completely shines on camera, so it’s no wonder she became Hollywood’s best rom-com actress in the 1990s. And having married Dennis Quaid in real-life in 1992, the pair do have genuine chemistry when they’re on-screen together. It just feels like Lydia’s role is more undercooked and never as interesting as what’s going on elsewhere between Jack and Tuck.

I also find the Cowboy subplot a little jarring in the middle, as the character is a creepy weirdo who doesn’t fit the established tone. It’s not enough to derail the film, but after such a confident start and an exciting conclusion — involving an enemy submersible being shrunk and injected into Jack to fight Tuck — this middle portion with more Lydia and The Cowboy is less compelling. Still, it helps that some of the more inventive moments also happen here, such as Tuck transforming Jack’s facial features using electrical muscle stimulus. This has the added benefit of briefly turning the film into a “body swap” comedy, with Jack going undercover disguised as the Cowboy. You can’t say Innerspace doesn’t give audiences their money’s worth!

The two lead performances are excellent. It’s a joy to watch a buddy comedy where the two heroes don’t share the physical screen until the end. It’s a testament to both actors that you genuinely feel Tuck and Jack have developed a lasting friendship, despite the fact that Quaid and Short shot most of their scenes in isolation.

Short’s performance is occasionally over-the-top, but given his character is introduced as a half-crazed man on the edge, it works. By the end, we see a more level-headed Jack who’s learned to believe in himself. Envisioned as “Dean Martin being injected inside Jerry Lewis”, that’s exactly the energy you get, although Quaid perhaps can’t resist throwing some Harrison Ford flavouring into Tuck Pendleton at times. Or maybe that’s just because Quaid was always the sort of ’80s actor you’d cast if Ford and a few others had turned it down!

As with most Dante films, it’s the countless throwaway moments that linger: the cool henchman, Mr Igoe (Vernon Wells), who stalks the film like a Terminator; or the delightful moment when a toddler-sized Scrimshaw attacks Jack while he’s driving — with hilarious use of “doll hands” to achieve the effect. Yes, even the admittedly “dated” effects techniques have such personality that they eclipse CGI.

Decades later, Innerspace has aged gracefully. It helps that surprisingly few films have utilised the shrinking concept since 1987, for reasons that baffle me considering what would be possible today. The cast is entertaining, Jeffrey Boam and Chip Proser’s screenplay is surprisingly thoughtful, and the story thrums along at a good pace. This is certainly one of the best early-Amblin movies — a VHS staple for anyone over-40, and a sci-fi comedy adventure just waiting to be discovered by a new generation.

USA | 1987 | 120 MINUTES | 1.85:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH

Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Special Features:

Arrow Video’s new 4K Ultra HD restoration of Innerspace brings the film to next-gen format with Dolby Vision HDR, which helps bring the image to life like never before at home. There’s excellent detail to character’s faces and clothing, the 35mm film grain is kept tight, and the VFX sequences look amazing because of the added vibrancy and contrast afforded by HDR.

The audio options let audiences choose from the original stereo from the 35mm theatrical presentation, the 4.1 surround used in the 70mm presentation, and a new Dolby Atmos sound mix which effectively upscales that 4.1 track in a beautiful, more immersive way.

• NEW restoration from the original 35mm negative by Arrow Films, approved by director Joe Dante.
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible).
• NEW restored original lossless 2.0 stereo, original 70mm 6-track mix in DTS-HD MA 4.1 surround and newly remixed Dolby Atmos audio.
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• NEW audio commentary by film critic Drew McWeeny. While he wasn’t involved in making the film, McWeeny’s commentary track is arguably more enlightening because he brings a lot more research to the table than would be expected.
• Archive audio commentary with director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and actors Kevin McCarthy and Robert Picardo.
• Shrinkage: The Making of Innerspace, a NEW hour-long documentary featuring newly filmed interviews with director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren, visual effects artists Harley Jessup and Bill George and actor Robert Picardo. The best thing on the disc is this excellent look at the making of the film, featuring a lot of background information I wasn’t aware of. Did you know Vernon Wells was a replacement for an actor they didn’t think looked imposing enough on camera? It’s a shame all three main actors aren’t anywhere to be seen, but this is a compelling bonus extra that fans will nevertheless enjoy digging into. There’s even BTS video of Martin Short larking around with Joe Dante, which is amusing when you also learn that Dante had to be convinced the Canadian comic actor would be right for this part. Also, for decades I’ve wondered how they did the remarkable face-changing sequences, especially when people’s cheeks are being blown out, and it turns out they just had the actors blast high-pressure air at themselves from a nozzle kept out of shot! It seems so obvious now, but I’d always assumed some incredibly complex wiring and make-up had been used.
• Behind the Scenes with Joe Dante, previously unseen video footage shot during the production of Innerspace.
• Behind the Scenes at ILM, previously unseen footage shot by visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren during production.
• Original storyboards.
• Continuity and Behind the Scenes Polaroids.
• Production stills gallery.
• Posters and Promo stills gallery.
• Theatrical trailer.
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Doug John Miller.
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options.
• Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet featuring NEW writing by film critics Charlie Brigden, Michael Doyle, Josh Nelson, Jessica Scott and Andrea Subissati, a short guide to Joe Dante’s stock company by Scott Saslow, plus the original exhibitors pamphlet.

Cast & Crew

director: Joe Dante.
writers: Jeffrey Boam & Chip Proser (story by Chip Proser).
starring: Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, Fiona Lewis, Robert Picardo, Vernon Wells, Henry Gibson, Wendy Schaal & William Schallert.