*batteries not included

19871987
PGPG
1h 46min

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

Apartment block tenants seek the aid of alien mechanical life-forms to save their building from demolition.

Play trailer1:18

Comedy Family Fantasy

Aliens help a feisty old New York couple in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.Aliens help a feisty old New York couple in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.Aliens help a feisty old New York couple in their battle against the ruthless land developer who's out to evict them.

Director
- Matthew Robbins
Writers
- Mick Garris(story by)
- Brad Bird(screenplay by)
- Matthew Robbins(screenplay by)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination

Videos1

Official Trailer

Official Trailer

*batteries not included (1987)

Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Frank McRae in *batteries not included (1987)

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Frank McRae in *batteries not included (1987)

Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Dennis Boutsikaris, and Frank McRae in *batteries not included (1987)

Elizabeth Peña and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, and Luis Guzmán in *batteries not included (1987)

Jessica Tandy in *batteries not included (1987)

Jessica Tandy in *batteries not included (1987)

Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

Elizabeth Peña, Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, and Dennis Boutsikaris in *batteries not included (1987)

Director
- Matthew Robbins
Writers
- Mick Garris(story by)
- Brad Bird(screenplay by)
- Matthew Robbins(screenplay by)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

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A group of tenants in an apartment block are being forced to move out so that it can be demolished. The tenants are reluctant to move, so the developers hire a local gang to 'persuade' them to leave. Fortunately, visiting alien mechanical life-forms come to town. When they befriend the tenants, the aliens use their extraterrestrial abilities to defeat the developers. —Rob Hartill

elderly people cafe cafe owner property developer elderly protagonist 92 more

Taglines
- Five ordinary people needed a miracle. Then one night, Faye Riley left the window open.
Genres
Certificate
- PG
Parents guide

Trivia
The black-and-white photos of Frank and Faye used in the opening credits were real-life photos of Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, who were married for decades.

Goofs
After Mason fights with his girlfriend, he throws his paintings out his window, which Marisa notices when she sees the paintings falling from his apartment about two floors above. When Mason and Marisa discover their items(Mason's door; Marisa's statue)fixed, Marisa comes out of her room, which is on the same floor as Mason's, which makes it impossible for Marisa to be about two floors down from Mason. One explanation is simple; Mason has a two story apartment. The next morning when Mason wakes up and sees the garbage truck leaving and his paintings gone, he runs down a flight of stairs and then out of his door. However, when Marisa comes out of her apartment, her door is on the opposite side of the building. So how Marisa saw them fall is still up in the air.

Quotes
Frank Riley: The quickest way to end a miracle is to ask it why it is... or what it wants.

Crazy credits
During the opening credits, pictures of young Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy are shown. This includes their actual wedding photo, since the actors (who often play a married couple on stage or in the movies) were married for decades.

Alternate versions
When aired on KTLA in 1991, the following scenes were omitted: When Frank attempts to give Faye her medicine; Before Frank asks for somebody to help them, he breaks a vace and kicks a chair; a scene of Carlos and his gang planning; Frank and Faye are reading the newspaper and while one of the spaceships pours them coffee, Faye asks what ever happened to General Eisehower; Harry searches his room for his whistle; While Marissa, Hector and his friends hold a fiesta in the apartment, Mason sits outside and drinks.

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Moonstruck/Overboard/September/*Batteries Not Included/Ironweed (1987)

Soundtracks
Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee
(uncredited)
Written by Irving Berlin
Performed by Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn

Top review

7/10

good family fare

Elderly couple Frank (Hume Cronyn) and Faye Riley (Jessica Tandy) who is suffering from dementia run a small diner in an old apartment building. The NYC neighborhood is being torn down. Thugs led by Carlos hired by property developer Lacey and his henchman Kovacs (John Pankow) are pushing the tenants out. The tenants include pregnant Marisa Esteval (Elizabeth Peña), former boxer Harry Knoble (Frank McRae) and starving artist Mason Baylor desperate to save the building. The cops refuse to help. A couple of small UFOs arrive and change everything.

This definitely has the tone of an old Disney family film. Like those movies, this is strictly family fare which does tackle some slightly darker issues. The tone can be a little awkward at times for modern audiences but it absolutely works for this film. The special effects are terrific for the time. This features Brad Bird who contributed to his first theatrical screenplay in this.

helpful•4

0

SnoopyStyle
Feb 12, 2016

Release date
- December 18, 1987 (United States)
Country of origin
- United States
Official site
- Official site
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Also known as
- Das Wunder in der 8. Straße
Filming locations
- East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Production companies
- Universal Pictures
- Amblin Entertainment
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
Gross US & Canada
- $32,945,797
Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,326,530
- Dec 20, 1987
Gross worldwide
- $65,088,797

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 46min
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Dolby
Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1

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Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in *batteries not included (1987)

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