Flight of the Navigator, 1986. My Journey into Science Fiction Part 20.

Hello, and welcome to My Journey into Science Fiction Part 20. Flight of the Navigator was directed by Randal Kleiser. The film stars Joey Cramer and Sarah Jessica Parker. Music by Alan Silvestri. Based on a story by Mark H. Baker, screenplay by Michael Burton. It must be over thirty years since I last watched Flight of the Navigator, and I have to say I was a little worried about revisiting the film as I didn’t want to ruin it. I vividly remember watching this film and thinking, life doesn’t get any better than this. Thankfully, as an adult, and someone who enjoys the process of film-making and storytelling, there is still some enjoyment to be found, and I can appreciate it even more.

It’s 1978 and 12-year-old David Freeman is knocked unconscious after taking a tumble in the woods. He wakes up and heads home only to find strangers living there. It’s now 1986 and he’s been missing for eight years. NASA believes he’s been abducted by aliens and wants to use him in their research. But with the guidance of a strange unseen entity, he discovers a top-secret spaceship and with the help of Max the computer, sets off on an incredible mission to get back to the past where he belongs. 

The synopsis above is used by Viking Films to describe Flight of the Navigator. It could be the same summary I read in a video rental store all those years ago. The reason I have put it up is because I can see the words that jumped out at me as a child, which made me believe this film was going to be awesome. As an adult, it’s had a completely different effect on me, unexpectedly making me realise how we change as we grow older. I do think the current climate of a global pandemic is having an effect on my emotions, and making me feel a little vulnerable to life’s elements. That said, the first thirty minutes of this film had me pretty stressed out, and also quite impressed at the same time, quite an achievement for director Randal Kleiser. I want to give a shout-out to the amazing cinematography that was used before David Freeman’s abduction. I guess these are the three teases of an unidentified flying object. The first one is achieved by using silver Frisbee’s in the opening shots, it sounds odd but looks pretty fantastic on screen. The next one is when David and his family leave the Frisbee contest and a dark shadow engulfs the crowd below, only to realise it’s a good year blimp flying overhead. Finally, and my favourite one of the trio, is of a water tower that reveals itself slowly as David goes to pick up his brother. Each one of those images certainly helps build the tension and leaves you wondering what is going to happen next.

I have to say, I don’t remember much about David’s disappearance, but it leaves me wondering if I had chosen to forget it out of sheer fright. I will be honest, it had my anxiety levels going through the roof watching David return home, only to find an elderly couple living in his house. The set design in transforming that house from when David left, until he returned was astounding. Joey Cramer makes you feel the desperation of David as he breaks down in tears as the couple approaches him from both sides of the stairs. David is returned to his family, and they are looking older. I never really thought about his parents before. I don’t mean to be blunt but getting abducted by aliens is probably the safest thing that could have happened to David that night. I know that it’s meant to be a children’s film and is supposed to be light-hearted. I am surprised they managed to get this storyline approved. David’s parents ask him to pick up his brother, which involves crossing a railway line and finding his way through a dark forest. Now, this is where I know I have changed as I get older, as I become more fearful and cynical. All I can think about is how his parents would have spent eight years thinking David had been eaten by an alligator or something more serious. It’s simply terrifying when you think about it.

I admire the writers for starting with such a powerful twist of circumstances. You begin to see some of the strange things that can happen when you return eight years after you went missing. Imagine learning your younger brother is now older than you. Matt Adler plays an appreciable role as David’s now older brother Jeff Freeman, leaving you to feel the emotion as these two brothers come to terms with the reality of the situation. This scene also involves my favourite image in the film, as Jeff enters David’s room inside the hospital ward. He stands by the door, the light reflection from his glasses looks almost extra-terrestrial. I guess, that is an image I can appreciate as an adult, but it wouldn’t have even crossed my mind as a child. I’m just going to jump right into the Trimaxion Drone Ship, Max for short. After listening to some of the director’s commentary, they pointed out that they went through three hundred sketches before deciding on this design, and thankfully they picked the right one. It reminds me of the spaceship from The Day the Earth Stood Still and certainly should be remembered in the same vein as that movie’s visual appeal. The interior is just as glorious as the exterior, with its Aztec design and full-on chrome plating, it looks both ancient and futuristic at the same time.

Remember earlier, when I said, life doesn’t get any better than this? Well, I found that moment in the film when that happened, and I still had the same feeling about it, but now I understand why. David leaves the NASA Headquarters aboard the unknown ship and begins to learn about his disappearance. First of all, he goes into space, shortly after visiting the darkest bowels of the ocean, and finally meeting the cutest creature ever, the Puckmeran. I can only guess it must have felt like getting slapped around the head with some of the possibilities my imagination had only dreamt about. And finally, David gets to fly the ship. No more slapping, that’s a straight uppercut. The idea of Max going across space and time in search of new forms of life is as good as it gets for any young science fiction fan. Something happened on my second viewing while listening to the director’s commentary. I was learning about some of the visual effects created for exterior shots of the spaceship, and I was enjoying it, but. I was learning about the steps that led David into the ship and I couldn’t watch it any longer. I’m just revisiting the film, and it reminded me of a simplicity I once enjoyed. I don’t want to look behind the curtain and see all the bells and whistles, because the memory I had as a child deserves a bit of respect, and part of me still wants to hold on to that feeling I had at that moment. 

The whole sequence when Max takes him back in time is visually spectacular and reminds me of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I suppose it’s impossible not to compare it to E.T., because they even mention it in the film. I will say, E.T. had more emotion, as it was a dysfunctional family going through their ordeal together. In a way, everyone is alien to David in this film, including his family. I guess that turns it into a story with only one objective, and nothing in between. However, I still love it as much as E.T and Mac and Me, which is also an absolute classic, by the way. I think it is a well-crafted film and the soundtrack is top-notch. I enjoyed the comedy moments, and I have to say Sarah Jessica Parker was pretty hot, something else I failed to see as a child. Funny, I never realised Pee Wee Herman, Paul Reubens was the voice of Max because it is pretty obvious. Thinking about it, I was only aware of Paul Reubens later in life.

I will have to take a peek behind those curtains after all. I was made aware of a documentary called Life After The Navigator after I reviewed Life After Flash. I enjoyed the Flash documentary and think this next one will feel more personal. I don’t know if you are aware of Joey Cramer’s personal life, but it’s very interesting, to say the least. It will be intriguing to learn his story and how life has affected him as he grew older. I know Flight of the Navigator is a beloved film and might be beyond the realms of possibilities, but the fans make it a reality in the way they celebrate their love and respect for it. I also know, they never leave one of their own behind, and I’m looking forward to seeing how this film may become a miracle after all. See you all later Navigators.

So, where to next in My Journey into Science Fiction Part 21? Well, I was thinking about visiting Chronicle 2012, because Matt Adler plays a reporter in that film. However, against my better judgment, I will be choosing Ready Player One because Alan Silvestri composed the soundtrack to that film after replacing John Williams. I only say against my better judgement, because it’s a pretty complex film, and I am worried about how I will discuss it. I also realise that you need to push yourself sometimes, and I love a challenge. I hope you can join me on my journey next time.

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