Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989)
 Disney
revived the bumbling inventor comedy of The Absent-Minded
Professor and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones with
1989's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
In this modern update of the classic sub-genre, Rick Moranis
filled the excitable, eccentric genius role, and a talented
effects crew brought the story to life with visuals light years
ahead of flubberised basketball games.
Rick Moranis is Wayne Szalinski, an absent-minded scientist -
and while we're on the subject, why is it that all brilliant
scientists are so absent-minded? and how do they manage such
earth-shattering innovations if they all have the addled brain of
an octogenarian Alzheimer's sufferer? - who accidentally
miniaturises his children (and the next door neighbours). Then he
desperately tries to get them back to normal. That's about it.
But the story takes a back seat to wonderful special effects as
the tiny kids battle giant honeybees and breakfast cereals.
In addition to Moranis, the cast included Matt Frewer (TV's Max
Headroom) and Marcia Strassman (Mrs. Kotter on Welcome Back,
Kotter). The film was the directorial debut of former special
effects guru Joe Johnston (later the director of Jumanji
and October Sky), and the Star Wars FX veteran put
his skills to good use, overseeing such memorable moments as a
thrilling, precarious bee ride.
A surprise blockbuster, the film led to a 1992 sequel, Honey,
I Blew Up the Kid, a Honey, I Shrunk the Kids TV
series, the direct-to-video Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, and
an attraction at Disneyland's revamped Tommorowland, "Honey,
We Shrunk the Audience". Amazingly, Mrs. Szalinski has yet to
file divorce papers.
Fun for the whole family (and we do like Rick Moranis here at
Nostalgia Central so we couldn't hate this film even if we tried).
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