Adventures in Babysitting

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Adventures in Babysitting
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Chris Columbus
Produced by	Debra Hill Lynda Obst
Written by	David Simkins
Starring	Elisabeth Shue Keith Coogan Maia Brewton Anthony Rapp
Music by	Michael Kamen
Cinematography	Ric Waite
Editing by	Fredric Steinkamp William Steinkamp
Distributed by	Touchstone Pictures
Release date(s)	July 1, 1987
Running time	102 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Gross revenue	$34,368,475 (USA) (sub-total)
Followed by	Further Adventures in Babysitting (2010)

Adventures in Babysitting is a 1987 comedy film written by David Simkins, directed by Chris Columbus, and starring Elisabeth Shue, Bradley Whitford, Maia Brewton, Anthony Rapp, Penelope Ann Miller, Keith Coogan, and a brief cameo by blues singer/guitarist Albert Collins. Although it is set in Oak Park and Chicago, Illinois, with much of the action taking place in the city itself, the movie was filmed primarily in Toronto.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Television pilot 5 Sequel/Remake 6 Critical response 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Plot

Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue), a high school senior, agrees to babysit Sara Anderson (Maia Brewton) after her boyfriend Mike Toddwell (Bradley Whitford) cancels their anniversary date. Sara's older brother Brad (Keith Coogan), who has a crush on Chris, decides to stay home and hang around. When Chris' friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) calls from a Chicago bus station, having made a failed attempt to run away from her family, Chris reluctantly takes Sara, Brad, and Brad's sex-obsessed best friend Daryl Coopersmith (Anthony Rapp) from their safe suburban surroundings into the city to rescue her. A flat tire on the highway with no spare and Chris' realization that she has failed to bring her purse launches the group into a series of unlikely predicaments, including detainment by a car theft ring (from which Daryl steals a Playboy magazine filled with incriminating notes), pursuit by the criminals, a blues club where they're forced (by Albert Collins) to sing of their ordeal before leaving, a gang fight on a train which leaves Brad slightly injured (as well as a moment at a hospital where the others are briefly led to believe Brad is dead), and a final incident with their pursuers on the Smurfit-Stone Building in Chicago.

[edit] Cast

• Elisabeth Shue as Chris Parker, a high school senior whose boyfriend cancels their date, so she goes to babysit the Andersons.
• Penelope Ann Miller as Brenda, Chris' best friend, terrified while in the bus station.
• Bradley Whitford as Mike Todwell, Chris' jerk boyfriend who canceled their anniversary date for another girl.
• Maia Brewton as Sara Anderson, an 8-year-old girl who idolizes Thor.
• Keith Coogan as Brad Anderson, a 15-year-old boy who has a crush on Chris.
• Anthony Rapp as Daryl Coopersmith, Brad's sex-obsessed best friend.
• Calvin Levels as Joe Gipp
• Vincent D'Onofrio as Dawson/Thor
• George Newbern as Dan Lynch, a college student
• John Ford Noonan as John Pruitt
• Ron Canada as Graydon
• Albert Collins as Himself
• Lolita Davidovich as Sue Ann

[edit] Production

This was the first PG-13 rated film released by a Disney film division and was released as A Night on the Town in the United Kingdom. In the scene in the bus station with Brenda, the actor who portrayed the hot dog salesman originally improvised his line as "then I don't have a fucking weiner!" Columbus loved the line, but executives at Disney wanted to keep the picture more family-friendly so the line was removed (although, ironically, the word "fuck" is used twice in the final cut^[1]). This scene was added to stretch out the bus station segments. It was not in the original script.

Bradley Whitford, who played Mike Todwell in the film, was actually 27 years old at the time of shooting. He was uncomfortable with the age difference, but director Chris Columbus put him at ease by allowing him to use his own Camaro in the movie. The car is later seen with Whitford's real-life license plate "SO COOL".

The movie's title was parodied in an episode of Bobby's World as "Adventures in Bobbysitting," as well as an episode Disney's television show, That's So Raven, "Adventures in Boss-Sitting" and an episode of Lizzie McGuire as "Misadventures in Babysitting".

Valerie Bertinelli was one of the actresses who auditioned for the role of Chris Parker.^[2]

Anthony Rapp and director Chris Columbus would reunite 18 years later for the film adaptation of the musical Rent, which originally starred Rapp on Broadway.

[edit] Television pilot

Adventures in Babysitting was adapted into an American television pilot^[3] of the same name for CBS in 1989. The pilot starred Jennifer Guthrie as Chris Parker, Joey Lawrence and Courtney Peldon as Brad and Sara Anderson, Ariana Mohit as Brenda, and Brian Austin Green as Daryl. It was not picked up for series.

[edit] Sequel/Remake

A sequel is reportedly planned for release in 2010.^[4] Disney Channel stars Raven-Symoné will star in the sequel, currently titled Further Adventures in Babysitting.^[4] Miley Cyrus has denied involvement.^[5]

According to Variety, Tiffany Paulsen is writing the script.^[4]

[edit] Critical response

The film has received positive reviews, and it currently earns a "fresh" 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Adventures in Babysitting at the Internet Movie Database
• Adventures in Babysitting at Allmovie

v • d • e Films directed by Chris Columbus 1980s Adventures in Babysitting (1987) • Heartbreak Hotel (1988) 1990s Home Alone (1990) • Only the Lonely (1991) • Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) • Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) • Nine Months (1995) • Stepmom (1998) • Bicentennial Man (1999) 2000s Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) • Rent (2005) • I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)