InnerSpace (1987)

The main podcast is back, baby! Since Ant-Man and the Wasp has us thinking about all things shrinking, we decided to look at 1987's fun-sized adventure comedy InnerSpace! Film critic for HollywoodChicago.com (and now Alcohollywood!) Jon Espino joins us to dive into a movie from our 80s-kid childhoods - a Joe Dante romp of the finest order that sees hotshot pilot Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) shrunk down to a microscopic level and injected into the body of nebbish hypochondriac Jack Putter (Martin Short). Together, the two have to evade corporate spies, silent Terminator-types, and navigate a very strange love triangle with Tuck's girlfriend Lydia (Meg Ryan). In classic Joe Dante style, InnerSpace features a wonderful blend of surprisingly mature elements for a PG film (Dennis Quaid butt!), a charming sense of whimsy and lightness, and his signature stable of actors, from Dick Miller to Robert Picardo. Dante's a master of these kinds of breezy high-concept adventures, so it was a real treat to finally visit his delightfully devious oeuvre. We had a blast talking about this crazy time capsule of a movie, so take a listen and check out our custom cocktail and drinking rules! (Thanks to our sponsor Overcast as part of the Chicago Podcast Coop!) Related links: The Goldsmith Odyssey - a great podcast on the works of Jerry Goldsmith, who also sponsored this very episode!