Saturday, September 26, 2009

Adventures in Babysitting


I absolutely love this movie. I think I saw it for the first time in 1987, the year it came out and I've watched it almost every year since.

What is there not to love? Babysitter is asked to babysit two kids while parents attend a party in the city. Older boys sex crazed best friend comes over and make a nuisance of himself. Babysitter's best friend calls from a bus station down town, desperately needing help so the babysitter packs all three kids in the car and heads downtown.

What ensues is nothing but lots of fun and chaos. There are gang fights, mechanics that look like Thor, car thieves, chases, prostitutes, frat parties, blues musician Albert Collins, even some scaling of a building trying to get to the parents in their high rise party.

This is one 80s movies that I don't think gets enough attention and acclaim. This is one of those movies that watching it once will turn you into a lifelong lover of cheesy 80's cinema.

Synopsis From Back Cover:

Christ Parker (Elisabeth Shue of Cousin Bette, Leaving Las Vegas) agrees to babysit after her "dread" date stands her up. Expecting a dull evening, Christ settles down with three kids for a night of TV...and boredom. But when her frantic friend Brenda calls and pleads to be rescued from the bus station in downtown Chicago, the evening soon explodes into an endless whirl of hair-raising adventures! Babysitter and kids leave their safe suburban surroundings and head for the heart of the big city, never imagining how terrifyingly funny their expedition will become.

17 comments:

Michelle (Red Headed Book Child) said...

I love this movie too! You have no idea how many times I have done the dance she does in the beginning to "He Kissed Me"

ahh, child hood.

Literary Feline said...

It's been years since I've seen this one, but I used to watch it over and over again when I was younger. This one and Joe and the Volcano. I'm going to go see if I can find a video of The Babysitter Blues to watch now. :-)

Alyssa Kirk said...

We have seen this one. Absolute family favorite! Elizabeth Shue is the bomb and love the scene when she's singing the blues!

Ryan said...

Michelle, Next time you do the dance you should make a video and post it on youtube :-)

Literary, The blues club scenc is one of the best.

Alyssa, I'm just happy I picked a movie this time that someone other than your mom has watched. Elisabeth Shue is great in this movie.

Rich Mom, Rich Dad. Poor Mom, Poor Dad. said...

I love this movie! The part where Sarah is crawling on the outside of the skyscraper still gives me the willies!

My daughter loves this movie!

Trisha said...

Like everyone else, I loved this movie. I can still see the VHS tape, cover worn and ripped at top, sitting on the stand butted up against my tv in my bedroom.

On a side note, I became fascinated with the "diamond building" - the Smurfitt-Stone building in Chicago - after watching this. And whenever I would walk by it - even to this day - I wonder if I could crawl out a window and not slide off...

Beth (BBRB) said...

This was such a great film! I'd forgotten all about it! I loved it when it first came out.

Lezlie said...

We might be 80's cinema soul mates! Xanadu *and* Adventures In Babysitting? Awesome!!

Lezlie

A Buckeye Girl Reads said...

I adore this 80s movie. It is a forgotten classic.

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

Oh yeah Ryan, I remember this one as well. I do have to say many great movies came from the 80's. These were the best years for movies, for fun and a great laugh.

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

Actually, there were a lot of movies from the 80s that I still watch, some of which I have on DVD. All those John Hughes flicks, for example.

I did see this one several times and enjoyed it. I also like the other one with "babysitter" in the title..."Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead." For awhile, I think that played on Cable every other week!

Ryan said...

Jaime, It's always nice when our kids like the movies we love.

Trisha, If you ever give it a try please let me know.

Beth, I'm really glad I was able to remind you of a great movie.

Lezlie, Hopefully you love the next one too.

Buckeye, It's a wonderful movie. I'm glad it's one you like as well.

Melissa, I'm not sure you can beat the 80s for movies.

Laurel, I love Don't Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead, I'm probably going to be watching that sometime soon.

Michelle Stockard Miller said...

I loved this movie too...back in the day. I've seen it a million times! I liked the guy that played her brother (?)...what ever happened to him? Between this one and Xanadu, I have to pick Xanadu!

Anonymous said...

You know, I don't think I ever saw this one.

Ryan said...

Michelle, I can't pick between them!

Carol, You should rectify that soon.

J.T. Oldfield said...

ah, this is a good one. I love the part where they don't let her leave the club until she sings!

Heidenkind said...

My mom loves this movie, too, because she used to babysit and she lived in a Chicago suburb. Yet she doesn't like Ferris Buehler's Day Off.