Harry and the Hendersons (1987)

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Directed by William Dear.

Starring Melinda Dillon, Kevin Peter Hall, Margaret Langrick, John Lithgow, Joshua Rudoy.

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While vacationing in the Pacific Northwest, the Henderson clan's dad George (John Lithgow), mom Nancy (Melinda Dillon), daughter Sarah (Margaret Langrick) and son Ernie (Joshua Rudroy) accidently run over a strange animal with their car, and when they get out to see what it is, they find the seemingly dead body of a hairy Bigfoot-type monster (Kevin Peter Hall). Believing that the creature is a grizzly bear, the Hendersons take it home, planning to stuff the beast and put it on display in their living room. Predictably, the hirsute monster revives and is adopted by the family as a pet. Originally conceived as a TV series by comedian Brad Garrett, Harry and the Hendersons ultimately did make it to the small screen as a weekly syndicated sitcom in 1990, with Kevin Peter Hall repeating the title role during the series' first 24 episodes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

SXSW Review: Not Your Typical B ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

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"I’m not really sure what your typical Bigfoot movie is, but if it’s anything like Harry and the Hendersons, I’m more down with that. Jay Delaney’s documentary Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie is little more than a tease of interest and an unsatisfying bore. It exists somewhere between your usual making fun of dumb, small-town folks kind of doc and your below-average sort of personal-interest, anybody and their mother can be a subject kind of doc. A few decent moments offer some promise, but the 62-minute film is just too terribly short to deliver the goods. The focus is on Dallas Gilbert and Wayne Burton, two good old buddies (stress on the old and buddies) from Appalachian Ohio who seek and document Bigfoot in their spare time. Surprisingly these “researchers” are not out to locate the impossible find; their goal is not the elusive Loch Ness Monster. It’s the apparently very conspicuous Bigfoot. Dallas and Wayne have seen many Bigfoot creatures, at most 6 in a day. They’ve taken app ... " [More]

Re: Top 5 films from your child ...
by josephkuzma in Top 5

liked it.

"This reminds me of an Honorable Mention for my own list: Harry and the Hendersons.I couldn't agree more. My daughter is 9 months old and already I'm collecting movies for her to watch later. This is one of them (along with Fraggle Rock).Loved both of these. Which reminds me of others for the Honorable Mentions list: Princess Bride and The Monster Squad. " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

is neutral about it.

Harry and the Hendersons fits perfectly in the niche of Spielberg-produced family-friendly fantasy comedies that seemed to pop up all over the place throughout the mid-'80s. In the spirit of E.T., but not quite as heavy, movies like The Goonies, Innerspace, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids successfully delivered escapism and fun to viewers of all ages without asking too much in return. That's exactly what one can expect from Harry and the Hendersons. John Lithgow is perfectly cast as the long-suffering patriarch. He brings a depth to his character that certainly wasn't required, but makes the bond between his George and Kevin Peter Hall's monstrous Harry endearing and believable. Likewise, Don Ameche and David Suchet deliver top-notch performances as the conflicting sides of the scientific community. And, as always, Melinda Dillon fills her motherly role with skill and ease. Altogether, Harry and the Hendersons brings together a talented cast and a charming script, resulting in an unabashedly cute film. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Tags: bigfoot , Great , childhood-favorite , johnlithgow , cryed
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