Two teenage boys try to help a tiny spherical alien get back to its mothership, while the army and a devious petty crook pursue the creature for its wonderful powers.Two teenage boys try to help a tiny spherical alien get back to its mothership, while the army and a devious petty crook pursue the creature for its wonderful powers.Two teenage boys try to help a tiny spherical alien get back to its mothership, while the army and a devious petty crook pursue the creature for its wonderful powers.
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
Derek Deadman
- Ice Cream Man
- (uncredited)
Frank Mills
- Supermarket Manager
- (uncredited)
Linda Robson
- Supermarket Cashier
- (uncredited)
Leslie Schofield
- Radar Operator
- (uncredited)
Dudley Sutton
- Unknown
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
10plan99
Very impressive special effects for the time especially when the ball is eating, a lot of time must have gone into it. As mentioned by another it's much better than E. T. but that's not a difficult task. There's a lot of brand names visible throughout this film so possibly a product placement deal had been agreed to.
A good little film that I saw years and years ago about a silver ball from outer space with special powers. It would probably appeal more to kids, but adults may like it too. There's one howlingly hilarius line in it "hey those crisps cost me 5p" suggesting that was a lot of money, which had me on the floor with laughter. Average price in 2002 £32p. Anyway 7 out of 10. Fun
I remember this film only vaguely, but it's with an eye of yearning. I don't wish to see it again, because I'm sure I'll be disappointed and angry at my memory for deluding me. But with a retrospective eye it was a thoroughly enjoyable children's sci-fi flick. Alien creatures (that look suspiciously like pinballs) come to earth and all hell breaks loose! I especially remember the way these little creatures ran amok at the supermarket!
This was the sort of film that us kids used to watch at Saturday Morning Pictures but by the time this film was made, I was long out of short trousers and making my own home.
Watching this film now, this reminds me of that other scared alien film ET, although this was made a few years before Mr Spielberg - and one would imagine with a much smaller budget. The pace of this film though does not allow any weepiness and there is not a wasted minute in this Boys Own style adventure. The fairly short film is about a small scared alien, in the form of a small ball, befriended by two boys who help it in trying to find its way back to its mothership. On the way there is the unscrupulous (and hapless) local crook and the authorities trying to track it down.
A couple of familiar faces from the past crop up - Ron Pember as the crook and Derek Deadman as the ice cream van driver. There is also an uncredited appearance by Linda Robson as the cashier. Special mention must be made of the special effects, especially in the supermarket and taken all round, the film is an entertaining hour of family viewing.
Watching this film now, this reminds me of that other scared alien film ET, although this was made a few years before Mr Spielberg - and one would imagine with a much smaller budget. The pace of this film though does not allow any weepiness and there is not a wasted minute in this Boys Own style adventure. The fairly short film is about a small scared alien, in the form of a small ball, befriended by two boys who help it in trying to find its way back to its mothership. On the way there is the unscrupulous (and hapless) local crook and the authorities trying to track it down.
A couple of familiar faces from the past crop up - Ron Pember as the crook and Derek Deadman as the ice cream van driver. There is also an uncredited appearance by Linda Robson as the cashier. Special mention must be made of the special effects, especially in the supermarket and taken all round, the film is an entertaining hour of family viewing.
Two lads (one a lonely RAF brat) encounter a very small, spherical alien stranded on Earth and help him return him home with 5p crisps and 500 000 volts of electricity. They become the good pals as well.
Good to see these charming, modest British made films being shown in the satellite / cable channels. Or released on DVD. A few familiar faces are there - notably Ron Pember, Derek Deadman and Linda 'Birds of a Fevtha' Robson - which only adds to the experience.
And who at that age didn't want to have a cool gang hut, tree house or den like that to hang around in?!
Good to see these charming, modest British made films being shown in the satellite / cable channels. Or released on DVD. A few familiar faces are there - notably Ron Pember, Derek Deadman and Linda 'Birds of a Fevtha' Robson - which only adds to the experience.
And who at that age didn't want to have a cool gang hut, tree house or den like that to hang around in?!
Did you know
- TriviaThe truck being used by the Royal Air Force to track the alien is one of the BBC's Dodge SpaceVan TV detector vans, once used to detect television sets in homes, to locate people operating televisions without having paid their TV license fee.
- GoofsNear the end of the movie, when the RAF team arrive at Sgt Fieldings house, and encounter Mrs Fielding, a microphone is clearly visible at the top of the picture.
- ConnectionsReferenced in E.T., l'extra-terrestre (1982)
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Glitterball
- Filming locations
- Hertfordshire, England, UK(made on location in)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 56m
- Color
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