# Can you figure out what movie this is?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 18, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988 "2003-08-18T16:18:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988/1 "2003-08-18T16:18:46Z")

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I remember watching a movie when I was young-ish. This would have been the early-80s, I think. Details are sketchy. There’s aliens in the movie, and they are getting old television signals from Earth (signals via 1950s). So, they are big fans of I Love Lucy and such. These kids go into space and onto these aliens’ ship. I vaguely recall the aliens doing some singing of the theme songs of shows, or some such thing.

Any takers?

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988/2 "2003-08-18T16:30:42Z")

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That’s not actually a movie but an episode of the TV series [Stephen Spielberg’s Amazing Stories](http://imdb.com/Title?0088478) . That particular episode is entitled FINE TUNING, premiered 10 November 1985, starred [Matthew Laborteaux](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Laborteaux,+Matthew) , and had a cameo by Milton Berle.

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**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988/3 "2003-08-18T16:41:16Z")

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It could be “Explorers”. Three kids go aboard an alien spaceship, there are lots of tv’s everywhere, then when it’s time to go home the kids find out that the aliens they have been talking to are just kids.

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**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988/4 "2003-08-18T16:50:40Z")

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I believe “Explorers” is it. Very impressive, considering my incredible lack of detail. Thanks!

Just for interest’s sake, I think I’ll have to track down the Stephen Spielberg bit as well. Cheers!

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**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988/5 "2003-08-18T16:55:58Z")

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I was thinking the same thing as **Lyllyan** … [Explorers](http://www.imdb.com/Title?0089114) also has an early performance by Robert Picardo (from “Star Trek: Voyager”) as… well, as most of the aliens.

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-figure-out-what-movie-this-is/195988/6 "2003-08-18T17:13:27Z")

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In “Fine Tuning” they bring some retired Borscht Belt comics back into space with them. Uncle Miltie wasn’t able to go, telling them that he was too busy.