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Harry and the Hendersons
1987 110 min United States of America PG 12+
★6.5
Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Director: William Dear
Trailers
Description
Returning from a hunting trip in the forest, the Henderson family's car hits an animal in the road. At first they fear it was a man, but when they examine the "body" they find it's a "bigfoot". They think it's dead so they decide to take it home (there could be some money in this). As you guessed, it isn't dead. Far from being the ferocious monster they fear "Harry" to be, he's a friendly giant.
Budget:
$10M
US Gross:
$29.76M
Worldwide:
$50M
Starring
John Lithgow
Actor
Melinda Dillon
Actor
Margaret Langrick
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1988
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Saturn Awards 1988
— Best Actress
Saturn Awards 1988
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Saturn Awards 1988
— Best Fantasy Film
Saturn Awards 1988
— Best Director
Key opinion
Harry and the Hendersons is a nostalgic and warm-hearted 80s family comedy that successfully subverts the horror tropes surrounding Bigfoot. While some find the plot simple or dated, its enduring charm is largely attributed to its strong emotional core and the technical mastery of the creature effects.
| Production | Rick Baker's Oscar-winning makeup and animatronics create a remarkably expressive and believable character in Harry. | |
| Acting | Kevin Peter Hall’s performance within the suit brings a sympathetic and nuanced humanity to the creature. | |
| Emotion | The film features a central, heartwarming emotional arc that effectively portrays the bond between the Hendersons and Harry. | |
| Humor | The humor is derived from the absurd, domestic clashes between a normal family and a giant, clumsy, yet gentle yeti. | |
| Originality | The film effectively recasts the Bigfoot legend as a modern, friendly fable rather than a creature-feature horror. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: some appreciate the simple, moral-driven narrative, while others view it as a naive or predictable family comedy. |