IMDb RATING
5.5/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
Emerging from their fallout shelter after a nuclear war, two brothers fashion themselves after 1940s detectives and brave a new world of mutants and freaks.Emerging from their fallout shelter after a nuclear war, two brothers fashion themselves after 1940s detectives and brave a new world of mutants and freaks.Emerging from their fallout shelter after a nuclear war, two brothers fashion themselves after 1940s detectives and brave a new world of mutants and freaks.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Paul Keller Galan
- Chester
- (as P.K. Galán)
Hilary Shepard
- Biker Leader
- (as Hilary Shapiro)
Gulcin Gilbert
- Greaser Chick
- (as Gulshin Gilbert)
Glory Fioramonti
- Biker #2
- (as Glory Fiormonti)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
You will either love this film or wish you hadn't started it.
I loved it, can't help it.
A great post-nuclear-tribe-based world with no rhyme or reason to it. But who cares. Absolute ridiculous. Totally 80s
Lisa Blount is amazing in her pseudo "V" post apocalyptic costume, a must for her fans (which is how I ended up seeing this). Dudikoff is (somehow) hilarious. Albert Pyun juggles the mish-mash of film genres, whether comedy, action, pop video, or detective noir (little bit tongue in cheek with that last one), and keeps the film together going even at its sloppiest.
Escape From New York meets The Warriors meets John Hughes meets Buckaroo Banzai meets Blade Runner meets low budget meets classic 80s DTV.
I loved it, can't help it.
A great post-nuclear-tribe-based world with no rhyme or reason to it. But who cares. Absolute ridiculous. Totally 80s
Lisa Blount is amazing in her pseudo "V" post apocalyptic costume, a must for her fans (which is how I ended up seeing this). Dudikoff is (somehow) hilarious. Albert Pyun juggles the mish-mash of film genres, whether comedy, action, pop video, or detective noir (little bit tongue in cheek with that last one), and keeps the film together going even at its sloppiest.
Escape From New York meets The Warriors meets John Hughes meets Buckaroo Banzai meets Blade Runner meets low budget meets classic 80s DTV.
The movie itself is not particularly good. B-movie-esque with a few laughs, and the otherwise simple plot is told in a rather incomprehensible and messy way. The acting is pretty bad and the cutting almost hilarious. There are definitely many better movies to watch before this one, unless you have a thing for 80s kitsch (I do).
The movie does however shine in one particular area; the soundtrack. I have watched (or listened to) the first 3 minutes on repeat for a good while already. Hard-punching 80s synth wave / new wave epicness bathed in reverb - I love it!
The movie does however shine in one particular area; the soundtrack. I have watched (or listened to) the first 3 minutes on repeat for a good while already. Hard-punching 80s synth wave / new wave epicness bathed in reverb - I love it!
The only thing I really liked about this movie is Michael Dudikoff. This was his first (and, until about BOUNTY HUNTERS nearly eleven years later, only) turn at comedy, and he proved he definitely has what it takes play a comedic role. He and John Stockwell play two teens who have grown to maturity inside a bomb shelter with nothing but Philip Marlowe novels, and when they finally set foot out into the post-nuke future, encounter everything from a mysterious woman to some really ugly creatures. I really had no idea what was happening in this movie. I just liked watching Dudikoff do comedy for a change (his teenage girl-like reaction to discovering that a giant creature hanging from the ceiling is alive is hysterical) and show off some cool dance moves at the end. Of interest to only Dudikoff fans, and even they might be disappointed outside of him.
I have been a sort-of fan of this film for a long time, as it was an attempt (no matter how misdirected) to like two of my favorite genres of film. This is a strange movie, but about as good as it could have been, given the budget. However, I must warn any potential viewers that you MUST be prepared to suspend a significant amount of disbelief...
The ultimate problem is that it cannot seem to decide if it is a comedy, or more serious film. It begins with sort of a comedic premise, it works well as a strange sort of slapstick comedy (with Michael 'American Ninja' Dudikoff turning a surprisingly good performance). It is two kids who were locked in a fall-out shelter by their 'fathers' the day of the nuclear war. All they are left with is pulp detective books and so they model themselves on the characters therein. They then enter the world after the bomb and thier innocence is confronted by a series of unpleasant challenges and betrayals (some that are surprisingly un-funny, but not bad). They then become 'real' film noir style, jaded anti-heroes and confront the baddies.
Then the film ends in a dance number...
OK, it's wierd, but I honestly believe that anyone who has an appreciation for strange film will really enjoy this movie. It is cute and kind of innocent and relatively entertaining. It is worth at least a watch.
The ultimate problem is that it cannot seem to decide if it is a comedy, or more serious film. It begins with sort of a comedic premise, it works well as a strange sort of slapstick comedy (with Michael 'American Ninja' Dudikoff turning a surprisingly good performance). It is two kids who were locked in a fall-out shelter by their 'fathers' the day of the nuclear war. All they are left with is pulp detective books and so they model themselves on the characters therein. They then enter the world after the bomb and thier innocence is confronted by a series of unpleasant challenges and betrayals (some that are surprisingly un-funny, but not bad). They then become 'real' film noir style, jaded anti-heroes and confront the baddies.
Then the film ends in a dance number...
OK, it's wierd, but I honestly believe that anyone who has an appreciation for strange film will really enjoy this movie. It is cute and kind of innocent and relatively entertaining. It is worth at least a watch.
This fulfills the criterias to be a cult classic, something to love OR hate for everyone. I belong to the first category: 2 kids growing up in a nuke shelter with a large collection of detective novels deciding to be the post apocalyptic worlds first dicks, The Atomic Dicks! Fastpaced wachy post apocalyptic tong-in-the-cheek comedy. Irresistible. B-movie queen Lisa Blount pops up in this weird mix and singer Sue Saad gives a few nice songs like the excellent title song "Radioactive Dreams", the soundtrack certainly deserves to be released. Great acting, excellent photography and score. It is very low budgeted, but every last penny is up there on the screen and stretched well beyond its limit, just as it was the case with director Albert Pyun's "The Sword And the Sorcerer". This movie stands up to repeated viewing. 7/10
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie marks the first appearance of the name "Brick Bardo" in an Albert Pyun movie. It has, so far, appeared in seven of his movies.
- GoofsWhen Phil and Marlowe leave their bunker, they bring their car to abrupt halt upon seeing a woman. The sound used is of tires screeching on asphalt, while they are on an obviously dirt road.
- Quotes
Miles Archer: I'm going to blow your head off unless I get those keys!
Marlowe Hammer: So what does this mean, Miles? You don't love me no more?
- Alternate versionsThe United States release of this film includes a written introduction that other cuts of the film do not have. It contains more information regarding the keys and bomb. This can be viewed on the Vestron Video release and the Laserdisc that followed it. The German DVD contains the only Widescreen cut of the film. As a special feature; this intro is included.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Best of the Worst: Cyborg and Arcade (Albert Pyun Double Feature) (2022)
- SoundtracksNightmare
Performed by Jill Jaxx
Written by Michael McCarty, Jill Jaxx and Judith Nee
Produced and Arranged by Michael McCarty
- How long is Radioactive Dreams?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $220,038
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $141,055
- Sep 21, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $220,038
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