The Glitterball (1977) User Reviews

ETs less celebrated cousin

[fostrhod · 7/10 · 8 September 2021]

Wonderful children's film from the 70s which supposedly inspired Steven Spielberg to make ET. It's an innocent view of kids versus the adult baddies.

Thank you Talking Pictures UK for showing this.

Sometimes you find friends in the oddest places

[Gorm · 9/10 · 4 July 2000]

A marvelous film about the secret life of children who are all too often forgotten and left to their own devices in the day-to-day activities of adults and what happens when another boring Saturday is suddenly made not-so-boring with the discovery of a mysterious little alien being with unusual powers, who is scared, hungry and very lost.

Hilarious and fast paced adventure from a child's eye view, with exciting chases, escapes and pratfalls. General chaos and havoc are wreaked on a small town as the Army and an evildoer gangster independently seek to capture the alien for their own purposes and collide with a group of children who have joined forces to help the little alien-who only wants to return home.

It's about being very small in a big scary world, and the power of friendship and trust. Highest recommendation.

vague childhood memory of comfort

[krusty-8 · 8/10 · 21 April 1999]

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!

Great

[Bob-376 · 15 May 2002]

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

great film

[pay_pal · 9/10 · 29 January 2009]

does any body know were i can get a copy of this film from been looking for last few years with now luck please get back to me

my friends mother is in the film they would love a copy for here birthday i can remember going shopping at the wool co it was filmed in it was a good film for it's day and the b c c should show it

so please any body who can let me know were i can get it from drop me a message i would be most grateful to you and you would make my mates mum very happy in deed you know you have to keep the old happy this seems like a great site i have just found you tonight so let see how i get on

thanks and hope to hear from you soon

It's a small world

[augustian · 8/10 · 22 September 2019]

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.

boom

[leverwilliam · 2 March 2007]

Holy Mary Mother of Gadd. This film simply has to be the most crunching Children's Film Foundation title since Billy And His Magic Pond. I literally weeped with joy after watching this film.

Glitterball is now commonly regarded as the "best film of all time" by Ben Baker of "Taxi for Baker" fame. Other greats to endorse this cinematic genius include Jason Bunyan and "Paul" from Australian soap Neighbours.

Made 5 years before ET this is the quintessential alien film with each one of the 56minutes causing mind-bending pleasure only compared to "Dream Baby" by The Glitter Band.

Join me in this celebration of children's cinema and raise your glasses.

COUGARS

Simply fantastic

[Leofwine_draca · 9/10 · 13 June 2021]

One of those 'best ever' Children's Film Foundation adventures, a sci-fi fable about a couple of tearaway kids who come into possession of the titular object - a mini UFO with a mind (and appetite) all of its own, who must avoid the RAF and the clutches of a scheming thief (the excellent and creepy Ron Pember) in a bid to return to its mothership. An '80s standby on television where I first saw it and where it stayed in my mind over the subsequent decades, this features superb special effects scenes, done cleverly on a low budget, which really stand the test of time to this day. It's well made and engaging, funny and creative, and to my mind is better even than STAR WARS which it copies on occasion. A fantastic little production.

Better Than ET!

[wilsonstuart-32346 · 8/10 · 20 October 2019]

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?!

A great CFF Sci-Fi film.

[plan99 · 10/10 · 7 September 2021]

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.