source: The Glitterball

The Glitterball

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.

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.

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

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

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?!

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.

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!

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