Radioactive Dreams (1985) | Region-Free (DVD) | Starring John Stockwell

Title: Radioactive Dreams (1985)

Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Comedy

Plot Synopsis:
After a nuclear war in 1996, two young boys, Philip Chandler and Marlowe Hammer, are taken into a fallout shelter by their fathers. Raised on 1940s detective novels and swing music, they emerge 15 years later into a post-apocalyptic world filled with mutants, cannibals, and violent gangs. Aspiring to be private detectives like their literary heroes, they embark on a dangerous adventure, unknowingly coming into possession of keys that could launch the last remaining nuclear missile—making them prime targets for warring factions.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Albert Pyun
• Writer: Albert Pyun
• Cast:
  • John Stockwell as Philip Chandler
  • Michael Dudikoff as Marlowe Hammer
  • Michele Little as Rusty Mars
  • Lisa Blount as Miles Archer
  • George Kennedy as “Spade” Chandler

YouTube Trailer:
Radioactive Dreams | Trailer 

IMDb Link:
Radioactive Dreams (1985) 

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Justin Decloux – ★★★★
   “If you enjoy this review, check out my book Radioactive Dreams: The Cinema of Albert Pyun. I reviewed every one of Pyun’s films and interviewed some of his closest collaborators. Radioactive Dreams is a goofy 80s comedy, a post-apocalyptic adventure, a 40s detective pastiche, and a musical all wrapped into one high-concept package.”

2. Noraa – ★★★½
   “The vibes this movie gives off are incredible and worth the time alone. Like Six String Samurai meets the city scenes from the Mario movie. The general plot, and the literal red herrings, are cool but not really important overall. It’s about two kids who think they’re P.I.s after being locked in a bunker after the nukes go off. So yeah, worth a watch. And honestly, the music rips.”

3. Jacob Knight – ★★★★
   “Albert Pyun’s post-apocalyptic noir musical is a total blast, blending genres with reckless abandon. The chemistry between Stockwell and Dudikoff is fantastic, and the film’s commitment to its wild premise is commendable. A hidden gem of 80s cinema.”

4. Mondo Cinema – ★★★
   “A bizarre mix of styles that shouldn’t work but somehow does. The 40s detective homage set in a Mad Max-like world is both absurd and entertaining. Not for everyone, but cult film fans will find a lot to love.”

5. Sarah Jane – ★★★★½
   “This is the kind of movie that makes digging through 80s B-movies worth it. It’s imaginative, funny, and has a killer soundtrack. Albert Pyun at his most inventive.”

Meta Description:
A post-apocalyptic detective adventure, Radioactive Dreams (1985) follows two young men raised on 1940s noir fiction who emerge from a fallout shelter into a mutant-filled wasteland. Directed by Albert Pyun and starring John Stockwell and Michael Dudikoff, this genre-blending cult classic delivers action, comedy, and a killer 80s soundtrack.