The film was never shown theatrically in the UK when first released and went straight to video as did the movie in a number of markets and territories.
Actor Richard Dreyfuss would later play the grownup version of the film's Tim Price (Wil Wheaton) character in Stand by Me (1986).
Actor Wil Wheaton received an 'introducing' credit despite having appeared in television productions dating back to 1981, doing voice work in the animated movie The Secret of NIMH (1982) and appearing in the feature film Hambone and Hillie (1983).
The picture was originally scheduled to open in the Summer of 1983 according to an article published in the 6th November 1983 edition of the 'Los Angeles Herald Examiner'. However, the 20th Century Fox studio deferred its release stateside until late January 1984 with the movie opening on about the 20th of the month.
The picture, according to an article published in the 25th January 1984 edition of show-business trade-paper 'Variety', was the final film project commissioned by 20th Century Fox studio executive Sherry Lansing during her tenure there as president of production.