Fantastic Voyage (1966) & Innerspace (1987): Attack of the Tiny Tourists | EP16

Science fiction often imagines journeys across galaxies and distant planets — but sometimes the most extraordinary voyage takes place inside the human body.

The idea of shrinking explorers to microscopic size and sending them into the bloodstream has produced some of the most imaginative sci-fi adventures ever filmed.

In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore two films built around this remarkable concept: the Cold War science-fiction adventure Fantastic Voyage (1966) and the comedic action spectacle Innerspace (1987).

Although both films revolve around miniaturised travellers navigating the human body, they reflect very different eras of science-fiction storytelling.

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Discussion Points from the Episode

In this episode of Journey Through Sci-Fi, we explore:

• how Fantastic Voyage helped pioneer the “journey inside the body” concept in sci-fi

• the imaginative production design and visual effects used in the 1966 film

• how Innerspace reinvented the idea as an action-comedy adventure

• why miniaturisation remains one of science fiction’s most visually inventive ideas

Fantastic Voyage (1966)

Director: Richard Fleischer

Writer: Harry Kleiner

Producer: Saul David

Studio: 20th Century-Fox

Starring: Stephen Boyd, Raquel Welch, Donald Pleasence, Arthur Kennedy

Release Year: 1966

Fantastic Voyage tells the story of a group of scientists and military specialists who are miniaturized and placed inside a microscopic submarine. Their mission is to enter the bloodstream of a critically injured scientist and destroy a life-threatening blood clot in his brain.

The crew must navigate the body’s internal environment — travelling through arteries, lungs and the brain — while avoiding dangers such as immune-system attacks and mechanical failure. The entire mission must be completed within one hour, before the miniaturisation process reverses.

Released in 1966, the film became a landmark of science-fiction cinema thanks to its elaborate sets and imaginative special effects. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Special Effects and Best Art Direction.

Innerspace (1987)

Director: Joe Dante

Writers: Jeffrey Boam & Chip Proser

Producer: Michael FinnellStudio: Amblin Entertainment / Warner Bros.

Starring: Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg Ryan

Release Year: 1987

Innerspace reimagines the miniaturisation concept as an action-comedy adventure. The film follows test pilot Tuck Pendleton, who volunteers for a secret experiment in which he and his small spacecraft are shrunk to microscopic size.

The experiment goes wrong when criminals attempt to steal the miniaturization technology, and Pendleton is accidentally injected into the body of a nervous supermarket clerk named Jack Putter instead of the intended test animal.

Together, the two must evade the villains while trying to reverse the experiment before Pendleton runs out of oxygen inside his human host.

The film was inspired by Fantastic Voyage but approached the premise with a comedic tone and high-energy action sequences. It grossed roughly $95 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

The Appeal of Miniaturisation Stories

Both films show how the idea of shrinking humans opens up fascinating storytelling possibilities.

By altering scale, science fiction can transform familiar environments into vast and dangerous worlds. Inside the body, white blood cells become attacking monsters and blood vessels resemble massive tunnels.

This idea has appeared in many sci-fi stories because it blends scientific imagination with the thrill of exploration.

Listen to the Episode

Listen to Fantastic Voyage (1966) & Innerspace (1987) wherever you get your podcasts.

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Or explore the full Journey Through Sci-Fi archive to discover more episodes exploring the history of science-fiction cinema.