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David Naughton, Debra Clinger, Eddie Deezen, Brad Wilkin, Maggie Roswell ... see more see more... , Stephen Furst , Irene Tedrow , Michael J. Fox , Joel Kenney , Alan Solomon , Arthur Adams , Curt Ayers , Kirsten Baker , Dirk Blocker , Charlie Brill , Pilar del Rey , Marvin Kaplan , Sal Lopez , Don Maxwell , Deborah Richter , Georgia Schmidt , John Voldstad , Bert Williams , Dick Winslow , Paul Reubens , David Shelley , Andy Tennant , Tom Wright , Ernie Fuentes , Elven Havard , Tony Salome , Loretta Tupper , Paula Victor , Brian Frishman , Marvin Katzoff

The crux of this limited, juvenile comedy is a complex game that begins at midnight and ends by morning. Of main interest is the fact that a young Michael J. Fox plays one of the students involved in ... read more read more...the game. Leon (Alan Solomon) has spent a year creating the game and practically needs that long to convince his fellow students to play it. Eventually he wins out, and the various teams of classic stereotypes -- the nerd, the well-groomed hero, the obnoxious sorority sister, the easily duped freshman, and others -- all converge on Los Angeles at midnight. Their treks take them through the Griffith Observatory which because of those odd hours astronomers keep, could conceivably be open. Other locales are interestingly open too, apparently Los Angeles never sleeps. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Flixster Users

70% liked it

2,869 ratings

PG, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Michael Nankin, David Wechter

Release Date: February 8, 1980

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DVD Release Date: May 15, 2001

Stats: 186 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (186)


  • January 10, 2011
    A fun college themed movie, one of the best from 1980. The story deals with a scavenger hunt, so it's both a comedy and an adventure. I loved it.
  • April 17, 2010
    A fun movie that is non-stop silly. I always wanted to do this, participate in a huge all night scavenger hunt.
  • June 23, 2009
    I don't care about whatever sentimental value this may hold, this movie blows. I don't go rating Homeward Bound 5 stars because it blew my 9-year-old mind (and happened to have Michael J. Fox in it).
  • February 9, 2009
    Fun movie, kinda silly, but very enjoyable. Plus Michael J. Fox is cute and young in this movie, so you've gotta check him out.
  • January 2, 2009
    Lucille: Harold, how long are you gonna keep driving around without knowing where we're going?
    Harold: Barf, have you finished unscrambling those letters yet?
    Barf: [finishes unscrambling letters] Fagabeefe? Haha. Fagabeefe. Hey, Melio - fagabeefe.
    Harold: [shouts] *Shut up... read more*!

    Leon: See you at the finish line... wherever that may be.

    Melio: Ha! It's easy!
    Harold: Well, what is it?
    Melio: It's like a lookout off a cliff or something.
    Melio: It means Cherry Point.
    Harold: How'd you get that?
    Melio: Well, there's one of a chair... that's a chair. One of an 'E'... that's an 'E'. One of a pin... that's a point. Chair-E-Point: Cherry Point.
    Harold: What about the ball?
    [Melio knocks the ball off the table]
    Harold: [shouts] You idiot!

    Bratty kid: [looking through telescope at a girl getting undressed in window] If I'm lucky, I may get a view of Venus' two moons.
    Adam: [pointing at the sky in the other direction] Hey, Einstein - isn't Venus over there?

    Melio: [loudly, to wake up Lucille] No, Harold, there *aren't* any cookies left!
  • September 3, 2008
    I happened to stumble upon this movie again, late last night. Midnight Madness is another 80s movie that I adore.
    It stars Michael J. Fox, in his movie debut, as Scott Larson. It's the story of an all night long scavenger hunt between five teams of college students. All the ste... read morereotypical movie groups are represented; the nerds, the meat heads, the sorority sisters, the cheaters, and the good guys everyone loves.
    In true 80s fashion, the acting could use some improvement, and there is the slight smell of cheese in the air. If you haven't seen it at least once, you should.
    It's a fun, good time film.
  • August 19, 2008
    A very simple but fun movie that the whole family can enjoy. Severeal recognizable faces, but the acting at times was way over thw top. The interaction between the members of the blue team was hilarious and at times I could not stop laughing at their antics.
  • September 4, 2007
    An interesting film about a group of people going on a scavenger hunt and work in teams. This film is Michael J. Fox's earlier films. A classic movie with some funny moments.
  • August 18, 2007
    This is a good family movie. It has the feel and similar comedy as Rat Race! Excellent for the family.
  • July 31, 2007
    This movie had my friends and I scrambling to get the clues in (The Great AllNighter)

    Leon planned "The Great Allnighter" by picking college students to participate in his night long scavenger hunt. The five teams, each designated by colors white (nerds who hate green),green (... read moremeat mach...( read more )ine who hate red), red (sorority sisters who hate green), yellow (good guys who play fair), and blue (cheaters who hate yellow) are given clues to solve, leading them to the next clue site hidden in the city. Michael J. Fox plays Scott,the younger brother,in his movie debut.

Critic Reviews


Pablo Villaca
June 14, 2006
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Bobagem descartável que traz, como grande atrativo, o fato de ter marcado a estréia de Michael J. Fox no Cinema (e de ter emperrado a carreira de seus dois jovens diretores, até então considerados pro...

Roger Ebert
November 13, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 19, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

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Midnight Madness : Watch Free on TV


Midnight Madness Trivia


  • In which movie did one of the characters arrange a mix of letters to spell the word, "FAGABEEFE"?  Answer »
  • In the scavenger hunt adventure, "Midnight Madness", what was the name of Harold's pushy girlfriend?  Answer »
  • What was Michael J. Fox's first movie?  Answer »
  • Name the first motion picture that Michael J Fox appeared in.   Answer »

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