The Spirit of '76
“A close-up look at the most embarrassing decade in history.”
Synopsis
Future Americans decide to time travel to 1776 to ask the founding fathers for the solutions to their problems. A glitch in the time machine changes their destination to 1976. Still believing themselves to be in 1776, the time travellers attempt to study this "ideal" civilization. 70's jokes, props and stars abound.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Spirit of '76 - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-10-12
Top Cast
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David Cassidy
Adam-11
Olivia D'Abo
Chanel-6
Steven Shane McDonald
Tommy Sears
Jeffrey McDonald
Chris Johnson
Geoff Hoyle
Heinz-57
Leif Garrett
Eddie Trojan
Mark Mothersbaugh
Chevron-17
Gerald V. Casale
Yale-44
Carl Reiner
Dr. Von Mobil
Bob Casale
Ron-29
David Kendrick
Ron-31
Rob Reiner
Dr. Cash
Moon Unit Zappa
Cheryl Dickman
Tommy Chong
Stoner
Shelby Chong
Cashier
Barbara Bain
Hipster
Julie Brown
Ms. Liberty
Iron Eyes Cody
Iron Eyes Cody
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 12, 1990
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 1, 1991
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Lucas Reiner
- Screenplay & Story
- Lucas Reiner, Roman Coppola
- Original Score
- David Nichtern
- Original Title
- The Spirit of '76
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Production Studios
- Commercial Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Lucas Reiner
Lucas Reiner, Roman Coppola
David Nichtern
Stephen Lighthill
Glen Scantlebury
Roman Coppola, Fred Fuchs, Susan Landau Finch
Department Leadership Roster
Lucas Reiner
Director
Lucas Reiner
Writer
Daniel Talpers
Production Design
Glen Scantlebury
Editor
Stephen Lighthill
Director of Photography
Susan Landau Finch
Producer
Sofia Coppola
Costume Design
David Nichtern
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Spirit of '76.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Spirit of '76.
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
Time Travel
Time Travel
MovieLens[:10K]
Paradox Playground
From retro B-movie experiments to blockbuster timeline chaos, Paradox Playground is a 100+ film odyssey through the many ways cinema has tried to outsmart time. From the pulp sci-fi anxieties of The Time Travelers and the existential twist of Planet of the Apes, to the paradox-perfection of Back to the Future and the apocalyptic dread of The Terminator, this list maps decades of temporal imagination. You’ll find time machines built in Victorian labs, naval warships thrown into Pearl Harbor via cosmic vortex in The Final Countdown, medieval villagers tunneling into the 1980s in The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey, and slacker prophets rewriting history in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. Serious, absurd, tragic, hopeful — this collection embraces every paradox, bootstrap loop, alternate timeline, and cosmic accident ever put on screen. Because in the end, time travel movies aren’t just about changing the past — they’re about confronting destiny, rewriting identity, and asking whether the future was ever fixed to begin with.
Future-Fiction
Movies set in the Future
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Spirit of '76
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Spirit of '76 about?
Future Americans decide to time travel to 1776 to ask the founding fathers for the solutions to their problems. A glitch in the time machine changes their destination to 1976. Still believing themselves to be in 1776, the time travellers attempt to study this "ideal" civilization. 70's jokes, props and stars abound.
Who directed The Spirit of '76?
The Spirit of '76 was directed by Lucas Reiner.
Who stars in The Spirit of '76?
The principal cast of The Spirit of '76 includes David Cassidy, Olivia D'Abo, Steven Shane McDonald, Jeffrey McDonald, Geoff Hoyle.
When was The Spirit of '76 released and how long is it?
The Spirit of '76 was released in 1990 with a total runtime of 1h 22m.
Who composed the musical score for The Spirit of '76?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Spirit of '76 was composed by David Nichtern.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Spirit of '76?
The Spirit of '76 holds official age classifications: DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).