Shrinking Down with Martin Short: The Reel Cartoonist Takes on Innerspace
13 Oct 2026 · @Adam
Episode 3 of my YouTube channel, The Reel Cartoonist, is out now – and this time we're going small. Very small. I've been revisiting Innerspace, the 1987 sci-fi comedy that sees Dennis Quaid shrunk to microscopic size and accidentally injected into a very nervous Martin Short.
▶️ Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/zIMWU-iOclA
A fantastic voyage, 80s style
If the premise sounds familiar, that's because it borrows a fair bit from Fantastic Voyage – the 1966 classic about a shrunken submarine crew travelling through the human body. But Innerspace gives the idea a proper 80s makeover, and in the episode I talk about how it sits alongside other family-friendly sci-fi of the era like Flight of the Navigator and Short Circuit.
The set-up is simple: Quaid plays Tuck Pendleton, a cocky ex-Navy pilot who volunteers for a miniaturisation experiment. When the lab is raided, the syringe holding Tuck ends up being jabbed into Jack Putter, a hypochondriac supermarket clerk played by Martin Short. What follows is a chase, a romance and a buddy comedy – with one of the buddies living inside the other.
Dennis Quaid channels Harrison Ford
One of the things I couldn't help noticing on this rewatch is just how much Dennis Quaid seems to be doing a Harrison Ford impression. The swagger, the grin, the wisecracks – it's pure Han Solo at times, and it works brilliantly for the character.
Martin Short deserved more
For me, though, this is Martin Short's film. I've always felt he never quite got his fair crack at 80s stardom – most people of my generation probably know him best from Three Amigos. In Innerspace he's channelling Gene Wilder, all twitchy nerves and panic, mixed with the kind of rubber-limbed physical comedy and dancing that Jim Carrey would make his name with a few years later.
And here's a bit of trivia: Woody Allen was reportedly offered the role of Jack Putter. It's hard to imagine now – Short makes the part entirely his own.
There's also a stunt that genuinely made me wince: Short hanging off the back of a moving truck. It looks properly dangerous, and it's a reminder of how much of this stuff was done for real back then.
Does it still hold up?
Absolutely. Innerspace is a gloriously entertaining piece of hokum – it doesn't take itself too seriously, the effects still look great (especially on the 4K edition), and the cast are clearly having a ball. If you haven't seen it since the VHS days, it's well worth a revisit.
Drawing Martin Short
As always, I finish the episode by drawing a hand-drawn caricature – and this time there was only one choice: Martin Short. With that big grin and those expressive eyebrows, he's a gift for a caricaturist. You can watch the whole drawing come together at the end of the video.
Like and subscribe
The Reel Cartoonist is a brand-new channel all about classic films, books and music – with a caricature at the end of every episode. If you enjoyed this one, I'd be really grateful if you'd give the video a like and subscribe to the channel. It makes a huge difference to a new channel finding its feet.
▶️ Watch Episode 3 – Innerspace: https://youtu.be/zIMWU-iOclA
Until next time, keep watching, keep listening, keep reading… and keep drawing.
Fancy a caricature of your own? I draw live at weddings, parties and corporate events across the Isle of Wight and the south coast – find out more at www.iowcaricatures.co.uk.
