It all started here!
Super Mario Bros. is the film version of the monumentally popular platform game by Nintendo, and also holds the honour of being the very first film ever to be made that was based on a video game (Tron doesn't count because the concept was first and foremost a movie!). The film's plot differs from the game, and revolves around the rescue of Princess Daisy from the evil King Koopa in the Mushroom Kingdom.
That's the exact plot of the game right? Yes, but it's executed in a VERY different way!
The Mario Bros?
The film stars Bob Hoskins as Mario, and John Leguiziamo as Luigi, with Dennis Hopper as King Koopa ,and Samantha Mathis as Daisy. The biggest changes are that almost everything is different apart from in name. The Mushroom Kingdom is now a trashy post apocalyptic type world where the people evolved from dinosaurs instead of mammals. Daisy is an archaeologist who discovers she is Royalty from the Mushroom Kingdom, and even Toad has been changed from a stumpy mushroom headed character into a lofty guitar playing busker on the 'streets' of the Kingdom.
 Dennis Hopper Slumming it |  They could have done a lot worse! |
I must admit that, when I went to see this in the cinema in 1993, I actually enjoyed it for the most part. Simply for what it was. In 2013, I decided to have a bit of nostalgia and re-watch the film for shits and giggles, and I was absolutely appalled at how bad it was! Seriously, it was disgusting just how much I hated seeing it, and it had me wondering what brain damaged I must have sustained back in 1993 to have squeezed even the merest drip of pleasure from it?
Confusingly now on my third viewing for this review, I find myself rather enjoying it again. Forget the accuracy to the game. That was always going to get a 0/10, but for stupid fun in a sort of pseudo post apocalyptic graphic novel type setting, it was strangely satisfying. The grungy/punky look of the film is typical of the early to mid 90s, and while it's all obviously all as cheap as the town ride, it does it's job at portraying a place in decay. It's also a nice little jab at the brain that makes you think “Oh yeah, that's what films looked like back then!”
The music by composer Alan Silvestri is also rather memorable, although none of the iconic game music is used bar a small segment in the opening credits. However, the goofy melodies seem to really suit the situations, which to be honest, you would expect no less from someone of Silvestri's pedigree.
Confusingly now on my third viewing for this review, I find myself rather enjoying it again. Forget the accuracy to the game. That was always going to get a 0/10, but for stupid fun in a sort of pseudo post apocalyptic graphic novel type setting, it was strangely satisfying. The grungy/punky look of the film is typical of the early to mid 90s, and while it's all obviously all as cheap as the town ride, it does it's job at portraying a place in decay. It's also a nice little jab at the brain that makes you think “Oh yeah, that's what films looked like back then!”
The music by composer Alan Silvestri is also rather memorable, although none of the iconic game music is used bar a small segment in the opening credits. However, the goofy melodies seem to really suit the situations, which to be honest, you would expect no less from someone of Silvestri's pedigree.
The Great Bob Hoskins
The best thing about the film by far is the late great Bob Hoskins, who actually nails the character of Mario without actually being accurate (what?). I much prefer Mario as a gruff, Italian New Yorker to the shitty “It's-a-me-a-Mario!” rubbish that got trotted out years later. Hoskins delevers his lines with the usual quality that you would expect, and in a seamless accent no less. Dennis Hopper has worked with some of the best directors in the world and has been in a lot of seriously quality films (as well as directing and starring in Easy Rider), so to see him grinding the cheese in such an obvious piece of low brow trash is both refreshing, and at the same time disappointing. His acting is over the top, but also subdued although I can't really say it's good either way, but there it is. Samantha Mathis is a fine enough Daisy to be sure. She's rather easy on the eye, and is portrayed as a passionate bookworm with a brain which adds to her appeal far beyond the damsel in distress of the game, so there is actually an additional plus point that the film makes to the character. Yoshi is also ridiculously cute, and actually not badly done with a mix of CGI and animatronics, although I don't think Bob Hoskins would be mounting him any time soon.
It can't be said that Super Mario Bros. Is a good film though. The 90s 'look', though somewhat nostalgically appealing, is probably due to the necessity of the set designers throwing together any old spares and junk that they could find. I seriously doubt the film got allocated a large budget to play around with, so innovation was the key factor in the film's overall look and feel. To be fair to the makers, it's actually incredibly hard to imagine the world of Super Mario Bros. in a live action film, as it's just not the type of game that translates well to a big screen outing. It would probably have been better suited to a high quality digital animation feature instead, and that way the feel of the game could have been preserved, as well as more fantastic things could have maybe been achieved (I would have still liked Hoskins to do the voice!). However, we must remember that digital animation was still in it's infancy, with only a few scenes in Aladdin being computer generated thus far, and in 1993 we were a good two years off Toy Story, so any hopes of a Mario animated film back then, bar the traditional methods, would have been pretty futile.
It can't be said that Super Mario Bros. Is a good film though. The 90s 'look', though somewhat nostalgically appealing, is probably due to the necessity of the set designers throwing together any old spares and junk that they could find. I seriously doubt the film got allocated a large budget to play around with, so innovation was the key factor in the film's overall look and feel. To be fair to the makers, it's actually incredibly hard to imagine the world of Super Mario Bros. in a live action film, as it's just not the type of game that translates well to a big screen outing. It would probably have been better suited to a high quality digital animation feature instead, and that way the feel of the game could have been preserved, as well as more fantastic things could have maybe been achieved (I would have still liked Hoskins to do the voice!). However, we must remember that digital animation was still in it's infancy, with only a few scenes in Aladdin being computer generated thus far, and in 1993 we were a good two years off Toy Story, so any hopes of a Mario animated film back then, bar the traditional methods, would have been pretty futile.
The grubby world of the Mushroom Kingdom
So there it is. Short, sharp, and to the point. Super Mario Bros. isn't a good film, but it's not an awful one either - just incredibly silly. I can honestly say that I watched it with a fair bit of enjoyment. I found the grimy 90's look appealing, and Bob Hoskins is always an absolute joy to watch whatever he's in. I also thank the film for giving me something to rip the piss out of The Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man some two decades later (you know what I mean).
The final effect of the film is that it did actually want to make me watch similar movies of the early to mid 90s, like Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, and Crash & Burn, which are all great slices of 90s cheddar. So, while Super Mario Bros. might not have scored any points for innovative film making or fan service, I'm afraid nostalgia won the day today. It fondly reminded me of a time that I lived through as a grubby teenager, and that really put a smile on my face!
The final effect of the film is that it did actually want to make me watch similar movies of the early to mid 90s, like Tank Girl, Judge Dredd, and Crash & Burn, which are all great slices of 90s cheddar. So, while Super Mario Bros. might not have scored any points for innovative film making or fan service, I'm afraid nostalgia won the day today. It fondly reminded me of a time that I lived through as a grubby teenager, and that really put a smile on my face!
 | Striding forth from his lair at Castle Stareskull one morning, Prototron decided to not reign down terror on the villagers, but instead go back inside, crack open a beer and load up Streets Of Rage 2. One hundred years later, he's still there. A avid music maker (of TERROR!) and retro gamer, he can be found whooping any and all heroes at all manner of SNK-based challenges. |
