Super Mario Bros. (1993)

User Rating:

3.7/10   

Directors:

Annabel Jankel
Rocky Morton

Writers (WGA):

Parker Bennett (written by) &
Terry Runte (written by) ...

Release Date:

28 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

This Ain't No Game, It's a Live-Action Thrill Ride!

Plot:

The Marios rush to save a princess from Koopa.

Plot Keywords:

Damsel In Distress | Slapstick | Rescue | Action Hero | Magic

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Bob Hoskins	...	Mario Mario
John Leguizamo	...	Luigi Mario
Dennis Hopper	...	King Koopa
Samantha Mathis	...	Princess Daisy
Fisher Stevens	...	Iggy
Richard Edson	...	Spike
Fiona Shaw	...	Lena
Dana Kaminski	...	Daniella
Mojo Nixon	...	Toad
Gianni Russo	...	Scapelli
Francesca Roberts	...	Bertha
Lance Henriksen	...	The King
Sylvia Harman	...	Old Lady
Desiree Marie Velez	...	Angelica
Andrea Powell	...	Brooklyn Girl

Also Known As:

Super Mario Brothers (USA) (alternative spelling)
Super Mario Brothers: The Movie (USA) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sci-fi action, mild language and sensuality.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:L (original rating) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:All | Philippines:G | Finland:K-12 | Finland:K-3 (DVD rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Québec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Germany:12 | Mexico:A | Norway:10 | Peru:PT | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Screen Gems Studios - 1223 North 23rd Street, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Allied Filmmakers

Trivia:

The intercom guns used by Koopa and Daisy would resemble the NES zapper sold with the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Bob-omb blows up under Koopa's legs, he flies into the air, and is shown shortly after falling straight down. But in the shot just after, he falls at an almost 45 degree angle into the suspended bucket.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: A long long time ago, the Earth was ruled by dinosaurs. They were big, so not a lot of people went around hassing 'em. Actually, no people went around hassling 'em cuz there weren't any people yet. Just the first tiny mammals. Basically, life was good...

Movie Connections:

References The Blues Brothers (1980)

Soundtrack:

CANTALOOP

Too harsh, by far

Yes, this no classic, but it's not that bad. And yes it bears no resemblance to the video games that inspired it except for the jumpsuits that look like the heroes overalls, but it's not bad.

Mario & Luigi (Bob Hoskins & John Leguizamo) are the two down on their luck brother plumbers who get involved with a college student named Daisy (Samantha Mathis) who turns out to be a princess from an alternate dimension. Once transported there themselves, they must fight the evil King Koopa (Dennis Hopper) and save their world from being merged with Koopa's and the human race from being turned into monkeys.

It may be hard to believe that John Leguizamo is Bob Hoskins brother, but the two have good chemistry and John has a convincing Brooklyn accent (although Tom Selleck would have been a more convincing Luigi in some respects). Bob reprises his gruff detective persona from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" to great effect. Samantha Mathis is cute as the princess and manages to feel less shallow than most heroines in these situations. Dennis Hopper hams it up as the film's villain. Lots of gags and good natured humor, and a beautiful song from Roxette, "Almost Unreal". Worth a rental.