The Pagemaster (1994) User Reviews

Animation and books, my favorite things come together!

[Animany94 · 7/10 · 1 June 2018]

Why such a low rating? A movie with such good intentions and well made characters deserve more love.

I was so into the idea from the start, and the message about facing your own fear was well woven into a classic fairy-tale trope of going through 3 tests.

Of course you'll get the most out of the movie if you know all the references to classic books like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Moby Dick, etc., but I think that's what makes The Pagemaster a good family movie. Kids can get entertained by the lively animated characters and relate to Macauly Culkin's role while adults can enjoy the clever use of historic literature.

The different segments of literary genres could've been both deeper and wider had the movie been just fifteen or so minutes longer, because honestly, it was a little rushed at times, but that's my only complaint about it. The segments were fine as they were, but could've made more out of its source material.

The animation was pretty good at times. Also a little dated sometimes, but the horror segment and that of fantasy actually had a grand feel to it. The dragon was my favorite simply because of the massive presence it had. It really felt BIG.

The anthropomorphic books were also cute and clever in their interactions. Some may find them annoying, but Whoopi Goldberg,Patrick Stewart and Frank Welker brought them to life with exellence.

An underated family movie which deserves more attention. Entertaining, educational and heartwarming

Get away from the computer and read a book, gosh darn it!

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 3 May 2006]

"The Pagemaster" may have been the only really good movie that Macaulay Culkin ever did. Playing accident-obsessed youngster Richard Tyler, who goes to the library and gets transferred into a world of horror, fantasy and adventure, he makes the most of the role. Patrick Stewart (a pirate-like book named Adventure), Whoopi Goldberg (a fairy-like book named Fantasy) and Frank Welker (a maladroit book named Horror) show themselves to be as adept in these kinds of movies as they are in their normal roles, as does Christopher Lloyd (the librarian and the Pagemaster).

All in all, this movie really shows you how much there is to read. I think that my favorite scene was the whole Jekyll and Hyde sequence - although the dripping painting was also pretty impressive. A very well done movie. Also starring Ed Begley Jr., Mel Harris, and the voices of Leonard Nimoy, Dorian Harewood and Phil Hartman.

Part of my childhood

[TOMNEL · 7/10 · 10 December 2007]

Just because something is part of my childhood doesn't mean it's good, and this movie is really not a great animated film. It's got a nice message, and it looks good, but the premise of jumping from storybook to storybook gets tiring by the end.

Richard Tyler (McCaulay Culkin) is a scaredy cat who's always getting picked on. On a stormy night he gets stuck in a library, and ends up animated with several book friends. He meets Fantasy (Whoopie Goldberg), Adventure (Patrick Stewart) and Horror (Frank Welker), and he goes through many famous books. The plot is very slim, and kind of just jumps around from book to book, but it actually works very well. This also has a great musical score and it manages to make the movie sad at times. Unlike many animated films, you actually come to like the characters by the end, and that's hard to do.

"The Pagemaster" is a very underrated, good animated movie that will appeal to kids and will amuse adults.

My rating: *** out of ****. 70 mins. Rated G

From the twilight of a legend gone too soon....

[pirate1_power · 22 February 2002]

Many of the titles featured in this Internet Movie Database represent films that for various reasons are welcomed with scorn regardless of the good intentions of their creators. One such film is David Kirschner's "The Pagemaster," created by him as a means to share with his two daughters, Alexis and Jessica (both of whom, by the way, have cameos in the film), the wonder of reading. The story was born out of a clandestine visit by David, Lexie and Jess Kirschner to the New York Public Library's Center for the Humanities (the Headquarters Branch). Both Kirschner girls were little back then, and Dad ran Hanna-Barbera at the time. But what those two chldren took out of that visit was a spectacular sense of wonder --- and, consequently, that's how their father developed the idea for "The Pagemaster."

Some 3 1/2 years later, the result of David's concept stands as a spectacularly imaginative adventure where the joy of reading is made manifest within the simple space of 75 minutes. What a lot of people grumble about, as far as this film is concerned, is the fact that this was Macaulay Culkin's penultimate appearance as a child actor. There were many in and out of Hollywood who wanted to see his career implode; and part of that, as we all know by now, was due to the bitter divorce and custdy battles between his parents. That, more than anything, was the lynchpin of the disgust most of us had for this kid.

And what of the film itself? Well, the story of Richard Tyler still enchants me, if it doesn't anyone else. Who wouldn't want to have adventures with three delightful book characters representing their namesake genres --- Adventure (Patrick Stewart), Fantasy (Whoopi Goldberg) and Horror (Frank Welker)? Not only that, encountering both Jekyll and Hyde (Leonard Nimoy), Captain Ahab (George Hearn), Long John Silver (Jim Cummings) .... and a fire-breathing dragon --- and taking them on any way you can is perfect fodder for an 11-year-old constantly fearing the world around him.

One particularly funny line in the film comes in the live-action prologue, co-starring Ed Begley, Jr. and Mel Harris as Richard's parents. Alan, the father (Begley), recalls to his wife Claire (Harris) the day he signed his son up for Little League Baseball: "...he drove everybody crazy with statistics about how you can get a blood clot just by being hit on the head with a ball. 'Did you know that shin-splints can lead to blood clots in the legs?' Claire, he brought in a medical journal! Nobody wanted to play after that! And now, I'm building him a treehouse in a tree he refuses to climb!" Looking back, it's not how Begley utters that line, but rather, it is the way he delivers it that makes me laugh.

And then, there's James Horner's delightful score, punctuated by the central theme tune --- recorded as a single by Capitol recording artist Wendy Moten. Entitled "Whatever You Imagine," the song, with lyrics by the indefatigable Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, was even nominated for a Grammy, which, alas, it didn't win. But the tune was eventually embraced by yours truly; and has since been adopted as Blackwolf the Dragonmaster's personal song.

These are just some of the special memories I have about "The Pagemaster." But of course, it is the Pagemaster himself, voiced and spoken by Christopher Lloyd, who drives home the story's central point. It is he, more than anyone else, who gives Richard Tyler the strength he needs to confront his own fears, regardless of the world around him. The result, of course, is that, by the time our tale ends, Richard becomes a stronger and better person --- all thanks to the magic of books. I sincerely believe that, given the current popularity of the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings books, the wisdom of the Pagemaster is paying off, long after the film has been forgotten. After all, without books, we couldn't take on the imagination in our own way fearlessly. And that, I think, is as much reward as a young person needs in this world. 'Nuff said.

Good

[manitobaman81 · 7/10 · 30 August 2014]

The setup: A cowardly boy who buries himself in accident statistics enters a library to escape a storm only to be transformed into an animated illustration by the Pagemaster. He has to work through obstacles from classic books to return to real life.

The verdict: It solidified the comeback for Culkin as a unique presence in American cinema. Yes, this does remind me a lot of Dragon's Den. In some ways it is the most ridiculous thing I've seen in years. Some of the dialog could be better. The story is well told and gives you a good idea of how Culkin becomes the hero. My only problem with the film was the supporting cast, but it's still okay.

There's a lot in it to complain about, but I did marginally enjoy the film

[TheUnknown837-1 · 7/10 · 3 May 2008]

"The Pagemaster" is a heavily flawed, highly panned family movie about a boy with fears of just about everything learning to overcome his fears when he becomes trapped into the world of illustrations in a strange library run by an eccentric man played by Christopher Lloyd. The film starts out with live action, switches to complete cartoon animation for most of the screen time, and then returns to live action for the last few minutes. Now to be honest, the quality of the animation sucks. It is dull, has very little vibrance, and looks more like a low-budget Saturday afternoon ten-minute cartoon. Which is a shame, for the script is good and the characters are more likable than their 2-Dimensional appearances.

The film explores the worlds created by several different authors of classic literature including Capt. Ahab's mad obsession with hunting the white whale Moby Dick, to pirates seeking fortune on Treasure Island, the two-sided character of Dr. Jekyll, and so on and so forth. The bottom line is, despite the dry appearance, I did enjoy the substance that was held underneath.

As a note, the title of the film has very little to do with the plot of the movie, and I did marginally enjoy "The Pagemaster". It's just a shame that the filmmakers didn't put more budget, time, and effort into making the animation more vibrant and colorful and more attractive like the live action parts that were wonderfully done and directed. I compliment the acting jobs as well, and although I do not recommend "The Pagemaster" and had a lot to complain about it, I will not deny that I did like it.

Peters Out Quickly

[ccthemovieman-1 · 4/10 · 1 July 2006]

The beginning of this movie is excellent with tremendous sound and some nice humor, but once the film changes into animation it quickly loses its appeal.

One of the reasons that was so, at least for me, was that the colors in much of the animation are too muted, with too little contrast. It doesn't look good, at least on VHS. Once in a while it breaks out and looks great, but not often Also, the characters come and go too quickly. For example, I would have liked to have seen more of "Moby Dick." When the film starts to drag, however, it picks up again with the entrance of the dragon and then the film finishes strong.

Overall, just not memorable enough or able to compete with the great animated films of the last dozen years.

I honestly don't understand the 4.8 rating, for I thought this movie was terrific!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 31 August 2009]

The Pagemaster in my opinion, was a wonderful film, and I do think the 4.8 rating is too low. I have seen much worse movies, that are rated higher than that. Sure it's not Disney, but it is a good family film that I guarantee if you give it a chance that the whole family will love. The animation is not so bad, perhaps a little dated and rushed, but I've seen worse, and the dragon was excellent. The music by James Horner was beautiful, very fitting with what was going on on screen, very reminiscent of Land Before Time and Once Upon a Forest, and Whatever You imagine was amazing. The story tells of a young boy named Richard, who is serious and fearful of everything, until an unexpected visit to the library changes his life forever. I loved the story and the clever and diverse references to the literary giants, like Treasure Island, Jekyll and Hyde and Moby Dick, and the message of the film about facing your fears that doesn't preach. Macaulay Culkin is excellent here as is Christopher Lloyd, and Patrick Stewart (rousing and witty), Whoopi Goldberg (sugar and starch) and Frank Welker (in a fine Igor impression) expertly bring the snappy screenplay to life. I loved the witty banter between Adventure and Fantasy, and the librarian's rant about the different literary genres. And I don't think it is Macaulay Culkin or Christopher Lloyd's worst film, Culkin's was Richie Rich, Lloyd's was My Favourite Martian. All in all, a terrific film, with a 10/10. Bethany Cox

Predictable 90s part-animated film that has not stood the test of time

[Elgroovio · 5/10 · 8 June 2008]

The main argument that I have against this film is that it seems to try, and subsequently fails, to be Disneyesque. As a result, it does not come across as an original or innovative idea. However, this is definitely not the only thing wrong with this disappointing feel-good extravaganza.

First of all, there are some definite cast issues: Macaulay Culkin is quite unbearably irritating as the cowardly Richard Tyler, a role that, in my opinion, would have benefited a lot from a more comic portrayal that would have made the audience relate to him more easily. Another annoying feature is Whoopi Goldberg as Tyler's animated literary companion, Fantasy. She is the wise-cracking character that you find very often in animated feature films, like the Genie from "Aladdin" (portrayed engagingly by Robin Williams), except that Goldberg, for all her talent, does not really have the extreme pathos that Williams had, and that the role requires. Patrick Stewart, the man with one of the greatest voices to ever grace the big screen, is somewhat wasted as the obligatory coward-who-thinks-he's-so-brave, Adventure, and although Frank Welker's Horror (the hunchbook) is amiable, the character still comes across as boringly formulaic, like the film. The cast's only real saving grace is the live-action Christopher Lloyd as Mr Dewey the librarian, not to mention the latter's animated alter-ego, the Pagemaster. As he so often is, Lloyd is brilliantly over the top. Otherwise, the only other interesting vocal contribution is that of Leonard Nimoy as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, although his appearance is limited to a small cameo.

Furthermore, the animation, for a modern day viewer, is not impressive enough to distract the audience from the dull plot, and neither is the dialogue, which falls flat (especially with Culkin's unenthusiastic delivery) and the gags are mostly grindingly facetious and unfunny ("Would you like to crawl into a corner with a good book?"). There is also a song in the middle of the film, "Whatever You Imagine", written by Barry Mann, James Horner and Cynthia Weil, and performed by Wendy Moten. The song seems to be an attempt at capturing the Disney feel of incorporating Pop songs into the story-line. However, whether you like Disney's songs or not, you have to admire their talent for incorporating them into the plot, as can be seen in "The Lion King" (a film of which I, personally, am not tremendously fond) with Elton John and Tim Rices' Oscar-winning "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", not to mention the other songs that they wrote for that film, all of which fit seamlessly into the plot. In "The Pagemaster", no such cohesion between plot and music is achieved even minimally.

However, although this film is mostly disappointing, not all is lost. The story, for all its flaws, wastes no time in getting started, and there is a certain nostalgia surrounding the film for the endless stream of, mostly mediocre, but still harmless, cartoons of the 90s, when computer-generated animation was yet to be exploited. The film does make a respectable attempt at being educational on the literary world, but some of the references are too fleeting (more Sherlock Holmes would not have gone amiss) while others were given too much emphasis, especially the "Treasure Island" segment, although Long John Silver is quite endearingly modeled on Robert Newton's classic portrayal of the character from the 1950 motion picture. Pixote Hunt, Maurice Hunt and Joe Johnston handle the direction skillfully, and, had the script and the story been polished up, this film just might have been passable. Having said that, I can't deny that, when I first saw the film, as a young boy, around ten odd years ago, I was sufficiently entertained, so it is definitely a good, innocent film to plant your children in front of if it's on television, but definitely not worth buying.

A nostalgic childhood favorite of mine holds up today after 20 years have passed

[gavin-thelordofthefu-48-460297 · 10/10 · 29 December 2014]

Hello. This is gavin.thelordofthefuture and this would be a review of a film that I've seen twenty years ago when I was a kid. The story about an 11 year old boy with statistics named Richard Tyler who stumbles upon a library during a thunderstorm and enters it. After meeting an old librarian, he goes to the fiction section and sees a mural with four pictures, but little did he realized that he gets transported to a world where every fiction story comes to life and sees a wise old sorcerer called the "Pagemaster". Then, his adventure begins and meets three fiction books named Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror and together, they must encounter haunted houses, pirates, and monsters in order to help get Richard back home.

Why am I reviewing this in the middle of a Christmas break? Well, let's just say that I've been watching this since I was a child and seeing how it has been 20 years, that's why I made that risky decision. Now, is there anything that I don't like about The Pagemaster? Well, let's just say that the only nitpick I do have is the animation. Don't get me wrong. It's beautiful and is very creative in it's making of the world of literary including Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, the pirates led by Captain Long John Silver, and the Dragon in the climax of the film, but as time went by, it became a little dated to me.

Anyway, everything else still holds up. The story is very engaging with very clever writing and the morals about facing your fears and using your imagination doesn't preach on you as it is done perfectly. Also, it has some very good characters and they still hold up to this day. Macaulay Culkin is likable as Richard Tyler, Christopher Lloyd relishes his role as the librarian Mr. Dewey and The Pagemaster, and the three talking books, Adventure, a swashbuckling pirate book with Patrick Stewart's solid pirate accent, Fantasy, a sassy, but caring fairy tale book who pulls off some nice humorous moments while being wise thanks to Whoopi Goldberg, and Horror, a fearful Hunchbook and also has some funny bits with the famous Frank Welker, known for voicing animal creatures in other animated films. The other characters are also good with cameos from Leonard Nimoy as Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, Phil Hartman as one of the pirate crew members Tom Morgan and Jim Cummings as Long John Silver.

The pacing is very brisk and doesn't come to the point where it would bore me to death, but the best part about The Pagemaster is the music score from James Horner, one of my favorite music composers. To some, it does copy music elements from his other scores from Star Trek II and others, but to me, it has a nostalgic value to it. Why, you may ask?

Well, the reason why I brought this up is because it does a solid job interpreting the theme song "Whatever You Imagine" that plays throughout the movie and has been stuck with me since my childhood ended. That piece of music alone is what made me watch this film over and over again.

Overall, The Pagemaster became one of my childhood films and today, it still holds up. It has an engaging story, some likable characters, some clever writing, and some really beautiful music. As those aspects stayed with me in my memory, this deserves a gold trophy of recommendation as a film that is worth watching to some who hasn't seen it yet. Check it out and relive your imagination!

Not *so* bad, but...

[La Gremlin · 3/10 · 2 March 2001]

There is a really good movie lurking just beneath the surface of the layers upon layers of cheese that is "the Pagemaster".

I found this out when I watched this again this morning after neglecting it for years and years. I remember hating it with a passion when it first came out, but this time, I found that the special effects are quite good. The plot is just "the Neverending Story" with a creativity-endectomy, but it's an okay little flick for anyone who just wants some really awesome eye-candy. The animation is amazing, and I especially liked how the animators let their characters look and act a bit more surrealistic than the norm. I'm giving it a grade of three as I *would* have given it a two (just for parody value) if I had ever decided to watch this movie expecting it to absolutely blow my mind story-wise.

A childhood favourite that should have been longer.

[jackcwelch23 · 13 October 2017]

This was my favourite film as a kid. Being born the year it came out, I think i spent the majority of 1998 watching it as that is when my brain developed enough to remember a movie. I honestly remember sitting there in my lounge room literally wishing there would be a sequel or a longer version somewhere out there because even as a toddler there were still parts of the film frustrated the hell out of me. I wanted to see Richard at school, get better sense of his lack of friends and worried, overly cautious nature. I wanted him to have a girl he liked, or someone he wanted to impress, that he could after his adventures with the books. I wanted more Christopher Lloyd. I wanted the areas of the journey he embarked upon to go longer than about 15 minutes each, I wanted more jokes and maybe a few more characters for them to meet along the way. I also would have liked more books to pop up, maybe like action or something like that. Even just a little cameo would have been cool.

All that being said, what I was left with, I loved. More than anything. James Horner's score is easily my favourite of all time and summarises my awesome childhood. Macaulay Culkin was always my hero. I was delighted he was the star of this. It was a hell of a lot better than richie rich. Yeesh. The visuals were terrific and it really did have a sense of wonder. The very short runtime however, stopped it from being a real classic. Man oh man that was a small tragedy as a kid. It filled me with a rich sadness, because I didn't want the story to end. It did make me feel as hard as i think i ever felt as a child though, and for that, I cant fault it. Plus the bike scene made me want to jump 10 feet in the air with happiness.

A fun adventure for the family

[dylanjones-25298 · 7/10 · 26 January 2020]

A great movie from my childhood. An engaging story, with important lessons at its heart. Perfect movie for the family - not too long, keeps the little ones interested and nothing to upset the really little ones!

J'adore!

[fanny-rantamaki · 10/10 · 10 June 2010]

• It's in the middle, by the waterfall! - No, it's East.. by some broccoli.

I'm sorry. But I absolutely love this movie! I remember it so well from when I was a kid, how I watched it over and over again, never getting tired of it. For years I have been wanting to see it again, but I couldn't remember what it was called. And when I Finally found it, I was a bit scared to actually see it. I mean, whenever you have had so high expectations on a movie (especially one that you've seen and loved as a child) you always in some way get more or less disappointed. But this time I have to say I didn't!

Sure, the colors and contrast isn't as powerful as it could be and the part where he gets chased by the color isn't half as realistic as I remembered it too be, but for a 4-yearold (which I was at the time this came out) it's more than enough to get the engines running! This movie is partially responsible for my massive interest and collection of fantasy-books and movies at home, as well as my ridiculous fear of thunder. I mean, come on, it's really nicely put together! It's got it all! Plus, even if they are only in there for a short period of time, you build up an interest for all the stories you come across throughout the story, like Moby Dick and Dr Jekyll. And that was the intention of the maker of this move, right? To get the children into reading. At least I remember asking my mum to read all those stories to me after seeing this!

Okey, maybe I'm letting myself get a bit carried away.. I'll be honest, If I hadn't seen this as a kid or had kids myself, I probably wouldn't think that much of it. It's a bit dated which we all can tell and with todays technology you could make this 10 times better . But setting that aside, this is a timeless story! And I hope that when I have kids myself, this movie will help them get their lazy asses away from the computer and into the library.

In the end I will not rate this movie from an adult living in our time's point of view, but from the heart of a little girl. And never the less, this adults heart still beats hard for this movie.

Just an average attempt to make a half cartoon fantasy movie, even the charismatic Macaulay Culkin at peak of his career!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 2 July 2023]

After the smashing success Home Alone became Macaulay Culkin in a kid star an upcoming and promising adult star neither, sad fate he enters in a downhill aftermaths, what a waste, has turned in a puppet teen actor and now was buried career for good, he gave his natural gift to straighten this half-cartoon fantasy movie, bringing some strong names as Christopher Lloyd and some voices as Patrick Stuart, Whoopi Goldberg and Leonard Nimoy to named a few, targeting the great novels drove for kids audience, with charismatic book's stars.

A midclass smart boy Richard Tyler (Culkin) doesn't able get out of his own bubble afraid to do a simple up a ladder, often focusing in statistics to explains their fears, then came up an exit provided by fantasy gods to rescue the fated Richard forcing him get shelter in a library after a strong rainstorm, there he is received by an old clerk Mr. Dewel (Lloyd) to open the fantasy world to get in the marvelous classic books to overturn the wimp boy diving him in perilous cartoon adventures fully escorted the talking books as Fantasy, Adventure and Horror in a journey through the most classy books from all time as follows Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide, Long John Silver the famous pirate from Treasure Island, passing through by Moby Dick and his bleak pursuer Captain Aham, afterwards a flaming flying Dragon at final outcome.

Undoubtedly just an average attempt to make something unusual mixing a shorter opening usual picture and after a long cartoon feature film, it somehow didn't gets fire, pretentious at first glance whereof flimsy in any angle we can try assess it properly, I've to confess that stay a little bit disappointed.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2023 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.

VHS Video Marathon 2020

[yusufpiskin · 10/10 · 14 August 2020]

Growing up this movie spoke to my soul. The scene where Macaulay Culkin was running through the Corredor's of the library only to be met by every color of paint trailing him always stuck with me.

PS: Amazing cast.

Follow the books

[stefanozucchelli · 6/10 · 11 November 2021]

This film is strange in many ways.

It is one of the first attempts to combine traditional animation with real characters but it feels too broken as if they were two films stitched together.

Both the acting of the actors and the animation are almost forced to me and this says a lot about the film. However, it is something that you can look at even just for the moral at the end of the film.

This movie should go to the "MOON".

[trade_rat · 4/10 · 4 March 2000]

About 4 years ago, I liked this movie. I would watch it over and over and over. But now... I don't. Actually, I think this movie would have been great for Mystery Science Theater 3000. It has a bunch of comment-heavy actors (Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg), and a pretty cheesy plot. My favorite part is when Culkin is riding his bike and he comes across a gang and a gang member says, "Hey, Tyler! Where ya goin'? The MOON??" Also look out for the classic line, "Do you have feeling in your toes?"

On the other hand, it's better than "The Good Son".

I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO LOVES THIS MOVIE

[indiewastelander · 14 January 2004]

Okay, in 1994 I was obsessed with Macaulay Culkin. When I saw a trailer for this film, I couldn't wait to see it. When I went to see it though, my family and I were the only ones in the theatre! The same thing happened to my aunt and my cousins. I remember loving the film. I wanted that awesome bike he had. I got the videogame, and I got my copy on video. AND JAMES HORNER'S SCORE WAS AMAZING! I thought it was a good movie that had all the genres, even cooler that it was live action/animation. It's sad about it's bomb at the box office. It's quite a forgettable film, but I love it and I still do. Don't forget that Joe Johnston who is now quite acclaimed directed the live action scenes. Great for him.

Macaulay Culkin's and Chirstopher Lloyd's worst film

[andynortonuk · 3/10 · 20 September 2002]

"I'm a cartoon!" "You're an illustration!" what does that suppose to mean?! This plot could not be worse as a boy, who's afraid of everything, becomes very brave at the very end of the film because he went into a library. The only purpose of this waste of celluloid was to encourage American kids to read, when a cheaper, and more effective way of doing this could have been a series of adverts! Even the talents of Macaulay Culkin(as the kid), Christopher Lloyd (as the so predictable "that he's a the Page Master" librarian), could save this pointless film from the dull plot. Even the voices of Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Stewart,(even) Leonard Nimoy, or the Hollywood God of voices, Frank Welker as the cartoon characters don't save it ever. I can only describe it as a 1990s equivalent to the even ghastly 1978 adaption of the Water Babies, because the bland animation makes the film worse, not improving the dull plot!

Pagemaster stinks- pure & simple

[kreplatch · 1/10 · 16 August 2010]

Adding to the voices of those who found this movie awful, I can only add "Amen!" One question- the whole movie is devoted to showing the character how books can help him and early on the viewer discovers that he has never had a library card...how, then, did he get all the facts and statistics about accident probabilities that he was so obsessed with? And, what kid his age knows as much about accidents as the National Safety Council? The father character was complaining about his kid's obsession with safety and his fearfulness...OK, who put the "Safety Bike" together for the little bugger? The Caulkin character? Not even!! Utter hogwash...any good fantasy has at least a little believability factor...this one had zero from the outset. It struck me as a quickie film made to cash in on MC's popularity while it was still hot.

This movie deserves a place in your collection!

[Fairy_Godmoose · 9/10 · 31 August 2004]

It's a great movie. This kid, Richard Tyler, played by young Macaulay Culkin, is really paranoid, and always talks about injury-related statistics. During a frightening storm, he takes temporary refuge from the rain in a library, run by the eerie Mr. Dewey, played by Christopher Lloyd. Richard is instructed to find a pay phone so he can tell his parents where he is.

In the middle of the library, there's a huge ceiling painting of Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, Long John Silver and his crew from Treasure Island, Captain Aham and Moby Dick, a fierce dragon, and in the center, an old man with a long white beard and nobleman clothes holding a scroll. The ceiling starts dripping paint, and the globs are transformed into a huge dragon, which transforms everything it touches into animation. Richard, now a cartoon, meets the old man, the Pagemaster, who tells him that to get out of the library and return to normal, he must past three tests, described only as adventure, horror, and fantasy.

Soon, he also meets three hilarious talking books. The first, Adventure, played by Patrick Stewart, is probably the funniest guy in the movie. The second, Fantasy, played by Whoopi Goldberg, is also funny, but it's because of her attitude. The third, Horror, played by Frank Welker, is a brain-dead coward who looks like Frankenstein's Monster. With his three new friends, Richard has to pass the tests to get his normal form back, admittance to the exit, and most of all...the courage he never thought he had.

More relevant than ever before

[christianreynolds-86078 · 13 November 2018]

With its curious mix of Time Bandits-like enchantment and plain sense of fun, The Pagemaster represents the least-annoying and most enjoyable contribution Culkin has made to the industry since Home Alone. This won't be the monster hit that movie was, but children venturing into The Pagemaster should be no less beguiled. Grownups who often feel insulted by the too-juvenile tone of most so-called "family features" will likely find this movie long enough to catch their attention, but short enough not to lose it -- in essence, a surprisingly affable (and occasionally even sophisticated) movie-going experience. Most importantly though- This film is even more relevant today 25 years on.

this movie only has a 4.8? this movie was like, 70% my childhood!

[dead_pool09 · 9/10 · 25 January 2010]

I loved this movie as a kid, and hell, I STILL do. Some of the cgi doesn't holdup as well, but then again, this is 2010 and that was 1994, so I'll cut that some slack. Yeah, maybe from an adult's POV this movie isn't so incredible, but then again, this is a movie made for kids, and I liked it as a child. It was a lot of fun, and It's still, easily, my favorite animated (slash live-action) film of all-time. I knock it down from a 10 because of the running time (about 75 minutes) but other than that, I see nothing bad about this film. A fantastic ride from start to finish, this epic tale of a young boy who is way to afraid of everything who's path leads him to courage is one I'll never forget. A Truly underrated movie.

9/10

Just disappointing

[Andy-411 · 2/10 · 2 December 1999]

Richard Tyler is a little boy who is scared of everything. He doesn't like riding his bike or climbing on his tree house because he knows what kind of accidents might happen to him. So one day he is riding his bike and because it is starting to rain, he decides to wait in the library until it stops raining. In there the whole story takes place. He experiences all kinds of staff and in the end he is not scared any more. But the whole story is unbelievable and even good actors like Macaulay Culkin could not make the story better than it is.