7/17/91 (Fantasy--Jennewein/Parker) Script Discussion

[ultimateemail5000]

You should add a gang of mobsters somwhere on the poster, since the writers knew it would be a good idea to have Mario involved with the mob. IMO Mario involved with the mob in anyway is the funniest thing in a story line.

Uh...'Super Mafia Bros.'?

I'll get my coat.

This is kind of late but, Mafia Bros is a parody of Mario Bros. It doesnt take the story in the same way what I think is funny. Mafia Bros is its own thing, now seeing cartoon Mario caught in a business deal with the mob gone bad, that's different.

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

I just tried to download the script myself... don't tell me we've lost it already...

Edit: Oh, whew... thank goodness for back-ups.

[Redstar]

Glad you could get to the backup. GoChaunceyGo has possession of the original digital document and neither Phlibbit no myself could find it. Since Chauncey hasn't been around in awhile we haven't been able to fix the problem and have had to rely on our affiliate. It will be fixed soon enough.

Looking forward to reading your comments on the script! Who knows, maybe they'll influence upcoming surprise updates...

[KoopaBro64]

I have an old Mario guide by the name of, "Mario Mania" which came out in '91, it announces the existence of a Super Mario Bros. movie comin' in '92, I guess they were talkin' about this script based on the date of the release of the book

Wow, this script is great! I'm not sure if I like it better than the final movie, both versions have upsides & downsides, but, if this particular script was used, who knows, maybe Mario Brothers would be a hit!...at least among gamers. Still happy with what we got, but, it's cool seeing how much development & effort went into a Mario movie

But, even if this was the movie we got in the end..I still think it would be a little early for Super Mario Bros. to be adapted into such a movie, close to the game, or not

[GetThosePlumbers]

Hello, first of all I'd like to thank all of your who made this site for creating a wonderful and exhaustive site dedicated to a movie I enjoyed very much on the big screen back in 93 and enjoyed just as much on DVD the other day (and those aren't the only times I've watched it either).

I was wondering if anyone could help me with the fantasy script. I'm very keen to read it but none of the formats I've downloaded it in seem to work. I've tried Adobe, word and notepad and none of them seem to work. Could any one give me advice on which format will work?

Much Appreciated

[Redstar]

The files are PDFs, so they're meant to be opened with Adobe. Not sure why they're not working, but I can copy the text into either Microsoft Word or Works and provide a download link. Would either of those work for you?

[GetThosePlumbers]

Those would work for me but I don't want to cause too much bother, I'll try Adobe again

[Redstar]

Took me a little while, but I copied the scans of each page into a Works file. You can download it here. Let me know if it works.

[GetThosePlumbers]

It worked brilliantly, thanks a lot for this! It's really nice of you to go to all that effort, I really appreciate it

[Redstar]

Great. Be sure to post what you think when you're done!

[MovieCritic2000]

Movie Critic Review

This post may be a little unorthodox. But these kind are the most interesting, anyway. As many video game fans know, back in '93 a "Super Mario Bros." movie adaptation was made based on the '93 script by Parker Bennett, Terry Runte and Ed Solomon, but it cheated the fans in such an epic manner that it seemed more like "The Crow" than "Super Mario".

But very few video game fans know of the fact that there was one more, unused script for the film, written by Tom S. Parker and Jim Jennewein in 1991. Thanks to the website run by Ryan Hoss, smbmovie.com, people have been able to download the original script and actually read it - and no doubt about it, I was one among them.

The original screenplay is so different from the '93 film that one can't even begin to compare them and wonder "What if?". Would the 1991 script have made a better film than we got in the end? That was the same thing I asked myself so I decided to make a special review of it to compare them back to back.

For one, this script is so much more true to the "Super Mario" world, blending fantasy and comedy, incorporating many characters from the game into the story, having the two heroes both have a moustache and overalls all the time, yet it has some 'rough' edges.

For starters, the opening is almost identical to the film, except that the baby isn't actually an egg but a baby, and that it is carried by an old man, not by a woman. There is a slightly cynical, but good joke that gives this script opening a plus point over the film opening: namely, just as the old man managed to bring the baby safely to Brooklyn and run away, he is confronted by Koopa and his henchman. Koopa shouts in a very threatening manner: "Where is the baby, old man? Tell me or you will feel pain!", which scares the man so much that he dies from a heart attack. Koopa is then surprised and adds: "...I hope it wasn't something I said".

The opening for Mario and Luigi starts off nicely, with Luigi messing up an apartment bathroom and Mario coming outside telling: "I leave you alone for 10 minutes and you make a 1 hour job into a 3 hour job!". But that's where the plus points for the script end for a while.

Namely, for some reason, Mario comes across as a total jerk. He is always grumpy, has a grouch against his brother all the time and is a near total pessimist. The worst idea was having him owe some money to the mafia - that's pretty much the low point of the story. It's completely inappropriate. What's more, there is no sense of any comradeship between Mario and Luigi. Mario treats him like a third wheel in the majority of the story and it's wrong. So, the plus point for the opening Brooklyn segment goes to the film which was much more fun and good natured: despite some differences between Mario and Luigi, you could always feel their bound and mutual loyalty. Bob Hoskins' Mario was charming, and one could hardly imagine him to be such a grouch like in the script.

After the two heroes enter a pipe to save Hildy, the princess in the story and Luigi's love interest, they come to a new dimension, in a world where Koopa wants to crown himself as the new king. Interestingly, though, Koopa picks up Hildy in Brooklyn disguised as a human, but his fellow magician Beedleman transforms him back into a giant lizard.

In a dialogue between Beedleman and Koopa, it is discovered that the giant reptile’s motivation for all this is because his “father allowed their land to be seized”, which is why he aims to marry the princess and become king, so that no one will dare to take anything from him again. The character of princess isn’t especially well written, but she has her moments, like when she says this to Koopa: “You’re not my type…You’re not even my species!”

Many jokes backfire, though, like when a toadstool sprouts on Toad’s head, which he then eats, or the dumb idea that Hildy slowly transforms into a lizard when she eats Beedleman's magic chocolates that will make her love Koopa.

In a twist of faith, Mario, Luigi and Toad are sent by Wizard Woltan on a mission to go to the "cave of no return" and prove themselves to be the chosen ones who will get the land rid of Koopa. In one especially elaborated scene that many would have loved to see get made, a camp where Toadstoolian slave workers throw shovels full of dragon fruit, Mario, Luigi and Toad jump into a cart hooked to a rope and descend down the mountain. When the Hammer bros. follow them in another cart and slice the rope with their axe, there’s a neat chase where they continue racing on the road, but the Hammer’s cart gets crashed into a tree, while the trio’s cart gets crashed to a stump, from which a hag shows up and hides them from the Koopa’s henchmen, but gives Mario the “juiciest kiss in movie history”, as it says in the script, in exchange. Along their way they stumble rather arbitrarily on a dinosaur egg where Yoshi hatches and they enter the "pit of no return", get some magic items and continue to go to stop the wedding.

The script is somehow ambiguous. On one hand, it offers some very interesting moments, yet on the other hand it seems some of those moments were only half-explored (the special powers actually show up in the story, but only once when Luigi gets a leaf and gains the ability to fly in order to save Toad from falling into the pit, yet it all remains just on that. What a missed opportunity: imagine just if Mario and Luigi had gotten all the powers at their disposal?). The producers were probably worried that the whole budget might explode, which is why they abandoned this script. The '93 film had a 42.000.000 $ budget and I instantly remembered Jim Henson's '86 fantasy film "The Labyrinth" where the authors created a fascinating little world that bared such a resemblance to the Super Mario world that it was astonishing, down right to some Yoshi looking dinosaurs in some scenes. It's even more surprising that "Labyrinth's" budget was only 25.000.000 $, almost half of the "Mario's".

The '93 film had many things going against it, but at least it had two going for it: it was a 'guilty pleasure' and it was fun, which is why it got a 5/10 from me. This script is heavy handed, but as a whole it's better and would have probably made a 6/10 film, maybe even a 7/10 if it was directed the right way. If they ever decide to remake the Mario film, this 115 page script would be a good starting point.

[Serum]

You know what's funny, is that when I bought this script online I thought it was going to be basically the "shooting script" (which may or may not exist).

Much to my surprise and delight, it was a version of the Mario Brothers movie I never even thought they'd thought of making. Prior to reading this script, I was dead certain that the idea had always been to make a gritty existential cyberpunk science fiction movie for kids. I've seen Tom Parker and Jim Jennewein's "The Flintstones," which came out in 1994 and "Richie Rich" which I think came out the same year, and I do think that had they polished this draft a wee-bit more, it could have been the definitive down to earth version of the film that all the people who hated the finished film wanted. But looking back on it, I don't think I want to see a fantasy Mario Brothers movie with green hills and a vibrant Mushroom Kingdom-- because anyone can do that.

It took the genius of two directors and ten writers to forge the finished film and I'm glad it turned out the way it did. Sure, there are bits and pieces missing here and there, but looking back on it-- would you trade the green hills of the Mushroom Kingdom for the fungus-choked walls of Dinohattan? I think not. The story behind the movie is infinitely more amusing than the movie itself. But as good as this script is, it's not the movie I know, it's not Super Mario Bros.

People often ask "Why does nothing ever turn out like it should?" And to that I say: "There are no accidents."

[superwesleybros]

Is it just me, or does Bowser's plot sound something from an episode of the Super Show?

[Redstar]

People often ask "Why does nothing ever turn out like it should?" And to that I say: "There are no accidents."

I think that's the best way to look at it. So many film projects have fascinating 'what-ifs' (the Schwarzenegger Doom, Romero Resident Evil) but it's only Super Mario Bros. that I feel largely came out still pretty good in its own right. It should be appreciated for that.

Is it just me, or does Bowser's plot sound something from an episode of the Super Show?

The script does share some thematic similarities and coincidences with the show, though it was written independently.

[Phlibbit]

Not just the Super Show, but check out the Super Mario Adventures graphic novel (or the individual pieces that appeared in issues of Nintendo Power). The Jennewein/Parker script is extremely close to that in terms of tone.

[superwesleybros]

Not just the Super Show, but check out the Super Mario Adventures graphic novel (or the individual pieces that appeared in issues of Nintendo Power). The Jennewein/Parker script is extremely close to that in terms of tone.

I actually have that! I found it at Wal-Mart about a decade ago (THE WHOLE BOOK), and yeah your right, I forgot about that.

[1upmushroom]

Not just the Super Show, but check out the Super Mario Adventures graphic novel (or the individual pieces that appeared in issues of Nintendo Power). The Jennewein/Parker script is extremely close to that in terms of tone.

Right down to the point where you'd swear to god SMA ripped off the '91 draft. Think about, both pieces of fiction include, one of the brothers turning into stone, having peach being forced to marry Koopa by a spell, and both include the Mario's finding an egg and having the egg hatch, revealing to be Yoshi. Either, SMA was inspired by the draft, or it was all a damn huge coincidence.

[superwesleybros]

I find it hilarious that they had to add a silly musical number. Was that a trend back in the 1990's?

[Redstar]

Not just the Super Show, but check out the Super Mario Adventures graphic novel (or the individual pieces that appeared in issues of Nintendo Power). The Jennewein/Parker script is extremely close to that in terms of tone.

Right down to the point where you'd swear to god SMA ripped off the '91 draft. Think about, both pieces of fiction include, one of the brothers turning into stone, having peach being forced to marry Koopa by a spell, and both include the Mario's finding an egg and having the egg hatch, revealing to be Yoshi. Either, SMA was inspired by the draft, or it was all a damn huge coincidence.

I think that, at that time, you could really only do so much with the characters and worlds provided by Nintendo. These particular stories and situations aren't too original, so I'd say that they're probably just coincidences. Interesting coincidences, but coincidences nonetheless.

I find it hilarious that they had to add a silly musical number. Was that a trend back in the 1990's?

Musical numbers were a bit of a trend back in the '90s, considering the Vanilla Ice rap scene at the end of TMNT 2, but I think in the case of the Super Mario Bros. script it was just parodying Disney films.

[Serum]

Why is the fantasy script the most popular out of all the scripts we've posted here? The 2/19/92 Parker Bennett/Terry Runte script is far superior.

[superwesleybros]

Why is the fantasy script the most popular out of all the scripts we've posted here? The 2/19/92 Parker Bennett/Terry Runte script is far superior.

Honestly, I haven't read it yet. but I'll get around to it and post on it.

[Redstar]

Why is the fantasy script the most popular out of all the scripts we've posted here? The 2/19/92 Parker Bennett/Terry Runte script is far superior.

Probably because it represents the strongest what-if for a Super Mario Bros. adaptation. There's no denying that a fantasy-themed adaptation of the games would be at least a cherished classic in the same vein as The Dark Crystal or The Labyrinth, even if the film was a failure at the time.

The fantasy script is also just fun. Yes, the later sci-fi scripts are generally more intelligent and rounded, but they also lack the focus and fun of the fantasy script

[superwesleybros]

Why is the fantasy script the most popular out of all the scripts we've posted here? The 2/19/92 Parker Bennett/Terry Runte script is far superior.

Probably because it represents the strongest what-if for a Super Mario Bros. adaptation. There's no denying that a fantasy-themed adaptation of the games would be at least a cherished classic in the same vein as The Dark Crystal or The Labyrinth, even if the film was a failure at the time.

The fantasy script is also just fun. Yes, the later sci-fi scripts are generally more intelligent and rounded, but they also lack the focus and fun of the fantasy script.

Not to mention it's more like a darker version of the Mario Cartoons. Most of it reminded me of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3

[Serum]

Not to mention it's more like a darker version of the Mario Cartoons.

The 7/17/91 script is in no sense of the word 'dark.' I'm sorry, but that's where I draw the line. It's a conservatively written children's film, no darkness added.

[superwesleybros]

Not to mention it's more like a darker version of the Mario Cartoons.

The 7/17/91 script is in no sense of the word 'dark.' I'm sorry, but that's where I draw the line. It's a conservatively written children's film, no darkness added.

Bowser's joke, "was it something I said?" after the old man died. Dark

Mario owing money to the mob...kinda Dark.

Bowser Throwing Luigi and Toad off a cliff, Dark.

Toad killing someone by feeding them a poison mushroom...Dark

Bowser dying in Lava...kinda Dark

the rest is a kids movie.

[Serum]

Bowser's joke, "was it something I said?" after the old man died. Dark

Mario owing money to the mob...kinda Dark.

Bowser Throwing Luigi and Toad off a cliff, Dark.

Toad killing someone by feeding them a poison mushroom...Dark

Bowser dying in Lava...kinda Dark

the rest is a kids movie.

I don't find any of that particularly dark. What I find dark is Koopa's seemingly sexual fascination with Daisy in the later scripts and ultimately the movie itself. I find the Old King being de-evolved into fungus, trapped in a sort of purgatory to be dark, I find the idea that 100 miles outside of the Mushroom Kingdom in the 2/19/92 script the air thins out and no one can breath because there's nothing out there.

What you have highlighted as 'dark,' are simple action plot points that could be in any cheery movie. I dwell in the darkness, I walk in the shadows, I know dark and this script is not dark.

[superwesleybros]

What you have highlighted as 'dark,' are simple action plot points that could be in any cheery movie. I dwell in the darkness, I walk in the shadows, I know dark and this script is not dark.

That being said, you are comparing two different stories. This Fantasy script is the only different story from the others. The script you are talking about is the early chapter of the finished 1993 film. This doesn't have the Dinohattan or Koopa's Lust for daisy. It's a story about Koopa wanting to become King of the Mushroom kingdom with Hildy as his bride. It like compairing Super Mario RPG to Partners in Time.

[Redstar]

Not to mention it's more like a darker version of the Mario Cartoons.

The 7/17/91 script is in no sense of the word 'dark.' I'm sorry, but that's where I draw the line. It's a conservatively written children's film, no darkness added.

I think it can be agreed that the fantasy script isn't necessarily "dark," but it is edgier than the cartoons and what one would expect from such an adaptation. The characterizations, interactions and events are often wry, dark and intended for adults. As said by Parker and Jennewein themselves, they were trying to make "Shrek" before Shrek was made.

[1upmushroom]

As said by Parker and Jennewein themselves, they were trying to make "Shrek" before Shrek was made.

Is that a quote from an upcoming interview or was that already said somewhere else?

[Redstar]

As said by Parker and Jennewein themselves, they were trying to make "Shrek" before Shrek was made.

Is that a quote from an upcoming interview or was that already said somewhere else?

Look forward to it.

[Roareye]

Not to mention it's more like a darker version of the Mario Cartoons.

The 7/17/91 script is in no sense of the word 'dark.' I'm sorry, but that's where I draw the line. It's a conservatively written children's film, no darkness added.

I think it can be agreed that the fantasy script isn't necessarily "dark," but it is edgier than the cartoons and what one would expect from such an adaptation. The characterizations, interactions and events are often wry, dark and intended for adults. As said by Parker and Jennewein themselves, they were trying to make "Shrek" before Shrek was made.

I think many adaptions were on a 'dark' edge during 1993.

Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) is a core example, there's even an episode which Robotnik basically showcases domestic violence and gets clean away with it (And the delivery scared the stuffing out of me), there's losses where hero characters die or get roboticised, and there is a strong feeling of the no-win scenario until the near-end. Even so it had episodes that were cheery (I hate the terrible episode of Tails finding a dinosaur friend!) and ones where it employed fantasy over science-fiction (Such as the Secret Scrolls and the wizard in the Dark Woods). Technically makes it the SMB movie of the Sonic series.

Both were launched in 1993, and both followed the dark-edge concept that was popular for that brief period of time (Before both eventually failed and SMB was dubbed as a flop and SatAM was cancelled for Power Rangers). If made today, both these adaptions would likely be given much more considerate reviews and be more popular. Remember Superhero Comic movies all failed at first, with Judge Dredd, the Incredible Hulk etc all being shunned, SMB had the misfortune of hitting the same wave. It'll probably take another 5 to 10 years before video game movies 'hit it big', the same way modern adaptions of comic book heroes are now the in-thing.

Personally, we all know the fantasy script would have failed. It may have been somewhat more accurate to the games but would we be here now? No. We wouldn't. The movie may have been popular for 5 minutes than relegated into the forgettable throughout the rest of time. The reason SMB is so well known today is based on the version that was released. Yes, they could have made it a little more mature and removed some of the kiddie crap (That animated intro has to go) but they were shooting into the unknown and if mistakes were to be made, they'd be the first to test them and fail/succeed on them. In the end the cyberpunk vision of Super Mario Bros created the cult status it now recieves. There is no way a fantasy kiddie adventure would have this status, nobody would care. The only positive bearing it could have made was to make a little more money at the time, and even that is unlikely. It certainly would not have been remembered better, and also bear in mind it was the edgier scripts that got stars like Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper on board to begin with, so you'd have likely been staring at a very different cast.

[1upmushroom]

I don't think it woulld have failed. If given the right direction, it would have been very fun and re-watchable. I honestly would have payed to see this and I'm betting many others on this forum would have too. It's just too fun to miss. Then again I'm now at a point to where I just have to say, "STOP WITH THE DAMN GRITTY REMAKES!" I'm sorry but I'm bored to death of gritty remakes! Hopefully, it'll reveal itself as the fad it is and will quickly fade away as the new fad comes in.

[Roareye]

I don't think it woulld have failed. If given the right direction, it would have been very fun and re-watchable. I honestly would have payed to see this and I'm betting many others on this forum would have too. It's just too fun to miss. Then again I'm now at a point to where I just have to say, "STOP WITH THE DAMN GRITTY REMAKES!" I'm sorry but I'm bored to death of gritty remakes! Hopefully, it'll reveal itself as the fad it is and will quickly fade away as the new fad comes in.

Grittiness comes in and out of fashion every ten years roughly, and stays around for a few years before some light-heartedness becomes more fashionable, then people get bored and want grit - the cycle continues.

Gritty movies were the flavour of the day in the late 80s/early 90s and then disappeared as more tongue-in-cheek movies became more fashionable - people had had enough doom and gloom.

Then movies reached cheesy in the 2000s with things such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Spiderman, Superman etc until grit came up again from Christopher Nolan in Batman, then light hearted humour became not so popular. 3-4 years later, Star Trek is rebooted in a kindergarten and special effects packaging, and shipped into being a blockbuster. Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol is a more classic action affair, losing all grit and becoming a big Hollywood blockbuster too. You may not be surprised to see that grit is coming out of favour in return for cheesy family entertainment.

Having said that, grit was never the saving grace of any film. The Christopher Nolan Batman movies are superb because they are, the gritty style just happens to be it's direction. The story would work even if you hammed it up, just so happens it fits grit just fine too. Demolition Man has a gritty edge, but is an action comedy through-and-through, which proves the two styles don't have to be separated from each other.

Star Trek 09 is a good example of the fact that good hearted fun will sell - even if its a bad film. The script for it was outstandingly bad, horrendous and ruined what could have been a stellar movie. But you stick in big flashy lights, top-of-the-range special effects and the name J.J.Abrams and you automatically get a blockbuster hailed as great, even if it's not. Super Mario Bros could have achieved similar if it had the name Tim Burton, for example, as it's director. People would have called it brilliant, even if it was identical to the product we have now, just because of the name attached. It certainly isn't written any worse than Star Trek 09.

I've probably not made a good point for light-hearted films, the only examples I have are pretty bad, but there are a lot of genuinely great light hearted films. You don't need grit to make something amazing. Silent Running is a good example - it's an immense film which has it's dark side but isn't gritty or volatile - it's dark side comes from the thoughtful meaning of the story. Modern films fill the screen with grit (Often employing digital noise on the image to achieve this physically), rather than let the script and the direction speak for itself. This might be where modern film-making is making it's errors. It's like the whole "everything brown = realism" in games back in the 2000s, it's an unfortunate by-product of trying to emphasise something that, if made well, doesn't require the emphasis.

[superwesleybros]

In all honestly, when I read this script, I was imagining an animated film not a live action one. This would have made one heck of an animated film.

[1upmushroom]

Also to be honest, I got the impression that at this stage they weren't trying to make a wacky wild dark brooding cyberpunk film. I honestly thought they wanted to make a lighthearted comedy that was like Tommy Boy. Sure, it wouldn't get awards but then again, they never planned it to be. They just wanted to please fans, make money, and get the picture over with.

[Roareye]

I have to be honest though, the brooding cyberpunk feel of the film (Whether fully realised/successful or not) is the very thing that makes this film stand out so completely from all other video game to film adaptions. It is unique. If this script had been made instead, it would automatically lose it's unique charm.

Of all my video games based movies, very few have attempted to create their own mark on the series. Most try to follow a genre that they feel the series might fit into. Bloodrayne went gothic, Resident Evil went hammer horror/action, most films go for the bland generic action look such as King of Fighters, Street Fighter, Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Doom and Final Fantasy: Advent Children.

Only a handful of video game based movies tried to do anything a little different with the look of the movie. Tekken (Live Action) attempted a more gritty look which I actually enjoyed but they mixed it with unnecessary digital noise to try and make it look grittier and it still followed standard action movie styling, Doom attempted a more industrial look but mixed it in with futuristic clinical-steel stylings rather than anything unique, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within tried a distinct Sci-Fi look which was very unique for the series and probably stands as the only other time a key stylistic change was utilised - though I must be honest the action sci-fi element of Spirits Within wasn't as unique and interesting a choice as the cyberpunk stylings of Super Mario Bros.

It's weird, because in some way this styling (And the backstory behind it) opens up Super Mario Bros to me as less of a movie and more of a Motion Picture. It was a Herculean task to try and create something more thoughtful and epic than it eventually managed to turn into, and a last hurrah for the ever-so popular cyberpunk genre. No video game movie has ever attempted this, tried to seek deeper meaning in the basic story and build a unique and stand-out world that set it apart from the ordinary, and it is likely the film's failure to be popular that ended such artistic diversions from the source material (Many other films deviate from the source material but not artistically, though Tekken did a good job of trying).

One day I'd like to see such an artistic and cyberpunk re-imagining of a video game come to light, but until video game adaptions start to make some hardcore money on the level of comic book adaptions then such attempts will be but a dream.

[Serum]

I have to be honest though, the brooding cyberpunk feel of the film (Whether fully realized/successful or not) is the very thing that makes this film stand out so completely from all other video game to film adaptions. It is unique. If this script had been made instead, it would automatically lose it's unique charm.

Yeah, exactly. The fact that they took something as happy-go-lucky and goofy as the Mario universe and made it into something more like "Blade Runner" is what's so charming about the actual movie.

Now, not for lack of trying, but the '91 script is good in its own sense, but it's not a "Super Mario Bros." movie. It's more of a Muppet movie than a video-game movie. It has elements of a video-game movie, but on the whole, it's too true to its source material. The only video-game movie that really needs to be true to its source material is "Silent Hill," the rest are more of an interpretations from the eyes of the writers and directors of films.

The only time I've truly been disappointed by a video-game movie not being true to its source material was "Resident Evil," because zombie grandmaster George Romero wrote an awesome script for it and was all set to direct it, but quit because of creative differences with the film's producer. I even liked the big-screen take on "Doom," and the only thing I would change about that movie would be making almost if not all of it in the "first person" style that we see towards the end of the film. But Mario, Mario needed to be more grown up, and now that I'm grown up, it's good to see my childhood movies are grown-up, too.

[superwesleybros]

Either way, I loved what we got but I think IMHO, I would have loved this more.

[1upmushroom]

You know when re-reading this script I actually imagined Danny Devito's voice as Mario, Micheal J. Fox's voice as Luigi, and Jim Cummings voice as Koopa in an animated adventure that's rated PG.

For my vision here would be my casting choice.

Mario: Danny Devito

Luigi: Micheal J. Fox

Toad: Judd Nelson

Hildy: Selen Gomez

Koopa: Jim Cummings

Woltan: Christopher Loyd

Then again I would also make it more warped and anti-disney.

[superwesleybros]

Bob Hoskins will always be Mario, I can't see anyone else in the role.

Loved the Hammer Bros. Duel on the mine carts.