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We're proud to partner with the Alamo Drafthouse, NC Museum of History, and the Cape Fear Museum on a FREE screening of Super Mario Bros. in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday, December 7th!
Our very own site founder and webmaster Ryan Hoss will be hosting the event and will afterwards moderate a Q & A panel with cast/crew. Guests to be announced!
Production memorabilia from Hoss's personal collection as well as items loaned from the Cape Fear Museum will be on display. We'll also have a film crew to shoot the event for our ongoing documentary project--Trust the Fungus: From Box Office Bob-Omb to Cult Classic!
For more information and to secure your FREE tickets, please visit the Eventbrite page and Facebook event page.
Happy Halloween!
To celebrate the thinning boundary between worlds, film critic and essayist Witney Seibold has written a new guest editorial that examines Super Mario Bros. as an example of Orphic myth in the tradition of Gulliver's Travels, Alice in Wonderland, and The Wizard of Oz.
Fall down the interdimensional gateway and read "Super Mario Bros." and Orpheus to discover how Dinohattan is like the Underworld and why Koopa is like Hades!
Oakland! We're partnering with The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (The MADE) and night club The UPTOWN for another 25th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros.!
Please join us October 14th in Oakland, California from 5-8PM!
For more information, visit the event page on Facebook HERE.
The 1980s and '90s were replete with films exploring post-apocalyptic visions of the future, such as Mad Max, Blade Runner, Demolition Man, Tank Girl, and Judge Dredd. The dystopian Dinohattan of Super Mario Bros. likewise dealt with similar ecological themes.
Nuclear power advocate Lindsay B. discusses these themes and how they relate to issues of renewable energy and conservation in the real-world in a new, exclusive editorial: "Ecology in Super Mario Bros."
Be sure to check out our other Editorials and remember: Trust the Fungus!
UPDATE #2 (11/5/18): The rescheduled date has been set for Friday, December 7th! For more information, click HERE.
UPDATE #1 (9/10/18): This screening has been postponed due to Hurricane Florence. It will be rescheduled for later this year, most likely in early December. Please keep checking back for the confirmed date!
We're proud to partner with the Alamo Drafthouse, NC Museum of History, and the Cape Fear Museum on a FREE screening of Super Mario Bros. in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday, September 14th!
Our very own site founder and webmaster Ryan Hoss will be hosting the event and will afterwards moderate a Q & A panel with cast/crew. Guests to be announced!
Production memorabilia from Hoss's personal collection as well as items loaned from the Cape Fear Museum will be on display. We'll also have a film crew to shoot the event for our ongoing documentary project--Trust the Fungus: From Box Office Bob-Omb to Cult Classic!
For more information and to secure your FREE tickets, please visit the Eventbrite page and Facebook event page.
The Thwomp "Air" Stompers from Super Mario Bros. are iconic props for fans and the "Holy Grail" of memorabilia for collectors. Longtime SMB Archive supporter and collector Blake Dumesnil wrote back in his 2011 editorial Survivor Stompers about his quest to recover a pair, and now for the 25th anniversary he's proud to debut the fully restored boots, documenting the process in a brand new editorial. Blake writes:
The meticulous restoration work was performed by Tom Spina Designs and can be read about on their site. Be sure to read Blake's retrospective in Part One and Part Two of Survivor Stompers: 25 Years Later!
Although overshadowed by Jurassic Park, the production of Super Mario Bros. was similarly game-changing for the burgeoning visual effects industry; it was the first film scanned and recorded by Kodak Cineon and the first to use Gary Tregaskis' Flame compositing software prior to widespread industry release.
Visual effects journalist Ian Failes of vfxblog has interviewed several VFX artists from Super Mario Bros. for the film's 25th anniversary, including visual effects designer and supervisor Chris Woods, digital animator/compositor Sheena Duggal and software developer/animator Kevin Bjorke!
We're so excited that the film is finally receiving credit for both its creative and technical accomplishments. It's taken 25 years, but finally vindication is ours!
Today marks the fifth anniversary of fan film Papercut 2: Mushroom Madness, by director and screenwriter Bryan Sanders of Studio Sandman!
Papercut 2, released in 2013, was an independently produced action/adventure film about video games and pop culture. The Mushroom Madness segment starred Jake Smith & Clint Cloys as Mario & Luigi and Kristine Renee Farley as Princess Daisy. Mojo Nixon himself reprised his role as Toad in a voiced cameo, and Farley wore an original screen-used version of the "Meteorite Necklace" prop.
Bryan Sanders writes for the fifth anniversary:
We're so grateful to have such a passionate and talented community of fans so invested in celebrating the film. It's been an incredible 25th anniversary and there's still more to come!
We're proud to present in association with Video Bob Productions an animated short film "Hoskins in Mario World" for the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.!
Artist and animator Cullen McLane fully developed and realized "Hoskins in Mario World" after talks beginning last year with our site editor Steven Applebaum. McLane had previously worked on another parody animation "The Saga of Video Bob" inspired by Super Mario Bros. as a student film, which precursored our wonderful collaboration above.
Please support Cullen McLane and their other projects through the following sites and social media platforms:
Remember: Trust the Fungus!
Hosts Adam, Jeramy and returning guest Colin of the SequelQuest Podcast discuss Super Mario Bros. for its 25th anniversary in their 79th episode and each pitch their vision for a continuation!
Additionally, our very own site founder/webmaster Ryan Hoss and site editor Steven Applebaum joined Adam in a special bonus episode to talk about our site, the film's legacy, and our own sequel comic!
Be sure to listen to Episode 79 and our interview bonus episode and support the SequelQuest Podcast through the following platforms:
The SequelQuest Podcast can also be found on the following social media platforms:
"It's easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism." – Mark Fisher
In this brand-new guest editorial, writer and cartoonist John Leavitt discusses the political themes and subtext of Super Mario Bros. and how they relate both to American history and the contemporary American political climate.
Be sure to also check out Mr. Leavitt's other work via LeavittAlone.Com as well as our other Editorials.
Happy 25th anniversary and, as always, Trust the Fungus!
Last February we shared Pokémon Millennium article "Super Mario fa ritorno sul grande schermo dal lontano 1993: il nuovo film sarà davvero un successo?" by Italian pop culture writer Valeria Girardi. We enjoyed it so much we contacted Girardi to request a 25th anniversary feature!
Girardi was happy to oblige, penning exclusively for our site "What Do Italian Fans Think of the Super Mario Bros. Movie?" as an expansive look at the film's Italian reception.
The Italian release is notable for removing entirely the final two scenes, replacing the original credits with an all-new montage sequence set to Joe Satriani's Speed of Light rather than Roxette's Almost Unreal, and excising the post-credits stinger with Iggy & Spike.
Be sure to also check out our other Editorials and happy 25th anniversary!
Way back in January of 2013 French pop culture writer Jérémy Beaujoin wrote "John Carter / Super Mario Bros . Une étude comparative." for blog Hushed Conversation. The piece discussed and compared the oft-maligned 2012 and 1993 Disney science-fiction/fantasy adventure films. We have received permission from Mr. Beaujoin to republish this article in English for the film's 25th anniversary. Though not an especially positive look at Super Mario Bros., the article by Mr. Beaujoin nonetheless offers incredible critical analysis we feel should be made available to English-speaking fans. Check it out HERE.
Be sure to also check out our other Editorials and always remember: Trust the Fungus!
The 25th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros. was an incredible thing to witness! We saw so many fans and curious folks alike discussing the film on social media and using our #SMB25 hashtag. Remember, it's still perfectly okay to continue to celebrate the anniversary for the rest of the year. We sure will!
As expected, there were lots of great articles, videos, and social media posts created to reflect on the anniversary!
First, site founder/webmaster Ryan Hoss shared his thoughts on the anniversary and how far the discussion on the film (and this website) have come through his personal @smb_ryan Twitter account:
So the #SuperMarioBros movie turns 25 today. I didn’t have the chance to see it theatrically as a 5-year-old in 1993, but I wasn’t a gamer until much later so it wouldn’t have had an affect on me then. I do remember seeing the giant displays when the VHS came out...#SMB25
— Ryan Hoss (@smb_ryan) May 28, 2018
Later that afternoon, site editor Steven Applebaum held a streamed chat/commentary screening of the film, while Ryan Hoss curated the live-tweet & watch via our @smbmovie Twitter account. The live-tweet & watch thread is a fun read, even if you're not watching along! Check it out below:
If you missed our #SuperMarioBros 25th Anniversary Live-Tweet & Watch or just want to experience it again, the whole thread is linked below! #SMB25 #TrustTheFungus https://t.co/fACtvKnuFD
— SMB Movie Archive (@smbmovie) May 29, 2018
Finally, many retrospective articles and videos were created to acknowledge the 25th Anniversary:
Overall, it was a incredible milestone to witness firsthand. The legacy of Super Mario Bros. will continue to be defined over the years, and we'll be here every step of the way. The best is yet to come. Trust the Fungus!
"For all the dinosaur knowledge"-- Minute 105 of the Super Mario Bros. Minute is now available for download!
Just in time for the 25th Anniversary of the film, Site founder/webmaster Ryan Hoss and site editor Steven Applebaum return as guest contributors for the last episode of the Super Mario Bros. Minute! Ryan, Steven, Andrew, and Emily come together one final time to celebrate the film and to discuss the SMB Archive's plans to continue its cult legacy into the 30th Anniversary. Additionally, Patreon donors Sydney, Drew, and Daniel appear to reminisce in the podcast's incredible run of 105 minutes.
It's been such a privilege and an honor to share the film with Andrew and Emily over the last year. We're truly gracious to have met them, becoming good friends over our shared love of the film. We wish them the best in their future endeavors! Trust the Fungus!
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Although the main podcast is now over, the Patreon exclusive content will continue for e few more weeks until all episodes of Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 are covered, so it's still a great time to donate to the show!
Today--May 28, 2018--marks the 25th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros.--the very first feature film adaptation of a video game.
To celebrate, we'd like to--of course--watch the film, and get everyone involved! We will begin a live-tweet & watch of the film at 8 PM ET via both the @smbmovie and @smb_ryan Twitter accounts. Use the hashtag #SMB25 so we can see your responses and retweet them!
Other sites are already taking note of this historic occasion; if you're a fan of the IMDb, you may have noticed that the film is featured on their front page along with a new video retrospective. Check it out HERE.
If you're a newcomer to the site--welcome! If you're a longtime fan of the site, you may notice a *lot* of new updates from the backlog that are now nicely archived on this page.
And it doesn't stop here--we're looking forward to continuing the SMB Archive into the 30th Anniversary and beyond! Trust the fungus!
Live in Glasgow, United Kingdom? Don't miss a screening of Super Mario Bros. TONIGHT from 7:30PM - 10PM!
The Southside Film Festival (in association with the Glasgow University Bad Movie Society) is screening the film as part of the 2018 Southside Fringe Glasgow.
Long-running podcast The Projection Booth has interviewed famed Production Designer and Art Director David L. Snyder on his decades-long, industry-spanning Hollywood career!
A selection of films with Snyder's involvement include Blade Runner, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and our very own Super Mario Bros.: The Movie!
This episode focuses on Demolition Man, which Snyder worked on as Production Designer. The 1993 science-fiction classic has often been considered a spiritual companion to Super Mario Bros.
Also check out Mr. Snyder's website for his full filmography or to request an interview on his work on Super Mario Bros. or other cult films!
There will be a 25th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros.: The Movie in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 16th!
This event will be hosted by the Southside Film Festival (in association with the Glasgow University Bad Movie Society) from 7:30PM - 10PM as part of the 2018 Southside Fringe Glasgow!
For more information, visit the event page via What's On Glasgow.
Co-hosts Andrew and Emily of the Super Mario Bros. Minute Podcast traveled to our Modesto, California screening on Saturday, April 28th and recorded a special bonus episode!
Our editor Steven Applebaum is a native of the Modesto area, so he personally hosted the event. It was an absolute pleasure to finally meet Andrew and Emily in person. There's nothing quite like friends coming together to enjoy Super Mario Bros. on the silver screen!
For more information about the Super Mario Bros. Minute Podcast please visit the following:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
Our 25th anniversary screening event Saturday 28th, April 2018 at The State Theatre in Modesto, CA was an absolute blast!
We have uploaded photos of our performers, decor, and the wonderful audience that shared the film with us to a gallery on our official SMB Movie Archive Facebook page. Please check it out HERE!
Thank you very much to the Theatre and their staff. We hope to work together again!
Don't forget to join us TONIGHT in Modesto, California at The State Theatre from 6PM to 9PM for a special, all-ages 25th anniversary event of Super Mario Bros.: The Movie!
The event will feature costumed performers, audience engagement games, face-painting, dinosaur concession snacks, a costume contest, and even prizes!
Admission: $12 for adults; $8 for kids 12 and under. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook HERE.
Don't forget to join us TONIGHT in Montreal, Quebec for an 18+ screening event at the Bar le Ritz PDB for the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.: The Movie!
Doors open at 7PM. Film starts at 8PM, lasting until 10PM. Tickets are $7 -- this includes "cards and props."
For more information please visit the Facebook event page.
Did you know that Super Mario Bros. has been referenced within several official Japanese manga? Videogame fan, pixel artist, and project translator MiloScat has compiled and translated various examples for the first time!
Sources used were two 4koma gag strips, an excerpt from Yukio Sawada's Super Mario-kun, and several sections from Kazuki Motoyama's KC Deluxe Mario manga run.
Check it out, and be sure to extend your appreciation for the incredible archival work done by MiloScat!
[Comic] Super Mario Bros. the movie: depictions in manga
Redbull Japan did a retrospective of Super Mario Bros.: The Movie for our recent 25th anniversary Japanese Blu-Ray release!
Mario was Luigi's Father!? I watched a story (?) Movie "Super Mario: Goddess of the Demon Empire"! (Redbull Japan)
Actors Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong sat down for a career-spanning interview with Forbes. Upon the topic of missed roles and projects, Cheech Marin states he was considered for the role of Mario in Super Mario Bros. Marin states he turned down the role.
It is not clear whether Marin was considered for the original fantasy development of Super Mario Bros. or the later Morton & Jankel-helmed production.
Additionally, the following websites provided coverage of the Forbes interview centered on Cheech Marin and him turning down the role of Mario:
We are proud to host an all-ages 25th Anniversary screening event for Super Mario Bros.: The Movie at The State Theatre in Modesto, California on Saturday, April 28th!
The event will feature costumed performers, audience engagement games, face-painting, dinosaur concession snacks, a costume contest, and even prizes!
Admission: $12 for adults; $8 for kids 12 and under.
Doors, characters, and face-painting begin at 6PM; film and fun starts at 7PM.
Pizza will be available at the Python Pizza concession stand, including the extra spicy "Koopa Special." (Choice of jalapeños or hot sauce)
For more information and tickets please visit the calendar and event pages and view the image gallery:
We hope to see you there! Trust the Fungus!
"Scapenemies"--Minute 90 of the Super Mario Bros. Minute is now available for download!
Site editor Steven Applebaum joins Andrew and Emily in this episode as a guest contributor, discussing Lena's fossilized skeleton and last-minute VFX done for the climactic inter-dimensional merge!
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
"Fins v Hair"--Minute 89 of the Super Mario Bros. Minute is now available for download!
Site editor Steven Applebaum joins Andrew and Emily in this episode as a guest contributor, discussing the structure of Koopa's head-ridges and the sentience of the Bob-Omb!
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
We are excited to announce a 25th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros.: The Movie in Montreal, Quebec on April 25th!
This event will be hosted by Drunken Cinema MTL at 179 Rue Jean-Talon-Ouest, Montreal, Quebec H2R 2X2 at the Bar Le Ritz PDB.
Doors open at 7PM, while the screening begins at 8PM. Tickets are $7 at the door ("includes cards and props") and you must be 18 or older to attend.
For more information or to RSVP please visit the Facebook event page and/or view the image gallery below:
Special thanks to David Oxford of Canadian website Mario's Hat for covering the event in his Montreal Mario Movie Madness article.
The A.V. Club via AV News covered our feature with the Guardian, 'The stench of it stays with everybody': inside the Super Mario Bros movie!
Anecdotes about the ever-wonderful Bob Hoskins (Mario) are shared from Samantha Mathis (Daisy) and Richard Edson (Spike), including the revelation that the elder plumber partook in marijuana after the day's shoot!
The A.V. Club has long promoted the film and our work. We're extremely grateful for their continued support and hope to have more information to share soon for this year's ongoing 25th anniversary!
At least the cast of the Super Mario Bros. movie was high most of the time (The A.V. Club via AV News)
Looks like our interview with the Guardian is making some waves! GoNintendo has picked up the story, focusing on the "Drain Main" treatment that preceded the fantasy screenplay.
The "Drain Man" treatment is so-named as it was written by Barry Morrow, Academy Award-winning writer of 1988's Rain Main, and because it apparently followed a very similar narrative that featured older brother Mario caring for savant Luigi while on an existential roadtrip.
We do not have this treatment, but would be very interested in acquiring a copy. Please reach us via our Contact page if you have any information!
The Archive was interviewed yet again, this time by Keith Stuart of the Guardian!
Despite the disparaging title, 'The stench of it stays with everybody': inside the Super Mario Bros movie provides one of the best and most intimate retellings of the film's fabled troubled production. Samantha Mathis (Daisy), Richard Edson (Spike), and Ed Solomon ("Disney" screenplay writer) are newly interviewed for the piece, offering never-before-heard anecdotes.
The piece also finally corrects the longstanding misconception that Tom Hanks was considered for the role of Mario when it was actually Luigi!
Finally, site founder Ryan Hoss and editor Steven Applebaum discuss the film's connection to Tim Burton's Batman and also provide an update on the ongoing 4K restoration efforts. This is a must-read for any fan of the film and its continually evolving cult legacy!
Rocky Morton--famed co-director of Super Mario Bros.--was interviewed by The Telegraph about his experience on the project. We've copied his quotes below:
Although Morton and Jankel, best known for their work on the 1980s TV film Max Headroom, were [undoubtedly] victims of studio interference, Morton himself-–who has since "healed" from his harrowing Super Mario Bros. experience–-doesn't believe that that's the main problem with adaptations.
Morton goes on to discuss videogames as a medium and the difficulty in adapting them to film:
The Heavy Anchor in St. Louis, Missouri will be holding a FREE screening of Super Mario Bros. this Tuesday, March 27th!
Doors open at 8PM, while the screening itself will be from 9PM to 12AM. The Heavy Anchor is a comedy club venue, so note there will be live heckling/riffing from Shut Up During the Movie! hosts Kennard Williams, Jesslyn Vezeau-Shipp, and Brandon Judd.
For more information please visit the following:
Writer Valeria Girardi of Italian website Pokemon Millennium wrote a wonderful article discussing the upcoming animated adaptation of Super Mario Bros. by Illumination Studios as well as our own work towards celebrating the 1993 original!
We've reached out to Girardi for a feature on the Italian release of the film and how Italian fans feel about it, so be sure to visit again soon!
Super Mario fa ritorno sul grande schermo dal lontano 1993: il nuovo film sarà davvero un successo? (Italian)
Spanish pop culture site REVISTA CINEMANIA covered our recent Kotaku interview!
Check it out here: Two fans try to keep the memory of the Super Mario movie alive
It's truly amazing how much popular opinion towards the film has changed over the last 25 years, going from ridiculed and dismissed to cherished cult classic. This shift in perception would not be possible without the preservation efforts of this Archive, so we're incredibly proud and grateful to have our work recognized in a new piece by Luke Winkie of Kotaku.
The article, "Two Fans' Obsessive Quest To Redeem The Super Mario Bros. Movie," delves into the breadth of our site's materials, covering everything from the draft screenplays to deleted scenes to props and costumes. We also formally announced our 4K restoration!
Be sure to give it a read HERE and be sure to look forward to more 25th anniversary interviews and retrospectives. As always, trust the Fungus!
The legendarily harrowing development of the Super Mario Bros. film can be as fascinating as the cinematic experience itself, so we always appreciate a thoughtful retelling. For a brief, yet well-written version of the story, we recommend this recent blog post by B&S About Movies.
B&S then reached out to interview our site editor Steven Applebaum about the Super Mario Bros. games, the 1993 live-action film, how he joined us at the Archive, and finally his general interests outside of our cult community.
An interview with the creators of the Super Mario Brothers Archive! (B&S About Movies)
We hope you enjoy getting to know him!
Pop culture and entertainment website NowThis Nerd has debuted a new video feature with host Andrew Rivera on the film's development and production--Super Mario Bros.: The Disastrous Debut of Video Game Movies.
Although Rivera asserts the film has a negative reputation, it's overall an informative and well-produced feature that's definitely worth watching. It even discusses our very own pseudo-sequel comic!
Super Mario Bros. - The Disastrous Debut of Video Game Movies (Now This Is News)
"Solo Soprano"--Minute 68 of the Super Mario Bros. Minute is now available for download!
Site founder and webmaster Ryan Hoss returns as guest contributor for another episode of the Super Mario Bros. Minute! Ryan, Andrew, and Emily continue where they left off in Minute 67, "In geniously," to speculate just why President Koopa so detests those plumbers!
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
"In geniously"--Minute 67 of the Super Mario Bros. Minute Podcast is now available for download!
Site founder and webmaster Ryan Hoss joins Andrew and Emily in this episode as a guest contributor, discussing Mario & Luigi's plumbing heritage, the fan-favorite elevator suit-up scene, and Ryan's personal collection of screen-used memorabilia!
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
Our Japanese, Region 1 release of Super Mario Bros.: Goddess of The Demon World is officially now available for purchase!
This release reunited the original Japanese voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue and Shigeru Chiba to dub their characters Iggy and Spike in scenes that had previously been undubbed and never-before-seen in Japan. This means Japanese fans will get to experience a fuller version of the film they may never even knew existed!
Please find the Blu-Ray available for import via the TC Entertainment, Inc.website or its listing on Amazon.
Nick Clement of We Are Cult had the honor of interviewing famed Production Designer and Art Director David L. Snyder on Blade Runner, Demolition Man, Super Mario Bros.: The Movie, and much more!
Interview: Production Designer David L. Snyder! (We Are Cult)
We have an update on our upcoming Japanese, Region 1 release! The TC Entertainment, Inc. channel on YouTube has published the following video to promote their impending release of Super Mario Bros.: Goddess of The Demon World:
Check back later this month on December 22nd with details on importing your own copy!
"Princess Daisy is the Furiosa of this dimension"--Minute 50 of the Super Mario Bros. Minute Podcast is now available for download!
Site editor Steven Applebaum joins Andrew and Emily in this episode as a guest contributor, discussing the alternate Daisy-focused "Disney Cut," Fiona Shaw's efforts to expand Lena's role, and the cut "Family Pride" character development arc.
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
We are excited to announce another successful filmed interview--this time with Princess Daisy herself, actress Samantha Mathis!
We look forward to premiering this footage in a new 25th anniversary documentary, to be announced May of 2018!
We are proud to announce a new Japanese, Region 1 release of Super Mario Bros.: Goddess of The Demon World!
Inside-Games is reporting via the TC Entertainment, Inc. social media account on Twitter is reporting that the film will finally be brought to Japan in the current best possible quality available. This new DVD and Blu-Ray by TC Entertainment, Inc. has licensed our 2014 transfer from the Region 2 release by Second Sight Films.
This release will bring back Japanese voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue and Shigeru Chiba to dub their characters Iggy and Spike (respectively) for scenes previously left undubbed.
As always, Trust the Fungus, and happy 25th anniversary!
あの「スーパーマリオ 魔界帝国の女神」がブルーレイディスク化!―制作25周年を記念して via @TCE_Blu-ray (Twitter)
Actor John Leguizamo was on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" last weekend to discuss his life and career, including how he turned down a role in Philadelphia to star as Luigi in Super Mario Bros.
Leguizamo had previously shared this anecdote last July in a speech at the Yiddish Theatre's Immigrant Arts Summit.
John Leguizamo Turned Down a Role in Philadelphia for Super Mario Bros. (YouTube)
We are excited to announce a successful filmed interview with fan-favorite Bertha actress Francesca P. Roberts!
Our very own site editor Steven Applebaum traveled to Los Angeles for the shoot, bringing with him a screen-used pair of Thwomp Stompers. Miss Roberts had not seen them in 25 years!
We look forward to premiering this footage in a new 25th anniversary documentary, to be announced in May of 2018!
Finally, we're very grateful that longtime site supporter Blake Dumesnil happily lent the Thwomp Stomper boots from his personal collection for this reunion!
Our 4K restoration initiative is kicking into high gear! Hot off the heels of our restoration of "The Power" trailer from the Super Mario Bros. movie comes our newest addition to the archive: the "This Ain't No Game" trailer is now available to watch in 4K resolution!
This trailer--full of never-before-seen footage--has been released online, presented exclusively by The Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive website. The original 35mm trailer was in the personal collection of webmaster Ryan Hoss (who commissioned a 4K scan through Raleigh's A/V Geeks), and SMB Archive's Rory Joscelyne performed color and white balance restoration through his Reset Media Productions studio.
Much like "The Power" trailer that has been restored previously, "This Ain't No Game" is presented in the "open matte" style, giving fans a look at footage from the film that has never been seen before. For a more detailed description of the whole process (in addition to an imbed of the trailer video itself), check out the full article HERE!
"The Power" trailer from the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie just got a heck of an upgrade.
A newly restored 4K scan of the trailer--named after the 1990 Snap! dance track it features--has been released online, presented exclusively by The Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive website. The original 35mm trailer was acquired by friend of the site Ben Gourlay (who commissioned a 4K scan), and SMB Archive's Rory Joscelyne performed color and white balance restoration through his Reset Media Productions studio.
In addition to the 4K clarity, the trailer is presented in the "open matte" style, giving fans a look at footage from the film that has never been seen before. For a more detailed description of the whole process (in addition to an imbed of the trailer video itself), check out the full article HERE!
Back in January, I teased some additional content related to the Zavvi-exclusive Super Mario Bros. steelbook release, and now I've finally been able to post exactly what that content is. My apologies for the huge gap in updates there--we're still getting back into the swing of things around here.
What we've been able to do is have a chat with artist Paul Shipper, who provided us a revealing look at the creative process involved in the production of his cover art used for the Zavvi Super Mario Bros. steelbook! It's a great read--check it out HERE!
And that's not all--we've got another exciting update that we'll post within the next week (but probably sooner). Keep your eyes peeled--a few of our good fans and friends are bringing us something worth its weight in pixels.
Co-hosts Andrew and Emily of the Super Mario Bros. Minute Podcast traveled to the Frida on the Roof! screening of Super Mario Bros.: The Movie in Santa Ana, California on Sunday, August 27th and recorded a special bonus episode!
For more information about Nostalgic Nebula Entertainment please visit the following:
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
Actress Samantha Mathis--our very own Princess Daisy--was interviewed by The Nerd Soapbox at Monsterpalooza 2017!
Mathis discusses her role as Dr. Alice Calvert on Under the Dome (an original character for the show), voicing Crysta in FernGully: The Last Rainforest, battling "gross" vampires in Guillermo Del Toro's The Strain, and of course Princess Daisy in Super Mario Bros.
For more information about The Nerd Soapbox please visit the following:
As a testament to the enduring cult legacy of our favorite film, the Super Mario Bros. Minute Podcast has launched!
The Super Mario Bros. Minute stands apart from previous podcasts featuring the film by uniquely devoting an episode per minute. Co-hosts Andrew and Emily have a formidable goal: 104 episodes -- each focused on a single minute!
Listen and support the podcast through the following platforms:
Additionally, if the podcast's Patreon goal of $25/month is met they'll record a special episode discussing the first chapter of very own pseudo-canon sequel webcomic!
If you've just now stumbled upon our website, welcome!
There's probably a good reason you've made your way here--the news that the 1993 Super Mario Bros. film will again be re-released on Blu-Ray is quite exciting! Thanks to the fine folks at Zavvi, there will be an exlusive, limited edition steelbook that will be released on February 13, 2017, featuring gorgeous new artwork from Paul Shipper. You can pre-order the Blu-Ray HERE.
It's worth noting that underneath the new bells and whisltes of the steelbook packaging is the same (but excellent) Second Sight release from 2014. If you live in the US, please remember that this is still a region 2 release. All of our previous Blu-Ray coverage still stands, so here's all of that information if you're so inclined:
If you're a returning reader, thanks for stopping by. I apologize for the lack of updates since the Blu-Ray released; it was a gigantic "mission accomplished" moment for us and it seemed like a good time to let that stand for a while. Rest assured, though, there is still an insurmountable amount of content left to go, and we've been quietly working behind the scenes for some great events for the film's 25th anniversary next year. In the meantime, check out our updated YouTube channel, and be on the lookout for some fun content related to this steelbook Blu-Ray release in the near future!
"Trust the Fungus."
The silly--yet remarkably deep--catchphrase that lies at the heart of the Super Mario Bros. film has echoed in my head ever since I started this website back in 2007. The primary goal of all the research, interviews, articles, and screenings was to get people thinking and talking about the film again. To help cement its cult classic status in the minds of geeks everywhere. And in doing that, Steven and I really--really--wanted the film to get a proper high-definition release so we can all enjoy Super Mario Bros. the way it was meant to be seen.
On November 3rd, 2014, those lofty dreams become reality when Super Mario Bros. releases on Blu-Ray, courtesy of UK distributor Second Sight.
Second Sight contacted us early in 2014 and wanted to get our opinions on what the fan community would like to see on a potential Blu-Ray release. We had a LOT of ideas, and SS worked tirelessly throughout the year to make as many of those dreams happen as they could. The result? A superb Blu-Ray and the definitive Super Mario Bros. experience. READ ON for a breakdown of the entire package...
Second Sight's Blu-Ray release of Super Mario Bros. is coming in just a few weeks, so now is definitely the time to start getting excited. If for some reason you still haven't decided to get this thing, we put together a little something that might change your mind. Second Sight was nice enough to provide us with an early preview disc, so we've taken a bunch of HD screenshots from the film AND compared them to their original DVD counterpart so you can see how huge of a difference the new transfer makes:
Keep checking the site for our full review of the Blu-Ray soon. And speaking of reviews, Starburst Magazine has posted one of the first reviews of the release, so check that out as well. And if you've forgotten, the new Blu-Ray and DVD releases are available for pre-order on Amazon:
That's it for now! November 3rd can't get here soon enough!
It's just under a month until the highly-anticipated debut of Super Mario Bros. on Region B Blu-Ray, arriving on November 3rd, courtesy of distributor Second Sight! And since there's only a few weeks left, we thought we'd take some time to make a post with some of the most common questions we've been receiving about this release. Hopefully this will clear up some of the confusion and lead you down the path to purchasing a copy when the day arrives!
Q: Super Mario Bros. is finally coming out on Blu-Ray? No way! When does it come out?
A: The Blu-Ray releases on November 3rd on Region B Blu-Ray and DVD, from distributor Second Sight.
Q: It's Region B? I live in the USA. Does that mean it won't work in my PS3 or Blu-Ray player?
A: Unfortunately, you are correct. Since the release is Region B only, you'll have to import the disc and find a way to play it.
Q: I want to import the Blu-Ray. Can you help me figure out how to play it in the USA?
A: Sure! The easiest method would be to purchase a Region-B Blu-Ray player (like THIS one) as well as a Universal Power Converter (like THIS one) and you'll be set. For more info, check out this great blog post over on Arthouse Cowboy.
Q: That sounds like a lot of work. I'll just wait until it comes out in the USA. Any word on when it's coming out here?
A: You might be waiting for quite a while. Disney still holds the distribution rights to Super Mario Bros. in the US, and they currently have no plans to release it here. And, even if they DID come out with their own release, it wouldn't have all of the amazing bonus features that we and the Second Sight crew worked so hard to bring to you!
Q: Okay, I'm ready to Trust the Fungus! Where can I buy the Blu-Ray?
A: The Blu-Ray and DVD releases are both already available for pre-order:
That wraps up the Q&A! We hope that's helped answer any questions you might have about the release. If any additional information pops up, we'll be sure to update this post with the most current information.
Also, if you're looking for some Super Mario Bros. movie talk, SMB Archive's webmaster Ryan Hoss guest-starred on another episode of the Sequelcast Podcast! It's mainly about the Saw franchise but they let him plug this website and the upcoming Blu-Ray!
We're thrilled to announce the final release date, specs, and bonus features for Second Sight's upcoming Blu-Ray and DVD release of Super Mario Bros. Here's a rundown of what we're getting on November 3rd:
The Blu-Ray and DVD releases are both already available for pre-order:
This re-release has been a long time coming, and Second Sight has gone above and beyond to make this the definitive release of Super Mario Bros. Trust us, folks, you'll want to get your hands on this Blu-Ray and see the film the way it was meant to be seen. This release is the culmination of what this website has lobbied for since its inception. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy come November 3rd!
It's been a while since our last update, but we can now finally reveal a few more details about the upcoming Super Mario Bros. Blu-Ray release. There's some good news and some bad news...
The bad news is that Second Sight Films has delayed the release from August to November 3rd. The good news is that this was done for the for the very understandable reason that there are several more high-profile interviews scheduled that necessitate more time for editing.
The first of such interviews was with Annabel Jankel, the co-director alongside Rocky Morton--who we have earlier interviewed.
Who else? The fantastic John Leguizamo--Luigi himself.
So, there you have it. Trust the Fungus. It'll be worth the wait.
Plumber alert! Today is the 21st anniversary of the film's release.
We've accomplished so much in the last year alone, from the 20th anniversary screening to the sequel comic to convention appearances. We're a much stronger community now than we were a year ago, let alone four when we first started this project.
We only hope to continue growing. The film's upcoming August release on Blu-Ray will be our biggest test yet. It represents the culmination of all our work.
How did you celebrate Memorial Day Weekend and how will you pay tribute to the film? It is more important now than ever considering the loss of Bob Hoskins.
The latest page of our Super Mario Bros. 2 Online Sequel Comic has been released!
Reznor and Mario's conversation continues. Will they see eye-to-eye regarding how they see their families?
The latest page of our Super Mario Bros. 2 Online Sequel Comic has been released!
Reznor and Mario are now on the tower’s balcony, overlooking the city, but is fresh air enough to make things right for the two of them?
The latest page of our Super Mario Bros. 2 Online Sequel Comic has been released!
It was important to us to treat Luigi and Daisy’s relationship realistically by showing that it wouldn’t be completely stable just because they are reunited. Luigi has his insecurities while Daisy has her responsibilities, which will only make it more difficult for them to find love now that another threat has arisen.
We hope they can make it together. They’re a cute couple.
Following last week's tragic news of Bob Hoskins' passing, we feel like the best thing we can do to honor his memory is to continue our work on this website--including our canon Super Mario Bros. 2 Sequel Comic. This story will continue, and we feel extremely privileged to keep carrying that torch.
In this latest page we introduce a new character, Mouser. We’re very excited to incorporate him into the story as he is actually the first truly original character we've created for this universe. All other characters either existed in early scripts or deleted scenes, which makes their contribution to the setting more defined. Mouser, on the other hand, is a narrative free-agent. We can do whatever we want with him!
Also, yes: he is Asian. We feel it important to include racial diversity in any work, especially one that can trace it’s origin to so many different cultures. It just makes sense to represent different peoples in a universe rife with ethnic heritage.
We are saddened to hear that legendary actor Bob Hoskins passed away yesterday at the age of 71. We were inundated with tributes from many people today via social media who were shocked that such an icon could leave us so suddenly.
Bob was a brilliant man. We didn't know him and, unfortunately, never had the opportunity to speak with him personally. Still, we were friends with many of those that had worked with him over the years and, through them, felt his wonderful personality.
We have felt the grief and sense of loss from those that loved him as more than just a man on a screen. He was a colleague, a friend, a brother and a father. We cannot just remember him for being Mario Mario, Eddie Valiant, Smee, or any other character because he was so much more.
We will miss you, Bob. All of us.
If anyone wishes to extend their condolences or reminisce about his films please feel free to do so on our Facebook post.
Unless you've been living in a parallel dimension, you'd know that Second Sight Films is bringing Super Mario Bros. to both DVD and Blu-Ray for the first time. This release will feature a new transfer with the best and most proper technical specifications. This alone makes it the most we could have ever hoped for as fans simply wanting to see the film in the best possible format.
In our last update, we revealed that the SMB Movie Archive is working with Second Sight on some new bonus content. For the most part, this is simply interviews with choice cast/crew. Most of those interviewed have already been spoken to by us on the site, but we have a few new surprises. We are ready to announce one of those surprises: co-director Rocky Morton. Check out the photo above for proof!
We're extremely excited for this release. It may be the best we will ever receive, but it will also be the best we deserve. We've earned this. We've worked hard for this as a community. All it took was keeping the film in the spotlight long enough for the right people to notice.
Also, the current release date is August 11th. Until then, Trust the Fungus.
The latest page of our Super Mario Bros. 2 Online Sequel Comic has been released!
If you haven't been following the story so far, start back at the beginning so you can find out exactly what happens after the film ends. If you have been following the comic, this latest page features our first look at a creature from the games translated into the film's setting. We're loving exploring this new setting and what it has to offer!
Our Super Mario Bros. 2 sequel comic project continues to gain exposure with each new page we post! This week, two members of the team (co-writer Steven Applebaum and artist Eryk Donovan) were invited to do an interview on their work for the Rufus Project Podcast!
Our portion starts at 36 minutes in, so be sure to GIVE IT A LISTEN if you'd like some background on how the project came together and what we have planned next.
IT'S OFFICIAL--SUPER MARIO BROS. WILL BE RELEASED ON BLU-RAY IN SUMMER 2014!
We are pleased to announce that Super Mario Bros. will be released on Blu-Ray in Summer 2014! The distributor is Second Sight Films, a UK group known for their work on cult horror and sci-fi films. The SMB Movie Archive is working with Second Sight on some important aspects of this release.
Second Sight is a distributor that has been praised for their excellent remastering of films as well as their production of new bonus features. Both are planned for Super Mario Bros.
Check back for the latest on this exciting development! Looks like trusting the fungus all these years has finally paid off!
What a fitting first update for 2014!
The SMB Movie Archive has learned from a very reliable source that a Blu-Ray release of Super Mario Bros. could happen in 2014. According to our source, some very exciting developments toward this re-release of the film have been made in the past week.
While we can't reveal any details just yet, we can say that if this project comes to fruition, it will be the most important thing that can happen for the fans and the mission of this website.
What would YOU like to see in a Blu-Ray release of Super Mario Bros.? Anamorphic widescreen? High-definition video and audio? Special features? SHOOT ME AN E-MAIL and I'll post an update with the best responses!
As 2013 comes to a close, I'd like to reflect on the amazing year that we've had at the SMB Movie Archive. The 20th Anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. film was something we've looked forward to celebrating for the past few years. To commemorate the event, we hosted a number of anniversary screenings of the film and launched an in-canon sequel comic! Here's a rundown of our best content of the past year:
Although the 20th anniversary has come and gone, 2014 has the potential to be even better. Our Super Mario Bros. 2 comic begins its second issue this coming week, and we have plans to resume with some SMB Archive content updates that lots of fans have been looking forward to. Until then, trust the fungus!
According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Danny Wells has passed away at the age of 72. For those unfamiliar, Danny portrayed Luigi in the 1989 Super Mario Bros. Super Show! TV series. Many people never really take the time to think about these past icons. We all just assume they live in some immortal state of nostalgia. Although his show is not our focus, we do respect it for representing a unique time in the franchise's history. It paved the way for the film version. Wells described this process himself in a recent interview with SLAM!:
"Remember that the Super Mario Bros. didn't exist [as characters]. The Super Mario Bros. was a video game, they didn't talk, they didn't have a second name, they didn't have a job. They were just little icons in a video game," Wells reminded. "It was up to the people involved, me being one of them, to create these characters, to give them a life, to give them a job, where they lived, and their relationship with each other. We took a nothing -- just little icons from a video game -- and turned them into living, breathing characters."
Lou Albano and Danny Wells will forever be *the* "Mario" and "Luigi" for a generation. You will be missed.
Our spread with Pure Nintendo Magazine has been released! The feature shares eight pages of quotes as well as concept art that introduces three new characters.
So, if you'd like a behind-the-scenes look at the comic or are interested in great Nintendo-focused reporting do give the magazine a chance. It's well worth a subscription!
It's been a while, but here's an update worth mentioning! There will be yet another 20th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros. at the Alamo Drafthouse in Houston, TX on Tuesday, October 8th at 7:30 PM. The screening is a part of the Drafthouse's month-long "Game Over" celebration of video game culture. If you missed the other screenings, try your best to make it to this one--the SMB Archive's own Blake Dumesnil is set to attend the screening, with a Thwomp Stomper prop display! Pre-order your tickets HERE. RSVP via our Facebook event page HERE.
Oh, and if you haven't heard, our canon comic book sequel of Super Mario Bros. is going strong! The comic has been picked up by quite a lot of news outlets, but here are two recent notable links:
Have you guys seen Lukas Hausler's Super Mario Bros. The Movie: The Game print? It's a fantastic concept that brings together the characters and elements of the film in the style of the original games. It's proven very popular with the fans!
We were able to snag a quick interview with Lukas on the print, which can be read on the forums HERE. Give it a read, then visit Lukas' site to purchase the print for yourself!
Don't forget about the 20th Anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros. at the Sunshine Cinema in New York City on Friday, June 21st and Saturday, June 22nd at midnight! This event had a great turnout last year, so don't miss it. A true 35mm print of the film will be screened! For more info or to RSVP, check out our Facebook event page HERE.
We have covered director Bryan Sanders' film "Paperclip 2" in the past, but now we would like to revisit it with the announcement that the short film "Mushroom Madness" can now be watched. This film serves as an homage to the Super Mario Bros. film property, even going so far as featuring a voice cameo from Mojo Nixon (Toad)!
Bryan has this to say:
"This scene was really special to shoot for the movie PC2. Not only does an actor who worked on the original 93 mario bros movie show up for this scene, but an actual prop from the 93 movie is used as well. Huge thanks for Blake Dumesnil for hooking me up with the "Meteorite Necklace" from the 93 SMB movie!
Thanks to Steven Applebaum and the Super Mario Bros. The Movie Archive for the contacts, resources and info relating to the SMB movie and for helping me get Mojo Nixon in my movie.
Be sure to visit stanford, KY and see the PC2 on the big screen! June 29th-30th @ the Community Arts Center downtown! 7pm-10pm & 3pm-6pm!
Until then, trust the fungus!!"
The special homage film, Mushroom Madness, can be watched below.
Greetings! We expect many of you now visiting the site may have found us through the latest issue of Nintendo Force Magazine. If that is the case, we just wish to thank you for reading those articles and taking the time to check us out.
It has been our mission to educate gaming and film fans about the development of the live-action Super Mario Bros. film and, over the last three years, we have made tremendous strides in building a dedicated community of fans around it.
Whether you're a fan or just curious about the movie we appreciate you stopping by. Feel free to watch the exclusive 20th anniversary video John Leguizamo made for us (below). And, if you're feeling talkative, join our forums and discuss what you thought about the Nintendo Force articles or the sequel comic preview.
Now that our anniversary screening is over we can finally announce the project we have been secretly working on for the last two years: a sequel comic to the film!
Following our interview with screenwriter Parker Bennett, we began discussions with him on the film's backstory and potential directions for the sequel, making this project as close to official as possible.
We are very excited to share this project with the film's fans. Look through gallery below to see the first few pages produced with the help of artist Joshua Ballze. If you want to share your thoughts please post on our forums. We'd love to get your input!
Our 20th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros. at LA's Nuart Theatre was a success! Attendees enjoyed the prop displays and sequel comic teaser, as well as our Q&A panel. We'd like to give a BIG thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success, especially our Q&A panelists!
We'll have photo and video content of the event up soon, but until then, we can now exclusively bring you John Leguizamo's 20th Anniversary message:
That reminds me--the Super Mario Bros 2.Sequel Comic hasn't yet been officially announced on this website. I guess I know what our next update will be!
Final warning! Our special 20th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros. is TONIGHT at the NuArt Theatre in Los Angeles, CA at midnight!
This is going to be an event to remember! Here's the rundown of what you'll experience tonight:
If all of this wasn't enough, Nintendo Force #3 came out today. It has an exclusive Super Mario Bros. movie 20th anniversary article which the SMB Movie Archive contributed to! Order your copy HERE.
The next issue of Nintendo Force is coming soon, and in this issue, NF Goes Hollywood!
In addition to checking out some movie-related games from throughout Nintendo's history and looking back at the court case of Nintendo vs. Universal, the magazine is showing the Super Mario Bros. movie some mad anniversary love--with help from the SMB Movie Archive!
If you're a fan of the movie, then this is one magazine you'll want to have in your collection, so be sure to pre-order your copy or subscribe here!
We have created an event page for our 20th anniversary screening on Facebook! To RVSP and invite friends please look us up HERE. We hope to see you there!
Here's a quick, interesting tidbit: Super Mario Bros. will see its first official DVD release in Japan this August. According to THIS translated press release from Game Watch, the film will be released on August 7 and will support Stereo Dolby Digital audio and include the film's trailer.
My favorite part of that press release? The part where they let us know that a Blu-Ray release is definitely *not* coming any time soon. At least they asked about it. Regardless, the SMB Archive will pick this up when it comes out and report on its quality. Coincidentally, we just acquired the Japanese VHS, so it should be a fun comparison!
The time has come! As the 20th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. draws near, we are pleased to announce a special screening that will be held at the NuArt Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, May 24th at midnight!
The NuArt is where we held our extremely successful 19th anniversary screening last year, and there really isn't a better place to do it all over again! And just like last year, a true 35mm print of the film will be screened. Tickets aren't yet available for pre-order, but keep checking the NuArt's website. Or, check back here! We'll keep you posted with more details as they happen!
On a related note, SMB Archive founder Ryan Hoss guest-starred on a recent episode of the Video Game Sequelcast that focused on the Super Mario Bros. NES games, as well as the SMB film and the upcoming screening! Check out the episode HERE (he comes on the show at around the 54 minute mark).
Karina Longworth, a former film editor of the LA Weekly, has written a brilliant piece on the film's history for Grantland. This article, entitled Hollywood Archaeology: The Super Mario Bros. Movie, covers the film's history from production to release to cultural impact. It is by far one of the most comprehensive looks at the film, especially as it draws much of its information from our very own site!
If you're curious about the film's development or would just like a refresher on some of its high points we highly encourage you to give this article a read. Miss Longworth has done an immense amount of research to make this article as accurate and interesting as possible. We certainly hope to see her at next month's 20th anniversary screening of the film!
You can follow Miss Longworth via her Twitter account at @KarinaLongworth.
Back in 2008, friend of SMB Archive Bryan Sanders started a thread on our message board about some prop replicas he was making. He managed to make some pretty convincing De-evolution guns, Bob-Ombs, and Bullet Bills. Fast forward five years to 2013--we now have a fully fledged independent film! And the Super Mario Bros. film is just a tiny part of it.
Perhaps it would be easier if I let Mr. Sanders himself tell you about his new film, Papercut 2:
"PAPERCUT 2 is an original story following two young lovers while paying homage to and parodying pop culture, video games, and 80's movies. Shooting from weekend to weekend and paycheck to paycheck, the movie was slowly completed over the course of 2 years. Cast and crew who have worked on: Ghostbusters, Transformers 3, Inspectres, Matt Forbeck's Brave New World, Traffic, Super Mario Bros., Evil Dead, Sonic the Hedgehog, Gearbox Software’s Duke Nukem, Captain America, Thor, Overtime, The Tomb, Fire From Below, Camel Spiders, America's Next Top Model, and more…all appear in the movie Papercut 2."
"Mojo Nixon reprises his role as Toad from Super Mario Bros. in a homage scene in Papercut 2. Mario, Luigi, and Daisy all appear alongside Mojo Nixon wearing the classic uniforms and props from the 1993 movie. All wardrobe, props, effects, set dressings, and production vehicles during the SMB homage scene were custom made by Bryan Sanders--the director, producer, and lead actor in the movie. Great care and attention to detail was given to the script for the SMB homage scene as it takes place after the events of the original 1993 film."
This film sounds pretty amazing--and I know Bryan can deliver! Check out the official website HERE and discuss this film on our forums HERE.
I'd like to take a moment and mention our new affiliate: the FilmFoolery Podcast! They do such a great job covering films new and old. They recently had SMB Archive webmaster Ryan Hoss on as a special guest for their episode on the recently released animated feature for The Dark Knight Returns.
Check out their website HERE or subscribe to them on iTunes. Let them know we sent you!
And on the Super Mario Bros. front, Gary Guillot (Happy Russia) has updated his popular New Super Mario Bros. fan edit with additional footage and more polished edits! Check it out HERE!
In honor of the film's 20th anniversary this year we've spoken with a person very close to the project: Jack Hoskins, Bob Hoskins' son. Jack is a longtime fan of the film, having grown up watching his father as Mario. While he has since seen how others view the project, his own childhood memories of adoration remain:
"The 1993 film installment of Super Mario Bros., a cross between Indiana Jones, Blade Runner and Star Wars was an epic production. I was quite offended when most fans say it's the worst video game movie of all time, but I truly appreciate their feelings. I believe my father was truly awesome as Mario himself, but I'm very sorry to hear of the fact that he didn't enjoy the experience of it.
Like he said about the directors, it had a husband-and-wife directing team 'whose arrogance had been mistaken for talent.' From my observation, he'd just might be right. I've heard their agents told them to leave the set after they got fired.
Most unfortunate I loved it ever since I watched with my father and sister. I was too young to realize how bad the reviews were until now, but you know what, I don't care. It would have been a huge success if it featured the same elemants from the Super Mario Bros. game trilogy.
Apart from that, it's a breathtaking performance. It's a coincidence that the Marios love the same food I find more to my liking, [including] pizza and pasta.
I believe Joel Schumacher once said [when he directed Batman & Robin] "If I disappointed them in any way, then I really wanna apologize, because that wasn't my intention, my intention was just entertainment", and I forgave him.
So if there's anyone reading this, please understand that it's no one's intention to ruin the classics. One last thing; if you remember your past enjoyments, then it would definitely keep your childhood memories alive and safely locked in your head forever." --Jack Hoskins
In celebration of the film's 20th anniversary, fan Gary Guillot (Happy Russia) has put together a re-cut version of the film! This edit removes some of the extraneous scenes while adding sound effects from the game series, creating an entirely new experience for those who have seen the film countless times before.
Give it a watch on YouTube (or in the player above) then come over to the forums to discuss it with the other fans!
While we're still fresh into the new year, guess what time it is?
That's right: it's time to start banging that ol' drum again for Disney to get our Super Mario Bros. movie out on Blu-Ray. And since it's the film's 20th anniversary, there couldn't be a better time to let the powers at be know what we want. Here are the usual links:
With the release (and success) of Wreck-It Ralph last November, I'm hoping that Disney will realize that they have that "other" video game film in their archives and get it out to the fans. Historically speaking, Disney announced their slate of Blu-Rays for classic films via press release around mid-March last year. If we're going to hear anything about getting Super Mario Bros. on Blu-Ray this year, it will probably be around then.
Happy new year! Expect big things out of us in the coming months, including more screenings, a documentary project and a secret anniversary special!
If you're wondering where all the old updates went, check out our update archive page.
Another article on the film! Ryan Lambie of DenofGeek.COM has posted an article discussing "10 remarkable things about the Super Mario Bros movie." Check it out!
Thanks to content creator Angelo Thomas, our Facebook page has seen a visual overhaul to better reflect the focus of our website. Go CHECK IT OUT if you haven't seen it!
Chris Lough of TOR.COM has posted an excellent article discussing why Super Mario Bros. is a great movie. Not that any of you visitors need convincing! Regardless, check it out HERE.
While much of our overhaul of pages and content is happening behind the scenes, we wanted to take some time and post this brand new editorial article! 5 reasons to enjoy the Super Mario Bros. movie comes to you from our colleague Eduardo Jardim, the webmaster of our Brazilian affiliate site Reino do Cogumelo. It was featured on his website several days ago, but has now been newly translated exclusively for our website.
Visit our Editorials section or click HERE to give it a read.
Happy birthday to Super Mario Bros. actor Bob Hoskins! He portrayed Mario Mario nearly 20 years ago and there has to be another actor capable or worthy of the role.
We are continuing our overhaul of the site throughout the holiday season with a strong focus on launching many pages that have previously been empty. We may not update this main page to notify you of all the changes, so be sure to look around and see if anything might have new information or a better look.
For now, we are pleased to announce the launch of our Special Features page on Game Homages, which are references to the Super Mario Bros. games and franchise within the film. You might just find yourself surprised at how many influences came together to form the film!
Jurassic Con was a huge success! Over 500 people attended the event, which showcased exhibits from Super Mario Bros., Jurassic Park, King Kong and other dinosaur-centric films. Check back soon for photos and video of the event!
Don't forget--this year's Orange County Jurassic Con is TODAY! Site staff Steven Applebaum will be on hand at the event to showcase the Koopa Creature T-Rex heads as well as other Super Mario Bros. dinosaur-related memorabilia. The event is FREE to attend. Come out to the Ralph B. Clark Museum in Orange County, CA and see some great SMB memorabilia in person! Visit the official Jurassic Con website for more details.
We've had an incredible response to last week's interviewwith Super Mario Bros. Production Designer, David L. Snyder! While the second part of the interview is coming soon, we've got something else cool to announce:
We will be participating in this year's Orange County Jurassic Con! Site staff Steven Applebaum will be on hand at the event to showcase the Koopa Creature T-Rex heads as well as other Super Mario Bros. dinosaur-related memorabilia. The event will be held at the Ralph B. Clark Museum in Orange County, CA on Saturday, October 13th and will be FREE to attend. Visit the official Jurassic Con website for more details.
The time has come! We are extremely pleased to bring you an exclusive (and extensive) interview with Super Mario Bros. Production Designer, David L. Snyder. We showcased a collection of his production stills a few weeks ago and now we have a great commentary to go along with it. Mr. Snyder has been a friend of the site ever since we first got in touch with him, and you'll see his passion and dedication towards his work reflected in our conversation.
And as you can see from our banner above, the interview was so long we're splitting it into two parts! Enjoy this first installment, and look forward to the second part, which will be posted in the near future.
I have a quick update for anyone planning on attending our final 19th anniversary screening at the Esquire Theatre in Denver, CO. Originally scheduled for late October, the dates have changed for this event. The film will now screen this weekend: Friday, September 21, and Saturday, September 22. Tickets are now available HERE (9/21) and HERE (9/22).
Hopefully anyone planning on attending will still be able to do so! And check back here next week for something we've been planning for quite a while!
We are saddened to announce that Super Mario Bros. producer Jake Eberts has passed away today at the age of 71.
Site staff Steven Applebaum had personally spoken to him over the phone some time ago. The two were in discussions to shoot an interview on his role for an upcoming making-of documentary on the film.
This opportunity will not come to pass. He will be sorely missed among the Super Mario Bros. community as well as the film scene at large. We wish his family, friends and colleagues the best.
Happy Labor Day, everyone! On my day off from my "real" job, I prepared some great content for you guys:
I'm pleased to present a spectacular set of around fifty production stills straight from David L. Snyder, the production designer of Super Mario Bros. There are some wonderful images of set construction, finished sets, and stills of scenes from the film as well. Click HERE to give them a look.
If that wasn't enough, we're following up our interview from last week with Amy Taylor with 30 additional behind the scenes photographs!
And finally, site staff Steven Applebaum guest starred on an episode of the webseries Figuring Out Our Favorite Monsters, discussing the film's version of King Koopa and how he was developed throughout the production.
That's all for today! More great content on the way!
We are continuing along with our goal to overhaul each section of the site, with many pages now having new content provided under a much more presentable format. While this work will be our main focus over the coming weeks, we decided to take the time to publish a new interview:
This interview is with Amy Taylor, makeup artist for the film and daughter of production designer David L. Snyder. Both were in attendance at our Los Angeles screening earlier this year! Be sure to give the interview a read and look forward to next weekend's update, which may just feature an interview from another member of the Snyder family.
As promised we are now returning to regular updates and the long awaited site overhaul! Our nationwide screenings have been an exciting detour, but it is now finally time to provide new content. We would like to announce that we are joined on this mission by two new staff members: Blake Dumesnil and Rory Joscelyne.
Blake has been a longtime member of the film's community, well known for his preservation of surviving memorabilia. He has now offered his services as a professional graphic artist towards overhauling the look of the site, beginning with the sleek new site logo seen above. Look forward to more developments by him!
Rory is a relatively new member of the community, though has nonetheless been instrumental in launching new content and otherwise focusing the mission of the site. With his help we should have each section filled within a matter of weeks!
Our community has made enormous strides over the last few years. New members join our forums daily while others E-mail to show their support. We could not have come this far without you all, so we will continue to do our best in appreciating the film and its rich development.
If you would like to help in any way feel free to CONTACT US any time. We appreciate any contribution, be it information on merchandise, a magazine article we might have missed or even just words of encouragement.
We have several minor points to share this weekend:
The film was featured by GamesRadar on their 'Top 10 Best Video Game Movies' as the fifth best video game adaptation of all time! This is not the first time the film has been promoted from 'worst adaptation' lists, but it does represent a growing trend of pop culture groups gaining a newfound appreciation for it. It can certainly be said that it at least fares better in terms of technical quality and heart than many of its contemporaries.
David Oxford, a regular member of our fan community as well as a contributor to both The Examiner and Poison Mushroom, put together an article discussing the film's unusual and sometimes disturbing coloring book. This article was picked up by numerous gaming websites, including Destructoid, GoNintendo and Kotaku. Give them a read and have a good laugh at the film's expense!
Finally, today is also the birthday of key makeup effects artist Jeff Goodwin! It was his makeup direction that brought to life the characters of Koopa and Lena, as well as many others in the film. Be sure to give our interview with him another reading to commemorate the occasion!
We have just learned that Bob Hoskins will be retiring from acting due to a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease. He has stated that he:
"wishes to thank all the great and brilliant people he has worked with over the years, and all of his fans who have supported him during a
wonderful career. [He] is now looking forward to his retirement with his family, and would greatly appreciate that his privacy be
respected at this time."
Hoskins will be remembered as the man who brought Mario to life in the way that no other person could, but also as Eddie Valiant, Smee and so many others. His retirement changes nothing about who he is or what he has offered and will continue to offer us in life.
Remember him as the brilliantly talented actor that he was, and for the always sincere man that he will continue to be.
Our membership drive contest is now over! The three contest winners will have their prizes shipped as soon as requested. We hope that they enjoy them and continue to be active members of our growing community.
This was a fun event that we plan to continue, so if you'd like a chance to win more cool prizes check back often. We always have something in store.
Our Dallas, TX showing also went well! Details will follow, but until then we have one final screening for the year in Denver, CO. If you're in the area you won't want to miss it!
Today we have a final reminder for our Dallas, TX showings as well as new cool content!
Don't forget the 35mm screenings of Super Mario Bros. at the Inwood Theatre in Dallas, Texas at midnight TONIGHT and Saturday.
Mojo Nixon has revealed his FULL working version of the song that he sang as Toad in the film. It's not only hilarious, but just as good as an extended scene:
As you can imagine, we're pretty excited about this. Visit our forum thread HERE if you want to discuss it with us.
While it's not "Mario," per se, site staff Ryan Hoss was recently featured on the most recent episode of the Handsome Bob Podcast to discuss The Dark Knight Rises. Who knows? Maybe they'll have a Super Mario Bros.-themed episode at some point as well.
That's it for today! Don't forget our membership drive contest still has a few days left! Get as many points as you can!
We have arrived at two more of our nationwide screenings!
First up is a Greensboro, NC showing of the film, which is being held at the The Carolina Theatre tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are only $6 or $4 with student ID. Don't forget the 1-UP Tournament that follows!
We will then have two showings at the Inwood Theatre in Dallas, Texas on midnight of this Friday and Saturday.
Remember, this could be your one chance to finally see the film on the large screen! Why miss out on the opportunity of having a good time with friends and family? It's an event not to be forgotten!
Good news for anyone in the North Carolina area that may have missed our Wilmington showing or would just like to see the movie again!
The fine folks at Mixed Tape Productions are teaming up with Lost Ark Video Games for a special event presentation of "Super Mario Bros." at The Carolina Theatre in Greensboro, NC. The showing starts on Thursday, August 2nd at 7:30 p.m. at The Carolina Theatre on 310 South Greene Street. Tickets are only $6 or $4 with student ID.
Afterwards, we will meet at Lost Ark Video Games on 2823-E on Spring Garden Street at 10 p.m. for the 1-Up Tournament, where the winner will get cool prizes including a $50 gift card for merchandise at Lost Arcade.
We hope you can make the event as we are screening in limited locations this year. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with others who appreciate the film just as much as you and see it on the big screen. We'll see you there!
We have a couple points that we want to share this week:
We are now past the first week of our three week membership drive contest. Activity has picked up immensely with new members joining everyday. There's still plenty of time for you to join and participate if you want a chance to win some of our prizes. Just register HERE and start posting!
Our goal to help the film's fan community grow has taken another step forward through our affiliation with Brazilian video game news site Reino do Cogumelo. We have previously featured an article from them on the film's Thwomp Stomper boots. Look forward to more guest editorials from them!
We will return to regular updates showcasing interviews, scripts, concept art and more in only a few weeks, so stick around!
Site staff Steven Applebaum was recently featured on a special episode of Sequelcast and had a great discussion about the film. That podcast was a success so the Sequelcast guys have also recorded a brand new SequelCommentary podcast about the film. Give it a listen!
Have a listen and, if you're American, enjoy the Independence Day festivities!
As promised, we have some new content from our 19th anniversary screenings, as well as some new announcements:
We now have video content from our May 25th screening from the NuArt in Los Angeles! Enjoy this 12-minute recap video that features interviews with moviegoers, cast and production members, and introductions to the film from both us and production designer David L. Snyder:
These 19th anniversary screenings have been such a hit this summer that we're thrilled to announce that they are going to continue into the fall:
On August 3 & 4 the film will screen at midnight at the Inwood Theatre in Dallas, Texas. Pre-order your tickets HERE.
On October 5 & 6 the film will screen at midnight at the Esquire Theatre in Denver, Colorado. Tickets will be available shortly HERE.
So many great things are happening with this film! It's a great time to be a fan, so in the meantime come join the forums!
What a blast! Our final 19th Anniversary summer screenings were a success:
Both the Wilmington, NC and Seattle, WA screenings saw around 60 guests at each location. Craig Edwards, Mark McCoy, Fred Allen, and Karen Brigman were all in attendance in NC. Just like our guests in LA, some of these people had not seen each other in years. Many of the guests who hadn't seen the film in a while were surprised at the difference in watching the film on the big screen in 35mm.
Chris Clow and Paul Hermann of Modern Myth Media represented the site by introducing the June 23 screening in Seattle. The turnout was better than expected and the audience enjoyed experiencing the film in the theater.
We're also pleased to announce that we've been featured on our first podcast! Site staff Steven Applebaum was featured on a special episode of Sequelcast, and he covered many aspects of the film, from the original fantasy script to the nationwide screenings we're currently holding to even a potential sequel comic!
These are very exciting times for all fans of this film! Come back for our next update where we'll post photo and video content from the LA, Wilmington, and Seattle screenings!
Our final 19th anniversary screenings in Wilmington, NC and Seattle, WA are only a few days away!
Our Wilmington, NC screening will be on Thursday, June 21 at Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 PM. Features a special introduction by Craig Edwards. Tickets are $7 and can be pre-ordered online HERE. Feel free to RSVP and spread the word through our Facebook event page HERE.
Our Seattle, WA screenings will be on June 22 and 23 at the Egyptian Theatre. Both screenings are being held at midnight. The 6/23 screening will be introduced by Chris Clow and Paul Hermann of Modern Myth Media. Tickets are $8.25 and can be pre-ordered online HERE. Feel free to RSVP and spread the word through our Facebook event page HERE.
We've already recieved some great press about these events so far, thanks to multiple articles from Wilmington's Star News and The Escapist.
Again, this is it! Don't miss out on these final events!
The time has come! Join us for our final 19th anniversary screenings on June 21 in Wilmington, NC or June 22/23 in Seattle, WA:
Our Wilmington, NC screening will be on Thursday, June 21 at Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $7 and can be pre-ordered online HERE. Feel free to RSVP and spread the word through our Facebook event page HERE.
We hope to see as many of you at these final events as possible! We've had a blast putting them together and couldn't be happier with the results.
As promised in our last update, we've got some great content to share from our May 26 screening of Super Mario Bros. at the NuArt in Los Angeles:
You can view a gallery of these photos on the event's page, which will be updated over the coming weeks with additional information as well as a retrospective from Ryan and Steven on what it took to put this event together, and their thoughts on seeing a print of the film on the big screen!
We also have a dedicated page for the April 27th screening held at the Sunshine Cinema in NYC, containing the video posted a few weeks ago.
And stay tuned--finalized details for our Wilmington and Seattle screenings coming up in late June will be posted very soon!
We think it's safe to say that our 19th anniversary screening of Super Mario Bros. at LA's NuArt theater was a huge success. Here are some talking points for your reading pleasure:
We filled nearly 190 seats of 300 with 157 paid tickets and around 30 additional special guests from the production, including David L. Snyder, Dana Kaminski, Brian Jennings and Parker Bennett. Many of these people had not seen each other in years, and some had not seen the film in nearly as long.
The NuArt was surprised at the number of people that showed as well as their enthusiasm. There was cheering and laughing all throughout the movie at just the right times. It just goes to show that the film has a presence even now. David, Parker and the others were stunned at the turn-out, feeling that perhaps their work was finally validated. Following the screening, David stated via Twitter that he was "Stunned. Audience howled throughout. It's a goof."
We want to thank everyone who came and supported us both before and after. It was an event well worth planning and something we would like to do next year if the interest is there. If you attended, please contact us and send us your thoughts. We may just use it on the site!
Finally, photographer Marina Meza and videographer Melissa Watson provided a wealth of great content for use on our site. Look forward to seeing that content for next week's update, with our full report on the screening event and our thoughts and reactions to seeing an actual print of the film shortly thereafter.
Until then, we'll leave you with what the NuArt looked like from the outside as people began lining up for the event (and this is before the line got long!):
Come see Super Mario Bros. TONIGHT in Los Angeles!
We've finally arrived at the Memorial Day weekend that marks both the film's 19th anniversary as well as our midnight premiere at the NuArt Theatre in Los Angeles! Production designer David L. Snyder will be introducing the film alongside site staff Steven Applebaum and Ryan Hoss. Many others on the production, including VFX supervisor Chris Woods and writer Parker Bennett will be among the audience to see the film in theaters for the first time in years.
In addition to the film itself, don't forget about our pre-show display of props and production memorabilia, which were all graciously donated by several sources close to the film. These include the Thwomp Stomper boots from longtime fan and collector Blake Dumesnil, the "Koopa Creature" heads from sculptor Rob Burman, Princess Daisy's dress from costume foreman Salvador Pérez Jr. and more!
The event is being held at the NuArt Theatre on 11272 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 at 11:30PM, with the film itself beginning at midnight. Arrive early to purchase your tickets for only $10.50 as well as to check out the showcases in the lobby. (If you worked on the film in any capacity your admission will be covered in full) If interested, approach hosts Steven Applebaum or one of our photographers to be be interviewed in a video for the site.
We hope to see everyone there and that you all have a good time. We'll see you on the other side!
OUR BIG LOS ANGELES FILM SCREENING IS THIS FRIDAY!
We are now only days away from our much anticipated Los Angeles screening of Super Mario Bros.! We are very lucky to have former cast and crew attend this special, one-night only showing. Even more exciting, production designer David L. Snyder is scheduled to provide an introduction to the film. We will also be showcasing surviving memorabilia from the film in the lobby, including the Thwomp Stomper boots and the "Koopa Creature" masks, as well as Princess Daisy's dress and meteorite pendant. You may preorder your tickets HERE and RSVP on our Facebook event page HERE.
Site staff Steven Applebaum will be hosting this event, as well as interviewing those who attend on-film. If you would like to talk about your thoughts on the movie than you can approach him either before or after the showing in the lobby.
Finally, we now have footage of Michael Criscuolo's introduction to the film for the April 27th NYC screening available for your viewing! Michael discusses his many contributions to the film in a hilarious and insightful manner. Special thanks to Underbelly guest host Shawn Caple for the footage:
We hope to see you at our remaining showings! Being able to do these events is very exciting for both the film and us fans, so it's not something you want to miss. Once again, Trust the Fungus!
Our New York showings at the Sunshine Cinema last weekend were a success! We had over 50 people show for the Friday night screening. Host Shawn Caple of Underbelly and guest speaker Michael Criscuolo had a great time and were able to film the event, which should be available to watch in the coming weeks.
We'd now like to start promoting our next showing, which will take place in Los Angeles on May 25th. This special, one night-only showing will feature production memorabilia on-display in the lobby, former cast/crew in attendance, two special guest speakers and a camera crew to interview anyone interested in talking about the movie!
Tickets are available for pre-order at $10.50 through the Landmark website. If you think you can attend then you can join our event page on Facebook, HERE.
Check back for further updates regarding this and future screenings!
NEW YORK SCREENINGS ARE 4/27 and 4/28!
Be sure not to miss our midnight showings of Super Mario Bros. at the Sunshine Cinema in NYC, both tonight and tomorrow night! Shawn Caple of Underbelly will be hosting for us while special guest speaker Michael Criscuolo will speak on his role on the film. Stick around the lobby both before and after the showing if you'd like to be on-camera for a few questions!
Once again, tickets can be bought for only $10 HERE (Friday/Tonight) and HERE (Saturday).
As we mentioned last week, we now have a dedicated page up for our 19th Anniversary screenings of Super Mario Bros. Click on the banner above for the full details, but I'm going mention all of the upcoming screenings here as well:
The Sunshine Cinema in New York City on April 27th and 28th
The NuArt Theatre in Los Angeles on May 25th
The Thalian Hall in Wilmington, NC on June 21
The Egyptian Theatre in Seattle, WA on June 22nd and 23rd
We'll be posting updates and more info for these screenings throughout the next couple of months. We really hope you can attend one of them!
As promised, here's that exciting update we teased last week:
We at the Archive are proud to finally share what we've been working towards the last few months: the film's first true theatrical print screening events! We have worked with the esteemed Landmark theatres and Thalian Hall to book the film in several locations around the country, including New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Seattle, WA and Wilmington, NC.
This will be the first time the movie has been seen in theaters since it's original 1993 premiere, so we're planning these events to be well-remembered. Former cast/crew are scheduled to attend to both watch the film and speak on their contributions while production memorabilia held in storage for nearly 20 years will be displayed.
Our first screenings will be on April 27 and 28 at the Sunshine Cinema in New York City. Both screenings are being held at midnight. The April 27th showing will feature special guest speaker Michael Criscuolo, who will be available to answer a few questions following the end of the film. Tickets are only $10 and can be pre-ordered online HERE (27th) and HERE (28th).
Feel free to RSVP for the event and invite your friends through our Facebook event page HERE. We look forward to seeing as much of you in attendance as possible!
Starting next week, we'll have a banner on the front page that will always be up to direct you to the most up-to-date showtimes and ticket info. Until then, trust the fungus!
Are you in the New York area? How about Los Angeles? Wilmington, North Carolina or Seattle, Washington? If so, be sure to check back next weekend for an exciting update on what we've been working on the last couple of months! You don't want to miss what we have planned.
We've got some great new content in store for you today:
We've acquired an extremely rare Promotion Guide for the film that was given out to theaters in preparation for the film's release. There's a ton of great info in there about how Disney wished for the film to be marketed and what kinds of promo items were available at the time. Check out the full guide in our Media: Promotional Items section.
The Wilmington Star-News interviewed us about the website! Check out their article HERE.
More awesome content (and announcements) are coming! Stay tuned!
The Retronauts podcast is up! Check it out for in-depth coverage of the film's plot as well as discussion of several reader comments, including those from our very own members. Special thanks were given to our site, so that alone makes it worth a listen.
Also, last Sunday was the 20th 'anniversary' for Parker Bennett and Terry Runté's original sci-fi script. The script to this day remains our favorite vision for for the project. Give it a read and enjoy a look at what could have been.
More great stuff is coming--stick around for when we can actually announce it!
Attention, fans! Your assistance is needed once again:
1UP will be discussing Super Mario Bros. next week for their Retronauts 'Movie Month' feature on video game-related media. They're asking people to post to the blog their thoughts and feelings towards the film, so be sure to let everyone know what YOU think by commenting HERE.
This is a huge opportunity to get the word out about our site. The blog posting itself says the following:
"Let us know what you thought about the movie! Each episode will feature a special segment where we read and discuss our lovely listeners' comments, so if you're dying to share your biting criticism with the world, this is the place to do so."
If our site were mentioned on the podcast then we could fully expect a huge upsurge in exposure and traffic. Help us and the cause!
As promised, our follow-up with Rob Burman continues:
Our Creatures section has been updated with a dedicated page to the Koopa Creature, with sub-sections for all four stages featured in the film. There are over 40 exclusive images in here--and they're all fantastic. They really give you a sense of how much work went into creating this impressive combination of prosthetics, sculpts, animatronics, and CGI.
So, enjoy those awesome photos. If you haven't joined our forums yet, please stop in and let us know what you think!
What, new content? That's right! Here goes:
We've caught up with Rob Burman (who was behind the Koopa Creature) and asked him some follow-up questions to add to our interview with him that was posted in late 2010. There are also some very interesting new photos added to go along with some of our questions. Check it out HERE or click on the update banner above.
It looks like our recent efforts to spread the word about the film's upcoming anniversary aren't going unnoticed by some outlets. Check out Multiplayer Games' article about our doings HERE.
And as you've probably noticed, this is only the first part of our Rob Burman-related materials to update. Check back here next week for the rest!
Happy New Year, everyone! And with this new year comes the next wave of updates for the Archive.
One of the greatest things about running this site is getting to know all of these incredible people involved with the Super Mario Bros. film. And I'm not just talking about the cast and crew who made the movie, I'm also talking about our ever-growing community of dedicated fans. Whether it's someone who's making a fan film or fan art, scripts, costumes, or just posting on our forums, it's a pleasure to be involved with each and every one of you.
And with that, we've got a great new editorial article from David Oxford (aka LBD_Nytetrayn on our forums) regarding his trip to Otakon 2011, in which he dressed up like Bob Hoskins' Mario and promoted our website with flair!
Also, as this is the new year, it's worth noting that we're one step closer to the 20th anniversary of the film (which will occur in May 2013). If there's any hope of convincing Disney to consider a re-release of any sort, there's some stuff you can do to help:
If you haven't done either of those things to help increase awareness, please do so! Only a little of your time can go a long way to let the powers that be know we really want an updated release of the film!
Happy Holidays, fungineers! Just a few things to bring to your attention:
Did you attend last week's screening of Super Mario Bros. at the PIT in NYC? If so, shoot me an email and let me know if you had a good time.
Watch a 20-minute documentary on the Super Mario Bros. movie by college student Noah Whitaker! This documentary features a plethora of information, quotations and production images taken from our very own site, as well as section devoted to our hard work and fan community.
Since this will likely be the last update before the new year, be safe and be merry. Plenty more content will come in 2012, don't you worry. Rest assured that the lack of "big" updates has more to do with our busy schedules than anything else. With only a year to go until the 20th anniversary of the film, things should definitely get more interesting around here.
Until next time, watch the film again with family or friends. Join our message board or make some new posts if you haven't visited in a while.
And of course...trust the fungus!
Do you live within the New York area or will you be there on Saturday, December 17th? If so, we would love for you to join us at the People's Improv Theater for a FREE screening of Super Mario Bros.:
We hope that more screenings like this can happen in preparation for the film's 20th anniversary. Show your support simply by watching the movie and having a good time! Check out the PIT website or RSVP HERE for more details. We'd also like to thank the PIT's Oscar Montoya for informing us about the event.
As far as more site content, it's definitely coming. Stick with us!
We've got a quick bit of Mario movie-related news for you today:
Over the weekend, writer Jamie Russell shared several anecdotes from his upcoming book "Generation X-Box" in which producer Roland Joffé and director Rocky Morton reflect on the film's origin and failure.
Most interestingly, Joffé is said to remain fond of the film and admits that it has a "strange cult status."
This article was later covered by IGN, which uses Rocky's quotes to portray him as not entirely at fault for the studio's mistakes. Perhaps people are finally starting to understand that there was no one person or element behind the film's failure?
Something to chew on, right? More updates are coming in the future, but In the meantime, why not strike up a conversation on our message board? We don't bite!
I'm pleased to finally make available something we've been working on for some time:
Our exclusive interview with Mark Goldblatt, the editor of Super Mario Bros, is finally live! It's here where you'll discover even more behind-the-scenes talk and even some info on what an extended cut of the film could look like--and how much longer than the theatrical cut it would be. Throw in some great reflection on the film itself and you have a great read on your hands.
Stay tuned for more--as it's definitely coming!
This week I've got some really cool stuff to share:
We've overhauled our Art Direction section with the new site layout, and have posted a good amount of brand new, never before seen concept art. Thanks to Super Mario Bros. Art Director Walter Martishius, we have some great pieces from the likes of Patrick Tatopoulos, Simon Murton, and Martishius himself. Enjoy!
More to come, as always.
We're back this week with a pretty cool article:
Our resident prop collector, Blake, has written a wonderful article for our Specials > Editorials section focusing on his acquisition of Thwomp Stompers--three in all! It really is a great article, with some great photos of what the "hero" version of the Stompers looked like back in '93, and what the foam rubber pairs look after 18+ years.
Keep checking back--more great stuff on the way!
G4TV is currently holding a "Videogame Movie Deathmatch" in which Super Mario Bros. is currently a contender against Silent Hill. Please place your vote (for Super Mario Bros. of course) before 9 AM EST on Monday 9/12 to get the movie into the next round! You do need to register an account, either through the site itself or Facebook, but that shouldn't be a problem to get this movie exposure through what is one of the most popular and influential video game/tech sites out there. Please do your part!
Click HERE or on the image above to visit the voting page.
Keep checking back--more great stuff to come!
Some slight housekeeping and other cool things are in store for today:
If our recent interview with screenwriter Parker Bennett has been updated and revised for accuracy and clarity. Check it out if you haven't already!
If you pick up the latest Game Informer magazine, you might have noticed an interesting article about your favorite film located in the very back. We're happy to report that the article features a good deal of information and photos from our site, so we're glad that articles being written about the film are able to be as factual and informative as possible--something you probably wouldn't have seen a few years ago. If you've already torn through the article itself, GI posted a commentary as well as coverage of our own scripts update from a while back.
We have a winner! Steven and I chose the following entry as the winner for a signed copy of Jeff Ryan's book: Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America:
"I saw Super Mario Bros. the movie right after graduating elementary school with my father. My father and I had watched Blade Runner late night on TBS a couple of times, and Super Mario Bros. was kind of like a comedy version of Blade Runner. It really didn't matter to me that the movie wasn't like the game. I thought it was brilliant!
The de-evolution technology in particular was brilliant to me. But also the whole grimy, goofy feel of it. It wasn't too far from the tone of a lot of dystopian sci-fi point and click adventure games that were being made for PC platforms in 1990s. A lot of those games dealt with serious sci-fi ideas, and yet that very seriousness was leavened with screwball humor, absurdity, and downright silliness.
But the SMB movie itself actually had some nifty sci-fi notions. Like the idea of an intelligent fungus that's distributed like some intelligent organic network throughout the city. That was something else that I was drawn to as a kid. In my own imagination, I envisioned my own version of how that would play out: the fungus would start attacking people and eating them, drinking their blood--I was a morbid child.
There was also some intriguing socio-political context to SMB and my own upbrining. I grew up in a very conservative area of Northwest Florida, and had never been taught evolutionary theory in any of the science classes at my elementary school. I had to learn from watching science programs on TV and reading about dinosaurs in non-fiction books. Also, movies like Planet of the Apes and 2001: A Space Odyssey helped, too. I was not raised in a religious family, thankfully, and so my parents did not try to imprint any sort of creationist or anti-science dogma on my brain. I mention all this, because once I began to investigate the idea of evolution and our identities as animals and as a part of nature I was totally captivated. And then when I watched SMB and it had the whole de-evolutionary tech it was like certain vital connections that I hadn't made before were switched on: humans evolved, dinosaurs evolved from lower forms, maybe dinos could evolve intelligence--hey, maybe humans could evolve into some kind of higher form . . .a creative chain of speculations, but the point is that the movie made me actually think. It was inspiring!
I think it's interesting to wonder if SMB had more of an impact that it's been given credit for. I was really into video games as a teenager, and one of my very favorite games was the SNES classic role-playing game CHRONO-TRIGGER. CT involved traveling back and forth in time, journeying to different worlds and discovering unknown swaths of history. In the game, if you go back to pre-historic times you find out that there are three dominant species: humans evolved from the primates, the dinosaurs . . . and the Reptites!
The Reptites are intelligent humanoids with heavy duty reptilian features--clearly evolved from the dinosaurs.
Chrono-Trigger was developed by Square Soft, who, at that time, had an exclusive development deal with Nintendo. Could it be that some of the design team for Chrono Trigger drew on the ideas of the "dino sapiens" from the SMB movie? After all, Chrono-Trigger itself is a kind of mega-genre mashup: sci-fi, time travel, swords and sorcery, pre/post-apocalypse, comedy, tragedy, magic, superscience, martial arts, cavemen and cavewomen, dinosaurs, demons, lost civilizations in the manner of Atlantis, etc.
Another possible echo of SMB: the Reptite conspiracy theory! During the Bush-Cheney years, people were posting videos and pics claiming you could see a flicking reptile tongue in Dick Cheney's or W.'s mouth. The videos and pics were like UFO pics: so grainy and ambiguous that you could basically see whatever you wanted. Sheer lunacy, but just where did the notion of reptiles disguised as humans originate from? SMB, maybe . . .
Watching it now, I still dig it. No, it's not a perfect movie, but it has a lot of fun elements. Good special effects, a solid cast (Dennis Hopper is my favorite), and some out there concepts.
And finally, for those who are curious, be sure to check out Super Mario Bros. director Rocky Morton's latest project: a live-action zombie commercial for Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection.
More to come--stay tuned!
If you couldn't tell by that big banner staring you in the face:
Our exclusive interview with screenwriter Parker Bennett is now live. It's one of our longest interviews and there's a LOT of great content, photos and sketches in there. Check it out and you'll (hopefully) get a much better idea of how Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel's concept was translated into a screenplay by Parker and Terry.
Obviously, we're trying out a new website design! It's only on a few pages for now, but if all goes well the entire site should be converted soon.
Our social media links are located on the upper right banner of the screen--note that we now have an RSS feed if you're into that sort of thing.
A SIGNED COPY of Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America by Jeff Ryan!
To enter, email me and tell me why you like the Super Mario Bros. movie. I'll accept responses up until Monday, August 15th. After that date I'll pick my favorite response, post said response on the site, and get your info you can recieve your prize!
All right, so this isn't everything I wanted to post, but it's pretty close:
So here it is, folks--next week I'll be posting an exclusive interview with screenwriter Parker Bennett. You don't want to miss it! In preparation for the interview, we have quite a few items to get you prepared:
Parker Bennett and Terry Runté's original pitch for the film (complete with the poster concept you see above!), dated 10/28/91,
So, make your way through all that over the next week and get ready for Parker's interview. You don't want to miss it!
I've got a pretty decent mid-week update for you today:
We have a new addition to our Affiliates section:
City of Films--Your site for the latest news, reviews, and views on everything film. Look forward to their coverage of our updates from their perspective!
Our Specials: Editorials section has launched! Our inagural pieces include:
Mario Bits: The Thwomp Stomper by Eduardo Jardim (Reino do Cogumelo)
Could've Been A Krull: Super Mario Brothers by Robert Peterson AKA Tony Lazlo (http://www.robertjpeterson.com)
Also--I've got to apologize for not posting our "lead-in" update last week...but that means the whole thing should be posted in one go. Look forward to it soon!
This week, we've got another one of those exclusive interview things we like to do from time to time:
So without further delay, we have an interview up with Michael Criscuolo--who was both a "featured extra" and John Leguizamo's stand-in.
And under Fan Contributions: Fan Art, we have some great interpretations of Toad from the same artist that explore his characterizations throughout a couple of the scripts:
I'd also like to thank all the sites that picked up our scripts update from last week! We weren't expecting the coverage it recieved--especially from sites like 1UP, GoNintendo, NintendoLife, Games Radar and the like. FYI, it gave us our biggest traffic ever for a single update. I suppose that shows that people aren't tired of this thing yet...
As far as next week's update goes, everything's heading toward one of this website's defining interviews. So like I said last week, read those scripts!
Get out your reading glasses, folks--because this update is a doozy:
The Pre-Production: Scripts sub-section has been extensively updated. Not only do the two scripts previously available have updated information and overviews, but we also have TWO new scripts available for your viewing pleasure:
For the very first time, experience Parker Bennett and Terry Runté's original first draft of the Morton/Jankel concept.
Then, make your way through Dick Clement and Ian la Frenais' initial revision of the Bennett/Runté draft (the original draft of theirs posted on the site is actually their second revision).
And speaking of that second revision, we actually have Annabel Jankel's script notes on Clement and la Frenais' first draft--and you can see her suggestions implemented in their second draft.
Also, if you're a bit too busy to read through the new scripts, Ragey from Random Action Hour has provided us with some excellent detailed synopses for each script. Heck, read 'em even if you've read the scripts:
Finally, we have a couple of updates for the Media: Reception sub-section:
Effects don't impress as video game plays to big screen by Joe Holleman
Mario Bros. Is Anything But Super by Matt Brunson (by the way, thanks to Mr. Brunson for providing us his review!)
So, you guys have got some light reading to do. And trust me, you'll want to because it will enhance your understanding of a future update...
Also, I have to throw out a totally shameless and unrelated plug. Vicious Cycle's Earth Defense Force: Insect Armaggeddon recently shipped for the Xbox 360 and PS3. It's a total blast, and worth picking up for $40. Pick up a copy if you want to support my new job!
Wow folks--sorry to let June totally pass me by. I have a good excuse though--I recently got myself a cool job in the game industry as an FX Artist, so I've been pretty busy blowing stuff up and making other kinds of tomfoolery. So unfortunately that means this is another one of those "non-update updates," but I have some cool stuff to report nonetheless:
Mike Placito of The Junior Varsity has been contributing to this series of articles dealing with 1990s nostalgia, and one of the sections features our favorite film. Click HERE to give it a read.
And speaking of 1990s nostalgia, it's worth noting that Super Mario Bros.' "competition," the Jurassic Park trilogy of films, is coming to Blu-Ray on October 25:
So if there was ever a reason for good ol' Disney to reconsider getting the ball rolling on a SMB re-release, the time is (and has been) NOW. Get a good special edition Blu-Ray out in time for the film's 20th anniversary in May 2013. It can totally be done, guys--so do it. Please?
As always, you can send Disney an e-mail to let them know you're interested in an improved release of Super Mario Bros.
Happy Memorial Day! And if it's Memorial Day--that means something else: it's also the anniversary of the theatrical release of Super Mario Bros. In fact, it's the 18th anniversary.
For this week's update, we have something really great--a new exclusive interview with Peter Levy, the film's original director of photography.
Also, since it's the anniversary, I just wanted to reflect on some of the things this website has accomplished over the past year:
We have posted 14 exclusive interviews with cast and crew involved in the film, from actors like Richard Edson and Mojo Nixon to MEL Founders Allan Apone and Paul Elliot and 'Koopa Creature' department head Rob Burman.
A huge number of other sections of the site have been completed or started, including Creatures, Behind the Scenes, Coverage, Reception, Deleted Scenes, Character Profiles, Actor Profiles, and Toys--not to mention a huge Fan Art gallery. Take the opportunity to explore some of this stuff if you haven't yet got the chance!
So, while everyone's still in the holiday spirit, curl up on the sofa and return to Dinohattan again.
This week we've got some great Fan Art pieces for you:
Under Fan Contributions: Fan Art:
Stick around--there's always more to come!
Our in-depth behind the scenes coverage continues!
This week we're taking a break from showcasing our BTS materials from MEL. Instead, we have a quite respectable gallery of on-set photos from makeup artist Amy Taylor (daughter of production designer David L. Snyder). This interesting change of pace provides a great alternative look at the production of the film. Take a look for yourself in the Media: Behind the Scenes section!
More to come. Keep checking in!
I've got some great stuff for you this weekend:
Our MEL coverage continues with the launch of the Allosaurus Rat section for Pre-Production: Creatures. There's over 30 photos spanning the development of these interesting creatures.
If you're a fan of the allosaurus rats or are new to the site, don't forget that we have an exclusive interview with Guy Himber who worked with MEL on the mechanics for the creatures.
And finally, I've got to mention that our site was featured on Ain't it Cool News in their "Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day" column. There are some larger resolution photographs on that page than the ones here on the site, so be sure to head over to AICN to check them out. Thanks to Quint for posting those!
Stay tuned for more!
The arrival of a new month comes with the arrival of a new update:
Coming off last week's update with the Pre-Production: Creatures section, I've posted OVER 100 exclusive "on set" photos that you can find in the Media: Behind the Scenes section. Again, these come straight from the folks at MEL (Makeup & Effects Laboratory), and haven't been seen outside of there since 1993. Take a look!
Stay tuned for more!
Happy (late) Easter, everyone! Here's what I've got for your basket this year:
The Pre-Production: Creatures section has launched! With a huge help from the guys at MEL (Makeup & Effects Laboratory), we now have sections up for the Goombas and Hark/Toad. Don't miss these galleries--there's some amazing stuff in there.
We also have a new interview up! This one's with Craig Edwards, one of the film's production assistants. The format is a bit different than other interviews we've posted, and it's full of great tidbits about the film. Don't miss it.
Stay tuned for more--it only gets better!
This is sort of a non-update update--just wanted everyone to know that I hit a few snags with what should've been last week's update. Hopefully, I should get it worked out and this weekend you'll see twice the content.
And here's a couple other little tidbits:
The forums have been bogged down a bit lately with spambots and such, so I've temporarily disabled open registration. If you're new to the site and wish to register for the forums, feel free to e-mail me with your desired username/password and I'll set up an account for you.
I've updated General: Contact with links to our various social media sites/pages.
I posted this a few weeks ago on SMB Archive's YouTube channel, but I think it's worth mentioning here--I took Alan Silvestri's "Farewell" score and made an "isolated score" scene out of it; this is one of those kinds of special features you see on good home video releases of films.
Hopefully that'll tide you over until the weekend...
Well, it looks like our recent interview with Richard Edson (Spike) made a huge splash across the internet on sites like Kotaku, The Escapist, Go Nintendo, and others. So it's entirely possible that this may be your first time visting the archive. If that's the case, welcome! Join the forums! If not, welcome back.
In either case, we've got some great stuff for you this weekend:
Our interview with MEL founders Allan Apone and Paul Elliot is now up! MEL (Makeup & Effects Laboratories) created the Goombas and Allosaurus Rats in the film. It's a quick read with some cool photos and great information. Don't miss it.
And under Fan Contributions: Fan Art, we have:
Keep sticking around, everyone. It's only going to keep getting better.
Darn, I missed April Fools' Day. Instead of bringing you a bunch of fake updates, how's about a bunch of real ones?
Our interview with Richard Edson (Spike) is now up! Honestly, it's great. It's our first dual-interview (from the interviewer) side, so it's pretty comprehensive. You won't be disappointed.
To tie into the interview above, we have Richard Edson's addition to the Actor Profiles sub-section.
Likewise, we also now have a page for Spike in the Character Profiles sub-section.
Our recent interview with Robert Rothbard has been revised for clarity and now has an introduction.
I've been thinking of this for a while, but it really hit home after watching Good Bad Flicks' recent Super Mario Bros. episode:
Want to do your part to convince Disney (and anyone who'll listen) how popular our movie is? Want to help this website do so--as part of an upcoming article in our Editorials sub-section? Visit THIS forum page for more info!
Hopefully that'll keep everyone busy until next week's update--which you also won't want to miss...
All right, folks, we're really back now. I can't think of a better way to cap off March with a couple of great items:
We've got an exclusive, unannounced interview with Robert Rothbard--the film's uncredited production manager. Lots of great info here on the production side of things, including some locations that were being considered for use in the film prior to the selection of the cement factory.
While this specific video isn't part of the site content, I've totally got to give this a shout-out:
Good Bad Flicks has reviewed Super Mario Bros. for its' special-edition 50th episode. It's honestly one of the most honest, complete, and comprehensive reviews of the film that's out there.
Watch the video HERE.
Discuss it on our forums HERE.
That should do it. Check back soon for the next update--you don't want to miss it.
We're back! Well, sorta. A couple of things I want to bring up today:
The following is from Best Buy's sales ad, released on the weekend of March 12-14:
That's right--do not adjust your monitors. Let's zoom in for some clarification:
Super Mario Bros.--a nearly 18-year-old film that many people say has no fanbase and that should best be forgotten--has shown up in Best Buy's sales ad, advertising this movie to the masses so long after it's initial release.
When stuff like this happens, I know that it's not just me anymore. I'm not the only person that "gets" this movie anymore.
It's when it shows up 18 years later in a Best Buy sales ad, when it continues to outsell "better" titles on Amazon.com sales charts, when I recieve countless positive, encouraging e-mails, as well as the massive spikes in site traffic we've had over the past few months that show me that this film is something really special and one that won't easily be forgotten. There's a fanbase for this film, and it's only getting bigger.
The ball is in your court, Disney. People want this film to stick around. We want a quality, anamorphic release of this film that accurately reflects the immense amount of talent and creativity put into this film.
For our new readers, please visit the original forum post about getting a better SMB DVD HERE, and be sure to send Disney an e-mail to let them know you're interested in a better release of this film.
Until then, Steven and I will do our part to keep this site updated with the same amazing content we've always had. In fact, the best is yet to come. The next two months' worth of updates will be really big. Things you've all been expecting and some you haven't--trust me, you're definitely going to want to stick around.
For this weekend we have a great piece of merchandise and some more wonderful fan art:
In Merchandise: Books we have the complete "Golden Look-Look Book" adaptation of the film.
And under Fan Contributions: Fan Art, we have:
This wraps up February for the site as I'll be out of town next week and there will be no update. See you in March!
This week, we have a good mix of the old and the new:
Our interview with Mark Miller and Mike Harding has been edited and revised for clarity, and also has some follow-up questions and answers from both gentlemen.
In Media: Reception, we have both new reviews listed and some full reviews provided to us by the original newspaper/author:
'CLIFF' COMPETITION from Entertainment Weekly
Fantastic Adventure from the Omaha World-Herald
'Mario Bros.' Visually Inventive, Virtually Plotless by Malcom Johnson
Review: Super Mario Bros. by Kim Newman
Review: Super Mario Bros. by Ty Burr
Talent galore behind 'Mario' fantasy by Paul Clark
The Ridiculist: Super Mario Bros. from Entertainment Weekly
Some really great videos headline this week's update, and in three different categories to boot!
In Media: Advertisements we have a video of the 1993 Summer CES where a live, in-person Goomba was present to promote the film.
In Media: Trailers is another video from the same Summer CES--an intro/trailer for Nintendo's booth, primarily featuring the Super Mario Bros. film.
Media: Coverage features a video that surprised even me when it was found: a clip from UK television show Bad Influence that contains a "sneak peek" trailer of the film that contains in-progress VFX shots, alternative/temporary dialogue, and deleted scenes!
Speaking of Deleted Scenes, that page now has convenient navigation links and has been updated with some additional deleted scenes information.
We're starting out February with some more great merchandise updates:
Our Merchandise: Books sub-section has now launched with some great pieces:
The complete Golden Coloring Book(s), and
The complete Golden "Sticker Fun" book!
It's time to end January just as great as we started it!
Our promotional items sub-section has launched with one of the best pieces of them all--the full Press Kit! Don't miss out on this one--lots of good pictures and info all around in this one.
Some of the text contained in the Press Kit Booklet has led me to revise some information on the Deleted Scenes page.
Wrapping up the update is a particularly interesting addition to the Merchandise: Other sub-section--Mario Movie Pogs! Remember those? If you don't, you're not old-school like me.
It only gets better from here on out, folks--trust me. Or the fungus. Either one.
For this weekend, we have a new interview and some great media pieces:
Our interview with Scott Mactavish (Goomba/Stunts) is up! Check it out!
The advertisements sub-section has now launched with two great pieces related to ERTL's toy line:
The initial advertisement from the 1993 ERTL Catalog, and
The official ERTL brochure for the entire action figure/toy line!
This weekend's update sees lots of merchandise coming your way!
We now have a complete archive of the Skybox trading card set--all 100 cards, holograms, and promos are up for your viewing pleasure.
We also have something for the Other category under Merchandise--the Audio Poster Pack, complete with images and the audio itself!
Also, don't forget about our Twitter! Follow us at http://twitter.com/smbmovie
We've got a massive update with lots of new videos:
In Trailers:
The full "This Ain't No Game" trailer
In Commercials:
"Super" TV spot
"Jump" TV spot
5 other assorted commercials
Three clips from Entertainment Tonight:
With the revealing Entertainment Tonight clip, our Deleted Scenes page has seen a slight update to reflect this new footage.
More wonderful Fan Art:
Happy New Year! We're starting out 2011 with a bang:
Our Merchandise section is finally starting to get filled out:
There's a first pass at the Video Releases sub-section which has most of the known releases for Region 1/USA.
Toys! A comprehensive archive of Ertl's wonderfully conceived action figure and toy line for the film.
And speaking of toys, we've now posted--for the first time--a TV commercial for the action figures, found in our commercials section (thanks to billbot!)
The interviews section has seen an overhaul--it now contains a great deal of official interviews to go alongside our site-exclusive ones.
Happy Holidays! Just a few year-end messages for everyone:
The past couple of months have been amazing for the SMB Movie Archive. None of the incredible amount of content posted on the site over this short period of time would have been possible without the help of staff member Steven Applebaum (Redstar). So thank him when you get a chance.
Regular site updates will resume on January 1, 2011. And believe me, you do not want to miss what we have in store for 2011. It's going to be a very interesting year.
We now have a Twitter account! Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/smbmovie.
Until then, trust the fungus.
We've got a pretty well-rounded update for today:
Our interview with Dave Nelson, has been updated with some good follow-up comments and questions, with things like additional info about their meeting with the folks from Jurassic Park and about how they got the job to build Yoshi.
The reception section has seen a healthy update, with five added articles:
Review: Super Mario Bros. by Hollis Chacona
Plumbing a Video Game to Its Depths by Janet Maslin
Review: Super Mario Brothers by James Berardinelli
Film Review: Super Mario Bros. by Lawrence Cohn
'Super Mario Bros.' wild ride will leave you dizzy by Lawrence Toppman
Our Fan Other section has a new piece:
Our Fan Art section has six new pieces:
The following Fan Art pieces have newly-added artist comments:
It's time to close out this month with a bang!
We've snagged an exclusive interview with Rob Burman, who was in charge of heading the team that created the Koopa Creature seen during the film's climax.
Also, we've got an interview up with Dave Nelson, the guy who built Yoshi--literally. Don't miss either of these awesome interviews!
Our Fan Art sub-section has gone through an overhaul--the page now features thumbnails! Four new pieces have also been added:
The launch of two new sections...
If you'll notice, our navigation/sidebar has been updated yet again both with some new, renamed, and reworked sections. And because of that, the about this website page has been updated to reflect those changes.
Our coverage sub-section features articles covering the development and producton of the film--there are some really interesting things in here, so don't hesitate to start digging in there.
Likewise, our reception sub-section contains professional reviews conducted after the film's release.
There are two new pieces in our Fan Art sub-section:
We also have one new piece in the Fan Contributions other section:
Super Mario Bros. The Movie Spore Designs by PandaCommando
I'm also pleased to announce the launch of Mario-Toys.net, a UK-based specialist in Super Mario Bros. merchandise, run by the same guys behind TheMarioBros.net.
Updated interviews! Fanstuff!
Guy Himber's interview has been updated with some fresh behind-the-scenes photographs featuring Guy working at MEL and some more in-production shots of the Allosaurus rats.
Jeff Goodwin's interview has been updated with some additional pictures of his makeup designs and some with the film's cast.
Mark McCoy's interview has been updated with a lot of additional photographs focusing on the film's production--more fungus! Vehicles! Thwomp Stompers! Koopa Square! The Devo Chamber!
The Fan Art sub-section has a few new pieces:
SMB Movie Spore Designs by PandaCommando
Also, Marioblaster's SMB fan film, Super Mario Bros.: Mushroom Madness, has finished shooting. He's in the process of editing footage, but needs some funding to get the SFX work completed (by industry professionals, no less!) He's selling some of the props from his film to make up for that cost, which you can find on eBay here. Keep up to date with the project on its forum page.
Kind of a quick (but really cool) update for today:
The costumes and props our forum member "marioblaster" has been making for the past two years have had a greater purpose: they're for a fan film! It's titled Super Mario Bros.: Mushroom Madness. He's got costumes. He's got props. He's got a van that looks just like the one used in the film. And he's got actors to play Mario and Luigi. And it starts filming tomorrow! Check out the forum thread here.
We've got a new interview up!
Guy Himber's interview is up! Guy worked for MEL on the Goombas and Allosaurus rats, so this is a pretty good read.
I've launched the Fan Props sub-section! The first props to be featured are those of marioblaster, from our forums. He's got things like bob-ombs, devo guns, and Mario and Luigi outfits!
The Fan Video sub-section has also launched--with UE5000's animated recreation of the extended de-evolution chamber sequence.
The Fan Art sub-section has a new piece:
Also worth noting is that some of the older interviews and actor profile pages have some tweaked information as well as updated and new links at the bottoms of their respective pages.
Want a bunch of cool updates?
We've got two more upcoming interviews, both of which are open for your questions!
First with Dave Nelson, who designed and built the mechanical workings of the Yoshi puppet. Forum thread.
And next with Scott Mactavish, who was a lizard-headed Goomba in some scenes and he also did some special effects/stunt work. Forum thread.
There's a pretty extensive update to the Deleted Scenes section--now listed are scenes such as the extended de-evolution scene and the "Spike and Iggy Rap" sequence.
Related to the deleted scenes update is the launch of a new Post-Production section, which (for now) features a complete ADR revisions document, which reveals lots of interesting tidbits--deleted scenes-related and otherwise.
The Fan Art sub-section has now launched and has quite a bit of artwork on it already!
Also worth mentioning is that I've updated the sidebar yet again with some new and rearranged page links:
"Fan Films" and "Other" sub-sections have been added to the "Fan Contributions" section.
What used to be the "Early Draft Script" and the "Early Drafts" section has been renamed "Scripts" and has been moved from the Specials section to the Pre-Production section.
How about a crazy bunch of interview-related updates?
Remember those two "upcoming mystery updates" I've been talking about? Well, one of them is done--an exclusive interview with actress Andrea Powell, who was one of the Brooklyn Girls!
And while we're on the subject of Andrea Powell, we've also got her Actress Profile up and ready.
Don't forget about our upcoming interviews with David L. Snyder and Chris Woods. If you're wanting to submit your own questions, check the forum posts and get them in by Saturday, September 25th.
I'm also pleased to announce that we have an upcoming interview with Richard Edson (Spike)! If you want to submit questions, visit the forum page and get your questions in by Friday, October 1st.
While I'm still on the subject of interviews, I've created a special sub-forum dedicated solely to these wonderful exclusives. They should certainly be easier to view and keep track of now.
Finally, one of our forum members (ultimateemail5000) has acquired the shooting draft of the film, written by Ed Solomon and Ryan Rowe. He's currently in the process of transcribing it and has the first 17 pages done. Here's the forum thread for that.
Lots of good stuff for today's update:
We're keeping up our pace of great interviews--we have two more upcoming ones, and they both feature pretty prominent members of the film's production. As always, there are dedicated forums for these where you can ask your own potential questions. The deadline for these questions is Saturday, September 25th.
First up is David L. Snyder, the film's production designer. He was responsible for the overall production and look of the film--namely, turning the Ideal Cement Factory into Dinohattan. He was also a second unit director on the film.
Next is Chris Woods, who supervised, designed, and produced the film's Visual Effects. He was also a second unit director for visual effects.
We have a new Actor Profile up--this time for Mark Miller, who we recently interviewed.
Speaking of our Mark Miller and Mike Harding interview--it's been updated, with revised text and additional pictures!
And finally, there are some additions and updates to the affiliates page:
ClassicMario.net is now known as "Classic Mario Bros."
New affiliate: DS Ultimate. Lots of good Nintendo DS info.
New affiliate: The Mushroom Kingdom. One of the oldest and best Mario sites on the internet!
This is gonna be another one of those "calm before the storm" updates:
We have two upcoming interviews--both of which have dedicated forum threads where you can submit your own questions. The deadline for these questions is Friday, September 10th. So, without further delay:
The first is with Guy Himber, who helped build and operate the Goombas and miniature dinosaurs for MEL (Makeup and Effects Laboratory).
The second is with Hank Carlson, who was involved in the development of Yoshi. He built the top and bottom halves of Yoshi's head as well as all the tongues, worked out the extending tongue, and painted a total of five heads.
And while we're still on the topic of interviews, we have two upcoming mystery ones--I'm sure everyone will be excited when they're released. It won't be too long before they are, either...
Here's what everyone's been waiting for:
Our exclusive interview with Mark Miller and Michael Harding! Steven did a great job conducting this, and Mark and Mike were wonderful interviewees. Not only is it extremely entertaining, but we find out about even more previously-unknown deleted footage, as well as some rather mind-boggling things regarding the production. Check it out!
I've got a small (but cool) update for today:
The Actor Profiles page is now live--and our first profile is for Mojo Nixon, who we recently had the privilege of interviewing.
The update train keeps on coming...
I'm trying something new with the links. I figured it's time to get that horrid, 1998 internet blue outta here.
I've also reworked the site menu a bit--hopefully it should flow a bit better and make more sense.
The forums have been updated to the latest phpBB version--just a nice excuse to mention the forums! Join today!
Also, if you've previously registered for the forums and your username wasn't approved, I've sent you guys another email, so check now if you can post.
Last call for questions for our upcoming interview with Mark Miller and Michael Harding--again, check the forum post for more info.
We've got another affiliate--Random Action Hour. They have a special section on our favorite film, so check it out.
Our staff page has been updated to add info for our two new staff members--Steven and Blake.
If you look closely at the new menu, you'll notice a few new sections--some of which aren't ready yet. However, one of them is--the Character Profiles section! Check it out--there are now profiles up for Toad and King Bowser.
Even more updates--this is great, huh?
Remember the Making of Super Mario Bros. featurette that I discovered and posted way back in 2007? Well, I've tracked down a different version of that. What's different, you ask? Well, it seems to be the "original" video--the one I posted in '07 had a different voiceover, and had the 'Almost Unreal' music video shoehorned into it as an additional feature. This newer version is a much cleaner transfer, has no music video, and has a different narrator, among other things. Visit the Behind the Scenes page to watch it for yourself!
Oh, also...that newly-discovered featurette...it revealed a new Deleted Scene! And since I believe that makes this the first "complete" deleted scene that we have on film, I figured that this would be a perfect time to launch the ongoing Deleted Scenes special section! I've started sections for four deleted scenes so far, complete with analysis and speculation. Like I said, this is an ongoing section, so it'll be updated with new stuff as I find the time to work on it. For even more info, check out the Deleted Scenes forum thread.
Also, I can't believe that I haven't mentioned this on the front page yet, but Super Mario Bros. has seen a recent DVD re-release in the US. There's a new case/cover for the film, however--it's still non-anamorphic (which sucks) and still has no special features. Same disc, different cover. Please e-mail BV/Disney and let them know you'd like an anamorphic release of the film. The cool thing is that this story has already been picked up by numerous internet sites and blogs, thanks to this site and our forum members. For more information and pictures, look at the forum post.
Also, don't forget our upcoming interview with Mark Miller and Michael Harding--here's the forum post for that.
More updates! And you didn't even have to wait a year!
We now have four new additions to our affiliates page:
Classic-Mario.net. Great site; full of lots of Mario nostalgia.
Donut Plains. Another good Mario site, has some pretty good specials.
Mario Mayhem. Has Mario game info, as well as a cool merchandise page and fan contributions.
RageCandyBar. Remember awesome Pokémon mysteries like Missingno? Awesome articles about that stuff.
I did some slight updates on our recent Mojo Nixon interview--I added in a couple of lines of text I forgot, edited some typos, and I added in a new picture that the interview just wouldn't be complete without...
Speaking of interviews, we already have another one coming up--and it will be our first dual interview! This one will be with Mark Miller, a principal actor who played both the "Fried Tweeter vendor," and a "Lizard Man" in the police cages, and with Michael Harding, who was one of the Goombas. Head on over to the forum post on this to submit your own questions!
So, I've been hyping up this "Awesome Mystery Update" on the forums for the past few days, and I finally got it done!
More to come--stay tuned!
I have just a few things to note today, but let's treat this as the "calm before the storm," okay?
Some pretty cool stuff is coming, I promise. Thanks for sticking around.
It's been a while, but I've got lots of updates to make up for it, okay?
The Specials section now has a main page and description.
The 3/25/92 Early Draft Script is DONE and online. Link. Forum page.
Detailed descriptions of the two scripts we have on the Early Draft Scripts page is up, as well as my personal mini-review for the 7/17/91 script.
The Interviews section also has its own page, housing completed versions of my interviews with Mark McCoy and Jeff Goodwin.
The Storyboards page has been updated with one new page for a new piece provided by Mark McCoy.
More good stuff from our forum members. Zack has made a custom SMB shirt, and UE5000 made some cool artwork.
Oh yeah, and UE5000 also made an amazing animated "deleted scene" from the movie. Really impressive. I'll have to put that in the Fan Art section when I get a chance.
Stay tuned. More to come.
Less than a month between updates--I think that's pretty good, right? Okay, I know it's not, but still...
Part III of the 3/25/92 Early Draft Script is now online. Check it out!
The forums are still going strong; check out the new SMB Merchandise thread and some new fan-fiction here and here.
And finally (I always save the best for last), my interview with SMB Key Makeup Artist Jeff Goodwin is now up on the forums. He was super nice and he did a wonderful interview. It's a really good read and there are some VERY interesting things in it that I'm sure everyone will like.
Until next time...
Shew.
We have had a LOT, and I mean a LOT of developments over the past month or so. Here's the rundown:
Marioblaster from the forums has completed some very convincing Bob-Ombs;
Part II of the 3/25/92 Early Draft Script;
Thanks to our new forum moderator, Corey, who tracked this down, you can now have in your hands (or on your monitor) the fantasy-based, even earlier script of the movie, dated 7/17/91. Written by Tom S. Parker and Jim Jennewein, the same dudes who wrote the screenplays for the live-action Flintstones and Richie Rich films. This version is completely different in content and in tone. Even though I personally prefer the film we got, this version is certainly an interesting read and is a lot more like the actual games.
And finally, I'm proud to say that the SMB Archive will soon have another EXCLUSIVE interview--this time with Jeff Goodwin, the film's key makeup artist. The interview is forthcoming and (for now), there is still time to post a question you'd like to be asked, so head on over to the forums for more info.
What else does the future hold? Time can only tell. Hopefully, some more content on the pages woule be nice, right? : P
Wow, I hate how time flies by. Sounds familiar, huh? Well, as ridiculously bare as the main page as been as of late (a fact that I'm very, very sorry about), the forums have been booming with a wealth of exciting SMB Movie art, news, interviews, and tidbits. Here are some of the best stuff that I'll divert your attention to:
Some amazing Fan Art by marioblaster and ultimateemail5000;
The first few parts of the Early Draft Script;
and a SMB Archive EXCLUSIVE interview with Mark McCoy--a self-deemed "fungineer" who worked on the movie itself!
Now I'm sure that's enough to chew on for a while. More will come, seriously. You just gotta believe : )
Wow, I hate how time flies by. Believe me though, the site is NOT dead. I just have a full college load and a 32 hour-a-week job to tend to first. However, I have a couple of updates. First of all, I want to thank everyone that's stuck with me here. Very much appreciated. The most hot topic of interest here seems to be my fabled Early Draft Script of the movie, so once things get to where I can actually work on the site, that'll be the first thing I get to. I'm also thinking about doing a complete website redesign, but that'll come a bit later, probably not until the summer (I get out of school in early May).
So, having said all that, I actually DO have something of an actual update here. I've converted and uploaded yet another rare behind-the-scenes video about SMB's Yoshi and the animatronics involved. You can view that here. I also added a little text blurb/information to The Making of Super Mario Bros. in the Behind the Scenes section. More to come.
There's an extra-special treat for you fans today. I've tracked down a ridiculously rare video, The Making of Super Mario Bros. It was in PAL format, so I got it converted and now it's here for you to see in all its glory! Check it out.
The second content page of the website is live--the Storyboards part of the Pre-Production section!
The first complete content page of the website is up--the Artwork part of the Pre-Production section!
Today, the forums really are working now! Be sure to visit the Forum Info/Rules page first, or you probably won't know the forum info. Or rules. Or how to register.
Well, after a mini-hiatus, I've began to make the basic parts of the website, such as the About the SMB Movie and About this website pages. Basically everything in the General section.
What's up, all of you Super Mario Bros. Movie fans? It's finally here; a website just for us! I suppose I'll introduce myself. I'm Phlibbit; you may have heard of me/seen me in various Mario websites over the years, but I'm primarily known for my series of videogames, Billy Bob the Cactus Blob. There isn't much on here yet; I'm getting everything worked out and I hope that I can get everything I want on the site during the summer (which isn't too far away for me). I'm just glad to finally make this website a reality because I've wanted to make it for a long time, and hopefully, it will be here for a long time.
Oh, and the forums ARE working! Sign up and start posting now!