Super Mario Bros. The Movie, one of the most anticipated animated films of 2023, has finally been released. And it is true that the story looks striking from the trailers to the references to different Nintendo video games. But in the midst of all the euphoria, I am sure that many of you will remember that strange live-action movie of Super Mario Bros from 1993.
How curious that the new movie came 30 years after the delivery of yesteryear, right? And yes, although it has regularly been called by many ‘expert critics’ as one of the worst movies ever made, over time it has gained an undeniable cult status.
Whether it is good or bad, that will be up to you. But perhaps, now more than ever, Super Mario Bros of 1993 is more current than ever. In fact, the directors of that film, married couple Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankelthey have again talked about the tape they made three decades ago.
The repercussions on their careers, Although they were not excessively harsh, they have not been minor either. according to what they themselves recently said. And in the understanding of what the Illumination/Universal animated feature generates today, they also feel a claim to their work.
‘Super Mario Bros.’ 1993
And what made it special? Super Mario Bros from 1993? Although it was based on the classic 1985 video game, this tape was intended as a prequel to it. And for those who don’t quite place it, this story was more bizarre than one might think for a child audience. It’s not that she was very adult either, but she had her details.
Broadly speaking, it was a science fiction movie with its overtones there, half dystopian/post-apocalyptic. After a meteorite crashed millions of years ago, reality is divided into two parallel dimensions: the one known to humans and one to which some dinosaurs escaped after the impact of the space rock.
In that parallel world, the dinosaurs evolved into a humanoid race and founded the city of Dinohattan (the equivalent of Manhattan), eventually ruled by a guy named Koopa (played by Dennis Hopper).
Already in the current era, we meet the brothers Mario (Bob Hoskins) and Luigi (John Leguizamo), two Italian-Americans who work as plumbers in New York and who, from one moment to the next, they meet an archaeologist named Daisy (Samantha Mathis).
The latter, in turn, is kidnapped by Koopa’s helpers as it is discovered that she is a descendant of the ancient rulers of Dinohattan, in addition to the fact that she has found a fragment of rock that could unite the real world and the dinosaur world. This is how Mario and Luigi join her mission to save her… Come? the tape Super Mario Bros from 1993 is quite bizarre.
The scene that could change everything
At the end of Super Mario Bros from 1993, the idea that Daisy returns to look for the brothers for a new mission is handled. I mean, if the sequel had been made, we would possibly see Mario and Luigi in a new world looking to save, now, possibly Princess Peach. And according to the style of the directors, we could expect an unconventional story.
But beyond that, there is a deleted scene in the film that could have somewhat turned the tide of the poor reception it received. It is assumed that after the adventure in Dinohattan, Mario and Luigi would be wanted by Nintendo executiveswho had seen them on the news and were interested in their story to develop a video game.
“Two Nintendo executives show up at the brothers’ Brooklyn apartment. And they want to hear his story because it’s in the news and they’re making a video game… That explains why the movie doesn’t literally follow the story of the game… The Mario Bros. tell the story to Nintendo executives and it was misconstrued.”, told Rocky Morton to Variety.
What happened to the directors of ‘Super Mario Bros’ from 1993?
Just by watching the trailer, one realizes that it’s not a joke Super Mario Bros from 1993 was an adaptation that remained faithful to the video game. The producer Roland Jofféwho obtained the film rights to the franchise, was very clear that this was not going to be a reinterpretation of the world of Nintendo’s game.
The Japanese giant, in an attempt to understand how it could exploit its brands beyond the consoles, agreed to the project… But they stayed away from the realization as such.
The script did not convince any director, except the aforementioned Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, who had already tried success with science fiction installments such as the cyberpunk series. Max Headroomalso inclined towards science fiction, so entering this strange interpretation of Super Mario Bros did not seem like a bad idea at first … but the matter did not go well.
Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel saw a flop in that movie, one that would keep them out of the big Hollywood spotlight for the future. And it was a complicated experience, because before Super Mario Bros from 1993, they they had directed the great D.O.A. from 1988 with Dennis Quai and Meg Ryan.
They painted for big projects, but the adaptation of the game caused a bump in their careers. Well, it’s not like their careers ended there, since they had more work in music videos of important artists and some medium-hit movies… But the mainstream Hollywood scene pushed them aside.
The film’s legacy for those who made and starred in it
However, with the Illumination/Universal animated feature coming out in 2023, Super Mario Bros of 1993 has had – to put it in some way – its claim. As we said, he is now pursued by a peculiar cult status with a not inconsiderable fan base.
The proof is that on March 11, as Variety mentions, a special screening of the 90s film was held in one of the cinemas that Quentin Tarantino owns in Los Angeles. Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel attended the show and were surprised by how many people turned out to see it.
“There were people lining up around the block to buy extra tickets…(during the show) they laughed and clapped at all the right times. They weren’t doing it ironically; he was genuine“Morton said. “It took 30 years of bad feelings to disappear overnight”said Jankel
Quentin Tarantino himself sees in Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel a couple of filmmakers who, like himself, have an unusual style of filmmaking. Tarantino not only lent his Los Angeles theater to screen 1993’s Super Mario Bros again, but previously has highlighted D.O.A. Morton and Jankel as a great movie.
A most bizarre moment, considering that over the past three decades, the late Bob Hoskins (who played Mario in that film) has consistently dismissed 1993’s Super Mario Bros as one of his worst experiences. The same thing happened with Dennis Hopper, and to a lesser extent with John Leguizamo..
The latter has embraced it better in recent years, already with the benefit of perspective. Even, Leguizamo recently decried the new animated film under the argument of the low representation among the main characters, composing a voice cast with only white actors.
Interview for ‘Super Mario Bros. The Movie’
Anyway, Super Mario Bros from 1993 has a more interesting legacy than one might remember. And although it was not a milestone at the time, it is one of those that opened the gap for the entertainment industry to look at video game adaptations for movies or even TV. Some better, others worse, but a new opportunity was born with her.
And well, now that we are on those, here below we leave you our interview with Chris Pratt, Jack Black and Charlie Day for the premiere of Super Mario Bros. The Movie. Do not miss this talk that became very cool.
