The Super Mario Bros. Movie is hitting theaters like a ray of sunshine,
and we're throwing the biggest Mario party the galaxy has ever seen. Here's 64 quick things
you need to know about this surefire smash, and its odyssey to the big screen.
"Alright. Let's-a-go."
Everyone knows that Disney has made millions off of live-action versions of its animated
classics. With The Super Mario Bros. movie, Illumination is trying the same thing in reverse,
giving the animated treatment to an obscure 90s cult classic. But why did this studio known
for family-friendly fare look to inspiration in such an experimental movie, targeted at adults?
"Cause I need koopa coins you lame-o’s."
Starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as brothers Mario and Luigi Mario,
the original "Super Mario Bros." is a gritty, dark fantasy film,
like "Labyrinth" crossed with "The Warriors," or "The Wizard of Oz" by way of seedy New York City.
"Look! It's Koopa's tower!"
"Those guys will do anything for publicity."
The movie was little-loved and underseen at the time, with many
critics questioning how two plumbers navigating a strange world full of…
"Koopas"
…and "Goombas" could be compelling to, well,
anyone. But the 1993 movie didn't come out of nowhere!
The high-concept film was itself based on an
underground TV series starring Captain Lou Albano. You may not remember it,
but this Brooklyn-based variety show even inspired fan art as far away as Japan!
The series was a lovingly rendered piece of educational TV,
along the lines of Sesame Street or Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
"Cause drugs can kill. And if you do drugs, you go to Hell before you die."
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is being targeted toward kids and families,
but plenty of things from the horror-tinged original still found a home in the new version.
"There’s gotta be a way out of here."
"There’s no escape. The only hope is the sweet release of death."
As just a few examples, the classic police chase sequence from the 1990s movie has
been reimagined as a lighthearted go-kart race. And the hulking Goombas have been reimagined as
teeny-tiny creatures who look like they'd collapse from a single bop to the head.
Kids are already going wild for the cutesy creatures! However, not everyone is jazzed for
the redesigned Goombas. In response to the reveal of the animated version, one Twitter user wrote,
"y goombas so small lol wtf"
It's not just the creatures of Mario's world who have seen major changes. While
the Bob Hoskins movie took place in a loosely realistic version of New York,
the new film takes place on some faraway planet called the Mushroom Kingdom. The
trippy design of this world looks straight out of a video game, and seems to be taking
inspiration from another movie about an animated alien – Sonic the Hedgehog.
Another character who has been changed drastically from the original is the psychotic villain of the
story, King Koopa. No longer an evil politician who turns into a dinosaur, he now appears to be
some kind of full-time lizard named Bowser. Fans are sure to hate this massive change the most.
The name Bowser seems to be a tip of the hat to current
Nintendo of America president, Doug Bowser.
"Fascist!"
"Oppressor of the proletariat!"
"Guy in charge!"
It's unclear what Nintendo, a company largely known for interactive "video games," has to do
with "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" – but you may have played a few of its titles before.
Some of the company's iconic titles include "The Legend of Zelda," "Kirby," and… wait a second…
…uh…
…
…huh. I guess this Mario guy is in video games too — including one of
our favorite franchises, “Grand Theft Auto!”
"This is some really good s—, man."
"Ah-hah-hay! Hoo-hooo!"
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