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Forget about the idea that movie adaptations have to stick to the original story to be good.
Back in the early 1990s, directors Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel took on the challenge of bringing the Super Mario Bros. video games to the big screen. With only a few games featuring Nintendo’s Italian plumber mascot out at that time, they were true pioneers in the world of video game adaptations.
And sometimes pioneers make mistakes.
The 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie is not a masterpiece. It doesn’t really have anything to do with the games, has some questionable casting choices (Dennis Hopper as Bowser, really?), and was overshadowed by the release of Jurassic Park just two weeks later. But despite its flaws, it’s the only Super Mario Bros. movie I want.
Chris Pratt might not be the Mario we expected, but he’s the chaos we need.
What went wrong with Dustin Hoffman?
If you’re not familiar with the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, you’re not alone. Critics panned it, it bombed at the box office, and Nintendo avoided movie adaptations for over 25 years. That is, until Detective Pikachu and the upcoming animated Super Mario Bros. movie featuring Chris Pratt.
The live-action film starred Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi, respectively, with Samantha Mathis as Princess Daisy and Dennis Hopper as King Koopa. The production was reportedly a nightmare, with Hoskins and Leguizamo resorting to scotch between takes.
Fun fact: Dustin Hoffman wanted to play Mario, but the studio preferred Danny DeVito. Eventually, Hoskins got the role, fresh off his success in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
The movie starts like a prank, with Mario and Luigi in the real world, nothing like the games. The plot takes them to Dinohattan, a bizarre version of New York created by an asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs millions of years ago.
Despite the criticism, the movie’s unique take on the Mario universe is what makes it memorable. King Koopa is not a turtle, but Dennis Hopper with a twist. Toad is a musician arrested for singing anti-government songs, and Goombas are henchmen with little intellect. And Yoshi? He’s basically a velociraptor.
Who needs accuracy anyway?
If you were expecting a faithful adaptation of the games, you were in for a disappointment. Morton and Jankel had limited source material and were encouraged to experiment by Nintendo. The result is a fun, distinct movie that stands out from other video game adaptations.
I love the decision to portray Mario as a middle-aged plumber who knows his way around pipes and women. The set design, like Mario’s apartment with plungers on display, adds a unique touch to the film.
Forget about the sanitized, corporate-approved Chris Pratt version. Give me chaos every time.
That sets the stage for the dark skies, fog machines, and neon lights that make up Dinohattan. This movie is a throwback to the era of real sets and practical effects, way before Marvel had actors staring at green screens all day. You can really admire the craftsmanship that went into creating all the different sets. While the upcoming animated film will likely be impressive, it just won’t have the same impact as seeing physical backdrops and tangible costumes in front of real cameras.
### Nostalgic Sets and Laugh-Out-Loud Moments
Some of the sets have a gritty yet beautiful charm, like the glass-and-chrome dance club where Mario and Luigi bust a move to “Walk the Dinosaur,” or the ominous obsidian palace inside King Koopa’s take on the World Trade Center. It deviates so much from the games that it almost feels sacrilegious… in the best way possible. And most importantly, it’s just downright funny!
Early on, a flustered Luigi awkwardly asks Daisy if she eats dinner before asking her out. When King Koopa puts a citywide bounty on the plumbers, the order includes approving the use of “unnecessary force.” And whenever something blows up (which happens a lot, especially with cars), five more things explode alongside it. There’s no subtlety or restraint here.
I’m sure the new animated Super Mario Bros. movie will be a hit with both parents and kids. Illumination Entertainment, the studio behind Minions, knows how to make children smile. Despite the controversy over Chris Pratt’s casting, the new Mario movie is bound to rake in the big bucks. With close collaboration with series creator Shigeru Miyamoto, it’s likely to stay true to the games.
But playing it safe doesn’t always translate to a good movie. The charm of the 1993 film lies in its risky take on the Super Mario Bros. universe. Morton and Jankel pushed the boundaries, creating something that feels entirely divorced from Nintendo’s oversight. I don’t need a faithful adaptation of the games I’ve already played on the big screen. I want something fresh and bold.
Super Mario Bros. may not be a flawless video game to movie adaptation, but in its imperfection, it finds its perfect charm. It stands on its own merits, even if those merits are a bit quirky. As the eclectic characters of Dinohattan would say, “Trust the fungus.”
