My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analyses: "The Super Mario Bros Movie" - The Animated Movie Adaptation of The Worlds` Most Famous Videogame Character

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies.

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With the release of The Super Mario Bros Movie, it would be a perfect synergy to write about the character that his movie is based of...

Yes, my glove does light in
sunlight :) Awesome, right? :)

I (Bowser) was so jealous of
Mario, so I wanted to outshine
him :)

Yes, it`s hard to escape these
pencils when there are so
many of them :)

Name the character of Super Mario to anyone and a image will come to mind. Mario is such a well known icon to the public that he`s been automatically ingrained to most people`s consciousness through many years. And it`s not strange to see why. Mario has become the official mascot for Nintendo. His franchise is one of the most successful and renowned video games franchises with many games. And the games have been considered to be some of the best video games made. And the best-selling video game franchise ever, with more than 826 million copies of games sold. Most people have been in touch and acquainted with him in one way or another. And frankly, he`s also been labeled as the definite Video Game character (as he been named so).

Well, it`s going to be a fight
who`s going to be expensive.
Due to the costs of
electricity :)

However, the main reason why Mario is relevant for this purpose is how he`s recently starring in a new animated movie, simply called The Super Mario Bros Movie (released April 5th). It would be easy to call his entry to the Big Screen calculated and trendy, due to how it`s following two other Silver Screen adaptations of Video Games: Pokemon Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog. While the comparison may be relevant, it`s still a shallow one. Since the former three movies were hybrids of live action and animation, while Super Mario Bros Movie is purely animated. But at least it would be easy to blame the trend for even making the movie. While it`s of course not the very first time that Mario has ever graced the screen, at least it`s the first time he`s done so in many years. With such fanfare and a huge success.

Information About Super Mario

I`m preparing to beat
Road Runner in a
match :)

Super Mario was created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto while making Donkey Kong to make a best-selling video game for Nintendo. His previous game, Sheriff, was not as successful as Namco's Pac-Man. But Mario made his first appearance in Kong (1981), and was in many of his games. Miyamoto visioned a character to be used in all of his games. He wanted to use Popeye, but couldn`t get the licensing rights, so he created Mario instead. Miyamoto expected the Mario to be unpopular and planned to use him only for cameos. While he was unnamed in the Japanese version of Kong, he was named "Jumpman" in the English instructions. But originally called Mr. Video, he was renamed Mario after Mario Segali ("little Mario" in the brochures). Mario's clothing and characteristics were made after Kong`s setting.

Snow White would`ve
loved me :)

Miyamoto`s single mission with Mario was to make the most inventine video game ever made. He borrowed ideas from childhood experiences and books he had read. The hidden blocks, multiple pathways within each level and underground passages came from his childhood adventures. His exploration of caves and canyons in Sonebe shaped the underground levels. His fascination with the unseen and unexpected made the pipes to Mushroom Kingdom. How mushrooms increase Mario`s height was taken from Alice in Wonderland.

Don`t be fooled, this
mushroom is harder
than it looks :)

Since Kong takes place on a construction site, Mario was made a carpenter (to make it easier for players to identify with him). And when he appeared again in Mario Bros., he was swapped to a plumber (after a colleague stated that Mario resembled one). Mario's design, especially his nose, draws on western influences. But when he became a plumber, Miyamoto took him in New York" and made him Italian (shown with his mustache). For the graphical limitations of arcade hardware at the time, Mario was given red overalls and a blue shirt to contrast against each other and the background. And a red cap to avoid drawing his hairstyle, forehead, and eyebrows as he jumped. Which was also a reason for why Mario was given a large nose and a mustache.

I`m flying, Jack :)

The first game was 1985's Super Mario Bros. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation. Since 1992, Mario has been voiced by Charles Martinet. Mario was the first video game character at the Walk of Game in 2005, alongside Link and Sonic. And to be honored with a wax figure in the Hollywood Wax Museum in 2003. In 1990, a survey found that Mario was more recognizable to American children than Mickey Mouse. Miyamoto said that Mario is his favorite out of his characters (he also created The Legend of Zelda). And Nintendo Power listed Mario as their favorite hero.

Yes, this takes
place underwater
Believe it or
not :)

The premise of Mario usually follows adventures in the fictional Mushroom Kingdom with his younger twin brother Luigi (who was originally more similar to Mario). He usually saves Princess Peach and fights Bowser. In 2009, Guinnes World Recrods listed him the second most regonizable videogame character in USA. Second to Pac-Man, who was recognized by 94% of the population. In 2011, readers of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition voted Mario the top video game character ever. Mario Day is celebrated on March 10, as the word resembles the word "Mario". Since 2016, it has been officially observed by Nintendo, who celebrates it by promoting Mario games and events.

List of Mario`s Previous Movies and TV Shows

But due to Super Mario`s iconic position, it`s not strange that he`s
starred in many TV Shows and Movies before. Saturday Supercade was an animated TV show made for Saturday mornings. Running for two seasons on CBS, beginning in 1983. Which had short segments with video game characters from the Golden Age of Arcade Games. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was the first true TV series based on Mario. Broadcasted from September 4 to December 1, 1989. Based on Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario 2, it was produced by DIC Entertainment and distributed by Viacom Enterprises (rights have since been given to DiC from Nintendo).

King Koopa's Kool Kartoons was a live action children's TV Show Broadcast in Southern California in 1989/1990. A 30-minute program starring King Koopa. The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 was the second TV show based on the Mario games. Airing on NBC from September 8 to December 1, 1990. Based on the Super Mario Bros. 3, Bowser and his Koopalings went by different names on the show. The co-production by Reteitalia S.P.A., made the differences in character design.

The Super Mario Challenge was a game show which ran from 1990 to 1991. The presenter, John Lenahan, was a lookalike of Mario, dressed in his clothes. Two guest players had to play the Mario games. Rounds included challenges to see which player could complete a level in the fastest time and who could collect the most gold coins. Super Mario World was an animated TV show based on the Super Nintendo game. The third and currently last Saturday morning cartoon based on the Mario. Airing on NBC in 1991–92, Mario Ice Capades was a TV special with a Mario-themed Ice Capades skating show on ABC, December 28, 1989. It starred Christopher Hewett as Bowser. Jason Bateman and Alyssa Milano also appeared.

Amada Anime Series: Super Mario Bros. was a series of three direct-to-
video, released on VHS tapes on August 3, 1989, only in Japan. A collection of three stories based on fairy tales and Japanese folk tales. Mario Kirby Masterpiece Video was an 18-minute educational video released in 1995 on VHS also only in Japan. To teach kanji to children by with two adventures starring Mario and Kirby separately. Super Mario's Fire Brigade was a 1989 short fire safety announcement video, animated by Toei Animation. There was also another video produced about traffic safety, named Super Mario Traffic Safety. Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi's Adventure Land, was a 28-minute interactive video anime based on Super Mario World released for Bandai's Terebikko. Allowing viewers to interact with the anime using a telephone-shaped microphone to answer multiple choice questions.

However, regarding movies about our plummer, Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! was a 1986 anime film based on the first Super Mario video game. Centering on Mario and Luigi, who go on a quest to save Princess Peach from Bowser. However, far more known is Super Mario Bros. from 1993 (May 28th), a science-fiction comedy adventure fantasy film. Distributed by Disney through Hollywood Pictures, where Disney and Nintendo collaborated. Starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper. The story revolves around how the Mario Brothers finds a parallel universe, ruled by Koopa, who seeks to merge the two dimensions so he can rule both worlds. Leaving it up to Mario and Luigi to join forces with Princess Daisy, the daughter of the world's displaced King, to stop Koopa. The film was unsuccessful both critically and commercially, receiving criticism for its storyline, characters, dialogue and unfaithfulness to the games. Hoskins later stated in an interview that it was "the worst thing he ever did". Years later, however, it has gained a status of a cult film.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

It wanted to be taller than
those mushrooms :)

But as for the purpose of this entry, Super Mario has recently starred in a new animated movie, simply named The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Produced by Illumination, Universal Pictures and Nintendo, (who owned the rights to the film). The voice cast includes (a recognizable) Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key and Seth Rogen. The film centers around the Italian-American plumbers who are transported to an alternate world and become entangled in a battle between the Mushroom Kingdom, led by Princess Peach, and the Koopas, led by Bowser. Even Donkey Kong is a huge part of the story. It`s awfully remarkable that it`s taken over 30 years before having another Mario-film. But after the failure of the 1993 live-action film, Nintendo became hesitant to make another film of the franchise. But Miyamoto was interested in making another film when Nintendo brought its older games to the Virtual Console service.

This is for you, Adele :)

The directors wanted their work on the film to be a faithful adaptation of the games, which they felt had not been done before, as well as something "more cinematic" and "more emotional". The crew changed Peach and Luigi's roles from the games, with Peach helping Mario rescue Luigi, in order to not it make too straightforward. They decided to make Bowser scary, but showing a side who's vulnerable and funny. Pratt's was chosen for being good at playing a blue-collar hero with heart. Martinet, who voices Mario and Luigi in the Mario games, voices their father. Plot details were kept secret from the actors during recording.

In the simian world, humans
are our basketballs :)

Kong's design was changed for the first time since Donkey Kong Country (1994). For Mario's family, the directors were given early designs of Mario by Nintendo as reference. The songs from Jack Black and Keegan-Michael Key were improvised for the film. Jack Black co-wrote the song Peaches. Having Bowser perform a song was Black's idea. Upon its release, Peaches appeared on No. 61 on the iTunes streaming chart. Later, the song appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching position 83. The teaser trailer for Mario received over three million views in 24 hours.

Despite how you`re from
Olympos, I can slize you :)

While the critics have mostly been lukewarm, the reception from the audience has been more embracing. It has grossed $1,022,473,825 million Worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of 2023 so far and setting box office records for the biggest worldwide opening weekend for an animated film and the highest-grossing film based on a video game. The movie is now Illumination’s most successful film, surpassing their Minions franchise. And for it`s success, there`s no wonder that this property is going to be a new franchise, just like the Sonic. As Nintendo stated that there would be more films based on Mario, despite how they didn`t directly confirm a sequel yet.

These lights won`t blend me :)

As for myself, having seen the film, I must say that I liked it a lot. My expectations of it were met. Sure, I was exactly like expected, as I expected it to be nothing more than pure, relentless fluff and frivolous fun. The same goes for the story, but it`s still not a bad story. Sure, it`s a project who`s mostly made for pure commercial purposes. But it still serves as a Valentine for everyone who`s played the games. And taps to nostalgia in a pleasing way. Still, it was a visually pleasing, funny and entertaining adventure who truly deserved it`s success.

Epilogue

They modeled me after the
Seven Dwarfs :)

At the end, Super Mario is one of the most famous and successful videogame characters ever made. And his legacy will live on forever and many people will always get acquainted with him in many forms. As for my own experience with Mario, he was actually a character who was a part of my childhood. I remember playing his three first games on Nintendo as a kid, both at my childhood friend`s house and with my very own Nintendo which I had at the the age of 10. And I loved his games (Super Mario 3, which is considered by many to be the best Mario game and Super Mario World were my favorites). And frankly, I still love them and play them, mostly for nostalgia.

Yes, even a Mario can take a
nap:)

But as for the new movie Mario`s been given, it would be tempting to wonder if it`s going to break the everlasting stigma of videogames making a successful transition to movies. While perhaps it haven`t won the critics, there`s no denial that movies based on popular videogames will still continue to be Box Office hits. Whether this movie will be regarded as being the definite Mario-movie or being a movie who will introduce some audiences to his videogames, there`s no doubt that Mario will be a videogame character who will live on forever and ever through his games and in pop culture in general.