1993 Super Mario Bros. Live-Action Film Returns in 4K Splendor For Its 30th Anniversary

Summary

• The 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie diverged from the beloved video game franchise, leading to critical and commercial failure despite a substantial budget and star-studded cast.
• The upcoming 4K Ultra HD anniversary release of the film raises questions about why such a deluxe package exists for a widely acknowledged misstep in adaptation.
• The re-release provides an opportunity for discourse and analysis of the film’s production, its deviance from the source material, and its unexpected longevity in cinematic history.

The 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, a notorious live-action adaptation of the beloved video game franchise, diverged from the whimsical and vibrant universe gamers around the world had fallen in love with. The rendition, featuring Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi, pivoted away from colorful adventures and instead, ventured into an odd, dystopian interpretation of Mario’s universe, which ultimately became an abyss of critical and commercial failure.

Fast forward to three decades later, and one can observe an unexpected development – a 4K Ultra HD anniversary release from Umbrella Home Entertainment, slated for January 2024. Laden with a myriad additions such as three discs, two Blu-rays, behind-the-scenes books, film cell, posters, stickers, art cards, new audio commentary, and newly-restored deleted scenes and trailers, this release carries a rather hefty price tag of $100. The fascinating aspect, however, lies in why such a deluxe package exists for a film broadly acknowledged as a misstep in adaptation.

The initial failure of Super Mario Bros. was palpable. The film’s substantial budget of $40 million starkly contrasted with its disappointing $38.9 million box office intake. Analysts attributed this lackluster performance to several factors, one of which was the stark deviation from the source material’s essence. Unlike the animated reboot, which has basked in an impressive $1.3 billion box office haul, led by Chris Pratt, the live-action iteration shunned the cheerful and enchanting Mushroom Kingdom, opting instead for a murkier, dystopian narrative. Moreover, the excessive focus on the protagonists’ plumbing profession felt incongruous and extraneous, adding little substance or context to the cherished Mario lore.

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The Peculiar 4K Revival of Super Mario Bros. Infamous Misadventure

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

The disparity between the two movie versions reveals, upon detailed examination, a crucial message about recognizing and honoring the audience. While the 2023 animated reboot remained firmly rooted in family-friendly territory, offering a digestible if somewhat predictable plot, the 1993 version enmeshed itself in convoluted narratives, presenting a challenging dichotomy that failed to resonate with Mario enthusiasts and casual moviegoers alike.

Arguably, the lush re-release of the 1993 Super Mario Bros. can be perceived as an exploration into cinematic curiosity, allowing aficionados and new audiences to peer into an alternate realm where the Mushroom Kingdom veered into unexpected territories. Despite its lackluster performance and bewildering aesthetic choices, this live-action misadventure has solidified its place in cinematic history, etching its tale as a peculiar offshoot of a franchise that would eventually regain its footing in spectacular fashion.

In retrospect, the very existence of this opulent 4K release of the 1993 film enables a fresh discourse among film historians, gaming enthusiasts, and curious spectators alike. Its availability provides a means to dissect and discuss the enigmatic choices made during its production, analyze the complexities of adaptation, and ponder on the ironic, perhaps unintended longevity of a project that once plummeted from expectation to dismay.

Curving through cultural and cinematic terrains, the Super Mario Bros. live-action movie, notorious yet unexpectedly re-emerging, forges a fascinating niche, spinning a 30-year saga of ambition, misjudgment, and unforeseen, costly redemption.

Here’s a full list of what are inside the Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition:

• A brand new 4K restoration from original camera negative
• Over 250 page hardback bound book including a host of production materials, interviews and artwork
• Over 200-page bound book of scripts including early drafts
• Genuine Super Mario Bros. film cell in collectible case
• Replica A6 1993 34-page Souvenir magazine
• Classic artwork designed outer rigid slipcase
• Classic artwork design slipcase
• 8 replica lobby cards
• 2 x A3 reversible posters featuring USA, Australian, Thai and Japanese original posters
• Sticker sheet
• Limited Edition numbered release

DISC 1 4K UHD100 Feature

• NEW! Feature film from brand new 4K master
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Parker Bennett (screenwriter)
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Fred Caruso (co-producer) and David L. Snyder (production designer)
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Jeff Goodwin (key makeup artist), Mark McCoy (special effects crew) and Craig Edwards (production assistant)
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Steven Applebaum & Richard Hoss (Super Mario Bros. The Movie archivists)
• NEW! Newly restored 4K deleted scenes
• NEW! Newly restored 4K Ain’t No Game trailer
• NEW! Newly restored 4K I’ve Got The Power trailer

DISC 2 Blu-ray Feature

• NEW! Feature film from brand new 4K master
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Parker Bennett (screenwriter)
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Fred Caruso (co-producer) and David L. Snyder (production designer)
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Jeff Goodwin (key makeup artist), Mark McCoy (special effects crew) and Craig Edwards (production assistant)
• NEW! Audio Commentary with Steven Applebaum & Ryan Hoss (Super Mario Bros. The Movie archivists)
• NEW! Newly restored deleted scenes
• NEW! Newly restored Ain’t No Game trailer
• NEW! Newly restored I’ve Got The Power trailer

DISC 3 Blu-ray Extras

• NEW! Newly restored workprint in HD
• NEW! Storyboard to Screen animatics
• NEW! Academic Featurettes
• Katabasis: From Damsel to Goddess
• Anarcho-Dino-Sado Chic: The Fashion of Dinohattan
• The Hero Moment: Super Mario, Superhero
• (D)evolution, Dystopia, and Trusting the Fungus
• NEW! Spike & Iggy Revolutionary Rap music video restored with new music composed by Richard Edson
• NEW! Anti-Koopa protest music video
• NEW! Collection of archival Japanese trailers
• NEW! Collection of archival commercials
• This Ain’t No Video Game Featurette (55mins)
• ‘Making Of’ Featurette (25mins)
• Original electronic press kit with cast interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
• Galleries: Stills, storyboards and concepts

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