NERDBOT
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Subscribe
    NERDBOT
    • News
      • Reviews
    • Movies & TV
    • Comics
    • Gaming
    • Collectibles
    • Science & Tech
    • Nerd Culture
    • About Us
      • Join the Team at Nerdbot
    NERDBOT
    Home»Movies»‘Extended’ Version of 1993 “Super Mario Bros.” Movie Exists
    Movies

    ‘Extended’ Version of 1993 “Super Mario Bros.” Movie Exists

    Heath AndrewsBy Heath AndrewsJune 2, 2021Updated:June 2, 20214 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

    When a film is great, it can build a fervent fan base around it that celebrates it. Mediocre movies that are neither amazing or horrible tend to just fade into the background. And then there are movies that are so bad that they’re loved for how bad they are; they build up a kind of fandom around them that can even start to defend the film as being a misunderstood gem. Such is the case with the first video game to live-action film adaptation, “Super Mario Bros.” from 1993. Thanks to the love for the film that the fandom has, an unofficial extended cut of the film has been released online and if you truly want to embrace your masochistic desires for two hours, you can view it now.

    The history of the “Super Mario Bros.” movie and why it’s such a disaster is a complicated one. To try and put it succinctly, the script changed hands multiple times, the directing team of Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel clashed with the writers and the staff, there was a complete lack of a coherent vision, and the main stars, Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo spent most of their free time on the set drinking so as to deal with the madness surrounding them. In the years after the film and prior to his passing, Hoskins would frequently cite “Super Mario Bros.” as the worst job he’d ever done.

    Despite his, and the rest of the cast’s feelings on the film, there are circles in which the movie is celebrated. Lovers of bad movies, some video game fans, and wearers of nostalgia goggles hold a special reverence for “Super Mario Bros.” that has culminated in the release of an unofficial extended cut that’s about 19-minutes longer than the original 104 minutes. So if you’ve ever had a broken bone and had to wait in the emergency room for 19-minutes before being admitted, you already know what this will feel like.

    Exactly, man, exactly.

    It needs to be stated, in case some are not aware of this, nearly every single published film in the existence of the medium has additional footage shot. It should never be a surprise announcement for someone to come out and say, “Our film had an additional hour of footage that was never used.” What is surprising is how this particular footage wound up in the hands of fans to begin with.

    According to the notes on the Internet Archive, where the extended film is presently uploaded, a VHS tape was found by the Super Mario Bros Movie Archive Team that appeared to be a former possession of the film’s producer, Roland Joffé. That tape had film footage that wasn’t used for the final print. With it being in rough shape, the tape was handed over to noted film preservationist and restoration worker Garrett Gilchrist. Gilchrist apparently put in quite a lot of work to restore the footage and complied it with pre-existing tape source to give the recut of the movie a consistent visual quality. Further effort is going into the work to see if it can be brought up to a higher level of visual fidelity.

    It sounds like the work put into restoring the film would actually be far more interesting than the movie itself. Make no mistake, “Super Mario Bros.” is an awful film. It’s imaginative and has a great score by Alan Silvestri, but it’s an otherwise ridiculous movie with underdeveloped characters, an inconsistent tone, a premise that’s a bit of a stretch even for a fantasy film, and a borderline cyberpunk aesthetic that clearly doesn’t fit with Mario Brothers. Of course, that being said, it’s those same absurd factors which make the film stand-out as a cult classic. There’s also something to be said about the diligence and passion that goes into film preservation to ensure that the hard work of creators does not get lost to the ravages of time.

    If you want to revisit “Super Mario Bros.” in an extended form you can do so at the aforementioned Internet Archive right here. Or, if you want to know more about the history of the film, The Gaming Historian YouTube channel released a comprehensive video on the making of the movie.

    Or if you want to read our further thoughts on why terrible films shouldn’t receive director’s cuts, you can read our article about the dredge that is “Sucker Punch.”

    Author

    Heath Andrews
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleFlorida Teens Engage in Modern-Day Bonnie and Clyde Shootout
    Next Article Anthony Bourdain Documentary “Roadrunner” Trailer Drops
    Heath Andrews

    Heath Andrews has been a student of pop culture ever since he found himself to be the only student in 3rd grade who regularly watched "Get Smart" on Nick-At-Nite. Ever since then he's been engrossed in way too much media with a growing collection of music, books, comics, TV on DVD box sets, and a video game collection that could rival a brick and mortar store. Prior to writing for Nerdbot he's written for Review You, MyAnimeList, and various advertising companies. Since 2016 he's run his own YouTube channel under the moniker of The Critical Android where he livestreams video games and uploads podcasts about pop culture and Frasier.

    Related Posts

    James Bond Novels Will be Edited to Remove Racist Content

    February 28, 2023
    The real Cocaine Bear

    Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Wants to Buy the Real “Cocaine Bear”

    February 28, 2023

    Disney’s Next Live Action Film “Peter Pan & Wendy” Gets Trailer

    February 28, 2023

    20 Lost Sir Terry Pratchett Stories Getting Published this Year!

    February 28, 2023

    “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Release Moves Up

    February 28, 2023
    "Attack of the Meth Gator" Poster

    The Asylum Confirms “Attack of the Meth Gator” Film Coming

    February 27, 2023
    • Trending
    • Latest
    • Movies
    • TV

    Christian Activist Suing The NFL For $867 Trillion Over Half-Time Show

    February 5, 2020

    Marvel Eyeing GOT Star Nathalie Emmanuel To Play The MCU’s Storm

    June 27, 2019

    Rumor: Charlie Hunnam In Talks For New Wolverine Movie

    May 20, 2019

    Scientists Are Actually Trying to Open a Portal to a Mirror Universe(Yes Really)

    December 28, 2019

    James Bond Novels Will be Edited to Remove Racist Content

    February 28, 2023

    THC-O Gummies: What Are Its Uses, Dosages, And Effects?

    February 28, 2023

    Shiba vs Dogecoin, which Meme coin will win it all?

    February 28, 2023

    League of Legends – New Format for MSI and Worlds

    February 28, 2023

    Disney’s Next Live Action Film “Peter Pan & Wendy” Gets Trailer

    February 28, 2023

    “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Release Moves Up

    February 28, 2023
    "Attack of the Meth Gator" Poster

    The Asylum Confirms “Attack of the Meth Gator” Film Coming

    February 27, 2023
    “The Pope's Exorcist”

    Russell Crowe Plays Real Life Priest in “The Pope’s Exorcist”

    February 26, 2023
    "The Last of Us" soundtrack

    HBO Releases “The Last of Us” Season 1 Sountrack

    February 28, 2023

    Arnold Schwarzenegger is “FUBAR” in First Trailer for Netflix Series

    February 28, 2023

    24-Hour “Sailor Moon” Channel Coming to Pluto TV

    February 28, 2023

    Eric Stonestreet to Play Mad Santa in “The Santa Clauses” S2

    February 27, 2023
    Related Posts
    • 8 Video Game Sneaker Collaborations We Want to See Happen
    • Check Out this 'Stache' of Goodies to Celebrate Mario Day!
    • Listen to the Restored "Super Mario World" Soundtrack
    • Sealed Super Mario Bros. Cartridge Sells For $660,000
    • That Time Elon Musk Was Wario on "Saturday Night Live"
    • Video Game Movies: Is There Still Hope for The Genre?
    San Diego Comic-Con
      • auction
      • carnivorous plant
      • dinosaur
      • pennyworth
      • San Diego Comic-Con
    NERDBOT
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    © 2023 NERDBOT Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.