Quite often, live-action films based on animated TV shows bomb at the box office. Will Josie and the Pussycats wow audiences and critics this week?
If so, the film will be in rare company.
Only a handful of live-action films based on small-screen classics have triumphed on the big screen. Which were they? Why did they succeed? And which should never have been made at all?
Hollywood.com takes a closer look.
The Ones That Worked:
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Domestic Gross: $260,031,035
It was mostly a matter of the right actor, not necessarily the right storyline. Jim Carrey pulled off a remarkable performance as the infamous title character, adding a unique human touch that endeared the Grinch to audiences. The film succeeded for three reasons: Carrey‘s sheer star power, a red-hot marketing campaign and the simple fact that at the end of 2000, virtually no holiday flicks premiered. Regardless, it was an ambitious undertaking that director Ron Howard hammered home.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Domestic Gross: $133 Million
In 1990, well before the Pokemon invaded America, a bizarre film based on a bizarre cartoon owned the box office. Four talking turtles with black belts saving the world… four talking turtles with black belts rolling in cash, it turned out. When it comes to the kiddies, the appeal was massive: mixing fantastic, sarcastic creatures with some wholesome American violence. But the effect was total, as kids across the country suddenly transformed into ravenous consumers, forcing their parents into credit card debt until, well, Pikachu showed up in the late ’90s and ruined everyone’s lives.
Casting Call |
If we were to a live-action version of The Simpsons: Homer — Drew Carrey |
The Flintstones
Domestic Gross: $130 Million
Making any cartoon into a live-action feature is tricky. Luckily for the execs at Universal, director Brian Levant figured out the formula with his 1994 smash The Flintstones, based on the classic Hanna-Barbera series. What was the formula? Treat the material with enough enthusiasm to appear impressive–without taking yourself too seriously. John Goodman plays an acceptable Fred, with Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma, Rick Moranis as a dumb-as-dirt Barney and Rosie O’Donnell as a dead-on Betty. But the sets are what make this film truly special. Actually seeing Bedrock come to life is a stunning sight. The sequel, however, didn’t equal this film’s box office success.
George of the Jungle
Domestic Gross: $105 Million
Face it, the success of this film shocked everyone. It was a campy diversion, with a little-known cast–based on a show most kids could not remember–but it possessed a staying power that was simply unpredictable. Thanks to the able abs of Brendan Fraser, this may have been the first instance of raw sex appeal bolstering the box-office success of a former-cartoon movie. Did all those mommies go see this film because they actually wanted to? And why didn’t they turn out for Dudley Do-Right? Well, we’ll be getting to “Dudley” shortly …
Casper
Domestic Gross: $100 Million
OK, technically the title character is still animated, but 1995’s Casper blends live action and animation so well, it makes the cut. Plus, it reached the century mark at the box office. Director Brad Silberling deftly combines madcap comedy with a poignant storyline, as Christina Ricci‘s character emerges from emotional isolation to connect with a fun-loving spirit who she apparently wants to seduce. Kinda weird. But the film clicked with audiences and spawned a sequel in 1999.
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The Ones That Flopped
What on Earth happened here? The talents of Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall and director Robert Altman should have carried this film. They didn’t. Of course, the original TV show was a lesson in wackiness, but the film showed no redeeming signs whatsoever. Probably any film starring Ray Walston as a character named Poopdeck Pappy is destined to fail.
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle $26 million
Casper was a fine production featuring a blend of animation and live action. The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle is quite explicitly the opposite. This is one instance in which the filmmakers at Tribeca Productions truly bastardized a lovable duo. Though Rocky and Bullwinkle are not live-action characters in this film, the supporting cast (Rene Russo as Natasha?) tarnishes their lively appeal, forcing us to dislike two of the greatest cartoon personalities we’ve yet to encounter. Shame on them.
Dudley Do-Right $9.8 million
Brendan, what were you thinking? You’re a good actor… you get all the babes… why throw it all away? The original cartoon, when compared with the original Rocky & Bullwinkle (its sister short at Ward Productions), pales in originality, and so does the film. Unlike the film Rocky & Bullwinkle–which is a movie that could have worked but didn’t–Dudley simply couldn’t sustain itself as a feature-length film. Bumbling Canadians can only bumble for so long, and audiences sensed it.
Inspector Gadget $98 million
It’s a shame that this concept was treated with such passivity. It was probably the best cartoon to come out of the early ’80s–an update on the ’60s classic Get Smart starring Don Adams. Yes, being part man, part machine has been done before in films, but Gadget’s appeal was his personality, not a reliance upon special effects. Matthew Broderick (as Gadget) did as good a job as he could with the weak screenplay, but the film version took the personality out of the characters and replaced everything with high-tech wizardry. While the film pulled in a usually great $98 million at the box office, the film’s budget was $75 million. And Rupert Everett can’t do evil on his best day.
Richie Rich $37 million
Actually, this film did not entirely flop at the box office–it brought in more than $37 million–but audiences couldn’t walk out fast enough. The film became a farce, taking the original concept too far, drowning in its own desire to show the absurdity of excess. Richie Rich the TV series (1981) was not a bad effort. It basically taught kids that money indeed rules the world, a valuable lesson for little tykes. But the film version, directed by Donald Petrie, went overboard, and the entire production was obviously a star vehicle for Macaulay Culkin, who was only mildly cute by 1994.
Jack Frost $34.5 million
We’re getting obscure here. But it’s true: Jack Frost was a 1979 TV special, featuring the voices of Buddy Hackett and Robert Morse. The film version in 1998 was not so special. Michael Keaton is immensely capable of more, but this tale of a dead father who returns as a snowman to guide his son is inexcusable. The odd thing about this adaptation is the special effects: while they were overdone in Inspector Gadget, they were completely cheeseball in Jack Frost. The shark in Jaws looked more realistic.
