1993's Super Mario Bros. movie is generally regarded as a failure — both commercially and critically — but it has nevertheless gone on to become something of a cult classic.
However, we're not sure the same would ever have been said about Max Landis' proposed movie adaptation of Super Mario World, which he wrote when he was 19 and now admits is "not a movie" and that it "sucks".
The script — which can be downloaded and digested here — is over 400 pages long, and when you consider that a page of script roughly translates as a minute of screen time, that gives you some idea of how unfilmable this project would be. Running time is just one of its problems however; the script includes pretty much every Nintendo character ever (even Funky Kong) and has — according to Landis himself — terrible pacing.
Landis — son of the director John Landis — wrote 2012 sci-fi thriller Chronicle, and feels that his dalliance with Nintendo's famous plumber was very much a moment of experimentation:
My Super Mario World won’t ever really live up to its own grandiose ambitions. But then again, Super Mario World was never mine to begin with. What Mario is, I think, is an exploration. It is, at the most primal level, a writer exploring their own limits; I wrote it not because I felt I should, but rather, to see if I COULD.
“They might be giants,” said Don Quixote, charging at windmills.
I'm still charging at windmills. But these days I try to keep them under 120 pages.
Are you crazy enough to actually read all of this script? Do you think Landis is being too hard on himself? Share your thoughts with a comment.
[source maxlandiswrites.com]
Comments 17
Well, WOW!
400 pages! That's outLandis!
@BensonUii OH YOU!
@BensonUii
Even so, it's bound to be better than the upcoming Angry Birds movie.
@Dr_Corndog Or the Tetris (?!) movie, for that matter.
@ricklongo - Tetris and Movies.....two things that are universally loved even by aliens. After all Stonehenge was just a big game of Tetris poorly played by ancient aliens.....or giants? How could this movie not be amazing?
Kudos to him for quoting Don Quixote. It's the life of artist, I guess.
I believe Max Landis was indeed too hard on his self (or himself); too negative to be precise while composing the introduction for his script. He should think more positively about his self, remind his self that no person is perfect, and that all we can do is our very best.
"Artwork By Darren Calvert"... was this your doing, @Dazza?
@Sherman I wish! My naamgenoot is 1000x more artistically talented than me
This doesn't really surprise me
@Sherman Oh god, nevermind the others, that version of Mallow scares the hell outta me.
That script is hard to read...
I tried pairing characters with the voices and...just...no. It doesn't work. This makes the Ninja Turtles adaptation look good. Who writes a 400-page script with intent on TRYING to do something with it? Sheesh.
EDIT: After reading his thing at the very beginning of this manifesto, I can definitely see why he might've put this out there, but this could very well have remained hidden for all time and been to his great benefit. He knows it's fan-fiction cheese as its absolute worst...so I suppose it's forgivable. If you ever want to see what the Michael Bay version of Super Mario World might be like, though, read as much of this as you can before, invariably, you'll start skimming because this is ridiculous.
@Gerbwmu Sadly, I believe the film makers will have more of a... shall we say, 'blockbustery' view while making it.
That's why I left it last, @ToastyYogurt XD
Now it really looks like a toad, haha.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...