The Pagemaster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Pagemaster |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Starring | |
| Music by | James Horner |
| Cinematography | Alexander Gruszynski (live-action) |
| Editing by | Kaja Fehr (live-action) |
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| Release date(s) | November 23, 1994 |
| Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $34 million |
| Money made | $13.7 million (US) |
The Pagemaster is a 1994 American movie that mixes live-action and animation. It's a fantasy adventure film starring Macaulay Culkin. The story is about a shy boy named Richard who is afraid of almost everything. He uses facts and numbers to avoid uncomfortable situations.
One day, Richard is sent on an errand by his dad. He gets caught in a big storm and has to find shelter. He ends up in a strange library. Inside, he gets trapped and finds himself in a world where classic storybook characters come to life. Richard must face his fears and battle through these literary worlds to find his way back home.
Contents
The Story of The Pagemaster
This section tells you all about Richard's amazing adventure.
Richard's Big Fear
Richard Tyler is a 10-year-old boy who is very pessimistic. He is scared of almost everything. He bases his whole life on statistics to avoid risks. His parents try hard to help him be brave, but nothing seems to work.
Trapped in the Library
One day, Richard's dad sends him to buy nails for a treehouse. A huge thunderstorm starts, and Richard runs into a library for shelter. There, he meets Mr. Dewey, a quirky librarian. Mr. Dewey insists Richard needs a special book and gives him a library card. Richard tries to find a phone, but he slips and falls. He wakes up to find the library changing around him. Everything turns into illustrations, and Richard himself becomes a cartoon!
Meeting the Pagemaster
Richard then meets the Pagemaster. This magical being is the Keeper of Books and Guardian of the Written Word. Richard asks how to leave, and the Pagemaster tells him to go through the fiction section towards a green exit sign.
New Friends and Adventures
On his journey, Richard makes three new friends. They are books that have come to life!
- Adventure is a brave, pirate-like book. He's always ready for action.
- Fantasy is a sassy but kind fairy tale book. She has a magical touch.
- Horror is a scared "Hunchbook" with a crooked spine. Despite his name, he's actually quite timid.
These three books agree to help Richard find his way out. But first, Richard has to "check them out" using his new library card.
Facing Classic Characters
Together, the four friends meet many famous characters from classic stories.
- They first meet Dr. Jekyll, who transforms into the scary Mr. Hyde. This sends them into the open waters of the Land of Adventure.
- There, they are attacked by Moby-Dick, the giant whale, who is fighting Captain Ahab. Richard and Adventure get separated from Fantasy and Horror.
- Richard and Adventure are picked up by a ship called the Hispaniola. It's captained by Long John Silver, a famous pirate.
- The pirates go to Treasure Island looking for treasure. They only find one gold coin, which almost causes a fight among the pirates.
- Fantasy and Horror return and help defeat the pirates. Long John Silver tries to convince Richard to join him, but Richard bravely threatens him with a sword, and Silver gives up.
The Dragon and the Exit
Next, they enter the fantasy section. Richard sees the exit sign on top of a tall mountain. But Adventure accidentally wakes up a sleeping dragon! Richard tries to fight the dragon with a sword and shield, but the dragon swallows him whole.
Inside the dragon's stomach, Richard finds many books. He uses a magic beanstalk from Jack and the Beanstalk to escape through the dragon's mouth. Richard and his book friends climb the beanstalk to reach the exit.
The Pagemaster's Lesson
They enter a dark room where the Pagemaster is waiting. Richard is upset and accuses the Pagemaster of causing all the scary things he went through. But the Pagemaster explains that the whole journey was meant to help Richard face his fears.
Then, Dr. Jekyll, Captain Ahab, Long John Silver, and the dragon all reappear in a magical swirl. They congratulate Richard on his bravery. The Pagemaster then sends Richard and the books back to the real world.
Back Home, Braver Than Before
Richard wakes up in the library, finding Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror next to him as real books. Mr. Dewey, the librarian, finds him. Even though the rule is only two books at a time, Mr. Dewey lets Richard check out all three books "just this once."
Richard goes home a much braver boy. He sleeps in his new treehouse with his new books. His parents, who were worried sick, find him there, happy and safe.
Meet the Cast
Here are the actors and voice actors who brought The Pagemaster to life!
Live-Action Actors
- Macaulay Culkin plays Richard Tyler. He's the young boy who is scared of everything. Macaulay Culkin is the only actor who plays his character in both the live-action and animated parts of the movie.
- Christopher Lloyd plays Mr. Dewey. He is the unusual librarian who helps Richard.
- Ed Begley Jr. and Mel Harris play Alan and Claire Tyler. They are Richard's supportive parents.
Voice Actors
- Christopher Lloyd also voices The Pagemaster. He is the magical guardian of books. It's hinted that he is Mr. Dewey's magical form.
- Patrick Stewart voices Adventure. He's the brave, pirate-like book.
- Whoopi Goldberg voices Fantasy. She's the fairy-like book who is sometimes sassy but always caring.
- Frank Welker voices Horror. Even though his name is Horror, he's actually a very scared book. Frank Welker also made the sounds for the dragon, Moby Dick, and other creatures.
- Leonard Nimoy voices Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He's the scientist who turns into a monster.
- George Hearn voices Captain Ahab. He's the determined whale hunter who wants to kill Moby Dick.
- Jim Cummings voices Long John Silver. He's the pirate captain of the Hispaniola.
- Phil Hartman voices Tom Morgan, a pirate on the Hispaniola.
- Ed Gilbert voices George Merry, another pirate on the Hispaniola.
- B.J. Ward voices the Queen of Hearts, a bossy ruler from Alice in Wonderland.
How The Pagemaster Was Made
This movie was special because it combined different types of filmmaking.
Mixing Live-Action and Animation
The Pagemaster was one of the first films to use live-action, traditional animation (like old cartoons), and computer-generated imagery (CGI) all together. For example, a computer-generated dragon was created, which was a big challenge for the filmmakers at the time.
The animation was done by Turner Feature Animation. Many animators who worked on this film had also worked on other famous animated movies like An American Tail and Aladdin.
Music and Songs
The music for the movie was composed by James Horner. The film also features two main songs:
- "Dream Away" sung by Babyface and Lisa Stansfield.
- "Whatever You Imagine" sung by Wendy Moten.
Challenges During Production
Making the movie had some difficulties. The animation part of the film went over budget. This happened because of changes to the story during the animation process. Making big story changes while animating can be very expensive and cause problems.
The live-action director, Joe Johnston, later said he wasn't happy with how the movie turned out. He felt that the film was changed without his permission after he finished his work.
Release and Home Media
The movie was released in theaters and later came out for home viewing.
Box Office Performance
The Pagemaster was released on November 23, 1994. The movie cost about $34 million to make. However, it only earned about $13.7 million in North American theaters. This meant it didn't make back its budget.
Watching at Home
The film was first available on VHS and LaserDisc on April 4, 1995. Later, it was released on DVD in 2002 and on Blu-ray in 2013.
Books and Games
The movie also led to other products like books and video games.
Books Based on the Film
Even though the movie was not based on a book, many books were created *after* the film came out. These included illustrated books, a novelization (a book version of the movie's story), children's storybooks, and pop-up books.
Video Games
Video games based on The Pagemaster were released in the same year as the film. There were different versions:
- A PC game that was an interactive adventure.
- Handheld versions that were platformer games, where you jump and run through levels.
See also
In Spanish: The Pagemaster para niños
