Joy Stick Heroes
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Joy Stick Heroes |
| Original title | The Wizard |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1989 |
| length | 96 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 6 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Todd Holland |
| script | David Chisholm |
| production |
David Chisholm , Ken Topolsky |
| music | J. Peter Robinson |
| camera | Robert D. Yeoman |
| cut | Tom Finan |
| occupation | |
| |
Joy Stick Heroes (Original title: The Wizard ) is an American adventure comedy from 1989 . Directed by Todd Holland ; the script was written by David Chisholm , who also co-produced the film.
action
The parents of 13-year-old Corey Woods and his 9-year-old brother Jimmy are divorced; the children live separately. Jimmy has not spoken since her sister's death two years earlier and is withdrawn. Again and again he tears away from home to get to California. When he is put in a hospital, Corey frees his brother to travel to California with him.
On the way, the boys get to know 13-year-old Haley. When she found out about Jimmy's talent in video games, she persuaded the two of them to take part in a $ 50,000 game competition ("Video Armageddon") at the Universal Studios Hollywood amusement park . The three travel to Los Angeles and use every opportunity to practice possible games with Jimmy. They are followed on the one hand by a private investigator commissioned by the mother and her new partner and on the other hand by the father and big brother of the boys.
After the preliminary round, they are discovered by their pursuers; there is a spectacular hunt through the studio grounds. Just in time, the three children can shake off their parents and the detective so that Jimmy makes it to the final in time. There the three finalists have to play Super Mario Bros. 3 , which is presented here for the first time outside of Japan. His parents are in the audience, who hear about the planned participation for the first time and cheer him on. Jimmy can win the contest.
In the end, Jimmy and Corey travel home with their parents to Utah. Only when they pass the amusement park Cabazon Dinosaurs does the reason for Jimmy's longing for California become apparent: A photo was taken of one of the dinosaur models when the family was still reunited and the sister was still alive; Jimmy had it with him ever since.
background
The film was shot in Reno and a few other locations in Nevada and California . It grossed approximately $ 14.3 million in American cinemas .
Tobey Maguire made his first appearance in a film, as an extra. He is one of the four companions of the finalist Lucas.
Reviews
Roger Ebert questioned the realism of some of the events shown in the Chicago Sun-Times of December 15, 1989. Some scenes are "idiotic" and make the adults infantile. The film evaluates the trend of video games "cynically" ("is finally just a cynical exploitation film with a lot of commercial plugs in it"). His script was written so "nonsensical" and his direction was so "unsuitable" that the film disappointed everyone.
Awards
In 1990 the film was nominated for Best Comedy as well as Fred Savage, Luke Edwards and Jenny Lewis for the Young Artist Award .
Web links
- The Wizard in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Joy Stick Heroes at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Filming locations of Joy Stick Heroes on imdb.com, accessed April 30, 2008.
- ↑ Box office results from Joy Stick Heroes on imdb.com, accessed April 30, 2008.
- ↑ Roger Ebert's film review on rogerebert.suntimes.com, accessed April 30, 2008.