Built on a wispy premise better suited to the realm of TV, The Pagemaster plays like a slickly produced afternoon special.
The Pagemaster (1994)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:15
Fresh:3
Rotten:12
Average Rating:4.6/10
Synopsis: To escape a raging thunderstorm, young Richard takes refuge in a library where he meets Mr. Dewey, a strange librarian. Dewey turns out to be The Pagemaster, a wizard who transports Richard into a... To escape a raging thunderstorm, young Richard takes refuge in a library where he meets Mr. Dewey, a strange librarian. Dewey turns out to be The Pagemaster, a wizard who transports Richard into a colorful cartoon world. There, Richard is guided by three large walking, talking books named Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror, who send the boy on journeys with classic literary characters, such as Long John Silver, Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, and Captain Ahab. But despite the fun Richard is having in this fantasy world, he must also find the "Exit" sign -- his only means of escaping back to the real world. [More]
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Ed Begley, Mel Harris
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Ed Begley, Mel Harris
Director: Joe Johnston, Maurice Hunt
Director: Joe Johnston, Maurice Hunt
Composer: James Horner
Reviews for The Pagemaster
The film rests on its initial ingenuity and fails to develop the concept in interesting or surprising ways.
A pallid film framed at the start and finish by live action and mostly composed of cheap-looking animation.
If you’re looking for a movie that may inspire your children to read, ignore this one and lay your money down for The Princess Bride or The NeverEnding Story.
a nice starting point for an important conversation with your child about why so many cartoons think children are stupid.
In this age of technology, a not-so-subtle plug for a classic method of mental stimulation comes as a pleasant surprise.
The Pagemaster's problems can be easily traced back to the screenplay, which simply lacks anything remotely resembling wit.
This clever, often engaging, and always fast-paced motion picture uses the visual medium to encourage its viewers to reach out with their imagination.
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