Inspector Gadget (film)
Encyclopedia
Inspector Gadget is a 1999 American live-action comedy film
loosely based on the 1983 animated cartoon
series Inspector Gadget
. It starred Matthew Broderick
as the title character, along with Rupert Everett
as Dr. Claw, Michelle Trachtenberg
as Penny, and Dabney Coleman
as Chief Quimby. Two new characters were introduced, Brenda Bradford (played by Joely Fisher
) and the Gadgetmobile (voiced by D.L. Hughley). The film tells the story of how Inspector Gadget and Dr. Claw came to be in the cartoon.
The film was produced by Caravan Pictures
and DIC Entertainment
and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
. It was filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
, and Los Angeles, California
, with the ice castle-like main tower of Pittsburgh's PPG Place
playing a central role. This was the last film produced by Caravan Pictures
before it absorbed into Spyglass Entertainment
.
The film gained a cult following
and was followed by the 2003 direct-to-video
sequel
"Inspector Gadget 2
".
) is a security guard for a science lab operated by robotics expert Brenda Bradford (Joely Fisher
) in Riverton, Ohio
. He lives with his 10-year-old niece, Penny (Michelle Trachtenberg
), and their dog, Brain. He hopes to be a police officer, but is denied from the force by Chief Quimby (Dabney Coleman
). The multi-millionaire tycoon Sanford Scolex (Rupert Everett
) attacks the lab, stealing valuable equipment for the "Gadget Program" and killing Brenda's father (Rene Auberjonois
) in the process. John, who is smitten with her, gives chase despite his co-worker Thelma (Frances Bay
) warning him that the chase wouldn't end well and trying to convince him to lay off by telling him he's off duty at the moment (he lets her know he's always on duty). The ensuing car crash brings a confrontation with Scolex, who uses a victory cigar explosive to blow up John and his beloved Chevette
, leaving him for dead. But in the fiery blast, a bowling ball in the back seat of his car flies into the air and through the sunroof of Scolex's limo, landing directly on and rapidly smashing his left hand. John is rushed to intensive care by Brenda.
John is rebuilt using electronic parts and is dubbed "Inspector Gadget". He is given lessons by a meditating guru at the lab in relaxing his body and getting a firm grip on the workings of his gadgets, which ends in failure when he accidentally grasps the guru's testicle
s with a little too much force. Despite some previous success in capturing two criminals, he is assigned with many community service jobs, such as crossing guard, litter patrol, and rescuing kittens. Meanwhile, Scolex's assistant Kramer (Andy Dick
) builds a new, mechanical claw to replace his hand, and Scolex renames himself "Dr. Claw". Unlike the original cartoon series, his face is visible. He then tries using the stolen equipment to move a robot, but fails. When Sykes (Michael G. Hagerty
) calls it a lemon, he has him put it on (at maximum voltage). But this fails too and he concludes that he needs Brenda's help. He hires her as his robotics specialist (expressing lust for her in the process), and is amused to discover that John is the "lucky duck they plucked for the Gadget Program." Later, he gets a copy of Gadget's chip and inserts it into the earlier robot, which he names RoboGadget.
John investigates Scolex, but while Gadget sees a moisture alarm, he overlooks an audio one and is captured in the process. After informing him about his plans, Dr. Claw takes his control chip and destroys it, leaving him "dead". He then sends RoboGadget to destroy the city. While Sykes dumps Gadget's body in the junkyard, Brenda discovers through information given to her by RoboBrenda (a robot clone of herself, also sent to replace her) that Dr. Claw murdered her father. She and Penny race to save John. They discover them in the junkyard, and after Brenda kisses his cheek, he miraculously returns to life; showing that even though he is part machine, he still has a human heart.
After a chase through the city between the Gadgetmobile (voiced by D.L. Hughley) and Dr. Claw's car, John battles RoboGadget on the Roberto Clemente Bridge
. RoboGadget, despite his gadgets being more war machine rather than detective work, quite literally loses his head (it falls off after John pulls a pin out of the back of RoboGadget's neck), and he tosses it in the river. Activating the "Go Go Gadget Chopper", he flies to the roof of Scolex Industries
, where Dr. Claw prepares to make his escape with Brenda when Gadget comes around. While the helicopter hat is disabled and Gadget is lifted over a high drop, he launches the inside of a pen into the helicopter's cockpit, hitting the shutdown button on Dr. Claw's claw and crushing the controls. Brenda and Gadget crash to the plaza below, where police await to arrest him for all of RoboGadget's crimes. Dr. Claw tries to escape, but is caged in by the GadgetMobile. Sykes, a confused minion brought to the light by Penny, confesses alongside her that RoboGadget was impersonating the real Gadget. John is made a hero in Riverton and earns Chief Quimby's respect. As Brenda and Gadget walk away, Dr. Claw yells out, "Arrivederci, Gadget! This is not good-bye. I'll get you next time, Gadget! I'll get you!" The film closes with Brenda kissing Gadget, with fireworks coming from his right foot as a sign of arousal, and with the Gadgetmobile chasing a red Volkswagen.
The credits show RoboBrenda doing a crazed aerobics class, the headless RoboGadget running around town, Sykes being congratulated at a minion recovery group, Penny speaking to Brain (when he responds, he uses Don Adams' voice), and the Gadgetmobile's computer screen thanking the audience for watching his movie, even though they called it Inspector Gadget. He says things are working out with the red VW, whom he married at a drive-thru chapel. He's also expecting a sub-compact he's thinking of calling, "The Love Bug", which is in no way a plug for the Walt Disney Company, although he's sure the little one will say, "I'm going to Disneyland!", when he's old enough. Lastly, he asks everyone not to leave the theater just yet, as all the people in the credits make him look good.
During the "Minions Anonymous" scene in the credits, the henchmen include Mr. T
and Richard Kiel
(who is credited as the "Famous Bad Guy with Silver Teeth", in reference to his role of James Bond
's enemy Jaws), as well as Richard Lee-Sung as the "Famous Villain with Deadly Hat", Bobby Bell as the "Famous Identifier of Sea Planes
", Hank Barrera as the "Famous Native American Sidekick
", and Keith Morrison as the "Famous Assistant to Dr. Frankensomething
"
, it has a score of 21%, based on 62 reviews, with the consensus "Despite an abundance of eyecandy, the film doesn't amount to much." Lawrence Van Gelder
of The New York Times
stated that it "wastes a lot of good talent". Many fans of the cartoon series felt the film itself was far darker than the original series, which was always light-hearted in tone. Some examples are Scolex committing murder, later electrocuting one of his minions with an electronic helmet (although the latter had a slight comic effect) and killing Inspector Gadget (although he later comes back to life). Fans were also enraged when Dr. Claw reveals himself in the movie.
Despite the negative reviews, the film was a moderate box office success with a worldwide gross of $
134.4 million worldwide on a budget of $75 million.
In the UK, it grossed just over £
7 million, with a top 10 box office chart run of 1-2-2-2-3-6-8-8-8.
Continental
convertible
, and has an artificial intelligence with a male persona. Among other things, "he" can camouflage himself, has a radar system to track Gadget's location (and other people as well), can extend his tires upwards, has retractable jail bars in his back seat for transporting criminals, and has a powerful engine he keeps in his back trunk. His artificial intelligence also has a laid-back personality. The Gadgetmobile openly breaks the law constantly (he is a particular fan of backturns), but claims it's okay: "Speed limits are for cars, not the Gadgetmobile." Comedian D.L. Hughley provides his voice.
" by the boy band
Youngstown
.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
loosely based on the 1983 animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
series Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget is an animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, simple-witted cyborg detective named Inspector Gadget – a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's arch-nemesis is Dr...
. It starred Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
as the title character, along with Rupert Everett
Rupert Everett
Rupert James Hector Everett is an English actor. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly gay student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
as Dr. Claw, Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Christine Trachtenberg is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dawn Summers in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl...
as Penny, and Dabney Coleman
Dabney Coleman
Dabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
as Chief Quimby. Two new characters were introduced, Brenda Bradford (played by Joely Fisher
Joely Fisher
Joely Fisher is an American actress best known for her work on television as Paige Clark on Ellen as well as Joy Stark in the Fox sitcom Til Death, and also on stage and in films.-Background:...
) and the Gadgetmobile (voiced by D.L. Hughley). The film tells the story of how Inspector Gadget and Dr. Claw came to be in the cartoon.
The film was produced by Caravan Pictures
Caravan Pictures
Caravan Pictures was a film production company arm of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group , formed by Roger Birnbaum and Joe Roth....
and DIC Entertainment
DiC Entertainment
DIC Entertainment was an international film and television production company. In addition to animated television shows such as Ulysses 31 , Inspector Gadget , The Littles , The Real Ghostbusters , Captain Planet and the Planeteers , and the first two seasons of the English adaptation of...
and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
. It was filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, with the ice castle-like main tower of Pittsburgh's PPG Place
PPG Place
PPG Place is a complex in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, consisting of six buildings within three city blocks and five and a half acres. Named for its anchor tenant, PPG Industries, who initiated the project for its headquarters, the buildings are all of matching glass design consisting of...
playing a central role. This was the last film produced by Caravan Pictures
Caravan Pictures
Caravan Pictures was a film production company arm of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group , formed by Roger Birnbaum and Joe Roth....
before it absorbed into Spyglass Entertainment
Spyglass Entertainment
Spyglass Entertainment is an American film production company, co-founded by Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum in 1998. The studio was founded with an investment from European media conglomerates Kirch Group and Mediaset, and a five-year distribution deal with The Walt Disney Company...
.
The film gained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
and was followed by the 2003 direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
"Inspector Gadget 2
Inspector Gadget 2
Inspector Gadget 2 is a live-action comedy film, released directly to VHS and DVD in March 2003. It was based upon the cartoon series created by DiC Entertainment and is a direct-to-video sequel to the 1999 Walt Disney Pictures film Inspector Gadget and also released by DIC Entertainment...
".
Plot
John Brown (Matthew BroderickMatthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
) is a security guard for a science lab operated by robotics expert Brenda Bradford (Joely Fisher
Joely Fisher
Joely Fisher is an American actress best known for her work on television as Paige Clark on Ellen as well as Joy Stark in the Fox sitcom Til Death, and also on stage and in films.-Background:...
) in Riverton, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He lives with his 10-year-old niece, Penny (Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Christine Trachtenberg is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dawn Summers in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl...
), and their dog, Brain. He hopes to be a police officer, but is denied from the force by Chief Quimby (Dabney Coleman
Dabney Coleman
Dabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
). The multi-millionaire tycoon Sanford Scolex (Rupert Everett
Rupert Everett
Rupert James Hector Everett is an English actor. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly gay student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
) attacks the lab, stealing valuable equipment for the "Gadget Program" and killing Brenda's father (Rene Auberjonois
Rene Auberjonois
René Murat Auberjonois is an American actor, known for portraying Father Mulcahy in the movie version of M*A*S*H and for creating a number of characters in long-running television series, including Clayton Endicott III on Benson , Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chef Louis in The Little...
) in the process. John, who is smitten with her, gives chase despite his co-worker Thelma (Frances Bay
Frances Bay
Frances Bay was a U.S.-based Canadian character actress, best known for playing quirky, elderly women on film and television...
) warning him that the chase wouldn't end well and trying to convince him to lay off by telling him he's off duty at the moment (he lets her know he's always on duty). The ensuing car crash brings a confrontation with Scolex, who uses a victory cigar explosive to blow up John and his beloved Chevette
Chevrolet Chevette
The Chevrolet Chevette was introduced in September, 1975 and manufactured for model years 1976-1987 based on GM's worldwide T platform and superseding the Vega as Chevrolet's entry-level subcompact...
, leaving him for dead. But in the fiery blast, a bowling ball in the back seat of his car flies into the air and through the sunroof of Scolex's limo, landing directly on and rapidly smashing his left hand. John is rushed to intensive care by Brenda.
John is rebuilt using electronic parts and is dubbed "Inspector Gadget". He is given lessons by a meditating guru at the lab in relaxing his body and getting a firm grip on the workings of his gadgets, which ends in failure when he accidentally grasps the guru's testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
s with a little too much force. Despite some previous success in capturing two criminals, he is assigned with many community service jobs, such as crossing guard, litter patrol, and rescuing kittens. Meanwhile, Scolex's assistant Kramer (Andy Dick
Andy Dick
Andrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
) builds a new, mechanical claw to replace his hand, and Scolex renames himself "Dr. Claw". Unlike the original cartoon series, his face is visible. He then tries using the stolen equipment to move a robot, but fails. When Sykes (Michael G. Hagerty
Michael G. Hagerty
Michael Gerard Hagerty , also known by his stage name Mike Hagerty, is an American actor. He is known for playing comedic blue-collar workers, including his recurring roles as a building superintendent, Mr.Treeger on Friends and the manager of a muffler shop on HBO's Lucky Louie.Hagerty is...
) calls it a lemon, he has him put it on (at maximum voltage). But this fails too and he concludes that he needs Brenda's help. He hires her as his robotics specialist (expressing lust for her in the process), and is amused to discover that John is the "lucky duck they plucked for the Gadget Program." Later, he gets a copy of Gadget's chip and inserts it into the earlier robot, which he names RoboGadget.
John investigates Scolex, but while Gadget sees a moisture alarm, he overlooks an audio one and is captured in the process. After informing him about his plans, Dr. Claw takes his control chip and destroys it, leaving him "dead". He then sends RoboGadget to destroy the city. While Sykes dumps Gadget's body in the junkyard, Brenda discovers through information given to her by RoboBrenda (a robot clone of herself, also sent to replace her) that Dr. Claw murdered her father. She and Penny race to save John. They discover them in the junkyard, and after Brenda kisses his cheek, he miraculously returns to life; showing that even though he is part machine, he still has a human heart.
After a chase through the city between the Gadgetmobile (voiced by D.L. Hughley) and Dr. Claw's car, John battles RoboGadget on the Roberto Clemente Bridge
Roberto Clemente Bridge
The Roberto Clemente Bridge, also known as the Sixth Street Bridge, spans the Allegheny River in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
. RoboGadget, despite his gadgets being more war machine rather than detective work, quite literally loses his head (it falls off after John pulls a pin out of the back of RoboGadget's neck), and he tosses it in the river. Activating the "Go Go Gadget Chopper", he flies to the roof of Scolex Industries
PPG Industries
PPG Industries is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion...
, where Dr. Claw prepares to make his escape with Brenda when Gadget comes around. While the helicopter hat is disabled and Gadget is lifted over a high drop, he launches the inside of a pen into the helicopter's cockpit, hitting the shutdown button on Dr. Claw's claw and crushing the controls. Brenda and Gadget crash to the plaza below, where police await to arrest him for all of RoboGadget's crimes. Dr. Claw tries to escape, but is caged in by the GadgetMobile. Sykes, a confused minion brought to the light by Penny, confesses alongside her that RoboGadget was impersonating the real Gadget. John is made a hero in Riverton and earns Chief Quimby's respect. As Brenda and Gadget walk away, Dr. Claw yells out, "Arrivederci, Gadget! This is not good-bye. I'll get you next time, Gadget! I'll get you!" The film closes with Brenda kissing Gadget, with fireworks coming from his right foot as a sign of arousal, and with the Gadgetmobile chasing a red Volkswagen.
The credits show RoboBrenda doing a crazed aerobics class, the headless RoboGadget running around town, Sykes being congratulated at a minion recovery group, Penny speaking to Brain (when he responds, he uses Don Adams' voice), and the Gadgetmobile's computer screen thanking the audience for watching his movie, even though they called it Inspector Gadget. He says things are working out with the red VW, whom he married at a drive-thru chapel. He's also expecting a sub-compact he's thinking of calling, "The Love Bug", which is in no way a plug for the Walt Disney Company, although he's sure the little one will say, "I'm going to Disneyland!", when he's old enough. Lastly, he asks everyone not to leave the theater just yet, as all the people in the credits make him look good.
Cast
- Matthew BroderickMatthew BroderickMatthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
as both John Brown/Inspector Gadget and RoboGadget - Rupert EverettRupert EverettRupert James Hector Everett is an English actor. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly gay student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
as Sanford Scolex/Dr. Claw - Joely FisherJoely FisherJoely Fisher is an American actress best known for her work on television as Paige Clark on Ellen as well as Joy Stark in the Fox sitcom Til Death, and also on stage and in films.-Background:...
as both Dr. Brenda Bradford and RoboBrenda - Michelle TrachtenbergMichelle TrachtenbergMichelle Christine Trachtenberg is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dawn Summers in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl...
as Penny Brown - D. L. HughleyD. L. HughleyDarryl Lynn "D. L." Hughley is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is perhaps best known as the star of the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys, and as one of the four comedians featured in the Spike Lee film The Original Kings of Comedy. Additionally, he has been the host of CNN's D. L...
as the voice of the Gadgetmobile - Dabney ColemanDabney ColemanDabney Wharton Coleman is an American actor, best known for his roles in 9 to 5, WarGames, You've Got Mail, Sworn to Silence, The Beverly Hillbillies and as the voice of Principal Peter Prickly in Recess and Recess: School's Out.-Early life:Coleman was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Mary...
as Chief Quimby - Cheri OteriCheri OteriCheri Oteri is an American comic actress, best known for her roles as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2000.-Personal life:...
as Mayor Wilson - Andy DickAndy DickAndrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
as Kramer - Michael G. HagertyMichael G. HagertyMichael Gerard Hagerty , also known by his stage name Mike Hagerty, is an American actor. He is known for playing comedic blue-collar workers, including his recurring roles as a building superintendent, Mr.Treeger on Friends and the manager of a muffler shop on HBO's Lucky Louie.Hagerty is...
as Sykes - René Auberjonois as Dr. Artemus Bradford
- Don AdamsDon AdamsDon Adams was an American actor, comedian and director. In his five decades on television, he was best known as Maxwell Smart in the television situation comedy Get Smart , which he also sometimes directed and wrote. Adams won three consecutive Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Smart...
as the voice of "Brain" - Frances BayFrances BayFrances Bay was a U.S.-based Canadian character actress, best known for playing quirky, elderly women on film and television...
as Thelma - J.P. ManouxJ.P. ManouxJean-Paul Christophe Manoux is an American actor.-Life and career:Manoux is the oldest of seven and a native of Fresno, California. He is perhaps best known for his work in multiple Disney series: as S.T.A.N...
as the Mayor's assistant - Brian GeorgeBrian GeorgeBrian George is a British-Israeli actor and voice actor for Indian accents, who typically plays guest roles for characters of South Asian descent. Perhaps his most famous role is as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld.-Early life:...
as the Sore Guru
During the "Minions Anonymous" scene in the credits, the henchmen include Mr. T
Mr. T
Mr. T is an American actor known for his roles as B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team, as boxer Clubber Lang in the 1982 film Rocky III, and for his appearances as a professional wrestler. Mr. T is known for his trademark African Mandinka warrior hairstyle, his gold jewelry,...
and Richard Kiel
Richard Kiel
Richard Dawson Kiel is an American actor best known for his role as the steel-toothed Jaws in the James Bond movies The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker as well as the video game Everything or Nothing, and Mr. Larson in Happy Gilmore...
(who is credited as the "Famous Bad Guy with Silver Teeth", in reference to his role of James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
's enemy Jaws), as well as Richard Lee-Sung as the "Famous Villain with Deadly Hat", Bobby Bell as the "Famous Identifier of Sea Planes
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:...
", Hank Barrera as the "Famous Native American Sidekick
Tonto
Tonto may mean:* Tonto, a band of Apache native Americans.* Tonto, the fictional sidekick to the Lone Ranger.* "Tonto", a song by the American math rock band Battles, from their album Mirrored.** "Tonto+", the EP centered around said song....
", and Keith Morrison as the "Famous Assistant to Dr. Frankensomething
Igor (fictional character)
Igor is the traditional stock character or cliché hunch-backed assistant or butler to many types of villain, such as Count Dracula or a mad scientist, familiar from many horror movies and horror movie parodies, the Frankenstein series and Van Helsing films in particular.-Origins:Dwight Frye's...
"
Reception
The film received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, it has a score of 21%, based on 62 reviews, with the consensus "Despite an abundance of eyecandy, the film doesn't amount to much." Lawrence Van Gelder
Lawrence Van Gelder
Lawrence Van Gelder is an American journalist and instructor in journalism who has worked at several different New York City-based newspapers in his long career. Until 2010 he was senior editor of the Arts and Leisure weekly section of The New York Times...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
stated that it "wastes a lot of good talent". Many fans of the cartoon series felt the film itself was far darker than the original series, which was always light-hearted in tone. Some examples are Scolex committing murder, later electrocuting one of his minions with an electronic helmet (although the latter had a slight comic effect) and killing Inspector Gadget (although he later comes back to life). Fans were also enraged when Dr. Claw reveals himself in the movie.
Despite the negative reviews, the film was a moderate box office success with a worldwide gross of $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
134.4 million worldwide on a budget of $75 million.
In the UK, it grossed just over £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
7 million, with a top 10 box office chart run of 1-2-2-2-3-6-8-8-8.
The Gadgetmobile
The Gadgetmobile, designed by Brenda Bradford, is based on a 1964 LincolnLincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
Continental
Lincoln Continental
The Lincoln Continental is an automobile which was produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1956 to 2002...
convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
, and has an artificial intelligence with a male persona. Among other things, "he" can camouflage himself, has a radar system to track Gadget's location (and other people as well), can extend his tires upwards, has retractable jail bars in his back seat for transporting criminals, and has a powerful engine he keeps in his back trunk. His artificial intelligence also has a laid-back personality. The Gadgetmobile openly breaks the law constantly (he is a particular fan of backturns), but claims it's okay: "Speed limits are for cars, not the Gadgetmobile." Comedian D.L. Hughley provides his voice.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of the film contains the single "I'll Be Your EverythingI'll Be Your Everything
"I'll Be Your Everything" is a song by the boy band Youngstown for the Inspector Gadget movie soundtrack. The song was written by Haim Saban, Shuki Levy, Steve Durham, Tim James and Josh Stevens and produced by the Groove Brothers....
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Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
Youngstown
Youngstown (band)
Youngstown is the name of a boy band formed circa 1998. The band is named for their hometown, Youngstown, Ohio.The band's first single, "I'll Be Your Everything", featured on the Inspector Gadget soundtrack is also on their debut album Let's Roll. Their second album, Down For the Get Down, was...
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