I have always wondered why this film never achieved cult status, it is one of the most underrated films of the '90s, and it is without a doubt Macaulay Culkin's most underappreciated film. If you are one of many who are unfamiliar with The Pagemaster, or one of those who only recall the fantastic VHS cover, in all seriousness, let's take a moment to appreciate that magnificent VHS cover. If you're one of the few who grew up on this underloved classic, then that cover will conjure fond memories of a fantastical adventure, packed with humorous, thrilling and some frightening moments for good measure. Picture a Disney film that was not afraid to be scary, that had a slightly more mature sense of humor, but most of all, a more mature storyline. The Pagemaster is the story of a young boy named Richard, he is afraid of everything, in many ways, he is a young Woody Allen. No, No, No, I don't mean he married his adopted daughter, who I will add was over the age of eighteen when they started dating, I.E hooking up. Where was I? Oh, Right. Richard is like Woody Allen in the sense that he is incredibly neurotic for a young boy, he has no sense of adventure and is frightened of everything. His father is doing the best he can to help a boy, who could grow up to marry his adopted daughter, however, that is beside the point. One fateful day, Richard is sent to pick up a bag of nails, because the writing is a little like the plot of a Video Game. That is not to say it is bad, it simply means it uses a basic framework to explore some deeper subjects. These are the kinds of Kids films I love, when you explore a more meaningful subject and pair it with some exquisite music, the result will always be timeless.
On the way to pick up the bag of nails, a thunderstorm derails little Richard onto a sidequest, escaping the rain, this, of course, means that the bag of nails was a decoy to get Richard to the main quest. Once he arrives at the library to get out of the rain, he thinks he is only there to call for a ride home. Kinda like when you were a kid and wandered into a GameStop while your mom was shopping nearby, you thought you were there just to pass the time, little did you know some crazed, over passionate caretaker would get you sucked into the wonderful world of gaming, or in the movie's case, books.
For those who had few friends, it was natural to become friends with the adventures you had, a couple of decades ago, kids could have related to the idea of reading being an adventure, now, I have to use the gaming metaphor for it to make sense. By the way children of 2019, a book is kinda like a really long Tweet. Richard meets the librarian, played by the always charming Christopher Lyold who doubles as The Pagemaster inside the realm of books. The librarian knows what Richard needs, even when Rich thinks he only wants to call for a ride home, the librarian knew he really needed a grand adventure. On the way to a phone to call for a ride home, Rich gets chased by CG watercolors and is thrown into the world of books. It is there that Richard meets Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror, they become fast friends, and trusted allies who agree to journey with Richard to the Exit, so long as they can come home with Rich. No, they are out to molest Richard, I understand Horror's smile makes him seem like a Pedophile, but shame on you, judging a book by its cover.
It is during this thrilling journey, that Richard must learn to persevere through his fears, find the courage within, and conquer the obstacles that impede his adventure. Why did I phrase that in such a complicated fashion? I am certainly not compensating for something. No, I simply love the challenge, it is in the challenge that we discover our strengths, and in turn who we really are. It is during these grand adventures that we gain the strength to be functioning adults, who could grow up to marry their adopted daughter. Again, that is beside the point. I was really worried about the Woody Allen reference, I figured would kids even get that today? So I figured, screw it, dig in and hope it becomes funny with repetition, and if that fails hope over-explaining it becomes funny.
The climax is especially satisfying. After conquering some terrifying hurdles, and having an incredibly spellbinding musical montage, Richard gains the confidence and strength to fight a full-on, mother flipping dragon to save his newfound friends. It was in this scene that my Autistic brain screamed, it's fucking Kingdom Hearts. I know, I made you think I wouldn't drop the F-bomb, I was saving it for the right moment.
Hear me out on the Kingdom Hearts connection. Richard finds allies who accompany him on a journey through multiple worlds, that represent stories from popular culture, where he eventually becomes The Pagemaster. Bet you thought I was reaching, well, what do you think now? In the end Richard meets The O.G Pagemaster once more and learns that he engineered the entire adventure, at first, some of the challenges seem frustrating in hindsight, and in a true bitch move, Richard complains to the Pagemaster "But why put me through all that, and do you know of an adoption agency nearby?"
The O.G Pagemaster then bitch slaps little Richard with logical kindness, "If I had brought you here from the start, you would never have found the courage to face your own fears. And in doing so, you triumph here... and always." For those who don't understand metaphor, the ending sums it up for you. Richard's Dad had sent him for nails to finish Rich's treehouse, however, like all neurotics, he is afraid of heights. Which is why the film ends with little Richard sleeping in that treehouse, curled up next to his three best friends. That treehouse, which had the improper amount of nails in it, due to his grand adventure, which means that the librarian will be indirectly responsible for Richard's death, if that poorly constructed tree house collapses. No, this is not some stupid dark theory that you constantly find on YouTube, therefore poisoning positive memories of an uplighting film, that was what's known as a joke, and they mean that not everything must be taken so seriously.
If you're one of the few who grew up on this underloved classic, then that cover will conjure fond memories of a fantastical adventure, packed with humorous, thrilling and some frightening moments for good measure. Picture a Disney film that was not afraid to be scary, that had a slightly more mature sense of humor, but most of all, a more mature storyline. The Pagemaster is the story of a young boy named Richard, he is afraid of everything, in many ways, he is a young Woody Allen. No, No, No, I don't mean he married his adopted daughter, who I will add was over the age of eighteen when they started dating, I.E hooking up. Where was I? Oh, Right. Richard is like Woody Allen in the sense that he is incredibly neurotic for a young boy, he has no sense of adventure and is frightened of everything. His father is doing the best he can to help a boy, who could grow up to marry his adopted daughter, however, that is beside the point. One fateful day, Richard is sent to pick up a bag of nails, because the writing is a little like the plot of a Video Game. That is not to say it is bad, it simply means it uses a basic framework to explore some deeper subjects. These are the kinds of Kids films I love, when you explore a more meaningful subject and pair it with some exquisite music, the result will always be timeless.
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