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Inspector Gadget
USA 1999
Reviewed by Jamie Graham
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
Artemus Bradford and his daughter Brenda are attempting to advance robotics by combining body tissue and machinery. One night, evil rival Sanford Scolex steals the Bradfords' invention. The laboratory's security guard John Brown gives chase, and in the ensuing car crash Artemus is killed and Brown critically injured.
Scolex loses a hand, leading to a hook replacement and a new moniker: Claw. Brenda saves Brown by fusing his broken body with technology to create Inspector Gadget, a robocop equipped with numerous crime-fighting contraptions. Gadget is also provided with the Gadgetmobile, a talking, self-driving car. While Gadget is assigned only menial tasks by the police, Claw hires Brenda to work at Scolex Industries. Using Brenda's files, Claw makes RoboGadget, an evil identical twin of Gadget programmed to wreak havoc.
To save his credibility, Gadget breaks into Scolex Industries headquarters, only to be detected and destroyed. Meanwhile, Brenda discovers Claw used her to build RoboGadget and, along with John Brown's niece Penny, sets out to save the city. They discover Gadget and piece him back together. The two Gadgets face off and tussle for supremacy. Claw kidnaps Brenda but the triumphant Gadget flies to the rescue, snatching Brenda to safety. Claw is captured. Penny clears up the whole mess by telling the police about the evil robot lookalike and Inspector Gadget's name is cleared while he is heralded a hero.
Review
Adapted from an 80s animated series in which a private investigator fights crime with the help of a trench coat and trilby laden with gimmicks, Inspector Gadget is a suitably cartoonish children's feature. Bulging with colourful production design, slapstick chases, throwaway jokes, inventions and special effects, all bumped together by breakneck edits and garish cinematography, it achieves a razzle-dazzle effect akin to riffling through a Bash Street Kids annual for 78 non-stop minutes.
That children will find plenty to amuse them is virtually a given; but, as the likes of Toy Story and Antz have demonstrated in recent years, it is no longer enough to cater for infants' tastes while parents go hungry, and director David Kellogg (who also made some films in alliance with Playboy magazine and the Vanilla Ice vehicle Cool as Ice) tries hard to sprinkle some sustenance for grown-ups amid the incandescent confectionery, largely by updating Gadget for the new millennium. Now a "sophisticated network of tissue, hardware and software", Gadget could have wandered in from a David Cronenberg movie were it not for his chipper smile and quest for justice. Technology is further scrutinised and its dangers highlighted by the creation of an arch nemesis in the form of RoboGadget, an evil doppelgänger who sets out to destroy the city and Gadget's reputation. The battle that ensues plays out like some bizarre kiddies' version of RoboCop, every bit as ballistic and baleful if not nearly so brutal.
Unfortunately the 'adult' humour is less successful, often lazily peddling tired postmodernist knowingness with its constant game of 'spot the film reference', not so much nodding to as head-butting the likes of Batman, Top Gun, Mission Impossible, Godzilla, The Last of the Mohicans and The English Patient. Frequent self-reflexive quips further add to the smugly 'knowing' tone: Inspector Gadget, admirably played by Matthew Broderick, is referred to as "Columbo and Nintendo all rolled into one," while Gadget's car, the Gadgetmobile, reacts to the Inspector's amazement at its ability to talk by saying, "What do you expect? This is a Disney movie!"
More rewarding, though, is a running joke in which characters accidentally collide with the camera, a quasi-Brechtian device almost as old as cinema itself that's perhaps forced a little too far when Broderick looks straight at the audience and grimaces following a particularly bad gag.
Credits
- Director
- David Kellogg
- Producers
- Jordan Kerner
- Roger Birnbaum
- Andy Heyward
- Screenplay
- Kerry Ehrin
- Zak Penn
- Story
- Dana Olsen
- Based on characters created by
- Andy Heyward
- Jean Chalopin
- Bruno Bianchi
- Director of Photography
- Adam Greenberg
- Editors
- Thom Noble
- Alan Cody
- Production Designers
- Michael White
- Leslie Dilley
- Music
- John Debney
- ©Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Production Companies
- Walt Disney Pictures presents in association with Caravan Pictures
- Executive Producers
- Jon Avnet
- Barry Bernardi
- Aaron Meyerson
- Jonathan Glickman
- Ralph Winter
- Co-producers
- Lou Arkoff
- Jean Chalopin
- Production Supervisor
- 2nd Unit:
- Lisa A. Becker
- Production Co-ordinators
- B. Ted Deiker
- 2nd Unit:
- Luke M. Ployhar
- Pittsburgh Crew:
- Lisa Bradley
- Unit Production Manager
- Daryl Kass
- Location Managers
- Ralph Coleman
- Todd Christensen
- Pittsburgh Crew:
- Eric Dilucente
- Post-production
- Supervisor:
- Holly Schiffer
- Visual Effects Producer:
- Michael Cooper
- 2nd Unit Director
- Alexander Witt
- Assistant Directors
- Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
- Sean Hobin
- Jason Roberts
- 2nd Unit:
- Cara Giallanza
- Eric Foxhays
- Nick Satriano
- Script Supervisors
- Sharron Reynolds-Enriquez
- 2nd Unit:
- Samantha Clair Kirkeby
- Casting
- Amanda Mackey Johnson
- Cathy Sandrich
- NY Associate:
- Mercedes Danforth
- LA Associate:
- Liz Lang Frederick
- Additional Photography
- Craig Haagensen
- Camera Operators
- Craig Haagensen
- Moshe Levin
- 2nd Unit:
- Ken Fisher
- Michael Scott
- Steadicam Operator
- Andrew Jeff Mart
- Visual Effects Supervisor
- Richard Hoover
- VisuaL Effects Producer
- Tom C. Peitzman
- Visual Effects Co-ordinator
- Christopher Raimo
- Visual Effects
- Dream Quest Images
- Visual Effects Producer:
- Liz Ralston
- Digital Producer:
- Kristina Reed
- Associate Digital Producer:
- Robert Schajer
- Digital Compositing Supervisor:
- Marlo J. Pabon
- Digital Effects Supervisor:
- Darin Hollings
- 3D Supervisor:
- John T. Murrah
- Executive Production Manager:
- Dean A. Wright
- Animation Supervisor:
- Chris Bailey
- Supervising Animator:
- Rob Dressel
- Lead Animator:
- Steven F. Yamamoto
- Animation TD:
- Caleb Owens
- Animators:
- Kevin K. Lee
- David Wainstain
- Gadgetmobile Animation Supervisor:
- Matthew O'Callaghan
- Facial Animation Set-up:
- Patrick Taylor
- Facial Animators:
- Megan McBurney
- Teresa Williams
- Bill Campbell
- Lino Di Salvo
- Jason McDade
- Effects Animators:
- Brian Lutge
- Bruce Wright
- Deformation Set-up:
- Teunis de Raat
- Lighting/Texture Supervisor:
- Mark Siegel
- Lead Lighter/Texture Painter:
- Colin Eckart
- Digital Modellers:
- David B. Mooy
- Chris Keene
- Ardie Johnson
- Lead Compositor:
- Brian Leach
- Compositors:
- Amy Pfaffinger
- John Huikku
- Deborah Wiltman
- Gina Warr-Lawes
- Rory Hinnen
- Jep Hill
- Kim O'Donnell
- Frank Maurer
- Michael F. Miller
- Jeff Olm
- Blaine Kennison
- Saki Mitchell
- Brian Adams
- Daniel J. Miller
- Cynthia Boshell-Hyland
- Dave Lauer
- Tony Noel
- Marc Scott
- Production Manager:
- Crys Forsyth-Smith
- Visual Effects Plate Manager:
- David P.I. James
- Production Co-ordinator:
- Maria Cittadini Borelli
- Digital 2D Co-ordinator:
- Deborah A. Nikkel
- Associate Digital Co-ordinator:
- Michael Wigert
- Visual Effects Editor:
- Amy Pawlowski
- Associate Visual Effects Editors:
- Kenneth Hulme
- Doug Campbell
- Editorial Department Supervisor:
- Scott Sohan
- Lead Conceptual Designer:
- Allen Battino
- Conceptual Artist:
- Michael Meaker
- Digital Operation:
- Mike Gunning
- Head of Digital Technology:
- Rob Burton
- Digital Department Supervisor:
- Mitch Dobrowner
- Pre-visualizations Supervisor:
- Tim Landry
- Pre-production Digital Producer:
- Denise Ballantyne
- Pre-visualizations:
- Kyle Healey
- Bob Arvin
- Michael Jackson
- Moco Camera Operator:
- Kevin Fitzgerald
- 2nd Unit Moco Camera Operators:
- Jim Balsam
- Dwayne McClintock
- Pittsburgh 2nd Unit Visual Effects Supervisor:
- Scott Campbell
- Technical Consultant:
- Marcel Dejong
- Special Effects Co-ordinators
- Peter M. Chesney
- 2nd Unit:
- Robert Olmstead
- Effects Leads
- First Unit:
- Kyle Ross Collinsworth
- Gintar Repecka
- Second Unit:
- Robert Olmstead
- First Unit Set Technicians
- Joe Heffernan
- Thomas Zell
- William Theisinger
- Second Unit Effects Technicians
- Eric Cook
- Steve Ficke
- Leonel Zapien
- Effects Shop Lead
- Roland Loew
- Bruce Donnellan
- Ross J. Young
- Fabrication Leads
- Mickey Duff
- Jonathan Thackery
- Thomas Tate
- Karl Nettmann
- George M. Zamora
- Technicians
- Bob Ahmanson
- Tom Chesney
- Paul Corbo
- David Eland
- Christian F. Eubank
- David Gallion
- John B. Hagey
- David Anthony Jackson
- Emmet Kane
- Joe Klein
- William McGinley
- Pia Montana
- Dan Murphy
- Bill Pancake
- Alex Renard
- Alan Rifkin
- Michael Rifkin
- Sandra M. Stewart
- Tom Templeman
- Michael A. Van Arkel
- Ken Van Order
- Tom Von Badinski
- Mike Wever
- Gadgetmobile Wranglers
- Mark Yuricich
- Bill Cobb
- Dawna Hammond
- Claw/Tank/Scout Robots Designers
- Peter M. Chesney
- Bruce Donnellan
- Terry Walkey
- Ross J. Young
- Special Effects Technicians
- 2nd Unit:
- Eric Cook
- Steve Ficke
- Leonel Zapien
- Additional Editor
- Richard Marks
- Supervising Art Director
- Geoff Hubbard
- Art Directors
- Lawrence A. Hubbs
- Bruton E. Jones Jr
- Set Decorator
- Kate Sullivan
- Costume Designer
- Mary Vogt
- Costume Supervisor
- Robert Q. Mathews
- Make-up
- Supervisor:
- Christina Smith
- Artists:
- Cynthia Barr-Bright
- Michael Lorenz
- 2nd Unit Artist:
- Michael Lorenz
- Pittsburgh Crew:
- Jeannee Josefczyk
- Special Animatronic Effects
- Stan Winston
- Animatronic/ Make-up Effects
- Stan Winston Studio
- Effects Supervisors:
- Shane Patrick Mahan
- J. Alan Scott
- Christian Colquhoun
- Mark 'Crash' McCreery
- Key Artists:
- Greg Figiel
- Joey Orosco
- Jason Matthews
- Richie Alonzo
- Bill Basso
- Kevin McTurk
- Mark Jurinko
- Scott Stoddard
- Jim Charmatz
- Paul Mejias
- Key Animatronic Design:
- Greg Bryant
- Dave Covarrubias
- Jon Dawe
- Rich Haugen
- Matt Heimlich
- Clint Lynch
- Al Sousa
- Ewald Schuster
- Kirk Skodis
- Art/Mold Technical Department Supervisor:
- Tony McCray
- Electronic Design:
- Emery Brown
- Glenn Derry
- Kurt Herbel
- Roderick Khachatoorian
- Animatronic Design:
- Connie Cadwell
- Jeff Edwards
- Alexander Machold
- Bob Mano
- Brian Namanny
- Paul Romer
- Fabrication Supervisor:
- Beth Hathaway
- Hair Department Supervisor:
- Stuart Artingstall
- Executive in Charge of Operations:
- Tara Meaney-Crocitto
- Production Co-ordinator:
- Stiles White
- Technical Support:
- Demian Sellfors
- Mold Shop Foreman:
- Jeff Cobos
- Set Designers:
- Stacey Byers
- Todd Cherniawsky
- George R. Lee
- Gary R. Speckman
- Daniel R. Jennings
- Mark Hitchler
- Doug Meerdink
- Storyboard Artists:
- Robert Consing
- Robb Bihun
- Ted Boonthanakit
- Concept Illustrators:
- Guy Dyas
- Darren Gilford
- Arthur Lee
- Jim Bandsun
- Harold Belker
- Hair
- Supervisor:
- Barbara Lorenz
- Stylists:
- Jacklin Masteran
- Susan Schuler
- 2nd Unit Stylist:
- Susan Schuler
- Pittsburgh Crew:
- Nancy Keslar
- Main Title Sequence Design/Production
- Goodspot, L.L.C.
- Titles/Opticals
- Buena Vista Imaging
- Orchestrations
- Brad Dechter
- Music Supervisor
- Peter Afterman
- Executive in Charge of Music, Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group
- Kathy Nelson
- Music Editors
- Bob Badami
- Andrew Silver
- Score Recordist/Mixer
- Shawn Murphy
- Soundtrack
- "Inspector Gadget" Main Theme" by Haim Saban, Shuki Levy; "Run on the Spot" by Richard March, Michael Stokes, performed by Bentley Rhythm Ace; "Danger Ahead" by Miklós Rózsa, Walter Schumann; "All Star" by Gregory D. Camp, performed by Smash Mouth; "Wild Wild Life" by David Byrne, Christopher Frantz, Martina Weymouth, Jerry Harrison; "Jeopardy Theme" by Merv Griffin; "Dance of the Toy Trumpets" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, performed by the Czechoslovak Radio Symphony Orchestra; "Wild Thing '94", "Wild Thing" by Chip Taylor, performed by X; "Circle of Life" by Elton John, Tim Rice; "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" by Ennio Morricone; "I'll Be Your Everything" from "Inspector Gadget" by Haim Saban, Shuki Levy, Steve Durham, Tim James, Josh Stevens, performed by Youngstown
- Choreography/Visual Comedy Consultant
- Adam Shankman
- Sound Design/Supervision
- Lon E. Bender
- Production Sound Mixers
- Arthur Rochester
- Andrew Rovins
- Recordists
- Judy Nord
- Jeannette Cremarosa
- Additional Audio
- Scott Austin
- Kerry Carmean
- Mark Ormandy
- David Young
- Re-recording Mixers
- Terry Porter
- Mel Metcalfe
- Dean A. Zupancic
- Dialogue Editors
- Richard Dwan
- Chris Hogan
- Lauren Stephens
- Sound Effects Designers
- Dino DiMuro
- Tony Lamberti
- Sound Effects Editors
- Christopher Assells
- Scott Gershin
- Danny Hegeman
- Phil Hess
- Randy Kelly
- Michael Reagan
- Frank Smathers
- Jon Title
- ADR
- Supervisor:
- Chris Jargo
- David McMoyler
- Recordist:
- Jeannette Browning
- Mixer:
- Doc Kane
- Editors:
- Laura Graham
- Connie Kazmer
- Mary Andrews
- Foley
- Supervisor:
- Craig Jaeger
- Walkers:
- Jim Moriana
- Jeff Wilhoit
- Recordist:
- Gregg Zimmerman
- Mixer:
- Nerses Gezalyan
- Aerial Co-ordinator
- Craig Hosking
- Stunt Co-ordinators
- Brian Smrz
- Gregg Smrz
- Stunt Rigging Co-ordinator
- Jeff Habberstad
- Animals Provided by
- Birds and Animals Unlimited
- Animal Trainers
- Gary Gero
- Larry M. Madrid
- Stacey Basil
- Pilots
- Craig Hosking
- Cliff Fleming
- Alan Purwin
- Cast
- Matthew Broderick
- Inspector Gadget/ RoboGadget/John Brown
- Rupert Everett
- Sanford Scolex
- Joely Fisher
- Brenda/RoboBrenda
- Michelle Trachtenberg
- Penny
- Andy Dick
- Kramer
- Cheri Oteri
- Mayor Wilson
- Michael G. Hagerty
- Sikes
- Dabney Coleman
- Chief Quimby
- D.L Hughley
- Gadgetmobile voice
- René Auberjonois
- Artemus Bradford
- Frances Bay
- Thelma
- Cliff Emmich
- bus driver
- Jennifer Ingersoll
- Haley Harper
- Vichany Sam
- Ivory Dilley
- Brielle Blount
- Hailey Peitzman
- young girls
- Brian Tibbetts
- boy on bike
- W. Bob Gaynor
- robotic foot dancer
- Richard Penn
- doctor
- J.P. Manoux
- mayor's assistant
- Sam Brown
- Officer McMurphy
- Brad Blaisdell
- Officer Johnson
- Sonya Eddy
- hospital secretary
- Katsy Chappell
- Kathleen M. Darcy
- nurses in hallway
- Brian George
- guru
- Alexander Witt
- businessman
- E.J. Callahan
- hot dog vendor
- Chad Parker
- assistant car thief
- Frank Masi
- photographer
- Mary Chris Wall
- news anchor
- Linda Cevallos
- Lora-Lyn Peterson
- showgirls
- Amy Derrick
- zaftig woman
- William Smith
- little man
- Jim Thiel
- Jeff Thiel
- bartenders
- David Page
- Jacob Avnet
- Dorothy David
- Huch Hackstedt
- party guests
- Matthew Murray
- autograph kid
- Mark Leahy
- father of kid
- Rick LaFond
- news reporter
- Tadao Tomomatsu
- Japanese tourist
- Adrienne Wehr
- waitress on bridge
- Richard Rauh
- man with toupee
- Will Blount
- Josh Kuhn
- Kyle Ross Collinsworth
- Jesse Yoshimura
- Michael Fossatt
- RoboBrenda aerobics group
- The Minion Recovery Group
- Richard Kiel
- Jaws
- Mr. T
- himself
- Richard Lee-Sung
- Odd Job
- Robert N. Bell
- Tattoo
- Hank Barrera
- Tonto
- Keith Morrison
- Igor
- Bob Bell
- Peter Lorre
- John Kim
- Number One Son
- Jesse Yoshimura
- Kato
- Aaron Meyerson
- himself
- Don Adams
- voice of Brain
- Christian Colquhoun
- Dave Covarrubias
- Jon Dawe
- Glenn Derry
- Beth A. Hathaway
- Richard Haugen
- Matt Heimlich
- Clint Lynch
- Shane Mahan
- Jason Matthews
- Mark McCreery
- Kevin McTurk
- Brian Namanny
- Douglas Paul Romer
- J. Alan Scott
- Kirk Skodis
- Alfred Sousa
- Andy Weder
- puppeteers
- Certificate
- U
- Distributor
- Buena Vista International (UK)
- 7,043 feet
- 78 minutes 16 seconds
- SDDS/Dolby digital/Digital DTS sound
- In Colour
- Prints by
- Technicolor