Main Cast: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Wayne Knight, Patrick Ewing, Theresa Randle, Muggsy Bogues, Billy West, Billy West, D. Bradley Baker, D. Bradley Baker, D. Bradley Baker, Bill Murray
Release Year: 1996
Country: US
Run Time: 87 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Warner Bros. attempted to revitalize its animation division with this family adventure that blended live action and animation in the style of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), reportedly coming in with a price tag of $100 million. Basketball legend Michael Jordan stars as himself, a retired sports hero trying his hand at baseball and failing miserably. Meanwhile, the Looney Tunes gang, led by Bugs Bunny, are kidnapped by aliens called the Nerdlucks. It seems that the Nerdlucks' theme park, Moron Mountain (a barely-veiled dig at Disney) is failing to attract customers. The space invaders are convinced that the appearance of Bugs and his pals Porky Pig and Speedy Gonzalez will beef up business. Bugs makes his captors a deal -- they'll play a game of basketball for their freedom. When the Nerdlucks stack the deck by pilfering the talent of NBA superstars Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing, the Warner Bros. heroes enlist the aid of Jordan, who returns to the court to help the classic characters. While he prepares to play, Jordan is aided by fellow celebrity Bill Murray. Director Joe Pytka previously created many of the television commercials that featured Jordan as a paid endorser. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Review
Many lesser basketball stars have graced the big screen, so it was almost a surprise that it took Michael Jordan this long. But it should be no surprise that Space Jam isn't half the fun of simply watching one of Jordan's highlight reels. For all his choreographed jams in dunk contests, Michael Jordan found his greatest glory during moments of in-game improvisation, when his stunning talent manifested itself as pure instinct. In a semi-animated movie, the necessarily careful staging removes the wonder from Jordan's repertoire, leaving only generic feats of above-average athleticism that have no real-world reference point. Of course, Space Jam is not meant as a highlight reel, rather, an opportunity to promote the persona of Michael Jordan and revive a cast of beloved Warner Brothers cartoons that haven't been dusted off in years. On these scores it's also weak, even with R. Kelly singing "I Believe I Can Fly" as urgently as anyone could want. Trying to insinuate themselves into a sophisticated world of animation that has passed them by, the characters seem like relics, their old-fashioned quips as tired as the hand joints of the animators who draw them. Where Space Jam does find a few laughs is in the cameos of other NBA players, notably Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing, who struggle humorously with methods to recoup their stolen basketball skills. It's while spoofing himself that Jordan is also most effective, including some good-sport jabs at his brief and comical foray into professional baseball. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Larry Bird; Danny DeVito - Swackhammer; Bill Farmer - Yosemite Sam; Kath Soucie - Lola Bunny; Vlade Divac; June Foray - Granny; Cheryl James; Maurice LaMarche - Pepe Le Pew; Ahmad Rashad; Del Harris; Danny Ainge; Bob Bergen - Tweety Bird; Shawn Bradley; Cedric Ceballos; Jim Rome; Paul Westphal; Larry Johnson - Himself
Credit
David F. Klassen - Art Director, Bruce W. Smith - Animation Director, Jane Jenkins - Casting, Janet Hirshenson - Casting, Sheldon Kahn - Co-producer, Gordon A. Webb - Co-producer, Curtis Polk - Co-producer, Marlene Stewart - Costume Designer, Austin McCann - First Assistant Director, Joe Pytka - Director, Sheldon Kahn - Editor, David Falk - Executive Producer, Ken Ross - Executive Producer, James Newton Howard - Composer (Music Score), Geoffrey Kirkland - Production Designer, Michael Chapman - Cinematographer, Daniel Goldberg - Producer, Joe Medjuck - Producer, Jerry Rees - Producer, Ivan Reitman - Producer, Jennifer Williams - Set Designer, Marco Rubeo - Set Designer, Cinesite - Special Effects, Ed Jones - Special Effects, Gene S. Cantamessa - Sound/Sound Designer, James LaRue - Sound/Sound Designer, Gordon A. Webb - Unit Production Manager, Leo Benvenuti - Screenwriter, Timothy Harris - Screenwriter, Herschel Weingrod - Screenwriter, Steve Rudnick - Screenwriter, Harry Sabin - Scenic Artist
As National Basketball Association superstar Michael Jordan retires from basketball to pursue a career in baseball, Mister Swackhammer, the proprietor of the extraterrestrial theme park "Moron Mountain", is seeking new attractions for his failing park. He sends his minions, the "Nerdlucks", to capture the Looney Tunes, who reside deep below the surface of the Earth. The Looney Tunes retaliate by challenging the Nerdlucks to a basketball game (seeing as that they aren't very tall). To prepare for the game, the Nerdlucks return to Earth and steal the talent of Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Muggsy Bogues, Larry Johnson and Shawn Bradley. The Nerdlucks use the stolen talent to become the "Monstars" (a portmanteau of the words "monsters" and "superstars"), gigantic creatures that the Looney Tunes are unable to defeat by themselves. To aid them, the Looney Tunes summon a reluctant Michael Jordan and his wormy assistant Stan Podolak. Soon after, the game between the Looney Tunes and the Monstars begins, but the Looney Tunes are roughed up by the brutal playing style of the Monstars until only Jordan, Bugs, Lola and Daffy are left standing leaving them short one player. Bill Murray, being friends with the producer of the film, is able to enter the Looney Tunes' world and join their team, averting forfeiture. By the climax of the game, the scores are tied and it is up to Michael Jordan to score the final point for his team. Using his infamously extendable arm, Michael Jordan manages to make the basket and win the game. Afterwards, the Looney Tunes return Michael Jordan back to Earth, where he returns the stolen talent back to their respective owners and returns to the National Basketball Association.
Cast
Michael Jordan plays himself as the protagonist of the film. He is a professional basketball player who retires from the National Basketball Association to pursue a career in baseball. He is pulled into the world of the Looney Tunes and is persuaded into playing basketball with them, despite his insistence that he only plays baseball.
Daffy Duck, a greedy glory-hound duck and best friend of Bugs Bunny who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
The Tasmanian Devil, a ravenous and crazed marsupial who plays on the Looney Tunes' team.
A bull that attacks the Monstar Pound during the game.
Theresa Randle as Juanita Jordan, Michael Jordan's wife.
Danny DeVito provides the voice of Mister Swackhammer, the main antagonist of the film. He is the proprietor of the theme park "Moron Mountain", for which he seeks new attractions. He acts as the coach of the Monstars, who double as his minions. Later after the game his own Monstars team turns on him, conpacts him into a rocket and sends him flying out of the basketball stadium and straight into the moon.
Manner Washington as Jeffrey Jordan, Michael Jordan's oldest son.
June Foray provides the voice of Granny, an elderly woman who acts as the cheerleader for the Looney Tunes' team.
Kath Soucie provides the voice of Lola Bunny, a female rabbit who plays for the Looney Tunes' team. She is Bugs Bunny's love interest and later becomes his girlfriend.
Maurice LaMarche provides the voice of Pepé Le Pew, a French-accented skunk who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
Larry Bird plays himself as a friend of Michael Jordan who joins him for a game of golf.
Bill Murray plays himself as a self-proclaimed friend of the producer of the film, which allows him to join the Looney Tunes' team when they are short one player. The aforementioned Mister Swackhammer mistakens him for Dan Aykroyd.
Thom Barry as James Jordan, Michael Jordan's father.
Space Jam received mixed reviews. According to Rotten Tomatoes, only 37% of critics, and 46% of their selected "Top Critics", gave the film a positive review. Roger Ebert gave Space Jam an enthusiastic "thumbs up," which Gene Siskel also gave the film, although his zeal was more subdued (both are Chicago natives). Leonard Maltin also gave the film a positive review. Some critics compared it unfavorably to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a popular film in which cartoon characters and live-action humans coexisted.[1]
Despite the mixed reviews, Space Jam was a major box office success. In its opening weekend, it grossed $27,528,529 in the United States. At the end of its running, it grossed $90,418,342 in the United States and $230,418,342 worldwide.[3]
According to Jerry Beck's The Animated Movie Guide Space Jam's tremendous box office success was not enough to cover the major financial loss of Mars Attacks!. As a result, many cutbacks were ordered by Ted Turner throughout the studio, including the animation department which led to the end of the new cartoon shorts being produced and directed by Chuck Jones.
Awards and nominations
1997 and 1998 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
