Contents



1999



Inspector Gadget (1999)  

Directed by 
David Kellogg    
  
Writing credits (WGA) (in credits order) 
Andy Heyward   (characters) and 
Jean Chalopin   (characters) and 
Bruno Bianchi   (characters) 

 
Dana Olsen   (story) and 
Kerry Ehrin   (story) 
Kerry Ehrin   (screenplay) and 
Zak Penn   (screenplay) 
  
Cast (in credits order) 
Matthew Broderick ....  Inspector Gadget/RoboGadget/John Brown  
Rupert Everett ....  Scolex/Claw  
Joely Fisher ....  Brenda Bradford  
Michelle Trachtenberg ....  Penny  
Andy Dick ....  Kramer  
Cheri Oteri ....  Mayor Wilson  
Michael G. Hagerty ....  Sikes  
Dabney Coleman ....  Chief Quimby  
D.L. Hughley ....  Gadgetmobile (voice)  
Rene Auberjonois ....  Artemus Bradford  
Frances Bay ....  Thelma  
rest of cast listed alphabetically  
Don Adams (I) ....  Brain (voice)  
Alexander Folk ....  Cop  
Phil Hawn ....  Ice Cream Man (uncredited)  
Richard Kiel ....  Minions Anonymous (uncredited)  
J.P. Manoux ....  Mayor's Assistant  
Ray Miceli ....  John Brown/Gadget Double  
Mr. T ....  Minions Anonymous (uncredited)  
  
Produced by 
Lou Arkoff   (co-producer)  
Jon Avnet   (executive)  
Barry Bernardi   (executive)  
Roger Birnbaum    
Jean Chalopin   (co-producer)  
Jonathan Glickman   (executive)  
Andy Heyward    
Jordan Kerner (I)    
Aaron Meyerson   (executive)  
Ralph Winter   (executive)  
  
Original music by 
John Debney    
  
Cinematography by 
Adam Greenberg    
  
Film Editing by 
Alan Cody (I)    
Thom Noble    
  
Casting 
Amanda Mackey Johnson    
Cathy Sandrich    
  
Production Design by 
Leslie Dilley    
Michael White (VII)    
  
Art Direction 
Geoff Hubbard    
Lawrence A. Hubbs    
Bruton E. Jones Jr.    
  
Set Decoration 
Kate J. Sullivan    
  
Costume Design by 
Mary E. Vogt    
  
Makeup Department 
Barbara Lorenz ....  key hair stylist  
  
Production Management 
Daryl Kass ....  production manager  
  
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director 
Sergio Mimica-Gezzan ....  first assistant director  
David H. 'Wino' Weinstein ....  second assistant director  
Alexander Witt ....  second unit director  
  
Sound Department 
Art Rochester ....  production sound mixer  
Andy Rovins ....  production sound mixer  
David Young (II) ....  additional sound  
  
Special Effects 
Johnathan R. Banta ....  digital artist: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Alec Bartsch ....  digital artist: Banned From The Ranch 
Entertainment  
Casey Cannon (I) ....  visual effects producer: Banned From The
Ranch Entertainment  
Jim Charmatz ....  key artist: Stan Winston Studio  
Tom Chesney ....  special effects foreman  
Bill Cobb ....  special effects electronics foreman:
Gadgetmobile computer robotics and radio control  
Brent O. Coert ....  visual effects coordinator: Banned From The
Ranch Entertainment  
Lauryl Duplechan ....  visual effects editor: Banned From The
Ranch Entertainment  
Gustavo R. Ferreyra ....  specialty props coordinator
(mechanical) (electronics) (props)  
Melanie Francioci ....  digital artist: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Kyle J. Healey ....  previsualizations  
Rory Hinnen ....  compositor: Dream Quest Images  
Richard Hoover ....  visual effects supervisor  
Hitoshi Inoue ....  digital artist: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Chris Keene ....  CG modeler: Dream Quest Images  
Fred Lacayanga ....  I/O coordinator: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Travis Langley (II) ....  technical director: Banned From The
Ranch Entertainment  
Kevin Lee (III) ....  CG animator: Dream Quest Images  
Van Ling ....  visual effects supervisor: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Brian Lutge ....  effects animator: Dream Quest Images  
Kristine McPherson ....  visual effects editor: Banned From The
Ranch Entertainment  
David B. Mooy ....  digital modeler  
Daniel P. Murphy ....  special effects  
Karl Nettmann ....  special effects foreman  
Tom C. Peitzman ....  visual effects producer  
Gintar Repecka ....  special effects first unit lead  
Josh Saeta ....  digital artist: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Kerry Shea ....  visual effects production manager: Banned From
The Ranch Entertainment  
Martha Soehendra ....  digital artist: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
Kee Nam Suong ....  match move supervisor: Dream Quest Images  
Derick Tortorella ....  technical director: Banned From The
Ranch Entertainment  
Todd Vaziri ....  lead digital artist: Banned From The Ranch
Entertainment  
David Wainstain ....  animator: Dream Quest Images  
Stan Winston ....  special animatronic effects  
  
Stunts 
Brian Smrz ....  stunt co-ordinator  
Erik Stabenau ....  stunts  
Mark Aaron Wagner ....  stunts  
  
Other crew 
Peter Afterman ....  music supervisor  
Pete Anthony ....  conductor  
Chris Bailey (I) ....  supervising animator  
Todd Cherniawsky ....  set designer  
B. Ted Deiker ....  production co-ordinator  
Guy Dyas ....  concept illustrator
conceptual illustrator  
Brian Dzyak ....  second assistant camera: second unit  
David 'Yoko' Jose ....  production assistant  
Chris Keene ....  computer graphics modeler  
Brian Leach ....  lead compositor: Dream Quest  
Rick Lopez ....  scanning and recording technician  
P.K. MacCarthy ....  storyboard artist  
James A. Mahathey ....  assistant location manager: Pittsburgh  
Nathan Maruccio ....  office production assistant: Pittsburgh  
Rob Meisenholder ....  first assistant production accountant  
Ray Miceli ....  double: John Brown/Gadget  
Jeff Pelton ....  second assistant camera: second unit  
Gregory Puchalski ....  scenic artist  
Pamela M. Rogers ....  set dressing buyer  
Adam Shankman ....  physical comedy consultant
choreographer  
Andrew Silver (I) ....  music editor  
Chris Stavrakis ....  set production assistant  
David Steiman ....  office production assistant  
Michele Tedlis ....  set decorating co-ordinator  
April Weitzel ....  set production assistant: second unit  
Michael D. Weldon ....  first assistant camera  
Audrey Wells ....  additional writer (uncredited)  
  
 

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INSPECTOR GADGET
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1999 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****):  * 1/2

A thumb that turns into a cigarette lighter. That's about as funny as INSPECTOR GADGET ever gets. Disney's new live-action movie pins all of its hopes for laughter on such sight gags.

As the gadget-laden hero, Inspector Gadget, poor Matthew Broderick is stuck yet again in a movie in which he delivers an awkward performance in an underwritten role. Broderick invests little emotional energy in the part of a guy whose reconstructed body is a collection of gadgets and gizmos.

The writing credits go to a committee of four (Dana Olsen, Kerry Ehrin, Zak Penn and Audrey Wells). The quality of a script is usually inversely proportional to the number of writers, and this screenplay is no exception. The dialog packs no punch whatsoever, leaving the physical comedy alone to carry the picture.

The one-joke movie consists of having Inspector Gadget, a kid's version of RoboCop, demonstrating all of his hardware. The comedy comes from the way the mechanisms frequently go awry, causing such "hilarious" mistakes as various parts of his body crashing through ceilings and walls. The result is a movie with a laugh count of maybe one or two small chuckles.

As written, was the project doomed? Perhaps not. Consider, for a minute, what it might have become with Brendan Fraser. He throws himself heart and soul into his every part. Willing to risk looking completely ridiculous, Fraser usually dazzles us with his comedic bravado. Broderick, on the other hand, never convinces us he even wants to be on the set.

Still, even the usually reliable Rupert Everett, who plays the movie's villain, Claw, doesn't show much spark in his acting.

There is one undeniably enjoyable part of the production. It doesn't last long.

INSPECTOR GADGET runs 1:20. It is rated PG for wacky violence/action, language and innuendo and would be fine for kids of all ages.

My son Jeffrey, age 10, gave the movie ** 1/2, complaining that it didn't have enough action, comedy or mystery. His buddy Nickolas, age 10, gave the film ***. He thought the movie needed more action, but he really liked the talking car in it.

Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com




Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: I was rather disappointed in Disney's live action remake of Inspector Gadget. I used to watch a lot of the cartoon when I was a kid, and while this movie tries somewhat to be like the cartoon, doesn't come very close. Unfortunately Matthew Broderick gives a very drab uninspired performance as the bumbling inspector, but he doesn't really have much to work from here. This movie should have had lots of laughs from all the goofy gadgets, but I only snickered a few times. A number of characters in this movie are great comedic actors and actresses like Andy Dick, Dabney Colemana and Cheri Oteri, but they weren't all that funny because of their limited character roles. I didn't like Claw's portrayal here, in the cartoon he's a sinister faceless character, but in the movie he's just rather pathetic. Also in the cartoon, Penny and Brain were the real brains behind everything and just made Inspector Gadget look good, but it's not like that here. The Gadgetmobile looked good, but I think it would have been a good idea to use the original voice of Inspector Gadget, Don Adams, as the voice of the car. Don Adam's voice does have a brief cameo in the end credits as the voice of Brain. I think if someone isn't familiar with the cartoon from the 80's, they won't get this movie at all. Fans of the series should check this out, but they will probably be somewhat disappointed when comparing it to the original.

I give Inspector Gadget 2 out of 5 stars
Review written December 10, 1999
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