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Monkeybone
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Monkeybone
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Monkeybone
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHenry Selick
Written bySam Hamm
Based onDark Town
by Kaja Blackley
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAndrew Dunn
Edited by
Music byAnne Dudley
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • February 23, 2001 (2001-02-23)
Running time
93 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$75 million[2]
Box office$7.6 million[2]

Monkeybone is a 2001 American dark fantasy comedy film directed by Henry Selick, written by Sam Hamm, produced by Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe, and executive produced by Chris Columbus, Selick, and Hamm. The film combines live action with stop-motion animation. Loosely based on Kaja Blackley's graphic novel Dark Town, the film stars Brendan Fraser, Bridget Fonda, Chris Kattan, Giancarlo Esposito, Rose McGowan, Whoopi Goldberg and John Turturro as the voice of the titular character. It tells the story of a cartoonist who falls into a coma, where he ends up in the otherworldly Down Town where he runs into his titular creation as he tries to return to the living world while contending with an evil plot to supply Down Town with nightmares.

Theatrically released on February 23, 2001, by 20th Century Fox, the film was a box-office bomb and received generally negative critical reviews for its characters and humor, although there was some praise for the visuals.[3] Selick later admitted his unhappiness with the final product and has since vowed to never make another live-action film again.[4]

Plot

[edit]

Stuart "Stu" Miley is a disillusioned cartoonist whose comic character, a mischievous monkey named Monkeybone, is getting an animated series and merchandise, at the constant pestering of his agent and friend, Herb. He plans on proposing to his girlfriend, Julie McElroy, a sleep institute worker who helped him deal with his nightmares by changing his drawing hand. One night, Stu falls into a coma following a car crash, and his spirit is taken to Down Town, a surreal, carnival-themed limbo-like landscape populated by mythical beings and figments of its visitors' imaginations, including Monkeybone, who he greatly resents until they discover that people can leave Down Town when they are given Exit Passes.

Stu is then invited to a pajama party hosted by Hypnos, the God of Sleep and ruler of Down Town, who tells Stu that he has to steal an Exit Pass from his sister, Death, in order to wake up from his coma before the plug is pulled due to Stu and his sister Kimmy making a pact as children after their father's death. Stu and Monkeybone journey to Death's domain, disguised as one of her employees, and successfully manage to steal an Exit Pass while narrowly escaping a nightmare which Julie inflicts on Stu in an attempt to wake him by using "Oneirix", a chemical solution she created that causes nightmare inducement.

Back in Down Town, Monkeybone steals the Exit Pass for himself, revealing that the theft was part of a plan orchestrated by Hypnos, and enters Stu's body. Monkeybone adjusts to Stu's life and plans to go ahead with the merchendising. Stu is imprisoned with other disillusioned or criminal figures throughout history. A visiting Hypnos reveals to Stu that he and the denizens of Down Town thrive on nightmares and made a deal with Monkeybone to spread the Oneirix amongst the living in exchange for getting Monkeybone his body all to himself, since he is fed up with being a figment.

Monkeybone is later ordered by Hypnos via a nightmare to stay on course and steals the Oneirix from the sleep institute, leaving a decoy in its place. While Monkeybone puts the chemical in farting Monkeybone toys to be given out to the public at a charity banquet, Julie starts growing wary of "Stu's" new behavior. In Down Town, Stu manages to escape with the help of Miss Kitty, a catgirl waitress whom he befriended and confronts Death to convince her to send him back to the living world to stop Monkeybone. Death complies and gives Stu an hour to do so as she puts him in the body of an organ donor with a cervical fracture.

Stu makes it to the banquet while Monkeybone is about to propose to Julie, while Herb is exposed to the Oneirix in a Monkeybone doll and starts hallucinating, causing him to strip naked and flee in panic, believing his clothes are rebelling. With help from his dog Buster, Stu finally confesses his love and regrets to Julie for never getting a chance to propose to her. Stu then manages to use Monkeybone's origin characteristics to cause him to panic which culminates in them fighting on a giant Monkeybone balloon, which is soon shot down by a police officer, causing them to fall to their deaths.

As they fall back into Down Town, Stu and Monkeybone fight before being caught by a giant robot operated by Death, who places Monkeybone back in Stu's mind, claiming it is where he belongs. She allows Stu to go back to his proper body so he can continue making his cartoon as Death says that she is a fan of it. Back in the living, Stu and Julie reunite and share a kiss while a still-infected Herb emerges from a nearby fountain and tells the audience to remove their clothes. The film then ends with a traditionally animated sequence where the banquet's attendants reveal themselves to be monkeys in disguise.

Cast

[edit]
  • Brendan Fraser as Stuart "Stu" Miley, a cartoonist and the creator of the Monkeybone franchise.
    • Fraser also plays Monkeybone when he is in Stu's body.
  • Bridget Fonda as Dr. Julie McElroy, a sleep therapist and Stu's love interest.
  • Chris Kattan as an organ donor that Stu briefly possesses (credited as "Organ Donor Stu").
  • Giancarlo Esposito as Hypnos, the malicious satyr-like God of Sleep and ruler of Down Town.
  • Rose McGowan as Miss Kitty, a catgirl waitress at Down Town's Coma Bar whom Stu befriends.
  • Whoopi Goldberg as Death, the ruler of the Land of Death and Hypnos' sister.
  • Dave Foley as Herb, Stu's agent and friend.
  • Megan Mullally as Kimmy Miley, Stu's sister.
  • Lisa Zane as Medusa, an inhabitant of Down Town who sings at Hypnos' pajama party. An extended scene shows that the snakes that make up her hair are her back-up singers.
  • Pat Kilbane as a Burger God rep
  • Sandra Thigpen as Alice, Julie's friend and co-worker.
  • Lou Romano as the police officer who shoots down the Monkeybone balloon its namesake likeness and Stu fight on.
  • Harper Roisman as Earl Biegler, an old man in Down Town who receives an exit pass from one of the Reapers.
  • Scott Workman as Arnold the Super Reaper, a partially-armored Reaper who is one of Death's minions and tries to catch Stu and Monkeybone.
  • Mary Stein as Lulu, a woman in Down Town who is claimed at Death's domain. A deleted scene showed that she was taken from Hypnos' pajama party.
  • Christopher Franciosa as a Reaper who takes Lulu
  • Fred Pierce as a Reaper in Death's office
  • Jon Bruno as Stephen King, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town who was previously tricked into infiltrating Death's domain to steal an exit pass as Hypnos allowed Cujo to enter King's body. He is only credited as "Man in the Dungeon".
  • Owen Masterson as Jack the Ripper, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town.
  • Shawnee Free Jones as Lizzie Borden, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town.
  • Jen Sung Outerbridge as Attila the Hun, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town.
  • Ilia Volok as Grigori Rasputin, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town.
  • Claudette Mink as Typhoid Mary, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town.
  • Edgar Allan Poe IV as Edgar Allan Poe, one of Hypnos' prisoners in Down Town.
  • Bob Odenkirk as a head surgeon
  • Leon Laderach as a surgeon in a nightmare
  • Veena Bidasha as a Statue Woman, a statue of a female on a mobile round stand who is an inhabitant of Down Town.
  • Michael Anthony Jackson as the Bug Man, an inhabitant of Down Town with the head of a male human and the body of an insect.
  • Doug Jones as Yeti, an inhabitant of Down Town with a long nose and white and blue fur who works in the box office of its nightmare-showing movie theater called the Morpheum Theater.
  • Arturo Gil as the rat-like guard of Down Town's prison that works for Hypnos.
  • Jody St. Michael as the Centaur, a half-human half-horse inhabitant of Down Town that wears cowboy attire. An original scene upon Stu's arrival has him offering Stu a "pony ride".
  • Frit Fuller and Frat Fuller as the Three-Headed Devil, an inhabitant of Down Town depicted with three heads and three legs. An original scene had him complimenting Stu's work and asking for his autograph in blood upon his arrival in Down Town.
  • Brian Steele as Jumbo, a Ganesha-like being who works as the piano player at Down Town's Coma Bar.
  • Leif Tilden as the Cyclops, an inhabitant of Down Town with a large head with horns and arms and a smaller torso and legs.
  • Tom Fisher as the Community Service Cigarette Sweeper, a humanoid camel inhabitant of Down Town.
  • Joseph S. Griffo as the BBQ Pig, an anthropomorphic pig who is a barbecued pork vendor in Down Town.
  • Kim Timbers-Patteri as the Wasp Woman, an insectoid inhabitant of Down Town that is often seen with Hypnos.
  • Lisa Ebeyer as Betty the Bovine, an anthropomorphic cow who is a prize vendor in Down Town.
  • Wayne Doba as the Scorpion, an inhabitant of Down Town with namesake legs and tails surrounding his face.
  • Mark Vinello as Ass Backwards, a bizarre green fish-like inhabitant of Down Town with a pair of noses, bird-like wings, a red tongue-like structure beneath its jaw, and reversed reptilian legs living in Down Town. An original scene upon Stu's arrival had him asking Stu if he has an "anchovy for a fellow amphibian".
  • Nathan Stein as the Sea Monster, an inhabitant of Down Town that resembles a piscine humanoid emerging from the back of its giant seahorse-like mount with thin legs that neighs like a horse.
  • Ed Holmes as the Buffalo Kachina, a bison-type Kachina that lives in Down Town. An original scene upon Stu's arrival had him asking for a cigarette instead of the Community Service Cigarette Sweeper.
  • Erica Gudis, Melinda Miamor, and Caroline A. Rice as the Party Chicks, three bird-beaked women in Down Town that are first seen at Hypnos' pajama party.
  • Mike Starr as Bull (uncredited in the closing credits[a]), a Texas Longhorn-type Minotaur with a Picasso art-like face who is the bartender of Down Town's Coma Bar.
  • Thomas Haden Church as Death's assistant who reads her the names of new arrivals that have died and arrived in the Land of Death (uncredited in the closing credits[b])

Henry Selick's arm is seen during the film's opening sequence.

Voices

[edit]
  • John Turturro as Monkeybone, a monkey who is Stu's raunchy and mischievous creation.
  • Brendan Fraser as Stanley (uncredited), a character in the Monkeybone cartoon that recaps his creation of the titular character.
  • Ted Rooney as the Grim Reaper
  • Roger L. Jackson as Arnold the Super Reaper
  • Joe Ranft as the Streetsquashed Rabbit, a roadkill rabbit that lives in Down Town.
  • Bruce Lanoil as the Streetsquashed Raccoon, a roadkill raccoon that lives in Down Town.
  • Debi Durst as the Streetsquashed Snake, a roadkill snake that lives in Down Town.
  • Phil Brotherton as Super Mansa, a dual-sided messenger on a wheeled goose living in Down Town who gives Stu an invitation to Hypnos' pajama party.
  • Jym Dingler as the Community Service Cigarette Sweeper
  • Leslie Hedger as Ass Backwards
  • Toby Gleason as the Buffalo Kachina
  • Allan Trautman as the BBQ Pig
  • Mike Mitchell as Miss Hudlapp, Stanley's teacher seen in the Monkeybone pilot.
  • Lou Romano as a therapist that Stanley sees in the Monkeybone pilot.

Puppeteers

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The comic book Dark Town, on which Monkeybone is based, was written by Kaja Blackley, illustrated by Vanessa Chong, and published by Mad Monkey Press.[5] The journey from comic to film was initiated by a fan of the comic and member of the San Francisco animation community (Tom "Bags" Sacchi/ChasingDragons Productions NYC) who, without Blackley's knowledge, passed a copy of Dark Town on to one of Selick's producers, Denise Rotina. Selick fell in love with the book and vigorously pursued the rights. In a letter to Kaja, he wrote: "I've never felt any project was closer to my sensibilities than this one." The initial intention was to stay true to the source material, which can be seen in early designs from Selick's company, Twitching Image. However, as the project developed, it eventually evolved into Monkeybone.[6]

Casting

[edit]

Initially, the role of Stu Miley was to be played by Ben Stiller. Stiller dropped out to be in Mystery Men and was replaced by Fraser.[7]

Influences

[edit]

Much of the film's art bears a strong resemblance to that of Mark Ryden—for example, the bust of Abraham Lincoln as "The Great Emancipator". Stu's pre-therapy painting is similar to Ryden's The Birth, and according to the credits, was painted by him for the film.[8] The animation style and the themes of the opening sequence in which Stu first encounters Monkeybone are similar to the work of Swedish cartoonist Magnus Carlsson. The film's plot is influenced by the films Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cool World and Beetlejuice. Many critics mark a similarity between Dark Town's design and Tim Burton's style.[9][10] The film contains a large number of references to a parody religion called The Church of the SubGenius. In particular, the fictional fast-food chain "Burger God" was originally a SubGenius creation. Additionally, the repeated references to Yetis, and the scene in which Stu (whose body is possessed by Monkeybone) is struck in the head with a golf club by Hypnos in a dream sequence, also echo recurring themes in the Church of the SubGenius.[11]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

Monkeybone was a failure at the box office; based on a budget of $75 million, the film grossed $5,411,999 domestically and $2,210,366 worldwide.[2]

Critical response

[edit]

Critical reception to the film was mostly negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 20% based on 114 reviews, with an average rating of 3.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Though original and full of bizarre visuals, Monkeybone is too shapeless a movie, with unengaging characters and random situations that fail to build up laughs."[12] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 40 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[13] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale.[14]

Roger Ebert gave the film 1.5 stars out of 4, saying, "The movie labors hard, the special effects are admirable, no expense has been spared, and yet the movie never takes off; it's a bright idea the filmmakers were unable to breathe life into."[15]

In a 2022 interview, Henry Selick said of the film's critical and commercial failure:

It certainly would have done better if they advertised it a little... I would still like to do a Director's Cut because there's a lot of cool stuff that was removed... my main lesson learned is, I don't really do well in the live-action universe... I love my world of stop-motion... I went down a slippery slope to make Monkeybone, but the film that came out it's not my vision of what the film could've been, and I just don't thrive in that.[4]

Accolades

[edit]

The stunt work of Joey Preston and Jay Caputo in Monkeybone was nominated for a Taurus Award for Best Work with a Vehicle.[16] Jay Caputo was also nominated for Monkeybone in the Best High Work category for the hot-air balloon scene.[16]

Whoopi Goldberg was nominated for a Stinker Award for Worst Supporting Actress for her performances in both this movie and Rat Race.[17]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Monkeybone

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Monkeybone is a American film directed by in his live-action feature debut, written by (based on the graphic novel Dark Town by Kaja Blackley), and starring as Stu Miley, a repressed whose creation—a lascivious monkey character named Monkeybone—comes to life after Stu falls into a following a car accident and an experimental mishap. The story unfolds in a surreal realm called , a chaotic waystation between life and death populated by dream figures and nightmares, where Stu must navigate bizarre challenges to return to his body. The film blends live-action with stop-motion animation and features a supporting cast including as Stu's girlfriend Julie McElroy, a sleep researcher; providing the voice of Monkeybone; as Death; and as a hospital attendant. Produced by and Mark Radcliffe for 1492 Pictures and released by 20th Century Fox, Monkeybone was released theatrically on February 23, 2001, showcasing Selick's signature visual style influenced by his prior stop-motion works like The Nightmare Before Christmas. Despite its ambitious mix of Freudian themes, comic book aesthetics, and irreverent humor, the film explores Stu's internal conflicts over his inhibitions and desires, as Monkeybone hijacks his real-world body, leading to escalating chaos that blends the with reality.

Development

Concept and Script

The for Monkeybone originated from the uncompleted 1990 comic book series Dark Town, written by Kaja Blackley and illustrated by Vanessa Chong, which depicted a surreal world that inspired the film's afterlife setting of . The series was initially pitched as a 12-issue but remained unfinished, providing the foundational narrative of a entering a fantastical underworld. Rights to Dark Town were acquired by director around 1997 through , marking the film's entry into development in the late under Twentieth Century Fox as a co-production. , known for his stop-motion work on (1993), attached himself as director around 1997, reworking the title from Dark Town to Monkeybone that August to better emphasize the central puppet character. He partnered with , who penned the initial draft adapting the comic's premise into a blending live-action with and surreal dream logic reminiscent of Selick's earlier films. Hamm's seventh draft, dated February 3, 1999, served as the shooting script. During script revisions, the tone shifted from the comic's more ominous atmosphere to a dark comedy, with expansions to the monkey puppet's role as the protagonist's anarchic to heighten the film's chaotic energy. Selick's vision emphasized integrating stop-motion animation into live-action sequences to create a fluid, nightmarish populated by hybrid creatures, drawing on his expertise in whimsical yet worlds. commenced in 1999, spanning nearly a year of storyboarding and design to refine this hybrid style before began later that year.

Influences

Director drew upon the surreal stop-motion aesthetics established in his earlier films, (1993) and (1996), to craft Monkeybone's dreamlike visuals and fantastical tone. These works emphasized whimsical yet elements, which Selick adapted to blend live-action with in Monkeybone, creating a cohesive hybrid world that echoes the inventive storytelling of his prior projects. The film's depiction of an afterlife bureaucracy and comedic underworld populated by eccentric characters nods to Tim Burton's (1988), blending supernatural hijinks with satirical commentary on the afterlife. Similarly, the integration of animated characters into a live-action narrative, particularly the anthropomorphic Monkeybone interacting with human actors, reflects the pioneering hybrid techniques of (1988), influencing the seamless merging of realities in . Literary and comic inspirations stem from the original graphic novel Dark Town by Kaja Blackley and Vanessa Chong, which provided the core premise of a coma-induced journey into a subconscious realm and shaped the monkey's anarchic, irreverent personality akin to figures in underground comics. This foundation allowed Selick to infuse the story with absurd, boundary-pushing humor, evident in unique elements like the bureaucratic oversight of dreams and nightmares by anthropomorphic overseers such as Death and Hypnos.

Production

Casting

Brendan Fraser was cast in the dual lead role of Stu Miley and Monkeybone in January 1999, following Ben Stiller's departure from the project earlier that year to star in Mystery Men. Fraser's selection was influenced by his established comedic timing and physical comedy prowess, as demonstrated in George of the Jungle (1997). Bridget Fonda was brought on as Julie McElroy by spring 1999 to anchor the film's dramatic elements amid its fantastical comedy. Supporting roles were filled by as the voice of Monkeybone and as , with Goldberg already attached by early April 1999. The casting process faced challenges from the abrupt change in the lead actor, with initial considerations for performers like Stiller highlighting the need for someone suited to the script's demanding dual-role requirements of live-action performance and implied animation interaction; however, Fraser's availability and fit for physical humor ultimately prevailed. Voice for animated characters overlapped with principal live-action selections, though detailed voice work specifics were addressed later in production; overall wrapped by mid-1999 in preparation for filming.

Filming and Design

for Monkeybone took place from June 1 to October 27, 1999, primarily at Ren-Mar Studios in Hollywood, , where the majority of the film's sets were constructed on three soundstages. Additional occurred in , , to capture real-world scenes. Production designer Bill Boes crafted contrasting environments to distinguish the film's realms, including a sterile set for the real world and an elaborate, carnival-like constructed with practical builds for streets, buildings, and fantastical elements. Creating presented a significant challenge due to its scale and intricate details, requiring extensive on-set to evoke a chaotic . The Monkeybone puppet relied on , prosthetics, and , with multiple puppeteers handling on-set performances to provide reference for later integration. Director oversaw a hands-on process to blend practical effects with green-screen elements, coordinating live-action sequences shot against blue screens for seamless incorporation of and CGI in . This approach contributed to production challenges, including complex set coordination, amid a reported of $75 million.

Animation and Effects

The post-production of Monkeybone relied on a blend of stop-motion animation, animatronics, and computer-generated imagery (CGI) to bring its dreamlike and nightmarish sequences to life, creating a distinctive hybrid style that blended live-action footage with fantastical elements. Directed by Henry Selick, renowned for his stop-motion expertise from films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, the production incorporated stop-motion techniques for key characters and environments in the afterlife realm of Down Town, including the anthropomorphic Death figure and various creatures. Multiple animation teams were equipped with Monkeybone puppets, face, and mouth kits to execute these sequences, starting with "pop-through" tests to block out poses and acting beats before full animation. Stan Winston Studio contributed significantly to the film's practical effects, designing and building puppets and suits for characters like Monkeybone, which allowed for detailed facial expressions and movements integrated into live-action scenes. These facilitated the portrayal of the mischievous monkey in both form and as a suit worn by performers, enhancing the film's chaotic energy during interactions with the human cast. Animation supervisor Paul Berry oversaw the stop-motion integration, ensuring seamless with live-action elements, such as Brendan Fraser's performance synced to the 's actions through preliminary motion tests. CGI elements added digital crowds to bustling Down Town scenes and refined Monkeybone's more dynamic movements where practical effects needed enhancement. This hybrid approach presented technical challenges, particularly in matching lighting and timing between Fraser's live-action footage and the stop-motion or animatronic proxies, requiring iterative motion capture-like tests to achieve fluid transitions. The resulting techniques represented an early experimentation in merging traditional stop-motion with emerging digital tools, paving the way for Selick's later fully stop-motion features like by demonstrating scalable integration methods for surreal narratives.

Cast and Crew

Principal Cast

Brendan Fraser portrays Stu Miley, a repressed cartoonist whose comic creation comes to life after a , employing and expressive performance to embody the character's internal chaos and vulnerability. At the time of filming, Fraser was establishing himself as a leading man in action-comedy genres following his breakout success in The Mummy (1999) and (2001). Bridget Fonda plays Dr. Julie McElroy, Stu's supportive girlfriend and sleep researcher, offering emotional depth and grounding amid the film's surreal elements. Fonda, known for her work in independent cinema like (1989), had transitioned to more prominent mainstream roles by the early 2000s, blending dramatic nuance with commercial appeal. Chris Kattan appears as Organ Donor Stu, the opportunistic antagonist in the afterlife who swaps bodies with the protagonist, delivering deadpan humor through his exaggerated mannerisms. Giancarlo Esposito portrays Hypnos, the tyrannical ruler of DownTown. In supporting roles, Rose McGowan stars as Miss Kitty, a seductive figure in the underworld who adds to the film's whimsical and risqué tone. Edgar Allan Poe IV makes a cameo as the historical poet Edgar Allan Poe, interacting briefly in a humorous historical context within Downtown.

Voice Cast

The voice cast for Monkeybone played a crucial role in animating the film's surreal sequences and characters, infusing the whimsical and elements with distinct personalities that heightened the comedic and fantastical tone. voiced , depicting the character as a bureaucratic figure in the with a sharp, sarcastic delivery that blended authority and wit, making the role a standout in the film's animated realm. Her involvement added considerable star power, drawing from her established reputation in and fantasy genres to elevate the production's appeal during casting announcements. John Turturro provided the primary voice for Monkeybone, the mischievous monkey puppet and Stu Miley's alter ego, delivering lines that amplified the character's raunchy, chaotic energy beyond the live-action interactions. The ensemble of additional voices brought vibrancy to the inhabitants of , the film's nightmarish , including contributions that populated the chaotic background with quirky, surreal figures to support the central narrative. Voice recording occurred primarily in , which facilitated precise comedic timing and synchronization with the .

Key Production Crew

Henry Selick directed Monkeybone, leveraging his renowned expertise in stop-motion animation from previous works like The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and James and the Giant Peach (1996) to oversee the seamless integration of live-action footage with animated sequences in this dark fantasy comedy. The film was produced by Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe under 1492 Pictures, with Barnathan handling key aspects of the production budget and logistical challenges to realize the ambitious hybrid visual style. Cinematographer Andrew Dunn captured the film's surreal, dreamlike aesthetic through innovative practical lighting techniques that enhanced the transition between real-world and animated realms. composed the original score, incorporating whimsical orchestral elements to underscore the chaotic energy of the sequences in . The puppeteering team, including on-set performers such as who operated the animatronic Monkeybone puppet, was essential for bringing the character's physical interactions to life during live-action shoots, though individual puppeteers received collective rather than solo credits.

Release

Marketing and Premiere

Monkeybone was theatrically released by 20th Century Fox on February 23, 2001. The marketing campaign featured trailers that showcased Brendan Fraser's comedic role as the cartoonist Stu Miley alongside the film's surreal animation and live-action blend, aiming to attract audiences with its whimsical yet chaotic fantasy elements. Promotional posters prominently displayed the mischievous monkey puppet character, while tie-in merchandise included a limited-edition statue produced by Dark Horse Comics to capitalize on the film's comic book origins. During production and , 20th Century Fox intervened to broaden the film's appeal, toning down darker thematic elements through reshoots and edits, which contributed to its PG-13 rating for crude humor and some . This studio interference, including wresting control from director in the editing phase, altered the original vision and removed key sequences. Promotional efforts included cast appearances, such as Brendan Fraser's interviews tied to the film's comic-inspired premise, and cross-promotions with media kits distributed to press. At its initial screenings, the film generated mixed buzz, with praise for its inventive visual spectacle but concerns over uneven tonal shifts between comedy and fantasy.

Box Office Performance

Monkeybone had a production budget of approximately $75 million, much of which was allocated to its extensive effects work combining live-action, stop-motion animation, and CGI. The film opened in on February 23, 2001, distributed by 20th Century Fox, earning $2.69 million from 1,722 theaters and placing 11th at the for its debut weekend. It experienced a sharp decline in its second weekend, grossing $1.13 million—a 58% drop—amid waning interest. The movie ultimately collected $5.41 million domestically and $7.62 million worldwide, failing to recoup even a fraction of its costs. Several factors contributed to the film's commercial underperformance. It launched into a crowded marketplace dominated by holdover hits like Hannibal, which earned $15.8 million in its second weekend to claim the top spot, and Down to Earth, which continued to draw audiences in the top 10. Additionally, audiences appeared confused by the film's unconventional genre blend of dark comedy, horror elements, and fantasy, leading to mismatched expectations and poor word-of-mouth. Fox's distribution strategy emphasized , with only a limited international rollout, such as a brief release in that generated just $31,255. This focus restricted global earnings potential. In the long term, the flop resulted in an estimated net loss of $69.6 million for the studio after accounting for production and marketing expenses, with no significant theatrical re-releases occurring until its transition to home media formats.

Reception

Critical Response

Upon its release in 2001, Monkeybone received mostly negative reviews from critics, who praised its visual creativity but lambasted its narrative structure. The film holds a 20% approval rating on (as of November 2025) based on 114 reviews, with an average score of 3.9/10. awarded it 1.5 out of 4 stars, commending the "imaginative" and effects while criticizing the plot as incoherent and the film as struggling to maintain vitality, likening it to a on . Similarly, aggregates a score of 40 out of 100 from 28 critics, reflecting a consensus that the movie's ambitious blend of live-action and failed to cohere into an engaging story. Critics frequently highlighted the film's imaginative visual elements and Henry Selick's direction as strengths, noting how the surreal depiction of the city of Downtown showcased his signature stop-motion style from works like . Variety described it as a "frenetic" effort that marked Selick's ambitious shift to live-action hybrid, appreciating the "admired animator's" technical prowess despite overall disappointment. Brendan Fraser's performance also drew some acclaim for its earnestness amid the chaos, with reviewers like Ebert acknowledging his commitment to the of Stu Miley and the anarchic Monkeybone puppet. However, common criticisms centered on the uneven tone, underdeveloped characters, and over-reliance on disjointed gags that undermined the premise. called it a chaotic "descent into unconsciousness" that offered only faint praise as potentially the year's best comedy, emphasizing its messy Freudian fantasy elements without sufficient emotional depth. In retrospective analyses post-2010, Monkeybone has garnered growing appreciation for its cult-like weirdness and bold experimentation, though it remains divisive. Reviewers in the 2020s have reevaluated it as an underappreciated oddity, valuing its unapologetic eccentricity and visual innovation over its narrative flaws, with some outlets noting its appeal to fans of Selick's darker, more surreal sensibilities. Audience reception mirrored this trajectory: initial theatrical polling yielded a low C- grade, indicating lukewarm immediate response, but home media and streaming availability have fostered improved perceptions, as evidenced by higher user ratings on aggregate sites compared to contemporary scores—for example, a 27% audience score on and a 5.7/10 user score on (as of November 2025).

Accolades and Nominations

Monkeybone received two nominations at the for its stunt work and one at the , with recognition primarily for its action sequences rather than major wins. The film earned two nominations at the 2nd Annual in 2002, highlighting the technical prowess of its stunt work. In the Best High Work category, stunt performer Caputo was nominated for a sequence involving a leap from a rooftop to grab a rope suspended from a . Additionally, Caputo and Joey Preston received a in the Best Work with a Vehicle category for coordinated stunts integrating vehicular elements into the film's fantastical action. On a less favorable note, the film garnered a at the Stinkers Bad Movie Awards for Worst Supporting Actress, awarded to for her dual roles in Monkeybone and , reflecting the satirical recognition of perceived weaknesses in supporting performances. Despite these nods to its stunt work and a satirical award for performance, Monkeybone did not secure any victories, underscoring its niche appreciation in technical categories amid broader critical ambivalence.

Legacy

Cult Following

Despite its initial commercial and critical failure, Monkeybone gradually developed a in the years following its release, particularly through releases that allowed audiences to discover its eccentric blend of live-action, stop-motion animation, and surreal humor. The film's bizarre plot and visual style, directed by , resonated with viewers seeking unconventional comedies, earning praise for its ambitious creativity despite narrative flaws. In the , the film's status received renewed attention amid Brendan Fraser's career resurgence, with articles highlighting it as an underappreciated entry in his and a favorite for its wild energy. Publications have included Monkeybone among the best comedy classics of the , noting its appeal to fans of stop-motion animation and Selick's distinctive aesthetic, similar to his work on . This modern reevaluation positions the film as a niche gem for enthusiasts of offbeat fantasy, though it remains polarizing.

Home Media and Availability

The DVD release of Monkeybone occurred on July 10, 2001, distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, and included special features such as an audio commentary track by director , multiple deleted scenes with optional commentary, and behind-the-scenes featurettes on the film's and production. A special edition followed in May 2002, expanding on the extras with additional conceptual artwork galleries and extended interviews, helping to sustain interest among enthusiasts post-theatrical flop. The film's first Blu-ray release in the US came on January 31, 2012, by 20th Century Fox. A UK Blu-ray followed in 2017 by 101 Films, featuring a presentation with audio options and retaining the DVD's commentary and deleted scenes for high-definition viewing. By 2023, Monkeybone became available on free streaming platforms including , alongside paid options on and other video-on-demand services, broadening accessibility for newer audiences. As of November 2025, the film is available for free streaming on and for rent/purchase on and Apple TV, among other VOD platforms. Internationally, Region 2 DVDs were released in starting in 2001 by 20th Century Fox, with PAL formatting and localized subtitles, mirroring the U.S. special edition content. sales, particularly DVDs, exceeded expectations for the film's performance, aiding its transition to status through repeated viewings. Fan-driven interest has prompted discussions for further re-releases, including petitions for 4K restorations, though no official upscale beyond existing Blu-ray editions has materialized as of late 2024.

References

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