Silent Hill + Super Mario Bros

Episode Notes

Video game otherworlds in Silent Hill and Super Mario Bros. The Morton Jankel cut! focuses on the films Silent Hill and Super Mario Bros. and their themes of alternate realities and the blurred lines between good and evil. In Silent Hill, the protagonist discovers a mysterious town that appears to exist in a parallel universe, where the line between good and evil becomes increasingly unclear as she uncovers the town’s dark past. Similarly, in Super Mario Bros., the titular characters are tasked with rescuing Princess Peach from the evil Bowser, but as they journey through the Mushroom Kingdom, they encounter creatures that challenge their beliefs about what is truly good and evil. Both films explore the idea that there are often multiple perspectives and grey areas in moral dilemmas, and that these can be challenging to navigate.

The Morton Jankel Cut

A fan-made, restored version of the film “Super Mario Bros.” has gained widespread attention and been viewed over 71,000 times on the Internet Archive since its release on June 1, 2021. The version, called the Morton Jankel Cut and named after the film’s co-directors, Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, was edited using VHS footage for consistency and to pay homage to the analog media and tape trades of the era in which the film was released. The restored version also includes previously unknown content, such as explicit language and references to sex work, that was compromised by Disney in the original release. The cultural significance and impact on the film’s place in the “canon” of the Morton Jankel Cut remains to be seen, but it has already given the film its most exposure since its controversial 1993 release.

Trailers

Covers

Silent Hill

Released: April 21, 2006
Runtime: 125 min | IMDB | Wikipedia

Director: Christophe Gans
Writer: Roger Avary
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Jodelle Ferland

In search for answers, a mother travels to the enigmatic town of Silent Hill when her daughter begins to suffer recurring nightmares related to the place. It doesn't take long for her to discover its home to beings as equally haunting as the town itself.

Super Mario Bros

Released: May 28, 1993
Runtime: 104 min | IMDB | Wikipedia

Director: Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton
Writer: Ed Solomon, Parker Bennett, Terry Runte
Starring: Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper

Mario and Luigi, plumbers from Brooklyn, find themselves in an alternate universe where evolved dinosaurs live in hi-tech squalor. They're the only hope to save our universe from invasion by the dino dictator, Koopa.