The Pagemaster

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The Pagemaster

G

1994

1h 15m

Kids & Family

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

19%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

A storm forces frightened Richard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin) inside a nearby library for shelter. Mr. Dewey (Christopher Lloyd), the librarian, sees that Richard needs an adventure and tries to give the boy a book, but all Richard wants is a phone. Before he can call his parents (Ed Begley Jr., Mel Harris), Richard slips on the floor, hits his head and passes out. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a fantasy land populated by famous literary characters.

Barbara Creed

The Age (Australia)

02/10/2024

As the cartoon characters took over, the storyline slid predictably into place as we watched Richie battle dragons and learn a lesson about the "meaning of life."

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Christy Lemire

ChristyLemire.com

07/15/2018

1/4

The Pagemaster is the kind of movie first-grade teachers would have popped into the VCR in the 1990s to kill time on a rainy afternoon.

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Brian Lowry

Variety

12/04/2007

Built on a wispy premise better suited to the realm of TV, The Pagemaster plays like a slickly produced afternoon special.

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Tom Ryan

The Sunday Age

02/12/2024

1/4

The perfunctory prologue and epilogue, the unimaginative use of the literary sources, the mushy songs which Disney appears to have made obligatory and the lacklustre animation left me with little to do but bemoan missed opportunities.

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Sergio Benítez

Espinof

08/23/2019

Narrated with a rhythm that prevents that one can get bored, the moral of 'The Pagemaster', which invokes the power of books and reading. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Alex Orner

Common Sense Media

01/01/2011

2/5

Weak Macaulay Culkin fantasy with some cartoon violence.

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Emily L.

@sweetestxemily May 16

I loved this movie as a kid and I still enjoy it now as an adult with my kids.

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Tyler A.

@tbird1889 Jan 24

Me and my kids love watching this movie together.

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Moon D

@moondawgie Jan 6

The moral is so central to the film that if a viewer fails to appreciate it, there's no way the clarifying monologue by "God" himself at the end will have the impact that it has for a young child questioning why the world is such a task.

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J B

@Jay1730 Dec 21

I thought this was a great movie! The critics really missed the mark on this one. It’s very engaging and is entertaining for children and adults. In a day and age where video games are the norm, this is movie is a lesson in how books spark our imagination and give us ways to problem-solve.

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Lisa C

@Magicalmaidaz Dec 16

The Pagemaster is a charming, imaginative film that celebrates the power of stories and overcoming fear. Blending live action with animation, it follows a timid boy who is pulled into a magical library and journeys through Fantasy, Adventure, and Horror, learning courage along the way. With a strong, timeless message about imagination and curiosity, memorable visuals, and a warm voice cast, the film remains a nostalgic love letter to reading and storytelling.

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Lauren L

@RT27950853 Sep 1

This movie actually speaks to a lot of things that are important in childhood. It’s a great reminder that books teach and have a plethora of uses. They can open your mind. Be a friend. Build your confidence. Maybe even save your life. I think that Rotten Tomatoes should re-think their rating on this one. There are a lot of children that would benefit from watching this and adults as well.

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Maurice Hunt

Director

Joe Johnston

Director

Macaulay Culkin

Richard Tyler

Christopher Lloyd

Mr. Dewey and The Pagemaster

Ed Begley Jr.

Alan Tyler

Mel Harris

Claire Tyler

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21%

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Synopsis

A storm forces frightened Richard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin) inside a nearby library for shelter. Mr. Dewey (Christopher Lloyd), the librarian, sees that Richard needs an adventure and tries to give the boy a book, but all Richard wants is a phone. Before he can call his parents (Ed Begley Jr., Mel Harris), Richard slips on the floor, hits his head and passes out. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a fantasy land populated by famous literary characters.

Director: Maurice Hunt, Joe Johnston
Producer: Paul Gertz, David Kirschner
Screenwriter: David Kirschner, David Casci, Ernie Contreras
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox, Turner Pictures
Rating: G
Genre: Kids & Family, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 23, 1994, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.0M
Runtime: 1h 15m
Sound Mix: Stereo