1996 American buddy cop film
Theodore Rex
|
---|
Canadian video poster
|
Directed by
| Jonathan Betuel
|
---|
Written by
| Jonathan Betuel
|
---|
Produced by
| |
---|
Starring
| |
---|
Cinematography
| David Tattersall
|
---|
Edited by
|
- Steve Mirkovich
- Rick Shaine
|
---|
Music by
| Robert Folk
|
---|
Production
companies
| |
---|
Distributed by
| New Line Cinema
|
---|
Release date
|
- July 2, 1996
(
1996-07-02
)
[1]
|
---|
Running time
| 92 minutes
|
---|
Country
| United States
|
---|
Language
| English
|
---|
Budget
| $33.5 million
[2]
[3]
|
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Theodore Rex
, also known as
T. Rex
,
[4]
[5]
is a 1996
[6]
buddy cop
science-fiction
comedy film
written and directed by Jonathan Betuel and starring
Whoopi Goldberg
. Though originally intended for theatrical release, the film went
direct-to-video
, and consequently became the most expensive direct-to-video film ever made at the time of its release.
[7]
[8]
[9]
The film was not well-received,
[5]
[10]
and saw Whoopi Goldberg being nominated for Worst Actress at the 1996
Golden Raspberry Awards
.
[11]
It is the first
direct-to-video
movie to receive any sort of Razzie nomination.
[12]
Plot
[
edit
]
In an alternate futuristic society where humans and anthropomorphic
dinosaurs
co-exist, a tough police detective named Katie Coltrane (
Whoopi Goldberg
) is paired with an anthropomorphic
Tyrannosaurus
named Theodore Rex (
George Newbern
) to find the killer of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals leading them to a ruthless
billionaire
bent on killing off mankind by creating a new
ice age
.
Cast
[
edit
]
Live action
[
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]
Voice cast
[
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]
Puppeteers
[
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]
Production
[
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]
The lead character Katie was originally a white male with
Kurt Russell
considered for the role.
[13]
Reception
[
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]
Theodore Rex
received negative reviews from critics and audiences. On the
review aggregator
website
Rotten Tomatoes
,
0%
of 5 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 1.7/10.
[14]
Variety
magazine gave the film a negative review, saying, "This is one T. rex that won’t be spared the tar pits."
[15]
William Thomas of
Empire
magazine gave the film a one out of five stars and said, "Steer Clear".
[16]
In a 2015 interview with the Brazilian newspaper
Folha de S.Paulo
, Goldberg stated that this is the only film she regrets ever having done: "Don't ask me why I did it, I didn't want to", she said.
[17]
Goldberg also said it made "no sense to anybody to like it".
[18]
Goldberg lawsuit
[
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]
Though
Whoopi Goldberg
had made an oral agreement to star in the film in October 1992,
[6]
she attempted to back out. Abramson filed a US$20 million lawsuit against Goldberg, which was settled quickly. Goldberg agreed to star in the film for $7 million,
[2]
$2 million more than the amount originally agreed upon.
[7]
One of the attorneys on the case described this as being similar to the legal battle of
Kim Basinger
when she backed out of the film
Boxing Helena
.
[7]
Distribution
[
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]
The film was originally intended for theatrical release in North America during Christmas 1995, but a glut of competition as well as a rush on post production work for the effects heavy film led to
New Line Cinema
delaying release.
[19]
They subsequently intended to release it to coincide with Goldberg's hosting stint at the
Academy Awards
the following year,
[6]
but ultimately decided that it was in their best interests to release the film
direct-to-video
. This decision came as a result of failed test marketing in
Las Vegas
,
Memphis
,
Portland, Maine
and
Providence
.
[7]
[20]
The film's $33.5 million budget made it the most expensive direct-to-video release at that time.
[7]
The international distributors to whom New Line had pre-sold the rights to the film adopted a different release strategy by distributing theatrically in every country except the United States and Italy.
[6]
See also
[
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]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Blowen, Michael (1996-06-30). "Mel Brooks' 'Dracula' is just not batty enough; THE MOVIE SECTION / Video Watch".
The Boston Globe
. p. B31.
- ^
a
b
Love, Dennis (1996-04-04). "
'Rex' Headed for Extinction?".
People
.
UPI
Newswire.
- ^
Dutka, Elaine (1996-04-11). "Whoopi's Dino Disaster; Test Audiences Reject $ 33.5 Million Family Comedy".
Chicago Sun-Times
. p. 33.
- ^
"Filming in the U.S.".
Daily Variety
. 1994-11-18.
- ^
a
b
Griffin, Gil (1997-10-23). "Reading Whoopi Goldberg like a 'Book'
".
The San Diego Union-Tribune
. p. E-1.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Blowen, Michael (1996-06-30).
"
'Rex': Extinct on the Big Screen"
.
The Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
2012-07-31
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Cox, Dan (1996-04-08). "New Line's dino pic extinct from bigscreen".
Daily Variety
. p. 9.
- ^
Hubert, Andrea (2008-06-14).
"The incredible sulk"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
2008-06-27
.
- ^
Wilkinson, Jack (1996-07-27). "What's new on the home video scene".
United Press International
.
- ^
Meyers, Randy (1999-02-02). "Direct hits: Lucrative video arena attracting first-run, first-rate".
Contra Costa Times
.
- ^
Scott, Vernon (1997-01-23). "
The Hollywood Reporter
".
UPI
Newswire.
- ^
Baldock, Luke Ryan (9 August 2012).
"10 Terrible Dinosaur Films That Should Be Extinct!"
.
thehollywoodnews.com
.
- ^
Harris, Blake (2015-08-21).
"How Did This Get Made? Theodore Rex (An Oral History)"
.
/Film
. Retrieved
2023-11-09
.
- ^
"
Theodore Rex
"
.
Rotten Tomatoes
.
Fandango Media
. Retrieved
December 15,
2023
.
- ^
"Theodore Rex"
. July 1996.
- ^
"Theodore Rex"
.
- ^
"
'Nao ha muito espaco para negros por ai', diz Whoopi Goldberg ? 25/02/2015 ? Ilustrada ? Folha de S.Paulo"
.
uol.com.br
.
- ^
"Whoopi Goldberg Regrets Starring In Bizarre Talking Dinosaur Movie 'Theodore Rex'
"
. 2021-10-07
. Retrieved
2023-11-09
.
- ^
"H'w'd banks on Xmas laugh riot"
. 9 October 1995.
- ^
Klady, Leonard (1996-07-01).
"Theodore Rex"
.
Daily Variety
. Retrieved
2008-06-28
.
External links
[
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]