Taglines: The long arm of the law just got a little longer.
Inspector Gadget movie storyline. Based on the popular cartoon character of the same name, Inspector Gadget is an adventure comedy about a somewhat naive and inept security guard, John Brown, whose big heart is equal to his far-fetched dreams of becoming the world’s greatest police officer. However, nothing is impossible.
Suddenly unexpected circumstances make him the ideal candidate for a top secret law enforecment project, and pretty scientist Dr. Brenda Bradford applies her expertise in robotics to build him into a man of many talents–and accessories. Using a vast array of grafted-on gizmos and doohickies to bust bad guys, the often clueless Inspector Gadget must also employ his common sense to crack an especially complicated case. As he penetrates Riverton City’s darkest underworld, Inspector Gadget must save not only his good name and reputation, but also rescue the world from the nefarious Claw.
Inspector Gadget is a 1999 American action-comedy film directed by David Kellogg, written by Kerry Ehrin and Zak Penn from a story by Ehrin and Dana Olsen. It is loosely based on the 1983 animated cartoon series of the same name. It stars Matthew Broderick as the title character, along with Rupert Everett as Dr. Claw, Michelle Trachtenberg as Penny, and Dabney Coleman as Chief Quimby. Three new characters were introduced, Dr. Brenda Bradford (played by Joely Fisher), Mayor Wilson (played by Cheri Oteri) and the Gadgetmobile (voiced by D. L. Hughley). The film tells the story of how Inspector Gadget and Dr. Claw came to be in the cartoon.
The film was produced by Caravan Pictures and DIC Entertainment (which was owned by The Walt Disney Company at the time of production) and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures on July 23, 1999. It was filmed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Los Angeles, California, with the ice castle-like main tower of Pittsburgh’s PPG Place playing a central role. This was the last film produced by Caravan Pictures before it merged into Spyglass Entertainment.
This film was dedicated to the memory of production designer Michael White who died on January 19, 1999 in Los Angeles during production of the film at the age of 36. The film was a moderate box office success with a worldwide gross of $134.4 million against a $90 million budget.[citation needed] It was followed by the 2003 direct-to-video stand-alone sequel Inspector Gadget 2.
The Gadgetmobile, designed by Brenda Bradford, is a white & chrome 1964 Lincoln Continental convertible instead of a Matra Murena/Toyota Celica hybrid from the cartoon and can’t transform from a minivan to a police vehicle and often drives by itself. It has an artificial intelligence with a male persona. Like most anthropomorphic cars, “his” front bumper is his mouth and he has eyes in his headlights.
However, unlike those cars, who have two eyes, he has four. He also has a face on a computer screen on the dashboard and a license plate that reads “GADGET”. Among other things, he can camouflage himself, has a radar system to track Gadget’s location (and other people’s as well), can extend his tires upwards, has retractable jail bars in his back seat (for transporting criminals), a vending machine (options on this include Skittles, M&M’s, Sprite, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s), sirens in the hood that attach to the windshield, and a jet engine he keeps in his trunk. His artificial intelligence has a laid-back personality. The Gadgetmobile openly breaks the law constantly (he is a particular fan of backturns), but claims it is okay: “Speed limits are for cars, not the Gadgetmobile.” Comedian D. L. Hughley provides his voice.
Inspector Gadget (1999)
Directed by: David Kellogg
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Rupert Everett, Joely Fisher, Michelle Trachtenberg, Michael G. Hagerty, Andy Dick, Cheri Oteri, Dabney Coleman, Rene Auberjonois
Screenplay by: Kerry Ehrin, Zak Penn
Production Design by: Leslie Dilley, Michael White
Cinematography by: Adam Greenberg
Film Editing by: Alan Cody, Thom Noble, Gerald B. Greenberg
Costume Design by: Mary E. Vogt
Set Decoration by: Kate Sullivan
Art Direction by: Lawrence A. Hubbs, Bruton Jones
Music by: John Debney
MPAA Rating: PG for whacky violence/action, language and innuendo.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: July 23, 1999
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