Monkeybone Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A cartoonist’s id escapes his mind coma to become a nightmare-inducing marketing scheme, because…reasons?

🍿 Monkeybone: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Stu’s Success and the Accident

Stu Miley, a talented cartoonist, finds success with his creation, Monkeybone, a mischievous monkey character. As his comic strip gains popularity, he plans to propose to his girlfriend, Julie. However, a sudden car accident leaves Stu in a coma, disrupting his plans and sending him on a bizarre journey.

Down Town: A Surreal Limbo

While in a coma, Stu’s spirit is transported to Down Town, a surreal and nightmarish limbo populated by mythical beings and figments of imagination. There, he encounters his creation, Monkeybone, who is just as troublesome in this world as he is in Stu’s comics. The two are constantly at odds as Stu tries to find a way back to the real world.

Escape Plan and Monkeybone’s Betrayal

Stu learns that he needs an ‘Exit Pass’ to return to the living world. He makes a deal with Hypnos, the God of Sleep, to steal one from Death. However, Monkeybone betrays Stu, stealing the pass for himself and escaping into Stu’s body, leaving Stu trapped and desperate to reclaim his life.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Stu Miley (Brendan Fraser): A cartoonist trapped in a coma, battling his mischievous creation, Monkeybone, to reclaim his life.
• Monkeybone (John Turturro): Stu Miley’s mischievous and treacherous cartoon creation who seeks to escape the dream world and wreak havoc in the real world.
• Julie McElroy (Bridget Fonda): Stu’s girlfriend and a sleep institute worker who tries to help him escape his coma and the nightmare world.
• Hypnos (Giancarlo Esposito): The God of Sleep and ruler of Down Town, who manipulates Monkeybone to spread nightmares to the living world.
• Death (Whoopi Goldberg): The cynical and powerful entity governing the Land of Death, from whom Stu must steal an Exit Pass.
• Chris Kattan (Organ Donor Stu): A gymnast who recently died in a car accident and whose body is inhabited by Stu in order to return to the real world.
• Herb (Dave Foley): Stu’s agent who tries to manage Stu’s success and is caught in the middle of Monkeybone’s chaos.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Monkeybone: “You can’t control Monkeybone! Monkeybone controls you!” – Said to Stu, highlighting the uncontrollable nature of his creation and the influence it has over him.
• Death: “Honey, I’m Death. I’ve seen it all.” – Death’s world-weary statement emphasizes her vast experience and cynical outlook.
• Hypnos: “Nightmares are my business, Stu. Good, solid, bone-chilling nightmares.” – Hypnos explains why he thrives on the nightmares created by Stu and others.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $75,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $5,411,999
• Worldwide Gross: $7,622,365

💥 Monkeybone Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so “Monkeybone” is a wild ride. I remember seeing this as a kid and being both fascinated and slightly disturbed. The visuals are so creative and bizarre, especially the ‘Downtown’ scenes. Brendan Fraser really commits to the role, even when it gets totally absurd. Honestly, it’s a flawed film, but it’s also incredibly unique and memorable. It definitely stuck with me for a long time, and I still appreciate its weirdness. I don’t think this film is for everyone, but it’s worth watching for it’s unique style.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of dark comedy”
  • “Those who appreciate surreal and bizarre visuals”
  • “Viewers interested in films that blend live-action with animation”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Crude humor”
  • “Suggestive themes”
  • “Nightmarish imagery”
  • “Some violence”

Professional Reviews

• IMDb: “Monkeybone is a very strange, bizarre film. As a comedy, it only works to a certain extent–there are a couple of laughs, but that’s it. Director Henry Selick has several other bizarre flick on him resume as well. As an effect-laden film, it works beautifully. The special effects are amazing–The surreal images, the stop-motion animation, the various creatures featured in downtown,and the production design are all simply incredible, creative, different…. The film is mostly a showcase for these effects, and they definitely made it a more enjoyable experience.
• IMDb: “I am not saying that Henry Selick’s films are bad, Monkeybone isn’t completely terrible, it’s just that it isn’t particularly good either. The visuals do look great, as Selick’s output often does. The soundtrack is memorable and Kitty is hot. The story had a good premise but was overall uninteresting and drags badly towards the end.
• IMDb: “Monkeybone (2001): Dir: Henry Selick / Cast: Brendan Fraser, Bridget Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Kattan, Rose McGowan: Brendan Fraser plays a cartoonist who creates Monkey Bone, which is obvious slang. This character is being celebrated at a banquet but on his way home he is in a car accident that renders him unconscious. This nightmare world is beautifully detailed with odd creatures but Fraser must get past to reality. Unfortunately Monkey Bone also gets past and possesses his body.

Audience Reactions

The creativity of the ‘Downtown’ nightmare world is a visual treat.: Despite mixed feelings, most people remember the unique visual style and strange characters.

Overall Consensus: Critically panned but remembered for its bizarre visuals and unique premise, Monkeybone is a cult film with a dedicated (if small) following.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The film’s poor box office and critical reception led to extensive re-editing and changes during post-production, resulting in a disjointed narrative.”
• “Originally, Ben Stiller was considered for the role of Stu Miley. Director Henry Selick later admitted that Stiller might have been a better fit for the part.”
• “The character designs for Downtown’s inhabitants drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, including classic mythology, horror films, and pop culture icons.”

🖥️ How to Watch Monkeybone?

Currently, ‘Monkeybone’ is available for digital rental or purchase on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. Check your local listings for potential availability on streaming services or cable on-demand.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Monkeybone, you might like these similar films:

• Cool World (1992): Combines live-action with animation and explores a similar theme of a cartoonist’s creations coming to life with chaotic results.
• Beetlejuice (1988): Features a dark, quirky sense of humor and blends the world of the living with a bizarre afterlife.
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): Directed by Henry Selick and shares his distinctive visual style and dark fantasy themes.
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988): Blends live-action and animation in a world where cartoon characters and humans coexist and interact, though with a more polished tone.

🛒 Monkeybone Related Products

• Monkeybone (DVD): Experience the bizarre world of Monkeybone in high quality. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage and extended scenes, it’s a must-have for fans of the movie.
• Monkeybone Movie Poster: Decorate your room with the official movie poster of Monkeybone. Perfect for collectors and fans of the movie’s unique art style.
• Funko Pop! Monkeybone: Add a touch of whimsy to your collection with a Monkeybone Funko Pop! figure. This stylized vinyl figure captures the essence of the mischievous character.
• Monkeybone Graphic Novel (Dark Town): Delve into the original source material with the ‘Dark Town’ graphic novel that inspired the Monkeybone movie. Explore the characters and story in their original form.

🎧 Soundtrack

Monkeybone features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Never Know the Party’s Here” – performed by Eleni Mandell

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Monkeybone – 1st Viewing

Never seen Monkeybone before? Doug and Rob from Channel Awesome take the plunge and give their hilarious, unfiltered reactions. Trust me, you’ll want to hear their take on this cinematic oddity – I laughed so hard I almost choked!

Monkeybone stop-motion animation timelapse

Ever wonder how those creepy stop-motion scenes in Monkeybone were made? This timelapse is a fascinating peek behind the curtain, showing the painstaking work that went into it. Honestly, it makes me appreciate the movie’s weirdness even more!

Show Me The Monkey – Monkeybone (2001) Extended/Deleted Short

Want even MORE Monkeybone craziness? This extended/deleted short is pure, uncut weirdness. It’s pretty wild, and I actually wish they’d kept some of this in the film – you might too!

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