L'Indien du placard

I might be coming from a bit of a biased angle here but I remember seeing this film countless times growing up. It was recorded from TV on a blank VHS tape by my grandmother and I will never forget those days watching it over at her house. The point is, if I seem a bit too positive about this film, it's because I will always associate it with those childhood memories.

With that said, The Indian in the Cupboard is a perfectly fine film. As someone who likes films that are on a smaller scale, I do enjoy this, more or less, slice-of-life style and it is actually quite refreshing with its slower pace and more relaxed cinematography when compared to many of the big blockbuster films that come out today.

One thing I really have to commend this film for are its visual effects. Bringing to life the idea of tiny people and big people interacting and existing in the same frame, as well as the environments the little people are in have aged surprisingly well. I will admit, when revisiting this film, I was a little apprehensive about whether or not the special effects would hold up, as even some of the big blockbusters from years later that rely heavily on special effects don't hold up over time. 25 years later, however, this film still looks as good as it did to me back when I was a kid. I was pleasantly surprised as, by no means did I ever think that anything in this film looked too artificial or bad in any way.

The soundtrack, I remember, was one of my favorite aspects of this film back when I was a kid, and it too, stands the test of time. Not only does it help sell the sentimental direction of the film, but it also helps to serve as something of a time capsule of what the 90s were kind of like.

I can't help but feel like this film is a genuine product of the 1990s, but not the obnoxious side of it that is constantly celebrated across the internet. I think it captures the 90s in more of a down-to-earth sense. It's difficult to explain but the side of the 90s it captures is that good-feeling and a sense of innocence that I believe many people are nostalgic for. For me personally, while watching this it seemed only natural that after it was over, I would go and play a Super Nintendo game or something. This film really does a good job at taking one back to the simpler times, I think.

For the most part, the acting in this film is fine. The only real note about it I have is that sometimes Omri's reaction shots look less like reactions and more like blank stares, and since they hold those particular shots for long periods of time, they kind of alternate between funny and unsettling. But it isn't fair to criticize child actors too much, and other than that, the kids in this film do an excellent job at portraying kids. Sometimes films that use child actors have the tendency to have child actors act like the adult director's approximation of how a kid would act and as a result, it comes off as very silly- this film does not have that problem and I'm happy that that's the case.

I think the thing that keeps this film from crossing into a higher score, for me, is that, while I greatly enjoyed it, I'm not sure if it would be considered something necessarily special by someone who does not have a history with it like I do. With that said, I do highly recommend it as I think it is a film worth seeing for a number of reasons. I was sure this was more of a Hallmark-type of film, but it got a theatrical release and, perhaps, it's of higher quality as a result? I highly recommend it and I can't do so enough.

Underrated and highly involving movie for kids. A young boy finds out that his cupboard has magical powers and can turn plastic into reality. He first turns a plastic Indian into a real human being. The movie teaches about responsibility but in an understandable way. It isn't patronizing nor childish, which means older audiences should relate to it also. It also mediates on life and death at certain points, and was the first film in a long time to be genuinely emotionally shocking. The relationship between the Indian and the cowboy was very well developed as they started to bond over their tragedies. The film does have a number of loose edges. Rishi Bhat was particularly annoying at times, but in a way he was necessary to play off Scardino. Even Scardino wasn't always a lovable protagonist. In one scene he kicks his brother's pet rat down the stairs, in an event where the rat clearly would have died. As the film hadn't relied on cartoon logic up until that point it was a bit out of place. Great effects, and seeing Darth Vader vs. a T-Rex kind of made up for those moments. A more innocent time when children's movies didn't have to be loud and crass.

On his ninth birthday a young boy (Hal Scardino) named Omri (it means "The Lord is my life" and was the name of a Hebrew king whose story is told in I Kings 16) receives various presents from his parents (Richard Jenkins , Lindsay Crouse) and brothers . Two of them first seem to be less important : an old cupboard -a wooden medicine cabinet - from his brother and a little Indian figure made of plastic . Then there happens the biggest adventure of his childhood , the magical cupboard brings his toy action figures to life and Omri watches him become flesh and blood ; there also appear a soldier (Steve Coogan) from WWII . Three-inch plastic Indian named Little Bear (Lifefoot) undertaking several adventures and teaching him important lessons . Thing go worse , however , when the boy's best friend brings a toy gunfighter (David Keith) to life and pursuit starts . Events turn nasty and might be frightened for young children , by some scenes involving a rather vicious mouse .

Enjoyable and well-intentioned film plenty of good feeling , marvelous adventure , fantasy and sense of wonder . This is a nice movie with heart that amuses and has something to tell . The picture is pretty good but suffers of claustrophobic scenario , as it is mostly set in room , exception some brief scenes in courtyard . Intelligent as well as sensitive screenplay by Melissa Matheson , Harrison Ford's real-life first wife , based on the best-selling children's book by Lynne Reid Banks who wrote her original novel as a bedtime story for her son , Omri . Cool special effects , as blue screen techniques allow them to appear together-on-screen although they were really filmed together only once . Emotive as well as evocative musical score by Randy Edelman . Colorful and adequate cinematography by Russell Carpenter .

The motion picture well produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall was professionally directed by Frank Oz , though he stated he was reluctant to direct this movie, as he doesn't think he's a children's director. Frank began forming team with the great Jim Henson filming known titles such as ¨The Dark Crystal¨ and ¨Muppets take Manhattan¨. Frank subsequently directed a lot of comedies as ¨Little shop of horrors¨, ¨Dirty rotten scoundrels¨, ¨What about Bob?¨, ¨House sitter¨, ¨In and out¨, ¨Bowfinger¨and a thriller titled ¨The score¨. And this ¨Indian in cupboard¨, it results to be one of his most sensitive films . Rating : 6'5/10 . Better than average . Well worth watching .

Why this movie doesn't have an average of around 9 eludes me. It is a wondeful film. So well acted and with a very engaging story. This is a great film for the whole family. You'll love it. The lead actor - Hal Scardino - is such a natural. He's completely believable, as is his friend. The Indian is also wonderfully brought to life. How they made the special effects work so well back in 1995 (well... that was a while back for film special effects anyway...) I don't know. I wish we could see more warm hearted films like this today.

Kids will love it, adults will think it has good parts and has a lovely idea, but in the end is maybe not fully complete.

I watched the movie as a kid and always somewhat remembered it and recently watched it again to see what it actually was about and to get the whole plot. I definitely like the idea and it is similar to Toy Story, but in the end it felt like something was missing or it was just too much of a movie for kids.