For his ninth birthday, slightly geeky but wholly appealing Hal Scardino (as Omri) receives cool wooden cupboard from his brother. There is no key to lock the cupboard, but mother Lindsay Crouse lets young Mr. Scardino try some stray keys from her collection. Happily, it turns out that Scardino's great-grandmother gifted a key to his mother, which perfectly fits the cupboard. Scardino locks up a Native American Indian toy figure, a "antique" gift from best friend Rishi Bhat (as Patrick), overnight. When he wakes up, Scardino discovers that Iroquois Litefoot (as Little Bear) has come to life, in miniature form, from the year 1761.
The simple but effective special effects used throughout "The Indian in the Cupboard" have, surprisingly, made this film seem more natural looking than the special effects extravaganzas which blew it out of the theaters, back in the 1990s. Michael Lantieri, Eric Brevig, director Frank Oz, and their team make Scardino's little friends look very real. The story is based on a charming series of books by Lynne Reid Banks; the several sequels blunt the impact of the final door closing on the magical years of childhood, but the additional stories have no impact on this charming children's story. Grown-ups and some kids should see subtleties.
******* The Indian in the Cupboard (7/14/95) Frank Oz ~ Hal Scardino, Litefoot, Rishi Bhat, David Keith
The simple but effective special effects used throughout "The Indian in the Cupboard" have, surprisingly, made this film seem more natural looking than the special effects extravaganzas which blew it out of the theaters, back in the 1990s. Michael Lantieri, Eric Brevig, director Frank Oz, and their team make Scardino's little friends look very real. The story is based on a charming series of books by Lynne Reid Banks; the several sequels blunt the impact of the final door closing on the magical years of childhood, but the additional stories have no impact on this charming children's story. Grown-ups and some kids should see subtleties.
******* The Indian in the Cupboard (7/14/95) Frank Oz ~ Hal Scardino, Litefoot, Rishi Bhat, David Keith