Dexter Riley: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 15:05, 1 June 2021
Dexter Riley | |
---|---|
Based on | Characters created by Joseph L. McEveety |
Starring | |
Release date | 1969–1995 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $16,710,000 (Total of 3 films) |
The Dexter Riley film series consists of American Science fiction-comedy films, centered around a college student named Dexter Riley, portrayed by Kurt Russell.[1][2] The films, produced by The Walt Disney Company, taking place at the fictional Medfield College follow the science class lead by Professor Quigley, and their experiments, projects, and adventures. The college, under the direction of Dean Eugene Higgs (Joe Flynn) becomes involved in the nefarious plans of billionaire-turned-criminal, A.J. Arno (Cesar Romero).[3]
The film trilogy received mixed critical and audience reviews, while its television film remake was poorly received.[4] The original trilogy has acquired a cult classic status.[5] In 1999 the Dexter Riley trilogy, along with a number of other Disney film series, were expanded as a franchise into the Walt Disney Parks attraction with elements included from each movie.[6]
Films
Title | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | December 31, 1969 | Robert Butler | Joseph L. McEveety | Bill Anderson | |
Now You See Him, Now You Don't | July 12, 1972 | Joseph L. McEveety | Robert L. King | Ron Miller | |
The Strongest Man in the World | February 6, 1975 | Vincent McEveety | Joseph L. McEveety & Herman Groves | Bill Anderson |
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
At Medfield College, an nonintellectual named Dexter Riley becomes brilliant over night. Following an electrical accident, he gains the abilities to remember any knowledge learned instantly and perfectly; all because a donated computer memory was transferred to his brain. After Riley gains fame and attention via television appearances, the dean of a competing university decides to go after him and ruin his reputation. At the same time A.J. Arno, a secretly technologically-based crime boss, with an upstanding public persona pursues the student and his school, as the computer he had donated - that is now integrated into Riley's DNA - holds the records of his nefarious acts.[7][2]
Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)
Dexter Riley is a student at Medfield College, studying science, who inadvertently invents a liquid capable of rendering objects and people invisible. As Dexter and his friends Debbie and Richard begin exploring their recent discovery, the product gains the unwanted attention of corrupt businessman, A.J. Arno. Recently released from prison, Arno seeks gain the formula and use it for criminal means, before the students can even announce their discovery. Arno and his henchman plan to use the invisibility spray to rob a bank.[8][2]
The Strongest Man in the World (1975)
Dexter Riley, who is studying science at the Medfield College, decides upon an unprecedented experiment for his college chemistry project: creating a formula that will make humans stronger. After lengthy laboratory trials prove unsuccessful, a lab mishap results in the combination of his formula and a vitamin-rich breakfast cereal. Upon eating the cereal, he and his classmates discover that the intake briefly provides superhuman levels of strength and endurance. The greedy college dean attempts to take advantage of the discovery, marketing the product to a corporate cereal company; all the while, each of the parties involved don't realize that Riley's formula is the actual source for the enhanced power and strength. Things turn serious when competing cereal companies hire thugs, including A.J. Arno, to eliminate the new miracle product.[9][10][2]
Television
Title | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriters | Story by | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Disney's The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | February 18, 1995 | Peyton Reed | Joseph L. McEveety & Ryan Rowe | Joseph L. McEveety | Joseph B. Wallenstein |
During the late-'80s and early-'90s, a number of made-for-television remake films of classic Walt Disney Productions were produced and released as a part of The Magical World of Disney series. Among them, was The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.
After a laboratory accident, the contents of a computer's encyclopedia is transferred biochemically into the brain of Dexter Riley, a less-than-average college student. After his newly acquired genius he appears on a trivia show, competing between various universities. After acing the show's quiz, and acquiring all the points, another university finds out about how he attained his skills and does everything to discredit Dexter.[11]
Related films
The Dexter Riley film series, takes place at the Medfield College. The college is used as a primary location, in two other Disney film franchises. The college appears in both The Shaggy Dog film series, and the Flubber film series. Collectively, the three separate film series take place within the same fictional universe.[12][13]
Film | U.S. release date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flubber film series | |||||
The Absent-Minded Professor | March 16, 1961 | Robert Stevenson | Bill Walsh | ||
Son of Flubber | January 16, 1963 | Bill Walsh & Don DaGradi | Walt Disney and Bill Walsh | ||
Flubber | November 26, 1997 | Les Mayfield | John Hughes | John Hughes and Ricardo Mestres | |
The Shaggy Dog film series | |||||
The Shaggy Dog | March 19, 1959 | Charles Barton | Lillie Hayward & Bill Walsh | Walt Disney and Bill Walsh | |
The Shaggy D.A. | December 17, 1976 | Robert Stevenson | Don Tait | Bill Anderson | |
The Return of the Shaggy Dog | November 1, 1987 | Stuart Gillard | Paul Haggis & Diane Wilk | Harvey Marks | |
The Shaggy Dog | March 10, 2006 | Brian Robbins | Cormac Wibberley & Marianne Wibberley and Geoff Rodkey and Jack Amiel & Michael Begler |
David Hoberman and Tim Allen |
Principal cast and characters
Character | Films | Television | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | Now You See Him, Now You Don't | The Strongest Man in the World | Disney's The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | |
Dexter Riley | Kurt Russell | Kirk Cameron | ||
Dean Eugene "E.J. Gene" Higgins |
Joe Flynn | |||
A.J. Arno | Cesar Romero | |||
Professor Miles Quigley |
William Schallert | William Schallert | Jason Bernard | |
Richard Schuyler | Michael McGreevey | |||
Debbie Dawson | Joyce Menges | Ann Marshall | ||
Harriet Crumply | Eve Arden | |||
Kirkwood Krinkle | Phil Silvers | |||
Cookie | Richard Bakalyan | |||
Dean Al Valentine |
Larry Miller | |||
Dean Webster Carlson |
Dean Jones | |||
Norwood Gills | Matthew McCurley |
Additional crew and production details
Film | Crew/Detail | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composer | Cinematographer | Editor | Production companies |
Distributing companies |
Running time | ||
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | Robert F. Brunner | Frank V. Phillips | Cotton Warburton | Walt Disney Productions | Buena Vista Distribution Company | 1hr 31mins | |
Now You See Him, Now You Don't | 1hr 28mins | ||||||
The Strongest Man in the World | Andrew Jackson | 92 minutes | |||||
Disney's The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes |
Philip Giffin | Russ T. Alsobrook | Jeff Gourson | Walt Disney Television, ZM Productions |
American Broadcasting Company, Buena Vista Television |
87 minutes |
Reception
Box office and financial performance
Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Worldwide Total income |
Ref. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time North America |
All time worldwide | ||||
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | — | — | — | — | — | — | $5,500,000 | [14][15] |
Now You See Him, Now You Don't | — | — | — | — | — | — | $4,610,000 | [16] |
The Strongest Man in the World | — | — | — | — | — | — | $6,600,000 | [17] |
Totals | $16,710,000[a] |
Critical response
Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
---|---|---|
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | 50% (6 reviews)[18] | 54 (4 reviews)[19] |
Now You See Him, Now You Don't | 80% (5 reviews)[20] | — |
The Strongest Man in the World | —[21] | 63 (4 reviews)[22] |
Disney's The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes | —[23] | — |
Themepark attraction
In 1999, the theme of Journey into Imagination was changed and re-titled to include Figment. The ride features Dr. Nigel Channing, from Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!, who "hosts" an area known as the Imagination Institute. The story states that Channing's grandfather established the institute, while the area features references to Dean Higgins from Dexter Riley films, as well as Wayne Szalinski from the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids franchise, as well as Dr. Philip Brainard from Flubber. Walt Disney and Thomas Edison also make an appearance.[24][6]
Notes
- ^ These numbers is an approximate calculation of the total income, The Walt Disney Company made of movie rentals. Box office numbers, are not available from the company.
References
- ^ "Dexter Riley Franchise - List of movies, prequel and sequel for Dexter Riley Franchise - MyMovieRack". www.mymovierack.com.
- ^ a b c d "Kurt Russell was Disney's golden boy back in the '70s". The Grand Island Independent.
- ^ Arnold, Mark (October 27, 2013). "Frozen in Ice: The Story of Walt Disney Productions, 1966-1985". BearManor Media – via Google Books.
- ^ "The Strongest Man in the World - Movie Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. January 5, 2009.
- ^ "DIVING INTO DISNEY'S KURT RUSSELL DEXTER REILLY TRILOGY".
- ^ a b https://www.disneyworld.eu/attractions/epcot/journey-into-imagination-with-figment/
- ^ "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes". Variety. January 1, 1970.
- ^ "Now You See Him, Now You Don't". Variety. January 1, 1972.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (July 10, 1975). "Screen: 'Strongest Man':Disney Comedy Brews Superhuman Formula" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "The Strongest Man in the World – What's On Disney Plus".
- ^ McCarthy, John P. (February 13, 1995). "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes Abc, Sat. Feb. 18, 8 p.m."
- ^ Smith, Dave (July 3, 2012). Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered. Disney Electronic Content. ISBN 9781423178576 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. Live-Action Edition. The Absent-Minded Professor". The Avocado. April 23, 2019.
- ^ "Once Upon 1969: Kurt Russell and the decline of Disney's golden era". Vanyaland. July 23, 2019.
- ^ "Big Rental Films of 1970", Variety, 6 January 1971 p 11
- ^ "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, 7 January 1976 p 48
- ^ "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, 7 January 1976 p 44
- ^ "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes". Metacritic.
- ^ "Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "The Strongest Man in the World (1975)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "The Strongest Man in the World". Metacritic.
- ^ "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "Epcot by the Numbers". D23. October 31, 2017.