The Pagemaster

The Pagemaster is a 1994 live-action/animated fantasy adventure film about a cowardly boy, who buries himself in accident statistics, who enters a library to escape a storm, only to be transformed into an animated illustration by the Pagemaster. He has to work through obstacles from classic books to return to real-life.
 * Directed by Joe Johnston (live-action) and Maurice Hunt (animation).

All the adventure your imagination can hold.

Richard Tyler

 * [repeated line in fear and doubt] This is not good. Definitely not good.
 * Dad, 8% of all household accidents involve ladders, another 3% involve trees. We're looking at another 30% probability here.
 * You guys are the only friends I've ever had.
 * Thanks, but I have already a family. I really should be getting home now.
 * I lost my library card. I can't check anybody out. We'll never get to the exit now.
 * I was nearly torn apart by a crazy doctor, made into a slave by a bunch of mangy pirates, and eaten- got that? -eaten by a fire-breathing dragon!
 * [renewed catchphrase in confidence] Good. That was definitely good.

Dialogue

 * [First lines during the opening scene]
 * Claire Tyler: [offscreen; in bed] Alan, every ten-year-old is afraid of something.
 * Alan Tyler: [offscreen; in bed] The kid's afraid of tuna-fish sandwiches.
 * Claire Tyler: Mercury levels in the tuna.
 * Alan Tyler: Whatever.
 * Claire Tyler: Alan, the world is a frightening place to him right now. I think we could be a little more supportive.
 * Alan Tyler: Supportive? I'm the most supportive father on earth, but I'm running out of supportive things to do. I signed him up for Little League, he drove everybody crazy with statistics about how you can develop tumors from being hit in the head with a ball. [offscreen] Did you know that shin splints can lead to blood clots in the legs? Claire, he brought in a medical journal. Nobody wanted to play after that. And now I'm building him a tree house, in a tree he refuses to climb.
 * [while Alan says the last sentence above, Claire turns on a light and he looks at the treehouse on a dark and stormy night]
 * Claire Tyler: You know he hates heights.
 * Alan Tyler: I don't know. I just want to be a good father.
 * Claire Tyler: But you are a good father.


 * Richard Tyler: Can't argue with statistics, Dad.
 * Alan Tyler: Statistics. Here's something you can do: go down to Gutman's Hardware Store, buy a pound of these.
 * Richard Tyler: But, Dad...
 * Alan Tyler: Son, you can't live your life based on statistics. You've gotta take some chances. Now come on, Buddy.
 * Alan Tyler: [with a five-dollar-bill] You can do this.
 * [Alan gives money to Richard. His mother Claire releases him and joins her father in unison]
 * Richard Tyler: [Leaving his parents behind] This is not good. Definately not good.


 * Mr. Dewey: Welcome to the library, young man. Don't tell me, you're here for a special book.
 * Richard Tyler: Uh, Mister...
 * Mr. Dewey: Stop, stop stop, let me guess. I have a talent for guessing what people need. You're in need of... [starts speaking magically] a fantasy. Brave knights, mythical faeries, ferocious dragons.
 * Richard Tyler: Look, all I want is...
 * Mr. Dewey: [grabbing him and speaking excitedly] Adventure! Of course, you're a boy who loves adventure, brimming with wicked demons, cutthroat pirates.
 * Richard Tyler: No, no. That's not it.
 * Mr. Dewey: Horror. [speaking scarily while creeping toward him] Ahh, horror. Evil demons, wretched monsters, haunted houses, graveya-a-rds. Yes, it's horror for you, boy. I'm sure of it. [back to normal voice] Your library card, please.
 * Richard Tyler: Uh, I don't have one.
 * Mr. Dewey: [makes a library card appear magically] You do now.


 * Fantasy: [to Richard, angrily] What are you doing, grabbing me like that and messing up my pantyhose? Hmph! Now I gotta straight out my Little Mermaid underwear.
 * Richard Tyler: [putting his glasses back on] Wh-who are you?
 * Fantasy: [gruff] I'm Fantasy! [starts over] Oh! Ahem. [sweet] I'm Fantasy.


 * Adventure: I heard that! And I would let you know, I'm a Classic!
 * Fantasy: Mm-hmm, a classic misprint.
 * Adventure: Why, you old sea serpent! I'll rip out your pages, and use them for-! [slips off] OH NO! [falls to the ground] MAN OVERBOARD!
 * Richard Tyler: [really freaking out] Do something!
 * Fantasy: Hmm... [Gives you a blast of wand, then Adventure falls and crashed down] Oops. Ha, ha, I forgot my wand doesn't always work outside of the fantasy section.
 * Richard Tyler: You mean you can't wish us to the exit?


 * Richard Tyler: Are we yet in the library?
 * Adventure: Aye, lad. The horror section.
 * Richard Tyler: It looks pretty eerie.
 * Adventure: That it does, mate. Just stick close to me and you've had nothing to worry about. [He doesn't sound too sure]
 * [With that said, Adventure pulls out his sword and cautiously leads the road into the fog-covered graveyard, past some headstones. Now Richard spots something floating in the heavens. It is the exit sign]
 * Richard Tyler: There it is! The exit!
 * [But as Richard gets closer, he sees an odd, spooky house blocking the path. The house stands at the edge of a steep cliff face. Waves can be heard smashing against jagged rocks below]
 * Adventure: Looks like the only road to reach the exit is through that far house.
 * [Richard swallows hard]
 * Richard Tyler: No wayI'm going in there.
 * Adventure: It's your only chance, boy. It's only a house.
 * Richard Tyler: Yes, but seventeen percent of all incidents are household related.
 * [Richard, Adventure and Fantasy slowly approach a mangled iron gate that stands in front of the house. A nameplate on the gate reads "Dr. Jekyll". But underneath it, someone has scratched in the name: "Mr. Hyde"]
 * [Richard cautiously pushes open the gate and walks up the front steps of the house. With a trembling hand, he pulls the doorbell rope]
 * [CLANG! CLANG!! CLANG!!!]
 * [Suddenly a shadowy, horribly disfigured book falls from above the bell tower and smashes onto the ground]
 * [Richard, Adventure and Fantasy jump backwards with a shriek]
 * [The strangely shaped book shrieks, as well. Terrified, it scrambles and climbs back up the rope]
 * Adventure: C'mon down, ya dog-eared scalawag!
 * Fantasy: Oh, put that fact away. You're frightening him. [With that said, she flies up after the little book] Come out, come out, wherever you are.
 * [The misshapen book peeks out from behind its hiding place in the bell tower above the door of the house. Across the book's cover is written the word "Horror"]
 * Horror: I know why you shrieked. It's because I'm horrible. I frightened you!
 * Fantasy: Do I look afraid?
 * Horror: You mean you're not afraid?
 * Fantasy: Of course not. C'mon down.
 * [Horror reaches out to take Fantasy's outstretched hand. Slipping, he misses and falls right past Fantasy and into Richard's arms below. AARRGGHH!! Richard thrusts Horror back toward Fantasy, but she doesn't take him]
 * Fantasy: You mustn't judge a book by its cover.
 * [That makes Horror feel so nice he grins his crooked grin]
 * Adventure: Alright. [He is tired of waiting] Teatime's over. Let's start navigating this house. [He takes a step closer to the haunted house]
 * [Suddenly, Horror jumps out of Richard's arms]
 * Horror: No! Don't go in there! It's eerie inside!
 * Adventure: Ha! I ain't a-feared of nothing!
 * Horror: I'm afraid.
 * Richard Tyler: Of what?
 * [Horror begins to list his fears one by one on his crooked, triple-jointed fingers]
 * Richard Tyler: I know how you feel.
 * Horror: Horror always has sad endings.
 * Fantasy: I come from a world of happy endings. Why don't you come with us?
 * Horror: Th-through the house? I don't know...
 * Fantasy: You can do it.
 * [Suddenly, Horror begins to feel a little braver. He straightens his hunched back as best he can and thrusts his chest out. Then he slowly walks up to the front door of the house and turns the doorknob. The door makes a creaky sound as Horror pushes it open. He and his newfound friends peer into the blackness and slowly step inside]
 * [The house is as old inside as it's out. Spiders and creepy crawlers scurry from view. Out of nowhere, a black raven swoops down over their heads as it flies away]
 * Crow: Nevermore!
 * Richard Tyler: He-hello? Is anybody home?
 * [Just then, every single window and door in the house closes shut. Richard and his friends scramble to get out of the house. As they attempt to open the front door, the doorknob comes off in their hands and falls to the floor]
 * [They are trapped]
 * [They watch the doorknob as it rolls apart from them. It comes to a sudden stop. A big, shadowy figure has blocked its path. The figure steps forward. In its hand is an oil lamp that casts a dim yellow light]
 * [As the figure walks toward them, Richard and his friends can see the face of a kind-looking, middle-aged gentleman in the light of the lamp]


 * Man: May I assist you in some way? [Suddenly, Richard and his friends aren't so frightened anymore]
 * Fantasy: Hello, Mr.--
 * Man: Doctor. Doctor Jekyll.
 * Richard: Well, sir, we did ring the bell.....
 * Horror: It's all my fault. I was trying to help them find their road to the other side of the house.
 * Dr. Jekyll: The other side? [Richard nods. Dr. Jekyll places his arm around Richard and leads him deeper into the house] My boy, I derive no pleasure in warning you that you are in extreme danger.
 * Richard: Danger?
 * Dr. Jekyll: Even as we speak, lurking in this room waiting to strike are forces of evil.
 * [By that time, Horror is afraid]
 * [Dr. Jekyll leads Richard past a broken mirror and beyond a musty staircase. Then they come upon a laboratory table filled with test tubes and flasks of bubbling potions]
 * Dr. Jekyll: Every man has possessed of both good and evil. But enough of that. Anyone care for a drink?
 * [With that said, Dr. Jekyll pours a test tube of bubbling potion into a wine glass. Then he gulps it down in a single swallow]
 * [A second later, Dr. Jekyll lets out a loud, anguished shriek. He clutches his throat in pain. He throws his glass on the floor and the remaining potion spills out. It is so powerful it burns a large hole right through the wooden planks of the floor. Dr. Jekyll stumbles and grabs Richard for support]
 * [Richard tries to break free, but Dr. Jekyll's grip is too strong. Now Dr. Jekyll's hands are beginning to change. They are growing bigger and hairier]
 * Fantasy: Dr. Jekyll? Dr. J?
 * [Dr. Jekyll lets go of Richard. Then he turns around. Fantasy gulps. Dr. Jekyll's face has also changed. His nice white teeth has become long, yellow fangs. His skin has turned gray. His eyes have turned a fiery red]
 * Mr. Hyde: My name...is Mr. Hyde!
 * [Suddenly, Mr. Hyde takes a swipe at them with his cane. Everyone is terrified. Horror jumps to the top of a hanging chandelier for safety. But his weight causes the chandelier to pull off the ceiling and smash toward Mr. Hyde. Mr. Hyde swipes at Horror, but topples backwards and plummets through the hole that has been burned in the floor, dragging the chandelier and Horror along with him]
 * Adventure: The stairs, mateys! The stairs! [It's their only chance to escape]
 * Horror: Help, Master! Don't leave me! That's no way to treat a library book. Sanctuary! Sanctuary! Sanctuary! [Horror is trapped in the chandelier pleading for help. The chandelier is being pulled deeper and deeper into the hole by a cackling Mr. Hyde, who is dangling at the end of his chain]
 * Fantasy: You have to help Him.
 * [But Richard is too afraid to move. Then Fantasy flies over to Horror and using her wand like a blowtorch, untangles him from the chandelier forcing them to head upstairs to the roof, as all around him are sounds of clanking chains, moanings and lamentings]]
 * Richard: What's going on?
 * Horror: Ghost Stories.


 * Horror: So, do I think I'm scaring it? He shouldn't swim right after eating you know, he'll get cramps.
 * Adventure: Where did he go?
 * Richard Tyler: Aah! [The whale's movement is seen]
 * Adventure: Row! Row for your lives!
 * Richard Tyler: AAH! [he sees Moby Dick]
 * Adventure: Abandon Ship-!
 * Richard Tyler, Horror, Fantasy, Adventure: [bites off the boat] Waa-hooooooh!
 * Richard Tyler: [screams] AAH-! [he falls down to the water and crashed] Me-me-me-me, me-me-me, me-me! [coughs in water] Guys! Where are you?!


 * Adventure: There goes me ticket out of here! Uh...
 * Crows Nest Pirate: LAND HOOOOO! LAND HOOOO!


 * Horror: [singing] Sixteen men on a dead man's stomach.
 * Fantasy: No, no! Chest! Chest!
 * Horror: Oh, uh, chest. Chest. Ah, hee, hee, hee, ha, ha, ha, ha! [singing] Yo, ho, ho! And a bottle of rum!
 * Richard Tyler: Aah! Aaaaaah...!
 * Tom Morgan: Evil spirits!
 * Horror: Hee, hee! [jumping off the tree with a vine] SANCTUARY! [knocks the pirates down, then landed on the ground] Huh!
 * Richard Tyler: Horror, you are alive!
 * Tom Morgan: [using the gun with Horror] Not for long! Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee!
 * Horror: Aaaaaaaaaaah!


 * Horror: Ahoy, matey! Aye, we're lusty, adventurous men.
 * Adventure: Go away. You don't know what you're talking about.
 * Horror: I...I know I'm not your favorite kind of book, but I could be just like you.
 * [Adventure stops at his tracks, and yells angrily at Horror]
 * Adventure: You'll never be Adventure! Ye ain't got the spine for it. And take that stupid thing off!
 * Horror: [taking a bandana off his head] Sorry.
 * Adventure: [muttering] Oh, he thinks he can be a pirate...
 * [Horror sighed with sadness, and walks away]


 * Richard Tyler: Where's Horror? Wasn't he with you?
 * Adventure: He was, but he...I mean, I sort of...uh..he, uh....
 * Fantasy: [angrily] Ohh, what did you say to him now?!
 * Adventure: Well, I-I...I just...uh, I'll go find him.
 * Fantasy: Yeah, you better go find him. And be quick about it!


 * [Adventure saves the unconscious Horror, who was tied to the ground by little people]
 * Adventure: He had a good heart, and he was braver than ye knew. I...I'd walk the plank if I thought it would bring ye back.
 * Horror: [wakes up] That's beautiful.


 * Richard Tyler: [on seeing the Pagemaster again] Hey! How did you get here!?
 * Fantasy: [through her teeth] Quit it! We're in the presence of the Pagemaster!
 * Richard Tyler: I know who he is. He's the one who did THIS [gesturing along his body] to me! Do you have any idea what I've been through?!
 * Pagemaster: Tell me.
 * Richard Tyler: I was nearly torn apart by a crazy doctor! I was made a slave by a bunch of mangy pirates. And eaten-got that, eaten-by a fire-breathing dragon!
 * Horror: He don't mean it, my Pagemaster. He don't mean it.
 * Richard Tyler: And not to mention being tossed, squashed, and scared practically to death!
 * Pagemaster: Yet you stand before me.
 * Richard Tyler: Well, yeah.
 * Pagemaster: Think, boy! What kind of an adventure would you have had if I brought you here with the turn of a page?
 * [hologram of Mr. Hyde appears, then morphs into Jekyll]
 * Dr. Jekyll: You prevailed over evil. [morphs into Captain Ahab]
 * Captain Ahab: Ah, you looked Moby Dick in the eye, boy. [morphs into Long John Silver]
 * Long John Silver: Ah, you had pirate stuff, me lad! And don't no one speak any different.
 * Pagemaster: If I hadn't brought you here from the start, you would never have found the courage to face your own fears. [hologram morphs into the Dragon] And in doing so, you triumph here... and always. [hologram shows a live-action Richard Tyler unconscious on the library's rotunda floor]
 * Richard Tyler: Hey, that's... That's me!
 * Pagemaster: That was you.


 * [At night, the Tyler's parent car arrives home]
 * Claire Tyler: [In car] I can't imagine where he could be. Maybe we should call the police.
 * Claire Tyler: [Gasps as the car parks in front of Richard's bicycle, lying down] Alan!
 * [the car stops]
 * Claire Tyler: [Gets out] He's home!
 * [Alan gets out]
 * Claire Tyler Alan.
 * Alan Tyler: [sees Richard in the treehouse] It's impossible.
 * [Alan goes up into the treehouse]
 * Alan Tyler: Rich?
 * Claire Tyler [Goes up into the treehouse and takes Richard's signature glasses] We probably should put him in his bed.
 * Alan Tyler: Let's let him sleep up here tonight.
 * [Claire goes down, as Alan uses the coat as a blanket for Richard]
 * Alan Tyler: [turning off a lantern] Love you, Richie.
 * [Alan goes down the treehouse. Alan & Claire goes inside the house]
 * Alan Tyler: Good night, son.

[Alan closes the door, leaves, and the living room light turn off]

Live-action

 * Macaulay Culkin as Richard Tyler
 * Christopher Lloyd as Mr. Dewey
 * Ed Begley, Jr. and Mel Harris as Alan and Claire Tyler

Voice cast

 * Christopher Lloyd as the Pagemaster
 * Patrick Stewart as Adventure
 * Whoopi Goldberg as Fantasy
 * Frank Welker as Horror
 * Leonard Nimoy as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
 * George Hearn as Captain Ahab
 * Jim Cummings as Long John Silver
 * Phil Hartman as Tom Morgan
 * Ed Gilbert as George Merry
 * B. J. Ward as The Queen of Hearts
 * Dorian Harewood, Richard Erdman, Fernando Escandon and Robert Picardo as Various pirates on the Hispaniola