Summary
While some children’s movies are even more popular because they adapt beloved books, other movies aren’t so clear about their source material. The 1990s produced plenty of beloved children’s movies, both live-action and animated, many of which are surprisingly based on novels. Whether the novels were published in the 1990s or decades earlier, adaptations aren’t always easy to spot.
Since kids are less swayed by the names of authors, many children’s movies don’t bother to include the name of the author or any mention of the books they are based on. Only the most famous children’s books tend to raise interest. Some beloved family classics from the 1990s, includingJumanjiandStuart Little,were based on best-selling books, although not everybody knows this.
10 Underrated Kids' Movies From The 1990s That You Forgot Existed
It’s easy for kids' movies from the 1990s to become distant memories, but there are some classic gems that deserve to be remembered and cherished.
It’s now been seven years since Dwayne Johnson took over theJumanjifranchise, and thenextJumanjimovieis currently in development. However, for fans of a certain generation,Jumanjiwill always be associated with Robin Williams. He gives a characteristically heartwarming and likable performance as Alan Parrish, a man who becomes trapped in the titular board game for decades.
Alan Parrish is one of many characters inJumanjiwho don’t appear in the 1981 picture book by Chris Van Allsburg.
Alan Parrish is one of many characters inJumanjiwho don’t appear in the 1981 picture book by Chris Van Allsburg. The book tells a simple story about two children playing a safari-themed board game and discovering that the animals from the game spring to life inside their house.Van Allsburg’s sequel toJumanji, Zathura,was adapted into a movie directed by Jon Favreau.
A musical adaptation ofMatildabecame a Netflix hit in 2022, bringing a new wave of love to the children’s novel. 1996’sMatildawas a box office bomb upon release, but it has since become a cult childhood favorite for 1990s kids. Thanks to Danny DeVito’s peculiar direction, some charming performances, and one unforgettable villain,Matildahas eventually gotten the respect it deserves.
Matildawas a box office bomb upon release, but it has since become a cult childhood favorite for 1990s kids.
Matildamakes some changes to Roald Dahl’s book, most notably by moving the story from its British setting to California. However, it captures the same dark and magical atmosphere of Dahl’s work.Matildawasn’t one of Roald Dahl’s most famous books in 1996. The movie has helped boost its popularity, but it still isn’t on the same level asCharlie and the Chocolate Factoryor evenFantastic Mr. Fox,both of which have also had great movie adaptations.
Just likeMatilda,1990’sThe Witchesis a cult classic children’s movie based on the work of British author Roald Dahl.The Witchesis one of thebest Roald Dahl adaptations, and it’s certainly the scariest. Although it never crosses the line of being too intense for children, the movie is filled with grotesque body horror and some very frightening ideas. This makes sense for one of Dahl’s creepiest books.
Although it never crosses the line of being too intense for children, the movie is filled with grotesque body horror and some very frightening ideas.
Jim Henson’s Creature Shop were enlisted to provide some of the chilling effects inThe Witches,and their work is particularly impressive when Anjelica Huston’s character reveals her true form as a hideous witch.Dahl’s major criticism of the movie is that it changed his endingto make the story more optimistic and sweet. It’s hard to say whether he would have preferred the 2020 adaptation starring Anne Hathaway, but critics did not.
7Dr. Dolittle (1998)
Based on the series of books by Hugh Lofting
Rex Harrison was the first actor to play Dr. Dolittle in a film adaptation of Hugh Lofting’s children’s stories back in 1967. While that version takes place back in the 19th century, in keeping with Lofting’s vision, the Eddie Murphy movie from 1998 gives the story a major update.The firstDr. Dolittlestory was published in 1920, so it was in need of some changes to connect with a young audience in the 1990s.
Hugh Lofting started writing about Dr. Dolittle, the physician who can talk to animals, in letters to his children sent from the trenches of World War I. When the real news was too horrific, he would speak to his children using the fantasy world of Dr. Dolittle and his exploits in the fictional English village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh. Eddie Murphy’s movie may take place over a hundred years later in a different country, butDr. Dolittleis just as charming, with a fun cast of animal friends.
6Father Christmas (1991)
Based on Father Christmas and Father Christmas Goes On Holiday by Raymond Briggs
Father Christmasis a delightful festive animation which has found its way into the hearts and homes of people all over the world every December. It’s particularly popular in Great Britain, since the author Raymond Briggs was from south London. His other famous Christmas story,The Snowman, was adapted into a cartoon in 1982. Just likeFather Christmas,it can still be seen on TV every year.
Father Christmastakes all the positives from Briggs' work, and it adds some beautiful festive music to make it even sweeter.
The brilliance of bothFather ChristmasandThe Snowmanis that they don’t try to change Briggs' artistic style at all.His sense of warmth is clear to see in every frame ofFather Christmas,a cartoon which combines two of his stories but never feels overstuffed.Father Christmastakes all the positives from Briggs' work, and it adds some beautiful festive music to make it even sweeter.
Mrs. Doubtfireis one ofRobin Williams' best movies, and it gives him a platform to do what he does best. As a man who impersonates a Scottish nanny so that he can spend more time with his children, Williams has the chance to balance fast-paced comedy with emotional drama.The premise ofMrs. Doubtfirehasn’t aged well, but it’s still a powerful story about a father’s love for his children.
Fine has written books for children of all ages, and even some for adults, butMadame Doubtfireis among her most famous novels.
Mrs. Doubtfireis based on Anne Fine’s bookMadame Doubtfire,also known asAlias Madame Doubtfirein the US. Fine has written books for children of all ages, and even some for adults, butMadame Doubtfireis among her most famous novels. The movie keeps a lot of the same story beats from the novel, but it changes the ending so that Daniel can continue portraying Mrs. Doubtfire in a children’s TV show. In the book, he spends time with his children when his ex-wife offers him a job as a gardener.
The Iron Giantis a heartwarming story about a boy who discovers and subsequently befriends a giant alien robot, despite the fact that the government is trying to capture the giant. Before he became a leading light at Pixar, Brad Bird directed the 2D animation with just as much of his sumptuous style.The Iron Giantis a gorgeous movie that can also pull at the heart string of older audiences.
The book has the robot travel to Australia to battle a dragon from outer space.
The Iron Giantis based onThe Iron Man,written by Ted Hughes in 1968. Hughes was most famous for his poetry and his tumultuous relationship with American poet Sylvia Plath.The Iron Giantdeviates a lot from Hughes' novel. The book has the robot travel to Australia to battle a dragon from outer space, while the movie focuses more on the robot’s relationship with Hogarth in America.
1996’s101 Dalmatiansis now remembered as one of the firstDisney live-action remakes. The Glenn Close movie does borrow some elements from the 1961 animated classic, but the story is taken from a Dodie Smith novel published in 1956. Close’s performance, and Emma Stone’sCruella,have ensured that the story remains relevant today, even if many people have forgotten that it is all inspired by Smith.
Dodie Smith’sThe Hundred and One Dalmatianswas a huge hit when it was first published, and Disney decided to stick closely to the story for both the animated and the live-action versions.
Dodie Smith’sThe Hundred and One Dalmatianswas a huge hit when it was first published, and Disney decided to stick closely to the story for both the animated and the live-action versions.The 1967 sequel,The Starlight Barking,has never had an adaptation.The Starlight Barkingis a far stranger story, as every dog on Earth is given magical powers for one night before an alien appears and asks them to accompany him back into space.
Babetells the heartwarming story of a piglet who learns to herd sheep. It was a huge success when it was first released, earning over $250 million at the box office and being nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The movie was praised for its remarkable special effects, which give the illusion that the animals on the farm can talk without appearing creepy.
Babewas a huge success when it was first released, earning over $250 million at the box office and being nominated for seven Academy Awards.
Babeis based on Dick King-Smith’s award-winning novel,The Sheep-Pig.The movie stays faithful to the template set out by the book, with only a few changes. The sequel,Babe: Pig in the City,is an original story, and it failed to match the success of the first movie. Although the sequel failed to recoup its budget at the box office, the originalBabeis still a brilliant adaptation of King-Smith’s work.
Stuart Littlewas inspired by E.B. White’s classic children’s novel of the same name from 1945, but it’s not a very faithful adaptation. The movie made some changes so that the story could take place in the 1990s, although most of the changes have nothing to do with the time period. One big difference is that Stuart is adopted into the Little family in the movie, while in the book he is a blood relative. The book never explains how a human couple can produce a talking mouse.
One big difference is that Stuart is adopted into the Little family in the movie, while in the book he is a blood relative.
Stuart Littletells the story of Stuart’s search for his parents, but the book is about his friendship with a songbird, and his adventures as he travels to reconnect with them.One of the book’s most unusual plot threads is the time that Stuart spends as a substitute teacher in a small town. The subsequentStuart Littlemovies borrowed a few other passages from the book, but Michael J. Fox’s mouse character doesn’t become a teacher.
