Baby Geniuses
Encyclopedia
Baby Geniuses is a 1999 family-oriented comedy film
directed by Bob Clark
, rated PG for "some rude behavior and dialogue". It stars Kathleen Turner
and Christopher Lloyd
.
Computer-generated imagery
effects were used to digitally superimpose moving lips over babies' mouths, an effect similarly used in Clutch Cargo
, but many critics pointed the effect out as being unnerving.
In 2004 it was followed by a sequel, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
, which had an even worse critical reaction than the original and also bombed at the box-office
. Both films currently reside in Internet Movie Database
's Bottom 100 list.
) and Dr. Heep (Christopher Lloyd
), use genius baby studies to fund their BabyCo theme park. At age two, the children are due to 'cross over', learn to talk, and forget their universal knowledge.
One mischievous toddler, Sylvester, labeled Sly, makes repeated attempts to escape the "Kinder" lab and one night, he actually succeeds. What Sly does not expect is to run into his twin, Whit, in a mall playground. Although Sly and Whit share a telepathic
bond, they have no idea of each other's existence. While the guards from the lab capture Whit, mistake him for Sly, and take him back to the Kinder lab, Sly is taken home by Whit's adopted mother, Robin (Kim Cattrall
), who is Dr. Kinder's niece. After Dr. Kinder discovers the mix-up, she decides to do a cross evaluation on the twins. However, when she comes to Dan Bobbin's Place, she realizes that Dan Bobbin can understand babies. After the attempts to retrieve Sly fail, Dr. Kinder decides to move the labs to Lichtenstein.
The babies at Bobbin's place hypnotize Lenny (Dom DeLuise
), the bus driver to drive to Kinder Labs. Once at the labs, Sly goes to the control room to set the robots from the theme park on the lab scientists. When the Bobbins return home, their natural daughter Carrie tells her father that the children are in the Kinder Labs. At the end of the fight Dr. Kinder captures Whit and takes him to the helicopter pad on the roof. Robin and Dan chase them to the roof, where Dr. Kinder reveals that she and Robin are not related, and that Robin was adopted at age two. Just then police helicopters come, ending the fight. Sly and Whit come together on the roof to cross over.
Dan and Robin adopt Sly. Dan is still curious of the secrets of life, but as the twins have crossed over they no longer know those secrets. Carrie, their sister, doesn't reveal anything (just gives her dad a sly smile) because adults aren't meant to know their secrets.
Rotten Tomatoes
reporting that only 2% of critics gave the film a positive review.. It was listed by leading American film critic Roger Ebert
as one of his most hated movies and ranked as his worst film of 1999, even though he gave the film a ranking of 1.5/4, which isn't the lowest rating he has available.
was made, titled Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, directed again by Bob Clark
. The sequel, like the original, is widely considered among the worst films of all time, and received worse reviews than the original.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Bob Clark
Bob Clark
Benjamin "Bob" Clark was an American actor, director, screenwriter and producer best known for directing and writing the script with Jean Shepherd to the 1983 Christmas film A Christmas Story...
, rated PG for "some rude behavior and dialogue". It stars Kathleen Turner
Kathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
and Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
.
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
effects were used to digitally superimpose moving lips over babies' mouths, an effect similarly used in Clutch Cargo
Clutch Cargo
Clutch Cargo is an animated television series produced by Cambria Productions and syndicated beginning on March 9, 1959. Notable for its very limited animation, yet imaginative stories, the series was a surprise hit at the time, and could be seen on 65 stations nationwide in 1960.- Plot :The...
, but many critics pointed the effect out as being unnerving.
In 2004 it was followed by a sequel, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2
SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 is a 2004 comedy film and the final to be directed by Bob Clark before his death. It is a sequel to the 1999 film Baby Geniuses and like its predecessor, it received universally negative reviews from film critics, earning "0%" positive rating on review website Rotten...
, which had an even worse critical reaction than the original and also bombed at the box-office
Box office bomb
The phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue regained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
. Both films currently reside in Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
's Bottom 100 list.
Plot
Two scientists, Dr. Elena Kinder (Kathleen TurnerKathleen Turner
Mary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
) and Dr. Heep (Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
), use genius baby studies to fund their BabyCo theme park. At age two, the children are due to 'cross over', learn to talk, and forget their universal knowledge.
One mischievous toddler, Sylvester, labeled Sly, makes repeated attempts to escape the "Kinder" lab and one night, he actually succeeds. What Sly does not expect is to run into his twin, Whit, in a mall playground. Although Sly and Whit share a telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
bond, they have no idea of each other's existence. While the guards from the lab capture Whit, mistake him for Sly, and take him back to the Kinder lab, Sly is taken home by Whit's adopted mother, Robin (Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall
Kim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
), who is Dr. Kinder's niece. After Dr. Kinder discovers the mix-up, she decides to do a cross evaluation on the twins. However, when she comes to Dan Bobbin's Place, she realizes that Dan Bobbin can understand babies. After the attempts to retrieve Sly fail, Dr. Kinder decides to move the labs to Lichtenstein.
The babies at Bobbin's place hypnotize Lenny (Dom DeLuise
Dom DeLuise
Dominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise...
), the bus driver to drive to Kinder Labs. Once at the labs, Sly goes to the control room to set the robots from the theme park on the lab scientists. When the Bobbins return home, their natural daughter Carrie tells her father that the children are in the Kinder Labs. At the end of the fight Dr. Kinder captures Whit and takes him to the helicopter pad on the roof. Robin and Dan chase them to the roof, where Dr. Kinder reveals that she and Robin are not related, and that Robin was adopted at age two. Just then police helicopters come, ending the fight. Sly and Whit come together on the roof to cross over.
Dan and Robin adopt Sly. Dan is still curious of the secrets of life, but as the twins have crossed over they no longer know those secrets. Carrie, their sister, doesn't reveal anything (just gives her dad a sly smile) because adults aren't meant to know their secrets.
Cast
- Kathleen TurnerKathleen TurnerMary Kathleen Turner is an American actress. She came to fame during the 1980s, after roles in the Hollywood films Body Heat, Peggy Sue Got Married, Romancing the Stone, The War of the Roses, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Prizzi's Honor...
as Dr. Elena Kinder - Peter MacNicolPeter MacNicolPeter MacNicol is an American actor. He may be best known in films for his roles of Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II, Stingo in Sophie's Choice, Thomas Renfield in Dracula: Dead and Loving It and David Langley in Bean...
as Dan - Kim CattrallKim CattrallKim Victoria Cattrall is an English actress. She is known for her role as Samantha Jones in the HBO comedy/romance series Sex and the City, and for her leading roles in the 1980s films Police Academy, Big Trouble in Little China, Mannequin, and Porky's...
as Robin - Christopher LloydChristopher LloydChristopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
as Dr. Heep - Dom DeLuiseDom DeLuiseDominick "Dom" DeLuise was an American actor, comedian, film director, television producer, chef, and author. He was the husband of actress Carol Arthur from 1965 until his death and the father of: actor, director, pianist, and writer Peter DeLuise; actor David DeLuise; and actor Michael DeLuise...
as Lenny - Ruby DeeRuby DeeRuby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
as Margo - Kyle HowardKyle HowardKyle Alan Howard is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Kyle Howard grew up in Loveland, Colorado. He has worked in both film and television...
as Dickie - Gabrielle and Megan Robbins as Carrie
- Leo, Gerry and Myles FitzgeraldLeo, Gerry and Myles FitzgeraldLeo, Gerry and Myles Fitzgerald are child actors best known for their joint roles as Sylvester and Whit in the 1999 film, Baby Geniuses. They also appeared in the sequel, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, in 2004....
as Sly/Whit
Reception
Baby Geniuses received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with review aggregatorReview aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services . This system stores the reviews and then uses them for purposes such as: creating a website for users to view the reviews, selling information to third parties about consumer tendencies and creating databases for...
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reporting that only 2% of critics gave the film a positive review.. It was listed by leading American film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
as one of his most hated movies and ranked as his worst film of 1999, even though he gave the film a ranking of 1.5/4, which isn't the lowest rating he has available.
Sequel
Due to the film's commercial success, a sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
was made, titled Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, directed again by Bob Clark
Bob Clark
Benjamin "Bob" Clark was an American actor, director, screenwriter and producer best known for directing and writing the script with Jean Shepherd to the 1983 Christmas film A Christmas Story...
. The sequel, like the original, is widely considered among the worst films of all time, and received worse reviews than the original.