If you grew up in the ’90s, chances are you have fond memories of Jumanji. Based on a children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, director Joe Johnston’s fantasy-adventure box office smash has won over countless fans since hitting theaters in 1995. Indeed, the franchise’s recent resurgence—in the form of 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and the forthcoming Jumanji: The Next Level —serves as an undeniable testament to Jumanji’s enduring appeal.
While the cast and crew behind these sequels have done the Jumanji brand proud, the original movie will always hold a special place in our hearts. We can’t help but be impressed by everything that went on behind the scenes to make Jumanji such an instant classic.
Tom Hanks Was The Original Choice To Play Alan Parrish
Jumanji may have been an unqualified commercial success, but the film’s critical reception was decidedly more mixed. That said, one aspect of the film that was universally appreciated by critics was Robin Williams’ turn as adult lead Alan Parrish. Indeed, it’s virtually impossible to picture anyone else in the role—unless you happen to be director Joe Johnston.
As we’ve reported before, Johnston and producers Scott Kroopf and William Teitler originally had another Hollywood icon in mind to play Alan: Tom Hanks. One of the most versatile actors of his generation, Hanks certainly has the chops necessary to juggle the dramatic and comedic aspects of Alan’s character, but we’re nevertheless glad the role ultimately went to Williams.
The Screenplay Went Through Substantial Rewrites
As anyone who’s even vaguely familiar with the movie-making business will tell you, it’s standard practice for a screenplay to undergo multiple rewrites before the cameras roll. Jumanji was no exception: the script was heavily revised prior to shooting, in large part because Robin Williams passed on the first version he read.
For those keeping score, Jumanji’s first treatment–which incidentally was strong enough to get the project greenlit by TriStar Pictures – was penned by the book’s author, Chris Van Allsburg. This treatment was then fleshed out into a full screenplay by Jonathan Hensleigh, Greg Taylor, and Jim Strain, who jettisoned the more surrealist elements Van Allsburg had retained from his book in favor of a more mainstream story that met with Williams’ approval.
ILM Developed Custom Software To Create Realistic CG Animals
The computer-generated imagery in Jumanji hasn’t aged particularly gracefully in the 24 years following its release—but back in 1995, it was groundbreaking stuff. That’s not hyperbole, either: the visual effects artists at Industrial Light & Magic didn’t just raise the bar in terms of creating realistic CG animals, they invented brand new tools to do so.
Arguably the most impressive innovation devised by the legendary effects house was iSculpt, a tool which enabled animators to develop entire libraries of convincing facial expressions for each animal. ILM also utilized proprietary software when it came time to render the fur on Jumanji’s artificial wildlife, with the pixel-perfect monkey and lion hair in the film setting a new standard for photorealistic CGI.
Bradley Pierce Spent Nearly Four Hours In The Make-Up Chair
Halfway through Jumanji, Bradley Pierce’s Peter is transformed into a human-monkey hybrid, courtesy of the titular boardgame’s supernatural powers. Although the film pushed contemporary CGI to its limits to accomplish many of its outlandish visuals, back in 1995, the only way to create this “monkey boy” effect was via prosthetics.
This was bad news for Pierce, as it meant spending 3.5 uncomfortable hours in the make-up chair every morning for nearly 70 days. Most adults would struggle with such a grueling start to their day, but for 12-year-old Pierce, it was an especially trying ordeal. On the plus side, Robin Williams kept him company early on, offering the child star tips on how to cope, which he’d picked up during his similar experiences filming Mrs. Doubtfire.
Robin Williams Dialed Back The Improvisation
Robin Williams was renowned for being a master of improvisational comedy. Not only did it make him a popular guest on the late-night talk show circuit, but it also added extra spice to many of his big screen performances. But for Jumanji, it became clear to director Joe Johnston early on that Williams’ penchant for going off-script would need to be reined in if the movie was going to work.
Fortunately, Williams agreed. For each of his scenes, the star would do several takes that followed the screenplay word-for-word, to ensure that all the necessary plot points were covered off. Once those takes were safely in the can, he would film an additional take, this time incorporating some restrained ad-libbing, which Johnson was free to either use or discard.
Samuel Parrish And Van Pelt Are Played By The Same Actor
It’s an oft-overlooked casting detail that has launched more than a few fan theories: Jonathan Hyde plays both Alan Parrish’s stern father Samuel and Jumanji’s resident big game hunter Van Pelt. It’s easy to miss on first viewing, as the flamboyant mustache, wig and costume Van Pelt sports are more than enough to distance him from Samuel Parrish’s more staid aesthetic.
But once you do realize that the same actor plays both parts, it really does add a new (and totally unexpected) layer of subtext to Jumanji. For what it’s worth, we think most of the theories floating around online overcomplicate matters, but this one makes sense: The Samuel/Van Pelt connection is a subtle way of reinforcing Alan’s emotional journey of learning to face his fears and accept responsibility for his actions.
Robin Williams Gave The Cast Autographed Gifts
It’s common for filmmakers to celebrate the completion of principal photography with presents for their colleagues. For example, when shooting on Jumanji wrapped, Robin Williams handed each of his fellow cast members hardbound copies of the shooting script. What’s more, each of these tomes was autographed by the Hollywood A-lister, adding to their value considerably.
But we highly doubt any of the recipients will ever sell their gifts. Why? Because Williams’ signature was accompanied by a handwritten, personalized message, which elevates these hardcovers from thoughtful gesture to priceless keepsake status —especially following the actor’s untimely demise in 2014.
Kirsten Dunst Blew Her Castmates Away
Despite only being 12 when the cameras rolled on Jumanji, Kirsten Dunst already had several high-profile film credits under her belt. Among the more memorable roles at this point in Dunst’s burgeoning career were Claudia in Interview with the Vampire, Campbell McCoy in Bonfire of the Vanities and the young Amy March in Little Women.
As a result, Dunst possessed a degree of professionalism uncommon for someone her age. Bradley Pierce even recalls how his co-star (who’s only six months older than him) mentored him on set! It wasn’t just Pierce who was impressed, either—veteran thespians like Bebe Neuwirth were likewise in awe of Dunst’s skills and on-set poise, as well.
The Final Scene Was Shot First
Big budget outings like Jumanji are rarely filmed in sequential order. Instead, scenes are shot in the order that makes the most sense from a logistical standpoint, based on factors such as actor availability, weather considerations and so on. As we’ve observed before, in the case of Jumanji, this translated to the film’s final scene being shot first.
This decision by director Joe Johnston and his team was motivated by purely practical considerations. Since the sets constructed to represent the Parrish mansion were going to be put through the wringer during the movie’s many chaotic set pieces—think rhinoceros stampedes and in-door flooding—all footage featuring the house looking its best needed to be captured early on.
Scarlett Johansson Auditioned To Play Judy
Already a rising star when she landed the role of Judy Shepherd in Jumanji, Kirsten Dunst’s career would nevertheless receive a welcome boost when the movie proved to be a box office hit. Interestingly, Jumanji could have helped to launch the career of another famous actress—Scarlett Johansson!
Then a relative unknown, Johansson auditioned to play Judy, but obviously failed to outshine Dunst. To be honest, upon viewing her audition tape, it’s kinda easy to see why – still just a kid, Johansson wasn’t the seasoned pro she is today.
