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Space Jam is a 1996 family film starring Michael Jordan and Wayne Knight, as well as the cast of the Looney Tunes. The movie also marks the debut of Lola Bunny. It was produced by Ivan Reitman, and directed by Joe Pytka (live-action), Tony Cervone, and Bruce W. Smith (animation).

A fictional account of Jordan's retirement from the NBA, the film was released theatrically by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment on November 15, 1996. There was also a licensed pinball game by Sega based on the film and a video game by Acclaim Entertainment. It plays out as an alternate story of Jordan's initial return to basketball, this time with him being inspired by Bugs Bunny and others. Although the film received generally negative reviews, it was a box office success, opening at #1 in the US, and grossing over $230 million worldwide.

Plot[link]

At the same time that NBA superstar Michael Jordan is retiring from basketball to pursue a career in baseball, Mister Swackhammer, proprietor of the extraterrestrial theme park "Moron Mountain", is seeking new attractions for his failing park. He sends the "Nerdlucks" to capture the Looney Tunes, who live deep below ground.

Bargaining for their freedom, the Looney Tunes challenge the Nerdlucks to a basketball game, since the thugs are all very short. Preparing to cheat in the game, the Nerdlucks return to Earth and steal the basketball talents of Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, Charles Barkley, Muggsy Bogues and Shawn Bradley. The Nerdlucks use their stolen talent to become the "Monstars" (or "Mean Team"), gigantic creatures that the Looney Tunes are unable to defeat. To help them win, the characters recruit Jordan, who reluctantly agrees after the Monstars squash him into the shape of a basketball and bounce him around like one.

In the beginning of the game between the TuneSquad and the Monstars rough up the Looney Tunes pretty badly until only Jordan, Bugs, Lola and Daffy are left standing, leaving them short one player. Bill Murray suddenly shows up and joins their team, averting forfeiture.

At the game's climax, the TuneSquad are down by one, and it is up to Jordan to score the winning point. Extending his arm with the power of toon physics, Jordan makes the basket and wins the game. He convinces the Monstars that they're bigger than Mister Swackhammer, whom the Monstars send to the moon. Jordan also has them return the stolen basketball talent, reverting them back to the tiny Nerdlucks, so they decide to stay with the Looney Tunes instead of returning to Moron Mountain. Afterwards, Jordan is returned back to Earth, where he gives the stolen talent back to their other NBA players. He is later prompted by his rivals to return to the NBA, mirroring his real-life comeback.

In the post credits, Bugs Bunny appears pops up in the classic bullseye saying "That's all folks", only to be interrupted by Porky Pig, who in turn is interrupted by Daffy, who gets thrown out by the Nerdlucks, leaving them to complete the line. Michael Jordan then lifts the page to ask if he can go home now.

Cast[link]

Live-action actors[link]

• Michael Jordan as a fictional version of himself, a professional basketball player who retires from the NBA to pursue a career in baseball, which is what his father wanted him to do.
• Bill Murray as himself, one of Michael Jordan's friends and a self-proclaimed friend of the producer of the film, which allows him to join the Looney Tunes when they are short one player. Following his play with the Toon Squad, Murray believes he has what it takes to play in the NBA. ^[1]
• Wayne Knight as Stan Podolak, a publicist who makes sure nobody bothers Michael Jordan.

Larry Bird as himself, one of Michael Jordan's golfing partners. Crushes Bill Murray's dream of playing in the NBA.

• Thom Barry as James Jordan, Michael Jordan's father.
• Theresa Randle as Juanita Jordan, Michael Jordan's supportive wife. The character is based on Jordan's real life ex-wife.^{[citation needed]}
• Manner Washington as Jeffrey Jordan, Michael Jordan's oldest son.
• Eric Gordon (not the current NBA player) as Marcus Jordan, Michael Jordan's youngest son.
• Penny Bae Bridges as Jasmine Jordan, Michael Jordan's daughter.

Voice cast[link]

• Billy West provides the voices of:
  • Bugs Bunny, a rabbit who acts as the de facto leader of the Looney Tunes and plays on their basketball team.
  • Elmer Fudd, a big-game hunter who seeks Bugs Bunny's demise. He plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
• Dee Bradley Baker provides the voices of:
  • Daffy Duck, a greedy glory-hound duck and best friend of Bugs Bunny who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
  • The Tasmanian Devil, a ravenous and crazed marsupial who plays on the Looney Tunes' team.
  • Toro, a bull that attacks the Monstar Pound during the game after Daffy painted his shorts red.
• Danny DeVito provides the voice of Mister Swackhammer, the proprietor of the theme park "Moron Mountain", for which he seeks new attractions. He later acts as the coach of the Monstars.
• Bob Bergen provides the voices of:
  • Hubie and Bertie, a pair of mice who act as the commentators of the game.
  • Marvin the Martian, an extraterrestrial who acts as the game's referee.
  • Porky Pig, a stuttering pig who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
  • Tweety, a small Yellow Canary who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
• Bill Farmer provides the voices of:
  • Sylvester, a tuxedo cat who seeks to devour Tweety. He plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
  • Yosemite Sam, a short-tempered and extremely grouchy Western outlaw who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
  • Foghorn Leghorn, a large Kentucky-accented rooster who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
• June Foray provides the voice of:
  • Granny, an elderly woman who acts as the cheerleader for the Looney Tunes' team.
  • Witch Hazel, a witch who also acts as the cheerleader for the Looney Tunes' team.
• Kath Soucie provides the voice of Lola Bunny, a female rabbit who plays for the Looney Tunes' team. Lola is also the newest character. She is Bugs Bunny's love interest and later becomes his girlfriend.
• Maurice LaMarche provides the voice of Pepé Le Pew, a French-accented skunk who plays for the Looney Tunes' team.
• Frank Welker provides the voice for Charles, Michael's pet bulldog who menaces both Bugs and Daffy when they were in Michael's house.

The voices of the Nerdlucks are provided by Jocelyn Blue (Pound), Charity James (Blanko), June Melby (Bang), Catherine Reitman (Bupkus) and Colleen Wainwright (Nawt); the voices of the Monstars are provided by Darnell Suttles (Pound), Steve Kehela (Blanko), Joey Camen (Bang), Dorian Harewood (Bupkus) and T. K. Carter (Nawt). Dan Castellaneta and Patricia Heaton also make cameo appearances as a couple that the Nerdlucks (in disguise) sit next to at a basketball game.

Reception[link]

Critical response[link]

Space Jam received generally negative reviews from film critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 35% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 49 reviews.^[2] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave Space Jam a "thumbs up," which Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune also gave the film, although his zeal was more subdued. Todd McCarthy of Variety praised the film for its humor. He also praised the Looney Tunes' antics and Jordan's acting.^[3] Although Janet Maslin of The New York Times criticized the film's animation, she later went on to say that the film is a "fond tribute to [the Looney Tunes characters'] past."^[1]

The soundtrack sold enough albums to be certified as 6x Platinum.^[4] It also served as a high point for musical artist R. Kelly, whose song "I Believe I Can Fly" became a hit after it was featured on the film's soundtrack. Other tracks included a cover of "Fly Like an Eagle" (by Seal), "Hit 'Em High (The Monstars' Anthem)" (by B-Real, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, LL Cool J, and Method Man), "Basketball Jones" (by Chris Rock & Barry White), and "For You I Will" (by Monica). The movie's theme song was performed by the Quad City DJ's.

Box office[link]

Despite the negative reviews, Space Jam was a box office success. At the end of its run, it grossed $90,418,342 in the United States and over $230,000,000 internationally.^[5]

Awards and nominations[link]

• 1997 and 1998 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards
  • Won: Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures (Diane Warren for the song "For You I Will")
  • Won: Top Box Office Films (James Newton Howard)

• 1997 Annie Awards
  • Won: Best Individual Achievement: Technical Achievement
  • Nomination: Best Animated Feature
  • Nomination: Best Individual Achievement: Directing in a Feature Production (Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone)
  • Nomination: Best Individual Achievement: Producing in a Feature Production (Ron Tippe)

• 1998 Grammy Awards
  • Won: Best Song Written Specifically for Motion Picture or for Television (R. Kelly) (For the Song I Believe I Can Fly)

• 1997 MTV Movie Awards
  • Nomination: Best Movie Song (R.Kelly) (For the Song I Believe I Can Fly)

• 1997 Satellite Awards
  • Nomination: Best Motion Picture- Animated or Mixed Media (Danial Goldberg, Joe Medjuck, Ivan Reitman)

• 1998 World Animation Celebration
  • Won: Best Use of Animation in a Motion Picture Trailer

• 1997 Young Artist Awards
  • Nomination: Best Family Feature- Animation or Special Effects

Soundtrack[link]

In other media[link]

There was also a licensed pinball game by Sega based on the film and a video game by Acclaim Entertainment.

The Monstars make a cameo in the Pinky and the Brain/Animaniacs episode "Star Warners" (a parody of Star Wars).

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Space Jam at the Internet Movie Database
• Space Jam at Rotten Tomatoes
• Space Jam at AllRovi
• Space Jam at Box Office Mojo