Overview
See production notesPessimistic 10-year-old Richard Tyler lives life based on statistics and fears everything. His exasperated parents have tried multiple ways to build up his courage, with little success. One day, Richard is sent by his father to buy a bag of nails for building a treehouse. However, Richard gets caught in a harsh thunderstorm and takes shelter in a library. Despite Richard's protests, he meets Mr. Dewey, an eccentric librarian/caretaker who insists that he needs a special book and gives him a library card. Searching for a phone, Richard finds a large rotunda painted with many famous literary characters. He slips on water dripping from his coat and falls, knocking himself out. Richard awakens to find the rotunda art melting; it washes over him and the library, turning them into illustrations. He is met by the Pagemaster, the mythical Keeper of Books and Guardian of the Written Word. Richard asks for directions to the exit, so the Pagemaster sends him through the fiction section toward the green neon exit sign. Along the way, Richard befriends three anthropomorphic books: Adventure, a swashbuckling pirate-like book; Fantasy, a sassy but caring fairy-like book of fairytales; and Horror, a fearful "Hunchbook" with a misshapen spine. The three agree to help Richard if he checks them out with his new library card. Together, the quartet encounters classic fictional characters. They meet Dr. Jekyll who turns into Mr. Hyde, driving them to the open waters of the Land of Adventure. However, the group is separated after Moby-Dick attacks, following the whale's battle with Captain Ahab. Richard and Adventure are shipwrecked and picked up by the Hispaniola, captained by Long John Silver. The pirates go to Treasure Island, but find no treasure except for one gold coin, nearly causing a mutiny between Silver and his crew. Fantasy and Horror return and defeat the pirates. Silver attempts to convince Richard to leave with him but surrenders when Richard threatens him with a sword. In the fantasy section, Richard sees the exit sign atop a mountain. However, Adventure's bumbling awakens a dormant dragon. Richard tries to fight the dragon with a sword and shield, but the dragon swallows him. Richard finds books in the dragon's stomach and uses a beanstalk from "Jack and the Beanstalk" to escape the dragon's mouth. He and the books climb the beanstalk to reach the exit. They enter a large dark room where the Pagemaster awaits them. Richard accuses the Pagemaster of causing all the horrors he suffered (some of which could have cost him his life). Still, as Dr. Jekyll, Captain Ahab, Long John Silver, and the dragon reappear in a magical twister and congratulate Richard for prevailing against them, the Pagemaster reveals the journey was intended to make Richard face his fears. The Pagemaster swoops Richard and the books into the twister, returning them to the real world. Richard awakens, finding Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror lying next to him as real books. Mr. Dewey finds him, and though the library policy only allows a person to check out two books at a time, he lets him check out all three books "just this once." Richard returns home a braver boy, sleeping in his new treehouse with his books, much to the bewilderment and delight of his parents: After they leave, the silhouettes of Adventure, Fantasy and Horror are seen conversing next to the sleeping Richard.
Plot from The PagemasterCC BY-SA 4.0
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- United States
- Original language
- English
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Quotes
See all quotesClaire 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. [Claire turns on a light] And now I'm building him a tree house, in a tree he refuses to climb. [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 fathe
The Pagemaster, CC BY-SA 4.0
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. [with a five-dollar-bill] You can do this. [gives money to Richard] Richard Tyler: [leaving his parents behind; to himself] This is not good. Definitely not good.
The Pagemaster, CC BY-SA 4.0
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.
The Pagemaster, CC BY-SA 4.0
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.
The Pagemaster, CC BY-SA 4.0
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?
The Pagemaster, CC BY-SA 4.0
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. [doesn't sound too sure] Richard Tyler: There it is! The exit! Adventure: Looks like the only road to reach the exit is through that far house. Richard Tyler: [swallows hard] No way I'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. 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. 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. Fantasy: You mustn't judge a book by its cover. Adventure: Alright. [tire
The Pagemaster, CC BY-SA 4.0
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