The Super Mario Movie

A few trailers have been released for the second attempt at a Super Mario film, in close succession; the latest gives us a closer look at the animated Mushroom Kingdom that the Illumination studio has dreamt up. Film composer Brian Tyler (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Crazy Rich Asians) has been tasked with taking the myriad musical themes associated with the Mario franchise—some thirty-five years’ worth, or more—to coalesce into a fluid score.

Original Mario composer Koji Kondo’s themes are judiciously integrated throughout the trailer in such a way that long-time fans will readily recognize one theme or another, while remaining accessible and enjoyable for a general audience. For example, the trailer opens with a recall to the music from Super Mario Brothers 3 (1988) when Mario visit’s Toad’s house—just as we see various Toad characters on screen. After some transitional music, at 0:24 we hear a version of the over-world music from the original Super Mario Brothers in a slightly modified compound meter.

At 0:51 we perceive the beginning of the melody for the Bob-Omb Battlefield level from Super Mario 64 (1996)—this time, transposed playfully to a few different keys, just for a brief moment. After another brief original musical segment by Tyler, we’re treated to a rendition of another over-world theme, this time being the one for Super Mario World (1990). Notice how, throughout, these themes are over 25 years old. This is no doubt due to how enduring these themes have proven to be. It’s also a matter of appealing to older audiences, who will undoubtedly see the film either with their families—or out of pure nostalgia.

Incorporating these themes so consistently throughout the trailer is as much musical fan service as it is a way to keep the music fresh and moving along with the visual. In this case, the trailer mainly functions as a visual tour of sorts for the spectacle that is the Mushroom Kingdom, rather than a trailer based more firmly in plot or even necessarily dialogue. The walking Mario moreover clearly invites the gamer to accompany him on his journey, as we have countless times in play.

Perhaps this is a fitting extension for the fact that the base material is, of course, a series of video games. Additionally, this is the context for which we’re most familiar with Mario, it would make some sense for a movie trailer to bridge that experiential gap between video games and cinema. Moreover, Brian Tyler’s score functions similarly: by weaving in various Kondo themes between his own musical glue, these orchestral renditions of fan favourite tracks are made all the more satisfying by their cohesive inclusion in this new, cinematic context.

— Curtis Perry