Monkeybone

Lore & Background

The film follows Stuart 'Stu' Miley, a disillusioned cartoonist whose comic strip Monkeybone is becoming a media franchise. After a car accident, Stu falls into a coma and his spirit is taken to Down Town, a carnival-themed limbo. There he encounters his mischievous creation Monkeybone, who resents being a figment. They learn that people can leave Down Town with an Exit Pass from Death. Stu is invited to a pajama party by Hypnos, the God of Sleep, who tells him to steal an Exit Pass from his sister Death to awaken before his plug is pulled. Stu and Monkeybone steal a pass, but Monkeybone betrays him, taking over Stu's body as part of a plan with Hypnos to spread nightmares via a chemical called Oneirix.

Reader's Guide

Monkeybone is notable as a rare hybrid of live-action and stop-motion animation from director Henry Selick, known for The Nightmare Before Christmas. Despite its visual ambition, the film was a critical and commercial failure. Selick later expressed unhappiness with the final product and vowed never to make another live-action film. The film's cast includes Brendan Fraser, Bridget Fonda, and Whoopi Goldberg as Death. Its legacy is that of a cult curiosity, remembered more for its bizarre premise and visual style than its narrative or humor.

Did You Know?

• Henry Selick vowed never to make another live-action film after this.
• Brendan Fraser also portrays Monkeybone when he is in Stu's body.
• The film features a cameo by Stephen King as one of Hypnos' prisoners.