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 1987 G / Animated Adventure Directed by: Starring: |
- Here's Alvin, Simon, and Theodore in their first feature film!
Summary Capsule
- It's singing rodents vs. singing rodents in dresses in a race around the world, but failure to read the fine print about "smuggling diamonds hidden inside dolls" may cause problems along the way...
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Drew's Rating: Five out of six anthropomorphic forest critters
Drew's Review: Some of our younger readers may not have experienced this phenomenon (yet), but I'm betting most of you in your 20's or older can relate — have you ever been randomly flipping through channels and suddenly come across a TV show or movie that you loved as a kid, but haven't thought about in probably a decade or more? And then you get caught up in it and decide to watch "just for a little while," and all the old memories just come flooding back?
What do I like about it? For one thing, the plot — I just love the sheer "screw you, logic, I do what I want!" inanity of it all. Like most 80's cartoons, TCA throws sense out the window early on and never looks back, all for the best in a movie like this.
In brief: the Chipmunks' adopted father Dave is off on a world tour for "business reasons" (suuuure, Dave… be honest, you just needed a break from those incessantly squeaking voices. Who can blame you?), and Alvin's upset about not being allowed to tag along. Drowning his sorrows at the local soda fountain with his bros and their h- um, female counterparts the Chipettes, Alvin's whining is overheard by chain-smoking, diamond-smuggling siblings Klaus and Claudia… because, after all, where ELSE do wealthy smugglers hang around discussing illegal, clandestine activities but the neighborhood malt shoppe? With the mysterious "Jamal" breathing down their necks (pssst — he's a cop!), Claudia conceives a fiendish plan — trick the 'munks and 'pettes into racing hot-air balloons around the world, allegedly to settle an idle wager but secretly to courier dolls filled with diamonds and cash. Alvin and Chipettes leader Brittany, recognizing a totally innocent, not-at-all-suspicious deal when they see one, naturally take the bait and drag their reluctant, wiser siblings along for the ride, and just like that, the race is on!
I think one of the things that ultimately makes TCA work for me is that it really does convey the impression of the Chipmunks and Chipettes visiting a bunch of different places, each with its own distinct feel. Having never ventured outside the continental U.S., I can't vouch for the accuracy of the depictions, but having the characters globe-hopping to so many different places keeps the action moving, with just enough time spent in each locale to give you a taste for it but not so long that you start to get bored. It's a really smart move, actually, helping to justify making an actual movie out of something that might otherwise have just been three episodes of the cartoon strung together. And the fact that everywhere they go, people are ready to immediately start dancing whenever they spontaneously break out into song is a nice touch. Their personalities, mind you, are mighty two-dimensional — Theodore's fat but loyal, Simon's smart and sarcastic, Alvin is whiny and egomaniacal; for the Chipettes, see "Exact same thing… but girls!" — but younger viewers won't mind, and neither will nostalgic older kids like myself who grew up on the 'munks and already know what they have to offer.
In the end, does it qualify as great cinema? Of course not, it's a freakin' Chipmunks movie, not Citizen Kane. But it's lighthearted, it's exciting, and youngsters will find it funny and enjoyable… if any still exist who remember the Chipmunks, anyway. Like I said earlier, the nonsensical elements at their best increase the entertainment factor, and at their worst at least don't take away from it. (For instance, I wondered why, after thinking Dave wanted the boys to come to Europe, Miss Miller didn't insist on taking them to the airport… then I remembered she's insane, and Dave just hates his kids enough to leave them with a senile old fruitcake. Then I felt better.)
The animation is smooth, the plot is ludicrous but fun, and while the musical numbers are pretty cheesy and dated, they somehow manage to be really cool too… maybe that's just the nostalgia talking, though. Either way, chalk this one up as an entertaining, harmless little flick to put on when you want to keep the kids occupied, or if you're a Gen Nexter who still can't get that damn Chipmunks theme song out of your head. (Doot, doot… doot doot doot doot!) Just call up the Witch Doctor and say you want to give it a rent; he'll tell you what to do. Ting tang walla walla bing bang indeed.
 Good plan… everyone lean on the skinny one and put chubby on the outside
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- Lamest. Tagline. EVER.
- Simon is one sarcastic li'l dude… for a nerd, he gets all the best lines. And I'm now disturbed to find myself relating to a fictional cartoon rodent.
- Who knew so many ancient, valuable Greek sculptures were just sitting outside with strobe lights and fog machines ready, waiting for rockin' youngsters to use in impromptu dance-offs? Keen!
- Speaking of that scene, you can totally cut the sexual tension with a knife. Chipmunks life lesson #6: Dating your exact duplicate of the opposite gender = HOT!
- Color-coordinated turtleneck sweaters? Timeless. Hot pink miniskirt, yellow bandana, and leg warmers? Sooooo 80's.
- In a pinch, snakes' tails can be used as microphones. And their heads make excellent grappling hooks!
- Yes, that's right, Alvin: be sure to offer those South American Indians some "wampum." Ignorant ass.
- Chipmunks life lesson #18: if your brother is overweight, don't let him eat. Ever.
- It really warms the heart when a guy who forced 3 singing woodland creatures to become juvenile rock stars is then able to rescue them from diamond smugglers… I mean, you'd hate to see them exploited or anything.
Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?
Nah.
Unnecessary Background
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The Chipmunks were created in 1958 by pianist/songwriter Ross Bagdasarian, who sped up recordings of his own voice to create ultra-squeaky vocals. Inventing three anthropomorphic chipmunks and naming them after executives of his record label, Bagdasarian — under his stage name "Dave Seville" — recorded "The Chipmunk Song" ("Christmas Don't Be Late") using the distinctive voices, which held #1 on the billboard charts for 4 weeks and earned two Grammy awards for engineering. The song spun off a cartoon starring the Chipmunks, The Alvin Show, which ran for 1 season. After Bagdasarian's death in 1972, his son Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. took over the voices with wife Janice Karman, eventually leading to a new cartoon in 1983, Alvin and the Chipmunks; it ran for 8 seasons. The show's third season introduced female counterparts the Chipettes, aka Brittany, Jeannette, and Eleanor, who were completely different from the Chipmunks in the sense of having no Y chromosomes.
Groovy Quotes
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Dave: Now let's see- shirts, pants, overcoats, socks… am I forgetting anything?
Alvin: ME!!!
Dave: Alvin, we've been over this a million times!
Alvin: Please, Dave, I need a little culture in my life! The Eiffel Tower, the Sistine Chapel… the Louvre in Rome!
Simon: The Louvre is in Paris, Alvin.
Alvin: You see?! I don't even know where the Louvre is!
Miss Miller: Now let's see… Alvin gets the raisin bread, Simon gets the English muffin… hmm. Theodore gets the banana bread, the orange slices, the cereal, the bowl of yogurt, the peanut butter sandwich, the pancakes with gooseberry jelly, the scrambled eggs with toast…
Simon: Alvin, land the balloon by the fountain.
*CRASH!*
Simon: Like I said, "in the tree."
Eleanor: Excuse me, sir, but ah, you wouldn't want to marry Brittany. She's... well, she's very difficult.
Jeannette: And she's not very tidy!
Eleanor: And her cooking is atrocious!
Jeannette: And she spends money like a drunken sailor!
Eleanor: And, and when she doesn't get her way-
Brittany: That's enough, you guys!
Simon: It's ancient writing that says, "Sacrifice the full moon on the Prince of Plenty"... that doesn't make any sense. Oh, heh heh, how silly of me! It's eyes before eats except after teeth; I got it reversed! It says "Sacrifice the Prince of Plenty on the full moon."
Alvin & Simon: Oh no!
Simon: They're going to sacrifice Theodore tonight!
Alvin: Over my dead body!
[Cut to all 3 Chipmunks tied to a stake]
Simon: You mean over OUR dead bodies!
Dave: ALVIIIIIIIN!!!
DVD Review
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I didn't realize it when I started the review, but it's actually hitting DVD in just a few weeks… special features unknown at this time, but I'll update when I find out. [The Sannie wrote in:] "Hi there! Just came across the DVD and thought I'd drop you a line. They brightened the colors and sound a bit, but sadly the only special feature the DVD boasts is a small montage of scene sketches from the movie. Groovy and fun for killing a few minutes, but could've done a lot more."
Soundtrack Review
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It'll really depend on how much tolerance you have for those shrill, just-inhaled-helium voices… but then again, if you can't stand the voices, you're never going to see this movie anyway. For the rest of you, some of the songs are actually quite catchy — remember, they ARE the boys of rock n' roll. And it's either a bit creepy or downright hilarious to hear prepubescent cartoon girls crooning about "Gettin' Lucky," and how "that's what it's really all about." Sing it, sisters!
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This review page was last updated on 5.12.06
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