THUMBELINA (1994 FILM)

'''Thumbelina''' is a 1994 animated film directed by Don Bluth, and released by Warner Bros. The film features the voice talents of Jodi Benson, Will Ryan, Barbara Cook, Gino Conforti and Gilbert Gottfried. It is based on the original Thumbelina fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen.

Contents

Plot

Response

Voice cast

Musical numbers

Release

References

External links

Plot

The film features a number of changes from the fairytale for dramatic effect. Most prominently is that Thumbelina meets the Flower Prince (Cornelius) very early on in the movie, before she gets kidnapped by Mrs. Toad. This sets up the rest of the film as Thumbelina tries to find her way home ''and'' to Cornelius, and creates a subplot where Cornelius has to search for Thumbelina.
Character changes include that the Mayfly in the original fairytale has been changed to Berkeley Beetle and Mr. Fieldmouse has been changed to Mrs. Fieldmouse. Additionally, various characters that Thumbelina only encounters briefly in the fairytale have also been extended, such as the Swallow (in this film, named Jacquimo) who meets Thumbelina relatively early in the film and helps her search for Cornelius in the Vale of the Fairies, as well as the Toad (Grundel) who continues to hunt down Thumbelina after she initially escapes from him.

Response

The film was dishonored with a Razzie in the category of "Worst Original Song" for "Marry The Mole" sung by Carol Channing against "The Color of The Night" from the movie of the same name and "Under The Same Sun" from ''On Deadly Ground''.^[1]
It was also not very successful upon its initial release, making only $11,373,501 at the US box office. However, in the years since, the film has become a cult favorite among animation fans, which it currently has a "C" at Box Office Mojo.

Voice cast

★ Jodi Benson as Thumbelina

★ Gino Conforti as Jacquimo

★ Barbara Cook as Mother

★ Will Ryan as Hero

★ Gilbert Gottfried as Berkeley Beetle

★ June Foray as Queen Tabitha

★ Kenneth Mars as King Colbert

★ Gary Imhoff as Prince Cornelius

★ Joe Lynch as Grundel

★ Charo as Mrs. Toad

★ Carol Channing as Ms. Fieldmouse

★ John Hurt as Mr. Mole
Of note, three of these voice actors (Jodi Benson, Will Ryan, and Kenneth Mars) previously starred in another animated movie adapted from a story by Hans Christian Andersen (Disney's ''The Little Mermaid'', in 1989). Jodi Benson also played the leading female protagonist in both films.

Musical numbers

★ "Follow Your Heart" (Intro) - Jacquimo

★ "Thumbelina" - Thumbelina, Farm Animals

★ "Soon" - Thumbelina

★ "Let Me Be Your Wings" - Cornelius, Thumbelina

★ "On the Road" - Mrs. Toad, Thumbelina, Singers de Espana (Los Sapos Guapos)

★ "Follow Your Heart" - Jacquimo, Jitterbugs

★ "Yer Beautiful, Baby" - Berkeley Beetle, Beetle Chorus

★ "Soon (Reprise)" - Thumbelina's Mother

★ "Let Me Be Your Wings (Sun Reprise)" - Thumbelina

★ "Marry the Mole" - Ms. Fieldmouse

★ "Let Me Be Your Wings (Wedding Reprise)" - Cornelius

★ "Let Me Be Your Wings" (Reprise) - Thumbelina, Jacquimo, Cornelius

★ "Follow Your Heart" (Finale) - Chorus

★ "Let Me Be Your Wings" - Barry Manilow & Debra Byrd

Release

★ The film was released with an ''Animaniacs'' short called ''I'm Mad''.

★ Originally, the film was to be released by MGM, but was sent to Warner Bros. in late 1993. This can be found on the 1992 ''Rock-A-Doodle'' video release.

References

1. Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, [1], accessed November 18 2006

External links

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★ Tiny Angel - fansite

★ fanlisting