Alvin And The Chipmunks (DVD)

...missing his boys dearly. Unfortunately, Alvin and the chipmunks thought Dave did not care, as they were under the influence of the so-called wonderful Uncle Ian.

Ian worked the Chipmunks incredibly hard, and did manage to release a few successful tracks, providing the guys with a life of luxury for a short time, complete with the press and parties. Though, he made a decision to do a world tour for 6-12 moths, and started to work the ...
...stopping Dave!
Alvin:
Alvin was seen as the daring chipmunk, a bit of a rebel. He was granted 'lead' of the band, and had his initial sewn onto the front of his red jumper. It was he who decided something should have to be done to fix Dave's life, which the chipmunks had made a mess of, which shows his caring and sensitive side.
Simon:
He was named the clever one, smart and intellectual. It suited his personality, and ... more

Everybody has a favourite past time, don't they? What, with increased leisure time in this century, we have plenty of time to be recreational! My favourite past time is something that is enjoyed by many others too throughout the world every day; going to the cinema!

Normally, I would go into the cinema with a friend or two, but this time I was going to be doing something I had not done in five years; I was going, accompanied by my dad! We have spent very little time together lately, and it would do us the world of good to bond a bit more! And besides, it was his treat; I had no need to pay!

I was looking forward to the film all day, and when we finally hopped in the car and drove off, I was so excited! We finally reached our local Cineworld, and my eyes almost popped out when I noticed the size of the queue for tickets! I could only hope there would be some left for my desired film! Fortunately though, it went down quicker than I had expected, and we managed to get two tickets for the film, no bother! £11 for the both of us (£4.20 for me, £6.80 for my dad - that's quite expensive for an adult!).

We ventured round to our screen, and had to wait around for about fifteen minutes. I was beginning to get quite bored and agitated, I'm ever so impatient! Luckily though, when we were finally let in, the trailers only lasted about ten minutes, so it wasn't too long before the film started! I had entered the world of Alvin And The Chipmunks, the fun had only just begun!

Plot

The film begins with three undressed, ordinary-looking chipmunks working away in their tree, storing food for the winter. The factor that makes them seem special and wonderful, is the fact that they are singing! And the song choice here by our working rodents in Daniel Powter's, 'You've Had A Bad Day'. After a moment or two, this tree is chopped down and our furry friends plummet to the ground, and we are cast back to modern-day reality, where the wonders seem scarce.

Dave Seville is a man of music, who is trying his hardest to come up with a new hit song to present to Ian at Jett Records. Despite working so hard for his big break, he has little success in this industry.
His life changed completely though, when he arrived home after an unfortunate day, to find his house had been overtaken by three little talking chipmunks; Alvin, Simon and Theodore. Somewhat creeped out by the furry guys, he chucks them out of his home (I guess anybody sane would do that!), until he hears them singing with their mighty talent at the window, from outside in the pouring rain. He invites them back in, with the hope that he can use them for his music.

An agreement is made, and the three chipmunks are allowed to stay with Dave, on the understanding that there are a few ground rules, and they help Dave create his music, providing their sweet little voices for the vocals. Unfortunately for Dave, the guys find it slightly 'difficult' to stick to these rules, and despite providing Dave with some snazzy vocals, they create havoc in his general life, causing him to lose his job, and be humiliated in front of Ian after a sudden burst of stage fright, not to mention ruining a Dinner with 'ex-mate' Claire.

After a short while, Alvin, Simon and Theodore realise just how much stress they have caused Dave to suffer, and understand that it is down to them to do something about it! During the night, they take a trip to Ian's house, and show off their amazing talent. In an instant, Ian signs the chipmunks on to Jett Records, and claims Dave is now his 'number one song write'.

After hearing the chipmunks' marvellous hit track whilst shopping in the supermarket with the guys, Dave receives a phone call from Ian about the pitch. He is over the moon, to say the least, that he is now in the business! He could not have done it without the help of the chipmunks, and this is the point in the film when they really begin to bond, and the chipmunks adopt a new name from Dave, as he calls them 'his boys'.

What a success the chipmunks' first single, 'Christmas Don't Be Late' was, going straight to Number One in the Christmas Charts! Everything seemed to be looking perfect, Dave even knitted three jumpers for Alvin, Simon and Theodore. He took care of them as if they were his children, and his relationship with Claire was beginning to grow stronger too! When Christmas Day finally came, the three chipmunks had made some 'gifts' for Dave, and in return he gave them Premium Bonds. Normally, the three chipmunks would be reasonably grateful, until the point when 'Uncle Ian' came waltzing through the door with so many large gifts and Christmas goodies for the guys, that a Premium Bond just didn't cut it. This resulted in a feud between Dave and the chipmunks, and most certainly did not end on a happy note.

Alvin, Simon and Theodore went to live with manager and producer 'Uncle Ian' at his grand house of luxury, where they could play with all the toys in the world, eat what they pleased, and live the way stars were expected to. Things with Dave had not been left on a positive note, and deep down, neither he or the chipmunks were happy with this.

The magic of Ian's home soon died down when the three chipmunks started to feel incredibly homesick, and Dave was missing his boys dearly. Unfortunately, Alvin and the chipmunks thought Dave did not care, as they were under the influence of the so-called wonderful Uncle Ian.

Ian worked the Chipmunks incredibly hard, and did manage to release a few successful tracks, providing the guys with a life of luxury for a short time, complete with the press and parties. Though, he made a decision to do a world tour for 6-12 moths, and started to work the chipmunks so hard it was unreal. Their voices became strained, and they became exhausted.

Without a say in the matter, the three chipmunks were forced to go on with the opening night of the show in their home town. They thought Dave did not care enough to turn up, and it was not until that night that Dave became aware of the concert.
Ordered to lip sink, Alvin, Simon and Theodore took to the stage, meanwhile Dave managed to sneak in the back with the help of Claire, who was working for the press with her photography profession. Fighting their way through the night, it was up to Dave to rescue his boys from the evil clutches of Ian, and save them from their over-hectic life of fame, but just how easy is this task when bodyguards are surrounding the stars, and Ian has ordered that Dave is kept well away?

Character Profiles

Dave Seville:
Dave worked in marketing production before being fired, and depended entirely on his music, which took a successful turn with the help from the three chipmunks. He was reluctant to help the guys at first, but soon developed a close relationship with them, and loved them as if they were his own. He was heartbroken when they went away, and was prepared to do anything to get them back. There was no stopping Dave!
Alvin:
Alvin was seen as the daring chipmunk, a bit of a rebel. He was granted 'lead' of the band, and had his initial sewn onto the front of his red jumper. It was he who decided something should have to be done to fix Dave's life, which the chipmunks had made a mess of, which shows his caring and sensitive side.
Simon:
He was named the clever one, smart and intellectual. It suited his personality, and he seemed to know a little bit more than the other two chipmunks in general. When Dave provided him with his own pair of little glasses, it added to the character, making him appear more intelligent (stereotypical statement), when matched with his blue jumper.
Theodore:
Cute, adorable, and slightly on the chubby side, Theodore was seen as the more timid of the three guys, often having nightmares. His plump little body looked adorable in his little green jumper, and his little cheeks were often puffed out with food! He is definitely a cuddly little chap, and the smallest in height too.

Cast

Alvin And The Chipmunks has an amazing cast list, filled with brilliant actors and actresses. The main cast list includes;

Dave - Jason Lee
Alvin - Justin Long
Simon - Matthew Gray Gubler
Theodore - Jesse McCartney
Ian - David Cross
Claire - Cameron Richardson

Basic Facts

Director: Tim Hill
Writers: Jon Vitti, Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi
Genre: Comedy, Family
Length: 90 minutes
Company: Bagdasarian Productions
Released: 2007
Location: Los Angeles

Music

Of course, this film was all about the music created by three adorable little chipmunks! That would obviously result in there being a wide selection of songs heard throughout the film! Some titles include;

1. Bad Day - a song best known by Daniel Powter.
2. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) - a jingle type song released by the chipmunks, all about the gifts they hope for and the magical Christmas they dream of.
3. Witch Doctor - a song released a while ago, more commonly known this day in age by The Cartoons.

Of course, there were plenty other songs, but these were just the main ones that stick in the back of your mind! You will be singing them forever, that's a promise!

Merchandise

Since the release of the film, a selection of 'chipmunk' merchandise has hit the shops! There's all sorts out to choose from, adding to the great experience!

1) CD Soundtrack, complete with all the great hits from the film!
2) Console game for PC, Wii, DS, Playstation 2 & 3
3) Junior Novel Book
4) An Alvin teddy that came free with the newspaper one day (I wish I had got one, it looked so cute).

I'm sure there will be plenty more to come too, and when the DVD is released, I may purchase that! For the meantime though, I am looking into getting my hands on the soundtrack CD!

The Original Alvin And The Chipmunks

When I was a little girl, growing up in the 90s, I can distinctly remember sitting in front of the TV (perhaps a little too close), and wrapping myself into the world of the chipmunks cartoon. I am led to believe that the show actually started way back in the late fifties, and had adapted so much by the time it had reached my era. Though, the sweet high-pitched squeaky tone of the chipmunk voices still remained, and I can only assume it always will do!
I owned an Alvin And The Chipmunks video, so the episodes on that tape are the ones I remember the most! I sat and watched that tape over and over again, I could recite the episodes for you just now if I needed to, but I won't! The characteristics of the characters have not changed too much since the cartoon, though Dave is slightly different, and I think Simon is more sensible in the original cartoon!
Before I went in to the cinema, I thought that I would come out still preferring the cartoon, as I normally find it quite difficult to move on with the times! To my surprise though, I actually prefer the film! I'm growing up! I want my old video back though…*sniff*.

Three Hamsters

Just a little story here. When I was about eight, I was rewarded with a hamster for an excellent school report. Though, when I went to the pet shop, there were no Syrian hamsters left, and I was most disappointed. I soon cheered up though, when we purchased three gorgeous little roborovski hamsters, no bigger than a teaspoon! I was obsessed with Alvin And The Chipmunks at this point, so I decided my new pets would adopt their characteristics, and named them Alvin, Simon and Theodore! Though, despite being told all three were boys, Theodore soon had babies, which resulted in a name change, known as Theodora from then on!

Opinions

When I first heard this film was being released, I was ecstatic! If it was anything like the cartoon, it would be brilliant. If it was even better, perfect! I was not too keen on the fact that they were going modern and creating a proper film over a cartoon, but I decided to give it a chance all the same, I'd see how it would turn out!
I had plans to go in the weekend before Christmas, but for reasons out of my control, these plans were cancelled, and I was most disappointed as I thought I would not get to see the film I had been waiting for since early November! When I found out I was going to see it the night before, I could not contain my joy!

So was it as good as I expected? No. It was much, much better! As I have said, I find it hard to 'move with the times', I was not keen on the real-life approach they had. Fortunately though, it grew on me straight away! In fact, I think it would have been somewhat childish if it remained a cartoon!

The voices of the chipmunks had a big impact on my opinion. They were very sweet and squeaky, you could not help but giggle a little bit at some of the things they said, and it gave their songs a superb effect! I wonder who it was that decided upon this approach. I mean, it's not as if people can know for sure that is what a chipmunk would sound like, they cannot really talk!

The strength in each individual character was quite a magnificent thing. Dave Seville managed to carry the story well with his personal plot. He was a very typical LA citizen, trying to make it big in the entertainment business and failing everywhere in life - a very typical character, but with a certain edge I cannot put my finger on. As an actor, Jason Lee was a superb cast for this character, he suited the part perfectly!
Claire was a great character too, and Cameron was a great actress to take on her life story. I was sitting throughout the whole film, trying to work out where I have seen her from before. Still, I cannot work it out!

As for the three chipmunks, what can I say? Each had their own individual personality which suited them superbly! If I were asked to choose a favourite, I may find this a bit difficult! They were all great in their own special way, but when it comes down to it, I'd have to go for Theodore, simply because he is so cute and adorable!

I wonder how the chipmunk music would do in the real charts! I think, to be honest, they'd have one great hit, perhaps too, then flunk. One-hit wonders, in other words. I think it would be a fascinating approach to the music of the 21st century - virtual artists. Perhaps this is something we will see in the future…or maybe not!

There was quite a lot of fantastic quotes in the film, but there are two which I could call my favourites!
The first one was quite near the beginning, when Dave first comes across the chipmunks in his home, and is shocked that they can talk. He refuses to believe it, even after Alvin makes an obvious yet witty comment. "Well, our lips are moving, and words are coming out!" I was in hysterics!
The second quote is about halfway through, when Alvin and the chipmunks take that trip to Ian's house. They sneak in and start singing all of a sudden after popping out from behind a vase. When they finally finish their song, nothing is said, except for one sentence from Ian, which was so powerful in itself. "Welcome to Jett Records!"

When the film was over, I was most upset! Though, fortunately, I left feeling satisfied with its superb quality, magnificent music and overall exciteful buzz! Alvin And The Chipmunks is undoubtedly one of the best films I have seen this year!

*****
I am quite surprised that this is the first review on Alvin And The Chipmunks! Either that means nobody in the Ciao community has been to see it yet, or they have simply not had the time to write a review! If you are one of those who are yet to see it, then I recommend you do it as soon as possible! Not only is it a great film suitable for all ages, but a trip to the cinema is always fun, and can provide great family entertainment and bonding! 

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