Winnie The Pooh - Pooh's Heffalump Movie (Animated) (DVD)

...under the covers to watch Winnie the Pooh's Heffalump movie on the Disney channel. I am a big fan of the original Pooh bear stories and characters and not overly impressed with the updated, Americanised version however, I thought my boy would love it.

After watching the film, I knew instantly I had to review it for ciao readers today. Here's why:-

Director: Frank Nissen
Screen Writers: Brian Hohfield and Evan ...
...to myself)

Winnie the Pooh - Jim Cummings
Pooh is s soft as the fluff he is stuffed with and although he is not the brightest of the animals in the forest, he is kind and the happiness of his friends is Pooh's main concern.

Pooh responsible for getting his friends and himself lost while they set out to capture the Heffalump by eating the trail of Jellybeans Piglet leaves leading back home.

Tigger ... more

Last night I cuddled up on the sofa with my wee boy tucked up next to me under the covers to watch Winnie the Pooh's Heffalump movie on the Disney channel. I am a big fan of the original Pooh bear stories and characters and not overly impressed with the updated, Americanised version however, I thought my boy would love it.

After watching the film, I knew instantly I had to review it for ciao readers today. Here's why:-

Director: Frank Nissen
Screen Writers: Brian Hohfield and Evan Spiliotopoulos
Genre: Children's animation
Release Date: 2005
Run time: 68mins
Age Suitability: 2-6
Awards: Nominated for Best Family Feature Film - Animation in 2006
Amazon Price: £11.99

***About the Director***
Frank Nissen has been working in animation since 1973 when he made his debut as director of Man: The Polluter. Earlier projects Nissen was involved with as animator story artist or director included A Cosmic Christmas, Anijam and Pippi Longstocking. More recently he has worked as story artist for the 2000 hit Dinosaur, scriptwriter for Treasure Planet which hit the cinemas in 200 and Pooh's Heffalump movie released in 2005. He is currently directing Cinderella III for a 2007 release.

***Plot Summary***
The animals of the Hundred Acre Wood are woken one morning to a strange trumpeting noise and in a panic run to Rabbits house. When Rabbit identifies the sound as the dreaded Heffalumps which live on the outskirts of Hundred Acre Wood, Tigger, Pooh and Piglet know to be suitably terrified. Rabbit describes the Heffalumps as terrifying, wild and vicious beasts to be feared and avoided at all times. Roo is too young to know about Heffalumps and instead of being scared, suggests they set out on an expedition to capture there very own heffalump.

The other animals agree it would be quite something to be the first animals to catch a heffalump and set about making a plan to do just that although they insist Roo is too small to join them. However, somehow along the way, Roo manages to capture and subsequently befriend a baby Heffalump called Lumpy and his outlook on capturing a Heffalump soon changes.

Roo and Lumpy have a lot in common. Like Roo, Lumpy struggles to be taken seriously because he is small and young and he is trying desperately to prove that he is big and strong.

In the end Roo jumps to the defence of his new friend when the others find and capture Lumpy in a cage made of branches. At first, Lumpy thinks his little friend has betrayed him but when Roo frees him and then makes the other animals leave him alone he realises he has found a true friend in this little hopping Roo.

It is then Lumpy's turn to rescue the small kangaroo as Roo falls over a cliff and into a pile of old trees and logs while trying to save his trunked pal.

***Characters***

Roo - Nikita Hopkins
Roo is the youngest of the Hundred Acre Forest animals and the newest member to the forest after moving there with his mum Kanga. Roo is fearless and is always on the look out for an adventure and nothing frustrates him more than when his size doesn't allow him to be involved in things, as is the case with the great Heffalump expedition.

Although it was originally Roo's idea, The Hundred Acre gang set off without Roo, telling him it is too dangerous. Not to be deterred Roo sets off on his own journey to prove he is big and strong and brave enough.

When Roo stumbles across Lumpy he throws a rope over his neck in triumph but he soon discovers Lumpy is a much better friend than captive and that the two of them have a lot in common.

Lumpy - Kyle Stanger
Lumpy, the supposed Vicious and dangerous heffalump is anything but. Like Roo, Lumpy just wants to have fun and enjoy life and to be taken seriously by the older heffalumps. He is a sweet and innocent character with a great buddly spirit and the most adorable giggle you could imagine.

Lumpy can't understand why Roo would be frightened of him although he has been warned by the other Heffalumps of the dangers that lurked in the Hundred Acre Forest just as Roo had.

As the film progresses Lumpy endears himself to Roo with his games and songs and high energy and they form a special bond. When Lumpy thinks he has been betrayed by Roo and is lying frightened and sad in the cage the other Forest animals had built for the purpose of capturing a Heffalump a small tear ran down his cheek and we see the lovable creature feeling lonely and frightened (I may be thirty but I was crying too - though not as much as when Roo freed him, or when Lumpy managed to blow his trunk for the first time, or when they were playing together with their friends at the end, or…..mmm maybe I should just keep that to myself)

Winnie the Pooh - Jim Cummings
Pooh is s soft as the fluff he is stuffed with and although he is not the brightest of the animals in the forest, he is kind and the happiness of his friends is Pooh's main concern.

Pooh responsible for getting his friends and himself lost while they set out to capture the Heffalump by eating the trail of Jellybeans Piglet leaves leading back home.

Tigger - Also Jim Cummings
Tigger is of course the bounciest of all animals in the forest with a boisterous and impulsive manner, a zest for life and a very springy tail indeed. His springiness often lands him in trouble as he tends to leap before looking. He is always happy and wants to share his happiness with all his friends.

In the film Tigger is the first one to agree with Roo that capturing a Heffalump sounds like an exciting adventure

Piglet - John Fielder
A soft-spoken and adorably skittish little friend, Piglet is a good friend to Pooh and the others. He has an endearing stutter which gets across his nervousness in almost any situation. Despite his fear of just about everything, Piglet puts his friends first and has a very big heart for such a wee fellow.

Piglet isn't convinced going on a Heffalump hunt is a wise idea and does everything he can to wriggle out of it.

Eeyore - Peter Cullen
Eeyore has always been my favourite character from Winnie the Pooh. Eeyore A donkey resigned to having a life of bad luck and gloom has very low expectations of just about everything and everyone. Occasionally, he allows a bit of gratitude and fleeting happiness creep in when his friends do something nice for him.

Rabbit - Ken Sansom
Rabbit is one of the smartest animals in the forest and sees himself very much as the leader of the group. He is bossy and often over reacts but deep down his friends know he has a good heart.

He leads the gang on the Heffalump expedition leaving no detail overlooked….or so he thinks

Kanga - Kath Soucie
Kanga is the kind and patient mum to Roo. I sometimes think Kanga is the true wise one of the Forest. She listens and understands a lot and in this film she (apart from Roo and Lumpy) is the only one to not think Heffalumps are the monsters they have been made out to be.

It is her insistence that the others listen to Roo when he is trying to explain that Lumpy isn't a dangerous creature but his friend. It is also Kanga who openly welcomes Lumpy and his mum to the Hundred Acre Forest.

Mama Heffalump - Brenda Blethyn
Mama Heffalump is the elephant version of Kanga. She is kind and caring and loves her child very much. When Lumpy calls her for help rescuing Roo, she doesn't ask questions or show any signs of scepticism about the animals around her or the situation she has found her baby in. Instead she sets to reassuring Roo with her kind voice and returning him to safety as soon as possibly.

***Soundtrack***
There are some great songs to be found in this film that make it more interactive for the kids watching. The soundtrack is quite simple making the songs easily recognisable to kids and easy for them to follow and join in. (I have In the Name of the Hundred Acre Wood running through my head as I write this!)

All music and lyrics were done by Carly Simon and in most they were also performed by her. Jim Cummings performed The Horribly Hazardous Heffalumps as Winnie the Pooh - My favourite, Nikita Hopkins and Kyle Stanger performed Name Game as Roo and Lumpy and Katie Soucie joined Carly Simon for Little Mr Roo, Other songs included are of course the Title song Winnie the Pooh, Shoulder to Shoulder and In the Name of the Hundred Acre Wood.

***Animation***
The animation was good in that the characters expressed real facial emotions and they moved in a nice flow. There was nothing particularly fancy about the animation or cinematography, but there doesn't need to be with a story like Winnie the Pooh. The attraction and appeal is in its simplicity and in the endearing nature of each of the characters we are all familiar with.

***Overall opinion***
This was a wonderful, sweet and gentle film and I enjoyed every minute of it as did my son. It is extremely rare for my boy to sit still for 5 minutes let alone for an hour but he managed to stick it out for the majority of the film, only getting up to kiss lumpy on the screen when he was crying in his cage. He then had to come and kiss his mum for the same reason.

There is a great moral lesson for children in this film. It tells kids that it is ok to be different and each individual has special qualities that make them great. This is a great message to get out to our kids especially in a day and age when the world is filled with far too much hate and prejudice.

It is lovely to see a movie which doesn't over do it with flashiness in an attempt to hold kids interests but trust in the integrity of the story to win viewers over. I will be buying this one on DVD to have on hand.
 

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