Saturday, July 23, 2022

Animation Celebration Saturday - The Tigger Movie

Disney, 2000
Voices of Jim Cummings, Nikita Hopkins, Ken Sansom, and John Fielder
Directed by Jun Falkenstein
Music and Lyrics by Richard and Robert Sherman

We depart the sun-drenched isles of Hawaii for a brief detour to the Hundred Acre Woods. By the late 90's, the Pooh franchise was mainly the realm of TV shows and direct-to-video adaptations. And indeed, this was originally supposed to go direct to DVD, until then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner heard the music and thought it deserved a theatrical release. Was he right, or should this be stranded in a snowstorm? Let's begin with Tigger protesting that the movie's about him, not Pooh, and find out...

The Story: Tigger is disappointed when none of his friends want to bounce with him. Trying to find someone to bounce with only ends with him dropping a boulder on Eeyore's house. He does no better attempting to get the boulder off and sends everyone into the lake or a tree. Rabbit angrily scolds him for being careless and reminds him that they aren't Tiggers.

That makes Tigger wonder where all the Tiggers are. Why doesn't he have a family, like Owl or Kanga and Roo? Roo wants him as a big brother, but he's too busy trying to find his relatives after Owl talks about his "family tree." To bolster his spirits, the others write him a letter...but it makes Tigger believe his relatives are coming to visit. His friends dress as his "family" and try to pass as Tiggers, until Tigger catches wise. Now they have to find Tigger out in the snow, before they lose their favorite bouncing buddy. 

The Animation: For the most part, this one sticks with the original visuals as they appeared in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh...and that's as it should be. This is one franchise that doesn't need fancy visuals. There are a few instances of CGI, such as the snowflakes and that big avalanche towards the end, that stick out like sore thumbs. (The snowflakes are particular offenders.)

The Song and Dance: Disney seemed determined to take the Pooh franchise in a somewhat darker direction in the late 90's and early 2000's. Along with the direct-to-video Pooh's Grand Adventure, this is the best of their more "mature" Pooh films from that time. Who knew Tigger could be this heartbreaking, especially when his search for his family proves fruitless midway through the film and after he finds out his friends lied about his family existing. Many people complained about Cummings replacing long-time Tigger voice artist Paul Winchell, but Cummings does just fine. Hopkins is nearly as good playing sweet little Roo, who worships Tigger and just wants a big brother. 

Favorite Number: We open, of course, with Cummings reprising Tigger's signature "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" as he requests a movie focusing on him. He admits that he longs to bounce with "Someone Like Me" after the others turn down his requests to bounce with him. Roo's the only taker, leading him to teach the little Joey the powerful "Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce" that sends them rocketing all over his living room. "Pooh's Lullabee" is a charming lullaby Pooh sings to put the bee to sleep, so he can gather honey. 

Tigger tells the others about great Tiggers through history "'Round My Family Tree" in a wild, surreal routine that has him oddly making several pop culture references. The others teach each other "How to Be a  Tigger" and behave like his real family when they're getting ready for the party. Kenny Loggins collaborated on (and performed) the heartfelt ballad "Your Heart Will Lead Me Home" over the end credits.

Trivia: Paul Winchell was supposed to play Tigger, but the studio thought his voice was too raspy. He was dropped and ended up retiring in 1999.

The Sherman Brothers' first Disney movie since Bedknobs and Broomsticks in 1971 and the first theatrical Pooh film since the short A Day for Eeyore in 1983. 

What I Don't Like: This actually feels a little too dark for the Pooh franchise at times. That avalanche near the end does give Tigger and Roo a reason to work together and be heroes, but it also seems out of place in the gentle world of the Hundred Acre Woods. Not to mention, there's some very emotional scenes for this franchise, with Roo upset that Tigger won't be his brother and Tigger spending half the movie utterly despairing over not having a family. You may want to offer a hand to your littlest ones to hold during these sequences. And frankly, the moral about your family being the ones you love, not just your actual family unit, is put across with all the subtlety of Tigger's Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce.

The Big Finale: One of the better Pooh films, particularly if you or your children are fans of Tigger and/or Roo.

Home Media: Easily found on disc and streaming; is on Disney Plus with a subscription.

No comments:

Post a Comment