Voices of Richard Dawson, Davy Jones, Dal McKennon, and Larry Storch
Directed by Hal Sutherland
Music and Lyrics by various
This is the first of two animated movies based on classic British literature Filmation did for Warner Bros in the early 70's. Animated versions of this classic Robert Lewis Stevenson pirate yarn had been done in Russia and Japan in 1971, but this is the first time an American animation company took a crack at the book. Is this adaptation sea-worthy, or should it walk the plank? Let's begin on land, with Billy Barnes arriving at the inn run by young Jim Hawkins (Jones) and his mother (Jane Webb), and find out...
The Story: Barnes is joined shortly after by a blind man named Pew, who gives him "The Black Spot" that is supposed to summon him. He dies instead. Jim finds a treasure map in his chest that leads to the buried treasure of long-gone pirate Captain Flint. Pew and his men first chase him, then chase Hiccup the mouse when he gets the map. Jim manages to get it from Hiccup and brings it to Dr. Livesey (Larry D. Mann) and Squire Trelawny. They arrange for a trip on the Hispanola with its Captain Smollett (Storch), bringing on board a crew and the cook Long John Silver (Dawson).
Hawkins takes over as cabin boy, and he and Silver strike up a friendship, which makes it much harder when Jim overhears Silver and the men planning to steal the map and take over the ship. Though Livesey and Trelawny manage to avert the mutiny, Hawkins ends up with them. Long John Silver is desperate to find Captain Flint's treasure...but he's also genuinely fond of Jim and won't hurt him. Jim eventually flees the pirates to warn Trewlawny and the others with the help of marooned former pirate Ben Gunn (McKinnon).
The Animation: Looks pretty much like any Filmation cartoon of the time. There are some nice backgrounds. The tropical islands in particular are very colorful and attractive, with their bright colors and towering palm trees. All of the characters look a little too cartoony, though, especially the Squire and Doctor.
The Song and Dance: Like with Oliver Twist a year later, I give them credit for sticking to the book relatively well. They also didn't try to insert too many silly sidekicks this time. The mouse is it, and other than ending up with the map briefly, he doesn't figure that heavily into the story. Silver's parrot is from the original book. They even get in some of the scarier aspects, like Jim being attacked by Israel Hands and Billy Bones' death in the opening. Dawson makes a perfect Silver, and Jones plays fairly well off him.
Favorite Number: We open with the traditional "15 Men on a Dead Man's Chest," sung by the pirates over the black and blue sketch artwork in the credits. Our first actual number is "Find the Boy," which Pew demands his men do after Jim gets the map. It becomes "Find the Mouse" after the map ends up in Hiccup's paws. After everyone boards the Hispanola, Smollett declares "I'm the Captain" and he gives the orders. Silver teaches Jim "Sailor Talk" in the kitchen in order to let him fit in with the rest of the crew. Ben Gunn rants "Backwards I Speak" as Jim tries to figure out what he's trying to explain about Silver and the treasure.
The rousing "Hi Ho! It's a Pirate's Life" is heard three times. The pirates sing it the first time right before they attempt mutiny. Silver and Jim reprise it in the final minutes as Jim sails away on the Hispanola and Silver rows off into the horizon. We hear them sing it again over the end credits.
Trivia: This ran in two parts as an NBC Special Treat in 1980.
What I Don't Like: This looks as cheap as it is. The animation isn't great, and the music is totally unmemorable. All of the good guys but Jim and Ben, including Trelawny and Livesey, are played as total idiots who are easily duped by Silver and anyone else. While the mouse doesn't do a lot, there's still a lot of slapstick that bogs the film down, especially in the first half before they get on the island.
The Big Finale: Same deal as Oliver Twist. Unless you're a huge fan of Jones, Dawson, or Filmation, there are far better adaptations of this story out there. (One of which we're going to look at next week.)
Home Media: DVD only from Warner Bros Home Entertainment.
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