Animation Celebration Double Feature - The Care Bears Movie & Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation

Along with being a fan of musicals, swashbucklers, and Star Wars, I love teddy bears. I've collected teddies in one form or another all my life, and real bears are among my favorite members of the animal kingdom. The original series debuted in 1982, just in time to be one of my earliest favorite cartoons. My sisters and I had the toys, we had the figures, and we watched both the Professor Coldheart and Family versions of the show. The first movie was a surprise hit, actually bigger at the box office in 1985 than Disney's offering that year, The Black Cauldron; the second was an equally surprising flop a year later. How do the loving bears and their not-so-sweet antagonists stack up today? Let's head to an orphanage to hear a familiar bedtime story and find out...

The Care Bears Movie
The Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1985
Voices of Mickey Rooney, Georgia Engel, Jackie Burroughs, and Sunny Besen Thrasher
Directed by Arna Selznick
Music and Lyrics by Carole King, John Sebastian, and others

The Story: Kindly Mr. Nicholas Cherrywood (Rooney) tells the story of how he met the Care Bears as a young teen to an audience of attentive orphans. He was once the apprentice to grouchy magician Mr. Fettuccini (Brian George) in his small-time magic act at a local amusement park. Lonely and tired of Fettuccini constantly putting him down, Nicholas finds a strange spell book possessed by a dark spirit (Burroughs). The spirit claims it can help him make friends, but it encourages him to put Fetuccini to sleep and sabotages Nicholas when he tries to take over his act. Care Bear leader Tenderheart Bear (Billie Mae Richards) witnesses it and tries to convince him to give up the book, but Nicholas thinks it's the only way to get revenge on those who ignored him.

Meanwhile, the other bears have been helping another pair of friendless kids. Kim (Cree Summer Francks) and Jason (Thrasher) were also friendless orphans, but unlike Nicholas, the Care Bears were able to find them and show them how much fun friendship can be. Thanks to their having been in Care-a-Lot, they were the only ones who didn't fall under Nicholas' spell. The spell turns anyone who touches it into a hateful monster, causing cloud-quakes in Care-a-Lot and damaging Grumpy Bear's (Bobby Dermer) new transportation machine. A glitch in the machine sends the Bears and kids to a new land, the Forest of Feelings, where they meet another band of animals who desire to help others. Even the power of the Bears and their new friends might not be enough to deal with the spirit's magic...but Kim and Jason may have the real answer.

The Animation: Even as a kid, I realized that the animation wasn't these films' strong suit. The designs are colorful and fun, especially in the Forest of Feelings, where every tree and wave bursts with pastel curves. The intense sequences with Nicholas and the spirit in the finale are especially well-done and make for a nice contrast to the sweet rainbow colors in Care-a-Lot.

The big problem here is the Care Bears pretty much look alike outside of their different colors. This leads to some major problems with continuity; frequently, a Care Bear will be seen in a number they aren't supposed to be in, or the wrong character will turn up in a scene or in the background. It probably won't be a big deal for the pre-school target audiences, but for adults, it can be distracting.

The Song and Dance: The Care Bears' first big-screen outing is actually quite charming. Their first encounters with what would later be known as the Care Bear Cousins, especially the sequences with Brave Heart Lion and Proud Heart Monkey, are hilarious. (And at the very least, the Cousins being different animals make them more distinct from each other than the Bears are.)

What most people tend to remember from this one is the spirit in the book. She's a truly nasty piece of work, one of the most frightening villains from an animated film in this era. Her ultimate goal isn't just to take over the world or to destroy it, but to destroy all positive feelings...and she easily manipulates a needy teen boy to do it. I know a lot of people my age who grew up in the 80's and remember being really scared by her as kids.

Favorite Number: John Sebastian, who did the songs for a couple of Nelvana specials in the 80's, puts in some nice work here. "When You Care You're Not Afraid to Try," which introduces the rest of the Cousins, is a catchy march. The laid-back "Nobody Cares Like a Bear" shows Kim, Jason, and the audience how much fun Care-a-Lot - and friendship - can be. The Cousins officially join the group in "In a Care Bear Family"; the reactions when they get their Belly Badges are really cute.

But my favorite number from this is the intense "Look Out, He's After You." Nicholas chasing Kim and Jason through the fun house is highlighted by several intense moments, leading up to Swift Heart Rabbit almost getting blasted. Like the spirit, it's a heavy number for such a light tale, and that makes it all the more effective.

Trivia: The success of Care Bears Movie saved TV animation studio Nelvana Animation from shutting down after their previous theatrical film, the bizarre adult animated musical Rock & Rule, failed to find a distributor.

The Care Bears Movie was one of the first films to be based after a toy line, but it was far from the last. Its success inspired big-screen versions of My Little Pony, Rainbow Brite, G.I Joe, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Transformers, among others, along with a live-action version of Masters of the Universe. None were anywhere near as successful as Care Bears Movie, though the latter three have cult followings today.

What I Don't Like: The critical reception in 1985 was harsh, and while their main complaint - the movie being made to sell toys - isn't as obvious today, some of the other problems they mentioned do remain. The Care Bears themselves don't really have much personality other than Tenderheart and Grumpy. Even with the different colors and Belly Badges, it can be hard for a lot of people to tell them apart. Carole King's opening ballad "Care-a-Lot" is syrupy and dull, and while the music for "Home Is In Your Heart" is serviceable, the lyrics are awkward and sticky. And yes, the Bears and the entire premise can come off as too treacly for a lot of people.

The Big Finale: I actually prefer the second film, but the first has its moments too, especially in its memorable villain and some good songs. If you have young kids or remember watching the movies yourself as a child (and don't mind the animation bobbles), this is worth checking out.

Home Media: Not on Blu-Ray, but it's pretty easy to find on DVD and streaming.

DVD
Amazon Prime

Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation
Columbia, 1986
Voices of Hadley Kay, Chris Wiggins, Maxine Miller, and Cree Summer Francks
Directed by Dale Schott
Music and Lyrics by Stephan Bishop and others

The Story: This time, The Great Wishing Star (Wiggins) tells the story of how the Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins came to be. They were originally homeless cubs and baby animals, cared for by  True Heart Bear (Miller) and Noble Heart Horse (Pam Hyatt). The duo are on the run from the shape-shifting spirit Dark Heart (Kay), who hates how loving they are. Caught in a storm, they're lead to the Kingdom of Caring. The Great Wishing Star declares them to be the Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins and gives them their mission to show everyone how to care for each other as well as they have for the cubs and babies.

True Heart's first mission lands her (and a stowaway Baby Swift Heart Rabbit) in a summer camp. Twins Dawn (Alyson Court) and John (Michael Fantini) and their marbles-playing friend Christy (Francks) aren't as good at running or swimming as the other kids in the camp and are tired of being bullied. The trio run away. True Heart finds the twins and brings them to Care-a-Lot, where they help babysit the cubs and learn that they have a lot to offer. Christy's not as lucky. She runs afoul of Dark Heart, who offers to make her the "Camp Champ"...if she'll help him round up the now-grown Care Bears and stop their mission of love for good.

The Animation: Slightly improved, especially in the nice effects animation with Dark Heart's transformations, Christy after she's hit with Dark Heart's magic, and the Care Bear Stare. Some problems remain; the continuity still isn't great, and the Bears still don't look that much different from each other.

The Song and Dance: I'm always surprised at how mature this is for something intended for pre-schoolers. Christy's story line is straight out of Faust, and there's allusions to Peter Pan as well. The conversation between Christy and Dark Heart in the canoe, from after they've caught the bears to when she rescues him from drowning, is fairly adult. The camp turning evil is just as freaky as the fair getting nasty in the first movie. Dark Heart is just as scary of a villain as the spirit in the book...and unlike her, he does succeed in doing away with the Bears, if only just for a few minutes. I also like how Dawn and John are treated; the sequence with them taking care of the Cubs is genuinely funny and cute.

Favorite Number: I have a soft spot for Cheer Bear's peppy "Fight Song," performed by Debbie Allen, when she's revving up the others to go after Dark Heart. The second version of "Flying My Colors," with Swift Heart avoiding the water in the swimming hole by running over everyone's heads, is actually pretty funny.

The ballad "Forever Young" at the end of the film has nothing to do with the rest of the movie; the music video depicting the Bears and Cousins looking back on their youth is kind of tacked-on, but the songwriter Carol Parks' performance of the lovely number mostly makes up for it.

Trivia: Though it came out less than a year after the first movie in March 1986, it wasn't nearly as big of a hit. Even so, a third movie, Care Bears Adventures in Wonderland, was released in 1987. It was such a huge flop, it became the Bears' last big-screen adventure to date.

This was the last animated film released by Columbia until Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within in 2001.

What I Don't Like: Nelvana's attempt to have it both ways - a thoughtful movie about what people will go through for power for the adults and the tale of loving animals for kids - just makes the plot feel disjointed. There's also plot holes galore. It has almost nothing in common with the first movie, other than the Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins and the basic structure of them helping three kids while battling a very dark villain. In fact, it contradicts a lot of the plot of the first film, especially how they met the Cousins.

The Big Finale: If you take this one as a stand-alone movie, rather than a genuine sequel, and once again have young kids or remember this one from your own childhood, you may find just as much to enjoy here.

Home Media: I've seen the DVD for this one, and while it can often be found for under 5 dollars, the print is barely a cut above the copy my parents took off cable in 1988. Streaming may be your best bet here.

DVD
Amazon Prime