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'''''Alvin and the Chipmunks''''' is a |
'''''Alvin and the Chipmunks''''' is a [[2007]] [[live-action/animated film]], based on the characters ''[[Alvin and the Chipmunks]]'' (but in similer ways the [[Alvin and the Chipmunks (TV series)|animated series of the same name]]). It was directed by [[Tim Hill]] and produced by [[Bagdasarian Productions]], [[New Regency Productions]], and [[20th Century Fox]]. The film has received harsh reviews from movie critics, but has proved to be a huge financial success, making over $215 million to date in [[North America]] alone and over $350 million to date in total worldwide receipts, while being made on a budget of just $55 million. The film won its first award at the [[2008 Kids' Choice Awards]] for Favorite Movie. |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
Revision as of 18:15, 5 April 2008
Alvin and the Chipmunks | |
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Directed by | Tim Hill |
Written by | Jon Vitti |
Produced by | Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. Janice Karman Steve Waterman |
Starring | Jason Lee Justin Long Matthew Gray Gubler Jesse McCartney David Cross Cameron Richardson Jane Lynch Celestina Kevin Symons |
Cinematography | Peter Lyons Collister |
Edited by | Peter Berger |
Music by | Christopher Lennertz |
Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release dates | December 14, 2007 December 20, 2007 December 21, 2007 January 3, 2008 April 3, 2008 |
Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | USA |
Language | English |
Budget | United States: $55 million |
Box office | $351,630,835 |
Alvin and the Chipmunks is a 2007 live-action/animated film, based on the characters Alvin and the Chipmunks (but in similer ways the animated series of the same name). It was directed by Tim Hill and produced by Bagdasarian Productions, New Regency Productions, and 20th Century Fox. The film has received harsh reviews from movie critics, but has proved to be a huge financial success, making over $215 million to date in North America alone and over $350 million to date in total worldwide receipts, while being made on a budget of just $55 million. The film won its first award at the 2008 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Movie.
Plot
The story begins in a hill backdrop in a forest during the summer. Three chipmunks named Alvin (Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Theodore (Jesse McCartney) are singing Daniel Powter's "Bad Day". They complain about the food storage when Alvin accidentally empties their stock, because the storage space was full and Alvin accidentally fell into the hole, resulting in all the nuts flying out. Alvin complained about his own tough life and even called their tree a "stupid tree", then the tree is chopped down (with the unfortunate trio on it). But while chopping, as the tree shakes, the Chipmunks thought that Alvin had made the tree angry. The tree is netted down to a truck and driven to a city in the process of becoming a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, struggling songwriter David "Dave" Seville (Jason Lee) submits a song to JETT records, but is rejected by JETT executive Ian Hawke (David Cross), who says he hates Dave's latest song. On the way out, Dave steals a muffin basket. The Chipmunks and the tree end up in the lobby of JETT records. They escape the tree and go into Dave's muffin basket. When Dave gets home, he dumps the basket in the garbage can and sets about throwing all his musical writing gear out the door. Dave hears the Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) go into Dave's cabinet or pantry. Alvin finds the cheese balls in the cabinet and Alvin jumps into the cheese balls and does a cannonball. The Chipmunks set about raiding his cupboards. When Dave discovers them, he sets about splatting them with a spatula.
The Chipmunks finally cause Dave to lose consciousness by dropping a glass jar full of popcorn on his head. They start to get worried when Dave doesn’t get up. Later, Dave notices that Alvin is on his head and Dave puts a beanie on his head and takes it off and Alvin farts in his face.
Dave puts them to bed in an armchair; whilst the Chipmunks sleep, their snores cumulate into a song, sparking Dave's creativeness. Having retrieved his musical gear, he writes a Christmas jingle ("The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"). He makes a backdrop during the night. In the morning, at one point (almost) every morning, the Chipmunks are watching SpongeBob SquarePants. The Chipmunks are trying to catch a flying burnt toaster oven waffle, but when Simon tries to catch it, it drops right in front of him and he doesn't see it. Dave holds up two fingers and Simon says Dave was holding up four. Realizing Simon is nearsighted, Dave finds a tiny pair of round-framed glasses and gives them to Simon. After adjusting them, Simon can now see perfectly.
He goes back to JETT records and shows Ian his surprise, the three Chipmunks with his jingle in the background. Though the Chipmunks sang the song perfectly earlier, they get stage fright and refuse to sing. Dave is once again removed from the company. In the car journey back to Dave's official job, they tell him that they coloured. Dave waves it away. When Dave finally gets to his job, he discovers that the Chipmunks have drawn rude images (e.g. "The Size of Theodore's Butt", "How Smart Simon Is", and "How Much Alvin Smells") all over his Goodable energy bar proposal, getting him fired. He is furious when he gets home and is mad at the Chipmunks.
Dave is reminded by Theodore that he has a date with his crush, Claire (Cameron Richardson). Alvin thinks he can help them, by dimming the lights, putting on a steamy song and turning on the fire place, but accidentally spaces Dave and Claire out even more. When Dave admits that "my life is being sabotaged by talking chipmunks!", Claire doesn't believe him and leaves.
The Chipmunks, upset at the fact that Dave is upset at them, make it up to him by going to Ian's mansion and singing Dave's Christmas jingle, in which Ian responds, "Welcome to Jett Records." While shopping with the Chipmunks, Dave gets angry at them for going to Ian's mansion without him knowing and gives the Chipmunks a strict 9:00 pm curfew. Then he admits he is lacking in money, due to the Chipmunks piling toaster waffles onto his shopping cart. At that point, his jingle appears on the store radio and Dave is rung up by Ian, who gives Dave his job back.
On Christmas eve, Theodore tells Dave that he had a nightmare and that he wants to sleep with him. Dave says, "Okay, sure, but stay on that side of the bed." Later, Theodore is seen sleeping on Dave's head.
The next morning Alvin and Simon wake up Dave and Theodore and they exchange gifts. Simon gets Dave a paper clip compass that he made, Alvin gets Dave his own wallet (because he wanted to get him something he'll use every day), and Theodore gives Dave a moving card with pineapple-like images of the four as a family that Dave thought were pineapples, but Dave is firm that they are friends and nothing more. Dave gets the Chipmunks saving bonds which they can spend in seven years, much to Alvin's displeasure, and he asks if Dave he has any that he bought seven years ago. Suddenly Ian bursts in dressed as Santa Claus and carrying a bag stuffed with presents and gives the Chipmunks lots of amazing toys, leading them to call him Uncle Ian.
When the Chipmunks have their first concert (in which they sing Witch Doctor), they are further separated from Dave by Ian, who tells them that they could be amazing if they were with him and says that Dave calls them "rats" behind their backs, when it's really Ian who calls them rats. That night, Theodore discovers a letter from Dave he had written after his dinner disaster with Claire telling the Chipmunks to leave. Saddened, they decide to leave Dave and live with Ian, who loads them with presents with lots of toys around. Lots and lots of toys. He also gives Simon new square-framed glasses, yet Simon can't see through them (in which Ian says, "Your eyes will adjust.")
While recording the song "Get Munk'd" in the studio, the Chipmunks get too tired to sing and fall over. Ian thinks that caffeine might help. So he gives them coffee, and they finally are well enough to sing, except they drank too much, and started zooming around in all directions. Alvin manages to grab the microphone, and starts swinging around and around and around until he crashes into the glass window.
Uncle Ian doesn't allow Theodore to sleep with him when he has a nightmare (but Dave did), instead of telling Theodore of a nightmare of his own and telling him that the difference with his nightmare was that when he woke up it didn't end; scheduling their tour, also claiming it to be an endless nightmare. When Uncle Ian doesn't allow Theodore to sleep with him when he has a nightmare, it is weird because he said that there are "no rules" and he is probably joking.
The Chipmunks start a coast to coast tour. Before the next concert, Simon finds his old pair of glasses and switches them around with the pair that Ian gave him. Then he puts on the old pair and adjusts them a bit. Ian doesn't seem to notice Simon is wearing his old pair again.
At the LA concert, a doctor says that they can't sing because their voices have given out. Ian, who doesn't want to hand out refunds, asks them to lip-synch (which Simon calls "cheating"). The chipmunks are convinced that Dave really doesn't want them back when Ian tells them that Dave called and said that he is doing great and that Dave didn't go to their concert because Dave is busy doing something. Dave manages to get in to see the chipmunks (the security had been tipped off by Ian about him after Ian talked to Dave on the phone). The security grabs Dave and the chipmunks hear him. They ditch Ian with an exit that makes the crowd angry that they lip-synched, and they trash the stage. Alvin's last words to Ian Hawke were "Hey, Ian! Kiss my furry cheeks!". Dave warned Ian that since the Chipmunks ruined the concert, word will soon get out, and their popularity will decline.
Security corners them and Ian locks the chipmunks up in a cat carrier, placing them near the new dolls of them (Spanish-speaking for Alvin, French-speaking for Simon, and Japanese-speaking for Theodore) while he quickly gets ready to board the plane for the chipmunks' Paris concert. Ian runs out with the cat carrier and starts to drive off. Dave sets after him, egged on by the real chipmunks standing on the front passenger seat. Dave stops the car as Ian drives off. After making up and admitting that they are a family (a concept he'd tried to deny the whole movie), Dave lets the chipmunks steer his car, honk the horn, and operate the window wipers. Later on, Ian looks into the carrier case and is shocked to find the chipmunks dolls instead of the chipmunks. As Ian's car drives off, he is heard yelling "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!".
Dave finally gets home and sees that the Chipmunks have prepared breakfast for Dave and Claire. Alvin is trying to get the cork out of an Apple Bubbley bottle. When he succeeds, the cork flies into a glass china set, and all the liquid pours out of the glass. Dave's patience is tested as he tries "not to say it." The liquid damages the power outlet which, unfortunately, causes a blackout. Dave decides to "say it," and yells "AAAALLLLVVVVIIIINNNN!!!!!!!!!" Alvin responds with "OKAY!"
At the beginning of the end credits, Ian tries to make regular (non-talking) squirrels sing while he was playing a keyboard, but fails.
In the end credits, there is a disclaimer that says, "No chipmunks were hurt in the making of this movie."
Cast
- Jason Lee as Dave Seville
- David Cross as Ian Hawke
- Justin Long as Alvin (speaking voice)
- Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon (speaking voice)
- Jesse McCartney as Theodore (speaking voice)
- Cameron Richardson as Claire Wilson
- Jane Lynch as Gail
- Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. as Alvin (singing voice)
- Steve Vining as Simon (singing voice)
- Janice Karman as Theodore (singing voice)
Reception
The film was panned by critics, receiving only a 24% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes classfying it as "Rotten",[citation needed] and recieved only a 39 out of 100 at Metacritic, indicating "generally negative reviews", and fans of the original show complained it did not represent the Chipmunks in a respectful manner.
Despite negative critical reception, Alvin and the Chipmunks was released in North America on December 14, 2007 and grossed a surprising $44,307,417 in 3,475 theaters its opening weekend averaging $12,750 per venue, and placing second at the box office, with nearly sold out showings.[1] Its second weekend was still well-$28,179,556, behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets and I Am Legend. Then on its third weekend, it surpassed I Am Legend for #2 at the box office, still behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets. As of Tuesday April 1, 2008, the film has made $216,567,559 domestically and $138,859,644 overseas for a total of $355,427,203 worldwide, making it a huge commercial success.[1] According to MTV, it also has become the highest-grossing talking animal/live-action cartoon adaptation to date. It is also 20th Century Fox's highest grossing film domestically to be released in 2007.[2]
The box-office success of the film has surprised executives of 20th Century Fox, which produced it, as much as industry analysts and especially movie critics who gave it bad reviews. Elizabeth Gabler of Fox 2000 said to The Los Angeles Times, "I look at the numbers every day, and we just laugh." Since it cost only $55 million to produce, it is likely to be far more profitable than the two other films that it was against, I Am Legend and National Treasure: Book of Secrets.[2]
Alvin and the Chipmunks Deux
As reported, Alvin and the Chipmunks Deux (first announced as Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Sequel), a sequel of the film, introducing the Chipmunks' sweet hearts, The Chipettes, Brittany, the egotistic "Alvin" of the group, Jeanette, the smart sensible klutz, and Eleanor, the chubby mother-like sweetheart, is in early planning stages (however, it is unknown if they will share a home with Alvin, Simon, and Theodore).[2] “There has been a lot of talk about it,” revealed Janice Karman to MTV. “A lot of people have been asking about the little girls.” Other information said on February 26, 2008 said that the movie is going to be rated PG for crude humor. It starts with the Chipmunks celebrating Christmas. Alvin gets a call from the Chipettes who are wondering if they could crash with the Chipmunks. Alvin sets up the occasion. The date is wrecked when Theodore is too shy of seeing Elaneor. After many persuasions Theodore shows up and the Chipettes are stunned by his looks. Soon Brittany and the Chipettes live with Claire, Dave's crush. But as other websites show, Janice might play as Jeanette or Eleanor.
DVD and Blu-Ray releases
Alvin and the Chipmunks was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on April 1, 2008. The DVD release is presented on a flipper disc featuring both full screen (1.33:1 aspect ratio) and widescreen formats (1.85:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 Dolby Surround, Spanish and French Dolby Surround with English and Spanish subtitles. Special features will be the Chip-Chip-Hooray! Chipmunk History and Hitting the Harmony featurettes and an Inside Look at Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who. The Wal-Mart edition includes a bonus exclusive music CD. The K-Mart edition includes a free junior novel of the movie. The Best Buy edition includes 3 mini plush toys of the The Chipmunks in a collectable box.
The Blu-ray release will be presented in widescreen format on a 25GB single-layer disc authored in AVC (MPEG 4) compression with English 5.1 DTS HD Lossless Master Audio, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital plus English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and French subtitles. Bonus content will include a digital copy for download, a Chip-Chip-Hooray! Chipmunk History featurette, a Hitting the Harmony featurette, and several high definition trailers.
Awards
- 2008 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Movie: WON
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released November 20, 2007, three weeks before the film's opening and contains new versions of old songs such as Witch Doctor and The Chipmunk Song (Don't Be Late) (as made famous by David Seville and The Chipmunks), cover versions of songs such as Bad Day (as made famous by Daniel Powter) and Funkytown (as made famous by Lipps Inc.) and new songs such as Ain't No Party and Get Munk'd.
Video game
The video game for this film was released December 4, 2007 for the Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and the PC, just one week and three days before the film was released.
The Get Munk'd Tour
Trivia
- The Chipmunks are child-sized anthropomorphic chipmunks in the cartoons and other related media, but they are the size of normal chipmunks in the film.
- Alvin's line "Yippie Ki Yay Mamacita!" is a reference to John McClane's line "Yippie Ki Yay Motherbleeper!" from the film series Die Hard, specifically Live Free or Die Hard, in which Justin Long also appeared.
- Dave's house number was 1958, which is the year when Witch Doctor, The Chipmunk Song, and the entire TV series first came out.
- When they are caught lip-synching, Simon does an Irish jig. This is a reference to the Saturday Night Live lip-synching incident involving Ashlee Simpson.
- In a TV spot for the movie, the tagline is "The Last Man Home Is Not Alone", a reference to the Will Smith film, I Am Legend, released on the same day.
- Initially, Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. and Janice Karman portrayed Alvin, Simon and Theodore in this film, but were replaced at the studio's insistence with younger actors Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney respectively. [1]
- References to the show SpongeBob SquarePants are seen three times in the movie.
- Alvin wears his famous red cap twice in the movie.
- The release of the film prompted a phenomenon on YouTube, in which users take currently popular songs (such as "Through the Fire and Flames by DragonForce) and use computer programs, such as Audacity, to make the voices sound like they are being sung by the Chipmunks (though this is hardly new, people have done this for years prior).
- Alvin and the Chipmunks (video game): In the Chipmunks' Video Game, they sing All That Small Things which is sung in their movie commercial.
- The dolls of Simon, Theodore, and Alvin at the end introduce themselves in French, Japanese (Good Evening, I'm Theodore), and Spanish, respectively (Alvin adding that he wants a Hula Hoop).
- Blink 182's song All The Small Things was used in one of the commercials for the DVD release.
References
- ^ a b "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ a b c ""Alvin & The Chipmunks To Meet Chipettes in Sequel?"". MTV Movie Blog.
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External links
- Official site
- Alvin and the Chipmunks at IMDb
- Alvin and the Chipmunks at Rotten Tomatoes
- Alvin and the Chipmunks at Metacritic
- Alvin and the Chipmunks at Box Office Mojo
- Alvin and the Chipmunks at AllMovie
- Alvin and the Chipmunks at BeenToTheMovies.com
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