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Pooh’s Heffalump Movie
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This
animated movie for kids, a distant variation on A. A. Milne’s characters, begins
with a surprisingly risqué touch. Winnie the Pooh (voiced by Jim Cummings) is heard
writhing in bed, moaning “Honey, honey”.
Naturally,
he is merely dreaming about his favourite food.
This
ecstasy is soon interrupted by signs that a dreaded Heffalump (an elephant-like
creature) has disturbed the peace of Hundred Acre Wood. Rabbit (Ken Sansom),
Tigger (Cummings again), Eeyore (Peter Cullen) and Piglet (John Fiedler) set
out to catch the offending monster who lives with his fearsome kind on the
other side of the fence.
Young
Roo (Nikita Hopkins) is excluded from this adult mission, so he sets out alone,
only to befriend Lumpy (Kyle Stanger). Together, they dispel the myths and
prejudices that keep their tribes apart. It’s a nice message, delivered via a
simple but efficient animation technique. At 65 minutes, the slight story does
not outstay its welcome.
Like
many films for kids, this one is a curious jumble of cultural associations.
Kangaroos are part of the mix, and the Heffalumps speak with plummy British
accents (Brenda Blethyn provides the voice for Mama Heffalump). But whenever
Carly Simon’s overwrought songs fill the soundtrack, there can be no mistaking
that this is an American movie.
© Adrian Martin June 2005 |
