The Rugrats Movie

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The Rugrats Movie

Original theatrical release poster
Directed by Igor Kovalyov
Norton Virgien
Produced by Arlene Klasky
Gabor Csupo
Written by David N. Weiss
J. David Stem
Based on Characters by
Peter Chung
Rugrats by
Arlene Klasky
Gabor Csupo
Paul Germain
Starring E.G. Daily
Christine Cavanaugh
Kath Soucie
Cheryl Chase
Cree Summer
Tara Strong
Jack Riley
Melanie Chartoff
Michael Bell
Tim Curry
David Spade
Whoopi Goldberg
Busta Rhymes
Music by Mark Mothersbaugh
Editing by John Bryant
Kimberly Rettberg
Studio Klasky Csupo
Nickelodeon Movies
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) November 20, 1998 (1998-11-20)
Running time 80 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $24 million
Box office $140,894,675 (worldwide)

The Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998.

Based on the popular 1990s animated Nickelodeon series, Rugrats, this film introduced Tommy's baby brother Dil Pickles, who was named after Didi Pickles' cousin, and appeared on the original series the next year. The film was released in theatres with a CatDog short titled "Fetch", in which Cat wins a radio contest and attempts to answer the phone as Dog chases down his tennis ball. (This short was later broadcast in CatDog episode 21.) However, the video release contained a different CatDog short, "Winslow's Home Videos". The film marks the first film made by Nickelodeon Movies to be based on a Nicktoon. This was also the last Nickelodeon film to be released in the 1990s, and to be credited as Nickelodeon on the film's Nickelodeon Movies logo. Many longtime Rugrats fans believe this movie to be the point in which Rugrats jumped the shark; however, some fans believed that The Rugrats Movie was when Rugrats was getting better. Slap T. Pooch from Nickelodeon's animation showcase Oh Yeah! Cartoons appeared in the Nickelodeon Movies logo sequence to this film, getting his fingers stuck to a sticky orange liquid, before getting stomped by a giant. Also, this counts as the only Nickelodeon product aired on CBS, besides the later started Nick on CBS.

The film features the voices of Elizabeth Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie, Cheryl Chase, Cree Summer, Tara Strong, and Charlie Adler, along with guest stars David Spade, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Cho, and Tim Curry.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The film starts with a parody of the 1981 Indiana Jones action film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Afterwards, the babies are chased out of the temple by a boulder but the boulder and the imagination was Didi Pickles who is at the baby shower at the Pickles' house, where Didi is pregnant with her and Stu's second child, which everyone believes will be a girl. Tommy is at first enthusiastic about having a younger sibling, although Angelica warns him that once the sibling is born, Stu and Didi will forget him. Eventually, the baby is born, and it is a boy, who they name Dil, after Didi's cousin. Unfortunately, Angelica's words appear to be true when Dil quickly becomes a very selfish baby, crying non-stop for attention, keeping all of the babies' toys for himself, and refusing to share with Tommy. He also takes the attention of Didi and Stu, leading Tommy to feel ignored.

When Dil pushes the babies too far, they decide to take him back to the "Hopstical" and end up driving recklessly through the streets in a Reptar Wagon (voiced by Busta Rhymes) Stu had built until they crash in the woods. As Dil had secretly pinched Angelica's Cynthia doll, Angelica and Spike embark on a mission to find the babies - but Angelica only wants to get back her Cynthia doll. Around the same time, a circus train suffers an accident in the same woods and a group of wild monkeys escape from the wreckage, while the monkeys' owners, the Banana Brothers, attempt to search for them. The parents soon discover their children's absence, and call the police and rangers for help, and the news leaks out and reporters come to interview them.

As the babies attempt to find their way back home, the Reptar Wagon goes into the river and enters its water mode, and for a time, Tommy and the Babies pretend to be pirates sailing the open seas. Since Dil is not very well liked, Chuckie, Phil and Lil disguise a smaller monkey as Dil, but Tommy sees through their farce and gets angry, vowing to find his brother himself. Eventually Tommy finds Dil and they find shelter underneath a tree. Tommy tries to look after Dil, but when Dil selfishly drinks all of their milk and refuses to share the big blanket with Tommy in the cold weather, Tommy finally reaches his breaking point, snaps at Dil and decides to abandon him for the monkeys to take him away, but a bad storm combined with Tommy's furious face finally frightens Dil. Tommy realizes what he is doing and stops. Feeling guilty, Tommy apologizes to his brother and takes him back under the tree. Dil, who turns over a new leaf, willingly shares the torn blanket with Tommy. After the thunderstorm is over, Phil, Lil and Chuckie catch up with Tommy and Dil and save them from the monkeys, and are eventually reunited with Angelica and Spike.

As the babies make it to a bridge over by the ranger station, they are confronted by a lone wolf that has been stalking them all day. Just as the wolf is about to attack them, Spike comes to their rescue and pounces on top of the wolf stopping it from harming the babies. The two animals fight as the babies cheer Spike on. However, the wolf almost knocks Spike over the bridge, but Angelica calls it to the wolf distracting it from finishing Spike off. The wolf tries to attack Angelica, but Spike bites its tail, dragging them both off the bridge to their apparent deaths.

Luckily, Stu finally finds the babies and crash lands through the ranger station. Emerging from the wreckage stuck under his Dactar glide, the babies mistake him for the "Lizard" and wish for Spike's life instead of returning home. Stu falls through the bridge, finding Spike alive and unharmed. Simutaneously, the parents arrive and are reunited with the children.

In the final scene, the babies have another imaginary adventure, along with Dil, finally accepting him as one of them.

In the post credit scene, Boris' goat pushes the reptar wagon where Grandpa Lou is sleeping and the goat follows it into the horizon.

[edit] Cast

Main
Supporting
Minor

[edit] Guest stars

(left to right) Tommy, Phil, Dil, Chuckie, and Lil in the Reptar Wagon, which was voiced by rapper Busta Rhymes.
Baby singers

[edit] Production

Two songs were cut from the film during production in order to bring the film to 85 minutes. The first sequence revolved around Stu and Didi in a nightmare sequence where Dr. Lipschitz berates their parenting through song. The other sequence occurs as the Rugrats are pushing the Reptar Wagon through the woods, debating what to do about Dil in army chant style. These two scenes were cut from the theatrical version and the VHS and DVD releases. However, they were already animated at the time, and the scenes are shown on CBS and Nickelodeon TV airings of the film. These scenes were present in the print novelization.

[edit] Home media

Paramount released the film on VHS and DVD on March 30, 1999, and was on sale from then until 2008. The film had been out of print until 2011 when The Rugrats Movie and its sequels were re-released on a 3-disc trilogy collection, to coincide with Rugrats' 20th anniversary. A Blu-ray version of the films has yet to be announced.

Though the films on the 3-disc trilogy are presented in the 2.20:1 aspect ratio, the first film in the set has slight windowboxing, which was not present in the previous single-disc widescreen and release. The other two films in the set do not have this issue.

[edit] Media

[edit] Soundtrack

The Rugrats Movie: Music From the Motion Picture was released on November 3, 1998.[1] The enhanced soundtrack contained 12 tracks, bonus CD-ROM demos and commercials.[1] Amazon.com's Richard Gehr praised the CD for "[bridging] demographics as nimbly as the [original] show itself [did]" and for songs "fans of all ages will love".[1] Entertainment Weekly's David Browne rated the Music From the Motion Picture with a C.[2] Browne noted that, while the soundtrack is enjoyable for children and does "[make] concessions" for parents, adults may dislike the amount of rap.[2] Allmusic's William Ruhlmann reviewed the soundtrack positively, saying "the result" of the singers and songs "is a romp in keeping with the tone of the show and the film".[3] Music From the Motion Picture spent 26 weeks on Billboard 200, peaking at number 19.[4]

The Rugrats Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released November 3, 1998
Recorded 1998
Genre Soundtrack
Length 52:38
Label Nick/Interscope Records
Professional reviews

The reviews parameter has been deprecated. Please move reviews into the “Reception” section of the article. See Moving reviews into article space.
Rugrats soundtrack chronology
The Rugrats Movie
(1998)		 Rugrats in Paris
(2000)
No. Title Artist Length
1. "Take Me There"   Blackstreet, Mýa 4:02
2. "I Throw My Toys Around"   Elvis Costello, No Doubt 3:00
3. "This World Is Something New To Me"   Various 1:57
4. "All Day"   Lisa Loeb 3:29
5. "Dil-A-Bye"   E.G. Daily 3:41
6. "A Baby Is A Gift From Bob"   Cree Summer, Cheryl Chase 1:57
7. "One Way Or Another"   Cheryl Chase 3:15
8. "Wild Ride"   Kevi, Lisa Stone 2:42
9. "On Your Marks, Get Set, Ready, Go!"   Busta Rhymes 3:39
10. "Witch Doctor"   Devo 3:30
11. "Take The Train"   Rakim, Danny Saber 4:04
12. "Yo Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Yum"   Rugrats Cast 2:17
13. "Take Me There, The "I Want You Back" Mix"   Blackstreet, Mýa 4:03

[5]

[edit] Video games

Video games were released for Game Boy and Game Boy Color titled The Rugrats Movie and Rugrats: The Movie respectively, with the former being released on June 19, 1998[6] and the latter on March 12, 1999.[7] Both games were developed by Software Creations and released by THQ.[7][8] They were side-scrolling video games and featured 8 levels, with the plot revolving around finding a replacement for Dil after he disappears.[9] IGN's Peer Schneider graded the Game Boy Color game with an overall score of 5 out of 10.[10] Schneider states that the game doesn't have much "to hold the attention of older game", but that "kids will love the easy gameplay, recognizable characters and memorable Rugrats tunes". He closes with saying that "unless you're looking for something to entertain and challenge at the same time, parents can't go wrong in buying the game for their kids."[10] Writing for Gamespot, Cameron Davis gave the Rugrats: The Movie a mixed review, stating that it wasn't "groundbreaking or innovative", but that the game "does what it sets out to do well".[11] Davis noted that the game was aimed at children and praised the "difficulty level" as being "set just right", so that "younger players can explore the levels in comfort thanks to the good collision detection and responsive controls, while those with a bit more Game Boy experience can use the generous time limits to ferret out hidden objects". The game overall was given a 6.2 by the critic.[11] On aggregator site GameRankings, The Rugrats Movie is rated as a 55%[8] while Rugrats: The Movie earned a 61.75%.[12]

A computer game inspired by the film entitled The Rugrats Movie: Activity Challenge was developed and published by Brøderbund Software, Inc. and released on September 14, 1998. It featured six games and a bonus level that could be attained if a certain item was obtained in a game.[13]

[edit] Books

Several books were released by Simon & Schuster's Simon Spotlight branch and Nickelodeon inspired by The Rugrats Movie. Tommy's New Playmate and The Rugrats Versus the Monkeys were also released on October 1, 1998, authored by Luke David and illustrated by John Kurtz and Sandrina Kurtz.[14][15] The Rugrats Movie Storybook, released on the same date and using the same illustrators and publishers, was written by Sarah Wilson.[16] The same date saw the release of The Rugrats Movie: Hang On To Your Diapies, Babies, We're Going In!: Trivia from the Hit Movie!, a trivia book written by Kitty Richards.[17]

A novelization of the film written by Cathy East Dubowski was published on October 1, 1998, by Tandem Library.[18] The following month, a 144-page guidebook, The Making of The Rugrats Movie: Behind the Scenes at Klasky Csupo, was released on November 1, 1998, by MSG[disambiguation needed ].[citation needed] In May 1999, Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation released a book titled The Rugrats Movie.[19]

[edit] Reception

The Rugrats Movie was released on November 20, 1998, where it opened on 2,782 screens, and made 27,321,470 United States Dollars in its opening weekend,[20] averaging about $9,821 per venue.[21] In total, The Rugrats Movie made 140,894,675 USD, 100,494,675 from the domestic market and 40,400,000 from its foreign release.[20] It also debuted #1 at the UK box office.[22][23][24]

The Rugrats Movie was met with mixed reactions from critics. It received a 59% on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with 29 "Fresh" reviews and 20 "Rotten" reviews, certifying it as "Rotten".[25] Among the site's top critics, the film was certified as "Fresh", with 60% of the 10 reviews being positive.[26] Rotten Tomatoes' overall consensus on The Rugrats Movie was "charming characters; loads of fun for kids and adults."[25] Roger Ebert gave the film 2 stars out of 4.[27] Ebert noted that the film's target audience was more for younger children, and that, while he as an adult disliked it, he "might have" liked it if he were younger and would recommend it for children.[27] The New York Times's Anita Gates reviewed The Rugrats Movie positively, calling it a "delight".[28] Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly graded the film with a B.[29] Schwarzbaum praised the movie for its appeal to both adult and child audiences, "juxtaposing the blithely self-absorbed parallel universes of small, diapered children and their large, Dockered parents".[29] However, other Entertainment Weekly reviewer Ty Burr gave The Rugrats Movie a B-, criticizing that the film's issues sprung from it being "bigger" than the original series, thus it having more cultural references, out-of-place CGI scenes, and "[going] into scary territory".[30] Despite these faults, Burr did praise the "escaped circus monkeys" for being "scary in a good way", as well as a joke that was accessible to younger audiences.[30]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "The Rugrats Movie: Music From The Motion Picture [Enhanced CD [ENHANCED] [SOUNDTRACK]"]. Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000DHZX. Retrieved December 25, 2009. 
  2. ^ a b Browne, David (January 8, 1999). "The Rugrats Movie: Music From the Motion Picture (1998)". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,273982,00.html. Retrieved December 25, 2009. 
  3. ^ "Rugrats: The Movie Original Soundtrack". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0nfwxq9jldke. Retrieved December 29, 2009. 
  4. ^ "Rugrats: The Movie - Original...". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200#/album/original-soundtrack/rugrats-the-movie/327843. Retrieved December 29, 2009. 
  5. ^ http://www.rugratonline.com/rrmovi2a.htm
  6. ^ "The Rubrats Movie". IGN. http://gameboy.ign.com/objects/491/491563.html. Retrieved December 22, 2009. 
  7. ^ a b "Rugrats: The Movie". IGN. http://gameboy.ign.com/objects/011/011858.html. Retrieved December 22, 2009. 
  8. ^ a b "The Rugrats Movie". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/gameboy/562858-the-rugrats-movie/index.html. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  9. ^ "The Rugrats Movie". MobyGames. http://www.mobygames.com/game/rugrats-movie. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  10. ^ a b Schneider, Peer. "Rugrats: The Movie". IGN. http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/161/161858p1.html. Retrieved December 22, 2009. 
  11. ^ a b Davis, Cameron. "Rugrats: The Movie Review". Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/gbc/action/rugratsthemovie/review.html. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  12. ^ "Rugrats: The Movie". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/gbc/198523-rugrats-the-movie/index.html. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  13. ^ "The Rugrats Movie: Activity Challenge". MobyGames. http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/rugrats-movie-activity-challenge. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  14. ^ "The Rugrats Movie Tommys New Playmate (The Rugrats Movie 8 X 8) (Paperback)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0689821417. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  15. ^ "The Rugrats Movie: The Rugrats Versus the Monkeys (The Rugrats Movie 8 X 8) (Paperback)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0689821425. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  16. ^ "The Rugrats Movie Storybook (Paperback)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/068982128X. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  17. ^ "Rugrats Movie, The: Hang On To Your Diapies, Babies, We're Going In!: Trivia from the Hit Movie! (Paperback)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0689822766. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  18. ^ "Rugrats Movie (Hardcover)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0613872681. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  19. ^ "The Rugrats Movie (Paperback)". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0634005146. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  20. ^ a b "THE RUGRATS MOVIE". Box Office Mojo. http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=rugratsmovie.htm. Retrieved December 22, 2009. 
  21. ^ FABRIKANT, Geraldine (December 28, 1998). "'Prince of Egypt' Is No King at the Box-Office". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/28/business/prince-of-egypt-is-no-king-at-the-box-office.html?scp=4&sq=The%20Rugrats%20Movie&st=cse. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  22. ^ "Rugrats top UK box office". BBC. April 10, 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1270844.stm. Retrieved 2010-11-13. 
  23. ^ Natale, Richard (November 23, 1998). "Rugrats' Outruns 'Enemy'". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/23/entertainment/ca-46816. Retrieved 2010-11-10. 
  24. ^ Welkos, Robert W. (November 24, 1998). "Weekend Box Office : 'Rugrats' Has Kid Power". The Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/24/entertainment/ca-47071. Retrieved 2010-11-10. 
  25. ^ a b "The Rubrats Movie (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rugrats_movie/. Retrieved December 22, 2009. 
  26. ^ "The Rubrats Movie (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rugrats_movie/?critic=creamcrop. Retrieved December 22, 2009. 
  27. ^ a b Ebert, Roger. "The Rugrats Movie (G)". Chicago Sun-Times. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19981120/REVIEWS/811200306/1023. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  28. ^ Gates, Anita (November 20, 1998). "FILM REVIEW; A Sibling Takes a New Rival for a Ride". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/20/movies/film-review-a-sibling-takes-a-new-rival-for-a-ride.html?scp=20&sq=The%20Rugrats%20Movie&st=cse. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  29. ^ a b Schwarzbaum, Lisa (November 27, 1998). "The Rugrats Movie (1998)". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,285889,00.html. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 
  30. ^ a b Burr, Ty (April 2, 1999). "The Rugrats Movie (1999)". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,272906,00.html. Retrieved December 24, 2009. 

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