Barbie (media franchise): Difference between revisions
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==Voice actresses playing Barbie== |
==Voice actresses playing Barbie== |
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In most of the Barbie films, the character herself is voiced by Canadian voice star [[Kelly Sheridan]] in a spoken role and Melissa Lyons in a sung role. The famous American voice actress and singer [[Jodi Benson]] plays the same character in the ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]'' series. She is voiced by Sharon Lewis in ''Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World'' and ''Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth''. [[Skye Sweetnam]] provided her singing voice in ''The Barbie Diaries''. [[Diana |
In most of the Barbie films, the character herself is voiced by Canadian voice star [[Kelly Sheridan]] in a spoken role and Melissa Lyons in a sung role. The famous American voice actress and singer [[Jodi Benson]] plays the same character in the ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]'' series. She is voiced by Sharon Lewis in ''Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World'' and ''Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth''. [[Skye Sweetnam]] provided her singing voice in ''The Barbie Diaries''. [[Diana Kaarina]] became a part of voicing [[Barbie]], replacing [[Kelly Sheridan]] in [[Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale]] in 2010. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 10:06, 13 November 2010
| Barbie | |
|---|---|
| File:Barbie doll modern.jpg Barbara 'Barbie' Millicent Roberts | |
| First appearance | March 9, 1959 |
| Created by | Ruth Handler |
| In-universe information | |
| Nickname | Barbie |
| Occupation | See: Barbie's careers |
| Family | See: List of Barbie's friends and family |
Since her film debut in 1987 in Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World, Barbie has been a virtual actress starring in several feature films and short films. After a fourteen-year absence, Mattel commissioned Barbie to be featured as a heroine of several princess or fairy-themed stories to accompany a franchise of related dolls and accessories.
Since the release of Barbie in the Nutcracker in 2001, Kelly Sheridan has consistently provided the speaking voice to Barbie in almost all films.
First generation (1987 - 1992)
Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World
| Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Bill Dubay Martha Moran Ruth Handler |
| Produced by | Eric S. Rollman Andy Heyward |
| Starring | Sharon Lewis |
| Music by | Haim Saban Shuki Levy |
Release date | 1987 |
Running time | 50 min. |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World is a 1987 TV special created by DIC Entertainment with Saban Productions featuring popular Mattel character Barbie. The story was based upon the Barbie and the Rockers line of dolls, which featured Barbie as the leader of a rock band. The special originally aired in syndication as a two-part TV "mini-series" with each installment lasting approximately 25 minutes; part two was entitled "Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth". The two-part special was later released on video as a single "movie".
Production
Released in 1987, "Barbie and the Rockers" employed standard 2-D cel animation. The film was directed by Bernard Deyries and Bill Dubay and written by Dubay, Martha Moran and Barbie creator Ruth Handler. The film was produced by Eric S. Rollman.
Plot
Barbie's rock band has just completed a successful World Tour and decides to perform one last concert in Space, while orbiting the earth, to promote world peace. Then in Part 2 ("Barbie and the Sensations"), when Barbie and her band, whose name has unexplainably been changed to the Sensations, come back to Earth, they find that they have inadvertently traveled back to 1959 (which happens to be the year the first Barbie dolls were introduced).
Songs
Here's the titles of the songs in order of appearance in "Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World":
- Barbie and the Rockers theme
- Catch Us If You Can (Dave Clark Five cover)
- Best Friends forever
- I'm Happy Just to Dance With You (The Beatles cover)
- Do You Believe in Magic? (The Lovin' Spoonful cover)
- Reachin' For The Stars
- Everybody Rocks
Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth
Released in 1987, Barbie & the Sensation take a trip back to the '50s and take a visit to the malt shop.
Plot
After the first great concert for peace in space, Barbie and her band The Sensations are going to come back home. During the trip back to earth, on the space shuttle, they start to play a song ("Rockin Back"), few seconds later a "time warp" tunnel is forming in front of the Shuttle. Then they see there are a lot of clocks going backward inside the tunnel, at the end of that, the Shuttle lands on a strange airport. After the landing they meet Dr. Merrishaw (probably an astronomer engineer) and his daughter Kim, and learn they are in the year 1959, and then brings them around the city to have a look change. At the end, after a performance at Cape Canaveral, Dr. Merrishaw helps Barbie and the Sensations return to their time. Back in the present, they have a big concert, where Barbie is reunited with an adult Kim and meets her daughter Megan.
Songs
- Rockin Back
- Dressin Up
- Do you wanna dance? (Bobby Freeman cover)
- Here comes my baby (Cat Stevens cover)
- Blue Jean Boy
- Everybody Rocks
- Ending Titles - Barbie and The Rockers Theme Instrumental
- Dancing
DVD Release Status
The miniseries has not been seen since its original broadcast, and the VHS release has been out of print since the 1980s. The film has not been released on DVD, except for Italy. Additionally, of the songs performed by the group, four of the songs are covers: Do You Believe in Magic, originally recorded by The Lovin' Spoonful, I'm Happy Just to Dance With You, originally recorded by The Beatles, Here Comes My Baby, originally recorded by Cat Stevens, and Do You Wanna Dance, originally recorded by Bobby Freeman. For any DVD release, these songs would have to be licensed.
Cast
Dance! Workout with Barbie
Dance! Workout with Barbie was a 1992 children's workout video 'starring' a stop motion animated Barbie and live-action children including Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Second generation (2001 - present)
The Nutcracker
Barbie in the Nutcracker is the first of the Barbie film series, released in 2001 and promoted as "Barbie's first ever movie". It is loosely based on the classic story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman and includes the music of the ballet by Tchaikovsky.
Rapunzel
Barbie as Rapunzel was released in 2002 and is adapted from the classic fairy tale Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm.
Swan Lake
Barbie of Swan Lake was released in 2003. The story is loosely adapted from the Swan Lake ballet and features the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The Princess and the Pauper
Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper was launched and promoted as "Barbie's first musical" in 2004. This release was heavily marketed and even had its own float in the 2004 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is loosely based on the Mark Twain story The Prince and the Pauper. It is not, however, related to the 1939 film The Princess and the Pauper.
Fairytopia series
Fairytopia is the second Barbie movie to have sequels. The Fairytopia series includes:
- Barbie: Fairytopia (2005)
- Barbie: Mermaidia (2006)
- Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow (2007)
- Barbie Mariposa (2008)
The Barbie: Fairytopia Film Series stars Barbie as The Beautiful Fairy Elina.
The Magic of Pegasus
Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, released in 2005, is a variation of the princess rescuing the prince theme, and it has been released in 3D.
Barbie Diaries
The Barbie Diaries features Barbie as a teenager who starts a band with her best friends, and comes into the possession of a seemingly magical diary. The film was released in 2006.
The 12 Dancing Princesses
Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, released in 2006, is loosely based on the fairytale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The film stars Barbie as Princess Geniveve."
The Island Princess
Barbie as the Island Princess, released in 2007, places Barbie as Princess Ro on an island in the South Seas.
The Diamond Castle
Barbie & The Diamond Castle was released on September 9, 2008. It was marketed and promoted as "Barbie's first best friends movie"; the film stars Barbie as Princess Liana. The Film co-stars Teresa, a doll from the main toy line, as Princess Alexa, Princess Liana's Best Friend.
A Christmas Carol
Barbie in a Christmas Carol was released on November 4, 2008 and promoted as "Barbie in her first Christmas movie". Based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, it follows the story of a girl named Eden Starling who doesn't believe in Christmas.
Thumbelina
Barbie Thumbelina was released on March 17, 2009 and is based loosely on the fairy tale of Thumbelina.
The Three Musketeers
Barbie and the Three Musketeers was released on September 15, 2009 and is based on the Alexandre Dumas classic tale The Three Musketeers
Sing Along with Barbie
Sing Along with Barbie is a songhits DVD from Barbie Entertainment released on 2009. It features 12 music videos from Barbie movies, including Connected from Barbie and the Diamond Castle and All for One from Barbie and the Three Musketeers.
A Mermaid Tale
Barbie in A Mermaid Tale was released March 9, 2010. Set in Malibu, it tells the story of a superstar swimmer and surfer who doesn't know she is really half mermaid.
A Fashion Fairytale
Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale is the third film since The Barbie Diaries where Barbie plays herself throughout the entire film and she goes on her own adventure; it also co-stars other dolls from the Barbie line-up. Join Barbie in a colourful, modern-day fairytale filled with fashion, friends and fun! Barbie and her dog Sequin jet off to visit her Aunt's amazing fashion house in Paris, and much to her surprise it's about to be shut down forever. After she discovers three enchanting Flairies with sparkle-magic powers, Barbie comes up with a brilliant idea to save the business. She even inspires Marie Alecia, a shy fashion designer, and together they create a dazzling runway fashion show. Barbie shows that magic happens when you believe in yourself.
A Fairy Secret
Barbie: A Fairy Secret is to be released in 2011. Barbie discovers that fairies are real and visits them to save Ken after he is kidnapped, by an evil fairy who wants to marry him.It is rumoured that Barbie will rescue Ken with the help from Teresa,Summer,Nikki,and Raquelle.[1]
Other appearances
As well as starring in her own movies, Barbie has also made appearances in other productions, notably Disney/Pixar's Toy Story series.
Toy Story 2
Barbie was featured in Toy Story 2 in 1999 as a Tour Guide Barbie. Tour Guide Barbie is a Barbie doll from Al's Toy Barn in Toy Story 2. She and all of the other Barbie dolls in the film are voiced by Jodi Benson. When Hamm, Slinky Dog, Rex and Mr. Potato Head come upon the Barbie aisle at Al's Toy Barn while searching for Woody, Tour Guide Barbie hops into the toy car they are driving. She gives the toys a tour in the toy barn and helps them locate Buzz Lightyear (they actually find a "Bonus Belt" Buzz; see below). After the outtakes of the film, Tour Guide Barbie waves goodbye to the audience until her face hurts from smiling. There is also a Barbie doll owned by a girl named Amy. She wears a lavender dress with drawings on the right side of her face. She meets the Prospector when they're both in the pocket of Amy's backpack. At the end of the film, behind Wheezy, there are three Barbie dolls who wear glittering dresses in different colors.
Toy Story 3
A Barbie doll has a major supporting role in Pixar's Toy Story 3. Donated to Sunnyside Daycare center by her owner (along with the other major characters in the film), she falls in love at first sight with Ken. When she discovers that her friends are being held captive by the totalitarian dictator of the daycare, Lotso-Hugging Bear, and that Ken is in on his scheme, she angrily breaks up with him, heartbroken. She provides a vital part of the Toy's escape from Sunnyside, distracting Ken (who is guarding the toys) and later forcing him to reveal the location of the manual needed to restore Buzz Lightyear to his right mind after he was set back to Demo mode by Lotso. His love for Barbie eventually provokes Ken into taking a stand against Lotso, and the two reunite. After Lotso is deposed as the leader of Sunnyside, Barbie and Ken take his place, making the formerly prison-like daycare in a groovy, 24-hour party zone. The movie was released in June 18, 2010.
Voice actresses playing Barbie
In most of the Barbie films, the character herself is voiced by Canadian voice star Kelly Sheridan in a spoken role and Melissa Lyons in a sung role. The famous American voice actress and singer Jodi Benson plays the same character in the Toy Story series. She is voiced by Sharon Lewis in Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World and Barbie and the Sensations: Rockin' Back to Earth. Skye Sweetnam provided her singing voice in The Barbie Diaries. Diana Kaarina became a part of voicing Barbie, replacing Kelly Sheridan in Barbie: A Fashion Fairy Tale in 2010.
References
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