Saturday, December 8. 2007
Alvin and the Chipmunks
It's the year of Chipmunk!
By Linda Winsh-Bolard
Three little chipmunks, Alvin, Theodore and Simon lost their tree to a harvest and found themselves in a basket full of muffins in Los Angeles.
The muffins were the sole consolation of unsuccessful songwriter David who was just told to stop writing songs that nobody would want to sing.
The chipmunks, who talk and reason better them many human adults, like David’s place but are not house trained.
They win their place in the household by singing Dave’s songs.
People, and the record company represented by Ian, love the singing, tapping merry chipmunks and their career is opening bright and bountiful-not just for them but also for the music producer.
Songs and dolls, plates and accessories, the list is nearly as long as the list of the product endorsement for the film.
The Chipmunks were created by in the 50’s by Ross Bagdasarian, who also sang all their songs. He used playback speeding to create the distinctive squeaky voices. His kids suggested chipmunks for a gimmick that was to use animal voice. Bagdasarian named his chipmunks after Liberty Records executives Si Waronker, Ted Keep and Al Bennett — Simon, Theodore and Alvin. Bagdasarian earned two engineering Grammy Awards for the execution and process of the recording. The recordings sold very well and The Chipmunks, originally known as David Seville and the Chipmunks, proceeded to make career in cartoons, movie and television series.
When Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. died in 1972 in his son, also called Ross, revived the trio back for TV series and two more albums in the 80s.
Current chipmunks are cutely animated with soft fur, round ears and large Disney’s like eyes. They retain some of their personalities with Alvin being the rouser, Simon the wise one and Theodore the round rut. David became middle age executive who hates his job, dislikes commitments and shivers on the mention of the word family.
And those cute chipmunks want a family. They are just singing kids who nearly destroy the apartment, meddle into David’s relationship, but really want to be loved. Their parents left them when they were a week old (they were hippies) and David is like Dad to them. Reluctant dad. And when they disappoint him, or so they think, they leave him for evil uncle Ian who plays them like violin and uses them. Oh, families…
Jason lee is an average David, somewhat flat, bubmly and undecided man who is slowly taken over by three small rodents whose personas are much stronger than his.
Is excellent evil producer Ian, all sleazy and breezy and flashy and greedy, no wonder he tramples many a David under his company.
There is a girl, Claire( Cameron Richardson) but she is mostly decorative, properly pretty and bland. Perhaps they well paired with David.
It comes with a huge advertising campaign from CD to play to dolls, game, a MacDonald’s deal and the usual ring tones, posters etc. It has quite a bit of expectation based on the past successful appearances of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Albeit, it bring little new and while cute, it is not thought through – how did the chipmunks so fast discover all about human relationships as well as the working of the human used machinery and even financial deals? As it only goes after “family” theme is remains detached because we don’t really meet the chipmunks or David. We don´t know where he gets his money, we don´t know what makes him tick, or why he writes music.
The best-developed character is Ian and the best-developed, and often hilarious scenes, are about the show business and its dealings.
By Linda Winsh-Bolard
Three little chipmunks, Alvin, Theodore and Simon lost their tree to a harvest and found themselves in a basket full of muffins in Los Angeles.
The muffins were the sole consolation of unsuccessful songwriter David who was just told to stop writing songs that nobody would want to sing.
The chipmunks, who talk and reason better them many human adults, like David’s place but are not house trained.
They win their place in the household by singing Dave’s songs.
People, and the record company represented by Ian, love the singing, tapping merry chipmunks and their career is opening bright and bountiful-not just for them but also for the music producer.
Songs and dolls, plates and accessories, the list is nearly as long as the list of the product endorsement for the film.
The Chipmunks were created by in the 50’s by Ross Bagdasarian, who also sang all their songs. He used playback speeding to create the distinctive squeaky voices. His kids suggested chipmunks for a gimmick that was to use animal voice. Bagdasarian named his chipmunks after Liberty Records executives Si Waronker, Ted Keep and Al Bennett — Simon, Theodore and Alvin. Bagdasarian earned two engineering Grammy Awards for the execution and process of the recording. The recordings sold very well and The Chipmunks, originally known as David Seville and the Chipmunks, proceeded to make career in cartoons, movie and television series.
When Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. died in 1972 in his son, also called Ross, revived the trio back for TV series and two more albums in the 80s.
Current chipmunks are cutely animated with soft fur, round ears and large Disney’s like eyes. They retain some of their personalities with Alvin being the rouser, Simon the wise one and Theodore the round rut. David became middle age executive who hates his job, dislikes commitments and shivers on the mention of the word family.
And those cute chipmunks want a family. They are just singing kids who nearly destroy the apartment, meddle into David’s relationship, but really want to be loved. Their parents left them when they were a week old (they were hippies) and David is like Dad to them. Reluctant dad. And when they disappoint him, or so they think, they leave him for evil uncle Ian who plays them like violin and uses them. Oh, families…
Jason lee is an average David, somewhat flat, bubmly and undecided man who is slowly taken over by three small rodents whose personas are much stronger than his.
Is excellent evil producer Ian, all sleazy and breezy and flashy and greedy, no wonder he tramples many a David under his company.
There is a girl, Claire( Cameron Richardson) but she is mostly decorative, properly pretty and bland. Perhaps they well paired with David.
It comes with a huge advertising campaign from CD to play to dolls, game, a MacDonald’s deal and the usual ring tones, posters etc. It has quite a bit of expectation based on the past successful appearances of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Albeit, it bring little new and while cute, it is not thought through – how did the chipmunks so fast discover all about human relationships as well as the working of the human used machinery and even financial deals? As it only goes after “family” theme is remains detached because we don’t really meet the chipmunks or David. We don´t know where he gets his money, we don´t know what makes him tick, or why he writes music.
The best-developed character is Ian and the best-developed, and often hilarious scenes, are about the show business and its dealings.
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