Customer Reviews

Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Adventure

5 star:		(151)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ok, if listening to a geek bothers you, skip this review, although you are reading a review of a chipmunk cartoon, so, "Hello, kindred spirit!" This is one of those movies I watched religiously as a kid and survived into my adulthood. Geek alert: I even still listen to the sound-track. . . the songs really are good. You get to hear the chipmunks sing about Rock and Roll and Gettin' Lucky! It really is a truly cute movie, full of rip-roaring animated chipmunk hilarity and adventure. They go all over the world on a huge and dangerous race, all the while evading two captors who are out to get them. There is a classic Chipmunks verses the Chipettes dance/sing off. Completely entertaining for all kids, and enjoyable on a completely different level now that I am an adult. Rich color, great sound, non-stop action and humor. My only complaint is that they need to get it out on DVD!

Though we are led to believe that the stars of this movie are the Chipmunks, it's Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor who really steal the film. It is as gorgeous to look at as it is fun to watch! Oh, and I have to mention one of the two criminals, the brother Klaus, who is simply hilarious! And who could forget the comic bantor over the phone between Miss Miller and Dave! Some of it was right out of Abbot and Costello! This is one of those films that reminds you that the 80's wasn't a total loss, at least not when it comes to animation. But where's our merchandise? I want a Brittany doll like in the movie! I know some merchandise was put out, more based on the show, but it was hard to aquire then, and it's almost impossible today, even with the internet! Anyway, show! In this film we see the two aspiring musical acts in a hot air baloon race around the world, unwittingly playing the roles of diamond smugglers for a pair of unscrupulous criminal siblings. The Chipmunks are at their best in this completely entertaining film, but the Chipettes are better than ever! With the bigger budget animation we see art and movement that is a vast improvement over the TV version. What can I say, in this movie, the girls are adorable!!! I mean, a thousand times moreso than on TV, especially the lovely Brittany! This is one of those handful of movies that proves that non-Disney, non-Anime animation can still be GREAT!!!! The movie has very effective comedy, Excellent songs, and is surprisingly well animated. Not as perfect as from Disney, but the musical numbers are given special effort and come off spectacular! There are a few sightings of choppy animation in the film, but very few. For the most part this a great movie! Buy yourself a copy, and let's hope it gets the DVD treatment soon!

I remember actually seeing this movie in the theaters, and becoming quickly obsessed with it. When it finally came out on video, I watched it with my best friend at least five times a week. We even acted out scenes from it which, to this day, continue to provide entertainment to our friends. Sometime around age 15, I lost the tape, and didn't notice it, until one day, I had an urge to see it. I rented it, and remembered why it was so wonderful--the songs, the adventure! This is a video that every family should have! The images and sights always made me want to travel, and that feeling is still within me. So even now, at age 20, I still have to pop in the Chipmuck Adventure, and watch it, having every line memorized. But for me, it's like the first time all over again.

I've loved this movie since I was a child. If I had to get rid of every movie I watched as a kid and could only keep one, this is definitely the one I would keep.
Dave is going on a business trip to Europe, leaving the boys with Miss Miller. Then, the Chipmunks and the Chippettes meet two people who offer to let them race around the world for a prize of one-hundred-thousand dollars, not knowing that it's just a scam to get them to deliver diamonds to people. Running into all kinds of trouble, and singing a bunch of great songs, this movie is one of the best cartoons ever! The scene where the boys sing "Woolie Bully" is even more classic than Pee-Wee dancing to "Tequila". If you or your kids have never seen this movie, you don't know what you're missing! I really hope this movie comes out on DVD soon, but for now the VHS will do just fine.

The Chipmunk Adventure is still one of my all-time fav animated movies, ranking above most of even Disney's best from the 80s and early 90s (it's a shame it only did a disappointing $6 mil. at the domestic box office).

The animation is beautiful, the story never gets old for me, and the music...well, it should come as no surprise that I also own the soundtrack on CD. I think this movie still stands the test of time, and if you have young children today they'd enjoy this as much as I did at that age. My only warning is that if you think you couldn't stand hearing your kids' high-pitched versions of "Wooly Bully" for the next few months, then don't dare bring this into your home. (But if you are the type to sing along...)

But I digress. I don't want to give away any of the story, but generally, the chipmunks & chipettes enter into a bet to race around the world for $100K. Of course, Dave would never allow this, and the scheme to keep him (and babysitting Mrs. Miller) unaware is almost as much of an adventure as the race itself.

I won't ruin anything for those who haven't seen it, but suffice it to say, there is something the youngsters don't know about the race that will end up getting everyone in deep trouble before the movie ends.

It's exciting, funny, beautifully animated and like I said, if you can walk away w/o humming even one of the tunes, I'd be surprised.

Definitely a great kids movie, as well as for those of us w/ a serious case of 80s nostalgia!

One Final Note:
Obviously, this movie has been one of my favorites since childhood, and I--like many others, if you read the reviews here, alone--have been patiently waiting for it to come to dvd. I read somewhere--over a year ago--that it was slated to arrive in March of 2004, but was pushed back...evidently indefinitely. I'd love to see the Chipmunk Adventure on disc, and if you feel likewise, I'd suggest going to the official website (www.chipmunks.com & then the "contact us" link) to inquire about it; if BAGDASARIAN PRODUCTIONS LLC sees a notable increase in interest for the DVD version, perhaps we'll see it on Amazon.com quicker?? Until then, I guess the VHS will have to suffice...

It is rare that one finds a movie that can be watched by several generations within the same family--baby boomers, generation X-ers and even the X-ers children. Boomers (and maybe even a few of their parents)will more than likely remember Alvin and his brothers from the 1958 novelty Christmas hit; Gen-Xers, from the show that ran in the 1980s, and for the new generation, this is a great time to introduce the kids to a classic. (WARNING--POSSIBLE SPOILERS)
Originally released in 1987, the story begins when David Seville, the chipmunks' guardian, goes off to Europe ona business trip, leaving the boys at home with a neighbor as a babysitter. Ever the schemer, Alvin dreams of world travel on his own, and seems more upset at being left at home than he is oer the departure of his "parent". Enter two sinister, "Euro-trash" international smugglers. A borther and sister pair, they need someone who can deliver 5 million dollars worth of diamonds to their customers overseas without arousing the suspicion of the authorities. the pair finds in the chipmunks and their girlfriends the perfect couriers, and arranges the diamonds to be delivered under the guise of a hot-air balloon race around the world with a one-million dollar prize at stake. The boys and their girlfriends enter the race, not realizing what they were getting themselves into. Meanwhile, the interpol authorities are tracking the boys, both with the intent of getting the kids home safely and catching the smugglers in the process.
while the movie is largely tame by today's standards, parents should be aware that there are a few racial stereotypes depicted, for example, at a Mexican fiesta, almost all the people are wearing sombreros; in Egypt, the Arabs are decpicted as riding on camels. While harmless in the 80's, these images have deeper implications for today. Parents might wish to use these images to prompt discussion regarding international relations and stereotypes. Parents should also be aware that the female villain, Claudia furstein, smokes regularly and in one scene, sips a martini.
But these detractors are mionor--for many young children in the 80's, this movie was their first exposure to famous world monuments, such as the canals of Venice, Machu Picchu and the pyramids. Although I had already traveled widely by the time I saw the movie, I still loved it. When I spent a year in Europe, one of the first places I went was to the PArthenon in Greece, the site of a mjor event in the movie. I have also gone to other locales that were featured in the movie, never once forgetting where I first saw them.
If you are looking for a movie that everyone can enjoy, this is it.

When I was a little girl, this was one of my all-time favorite movies; I loved this film to death. =) I would love to jump around, and dance and sing to my favorite songs: "The Girls and Boys of Rock 'n Roll!", "Gettin' Lucky", "Diamond Dolls" "Off To See The World" and more. It was so much fun to watch and become a part of. I've been parted with it for some time, and when I came across an old copy of mine that was taped from the Disney channell, I was thrilled to be involved with it once more. Having the clearer film quality makes the movie SO much more enjoyable. And, for old times' sake, I danced and sang along with it once more; it's a feel-good movie that is awesome! Great animation, and TERRIFIC songs! I highly recommend this movie for the whole family. A Real Treat. =)

"Hugs and Kisses," I had the same problem on my DVD: Most of the background dialogue and sound effects were missing. For example, in the beginning when Miss Miller is calling for Dave when she first arrives, you can't hear her yelling when Dave and the chipmunks are reacting to her from upstairs. In the arcade, you can't hear the Chipmunks cheering at the machine right before Claudia yells, "Noisy brats!" Then, when Dave calls Miss Miller, you can't hear the phone ring, but yet she goes to pick it up anyway. And you can't hear Alvin talk about how much he loves Athens right before Simon says, "Alvin, you've never been to Athens." And when the natives capture them, and Alvin shows them the clothes and radio, you can't hear them reacting in astonishment, and so on. I was really upset until I realized I have to adjust the audio options; the DVD is programmed to already start the movie with the 5.1 surround sound feature, but my TV doesn't have surround sound, as I'm sure most people's TVs don't. I clicked on the "stereo" option and skipped to the parts of the movie with the missing audio, and they were there again. In other words, if you had surround sound, you would be able to hear the phone ringing from the speaker behind you and Miss Miller calling from the side of the room, etc.
As for the movie itself, this is possibly the greatest animated kids movie ever, including "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" (it's certainly the most underrated). The only reason why I'm giving the DVD version 4 stars instead of 5 is because I was a little disappointed in the bonus features. There's only some screen caps of artwork, though apparently, you see some "deleted scenes," like when the Chipmunks are captured by a group of dogs who hold them in their mouths. But the DVD didn't even have the trailer! Oh well, it's better than nothing. I'm just glad this classic has been finally released.
Oh, one more thing. Unlike the other "Chipmunk" adventures, this isn't Alvin's movie; Simon has all the best lines:
(Theodore tells him to get into the balloon as he's clinging to the side for dear life) "Why didn't I think of that?"
(Alvin asks him if he knows how to operate the balloon) "Not a clue, Alvin!"
(Simon tells Alvin to land the balloon by the fountain in Mexico City, but it crashes into a tree instead) "Like I said, in the tree."
(Theodore regrets leaving the natives who, after worshipping him as their "Prince of Plenty," decide to sacrifice the three Chipmunks) "Send them a postcard, Theodore."

I was born in '82, so I grew up in this era. Among my favorites as child were 'Follow That Bird', 'Muppets Take Manhattan', and 'The Care Bears Movie', but 'The Chipmunk Adventure' was my favorite! I have managed to collect the other three on DVD, tucked away for my future children, and I have been awaiting the release of this one for so long - it will finally complete my collection!

The story is wildly entertaining, and the music is incredible. Even as an almost 24-year-old adult, I've managed to download all of the songs, and mixed them in on my burned CD's. All of my friends seem to think I'm crazy, but my sister and I turn them all the way up, and sing them at the tops of our lungs!

You'll LOVE this movie! I can't wait to watch it again.

The songs are what do it for me the most in this film, everything from Diamond Dolls to The Girls of Rock'N'Roll. Next is the fluid animation and the brilliant voice acting. Next is the well conceived story and it's irresistable sense of humour. Few films are as clever and meticulous in their delivery as this one. I cannot fathom a single child in existance who would not appreciate this movie. Anyone with a childlike heart and soul will revel in this film's magnificence. I could watch this movie a million times, and never tire of it. It is a happy place of mine, and only recently have I re-discovered this. If you have kids, show them this film. If you are a boring, soulless adult with nothing to live for, watch this film... it may spark something inside you.