THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PIPPI LONGSTOCKING
US, 1988, 96 minutes, Colour.
Tami Erin, David Seaman Jr, Eileen Brennan, Denis Dugan.
Directed by Ken Annakin.
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking is based on a series of books by Astrid Lindgren. The books were adapted for the screen by Ken Annakin, veteran director of many British and international movies, especially a number for Walt Disney like Rob Roy, The Word and the Rose, The Swiss Family Robinson.
Pippi Longstocking, a child of fantasy and children's books, may not appeal to everyone. With her freckles and plaits (reproduced for the screen), she is an eccentric young girl - with a penchant for throwing ice cream and cake and other foods around rooms and at everyone!
The film shows Pippi in her world of adventure with her father (John Schuck) arriving in a town and affecting the children of the family next door, as well as a number of orphans. She runs foul of some crooks who want her house, and of the lady in charge of the orphans (Eileen Brennan). Yet she emerges as heroine for everyone, changing people's lives. The film is a blend of the cheeky, the sentimental and the cute - perhaps more for American audiences than others. There is a catchy title tune.
1. Enjoyable children's film? Family film? The appeal of Pippi? Her imagination and adventures? Her relationships with people? The touches of magic?
2. American locations, the sea, the town? Special effects for Pippi's behaviour and magic? The musical score? The song?
3. The popularity of the books? Audience interest in Pippi as a character and her adventures?
4. Pippi and her appearance, the freckles and the plaits, the little girl? On-the pirate ship with her father? Action at sea, friend of the crew? Love for her father? Her mother in heaven and looking down and Pippi's talking to her? The storm, going to the house? In the house and setting it up? Friendship with the children next door, their parents? Playing together, adventures, scrapes? Throwing food around, etc? The orphans and Pippi transforming them with the ice cream, making them happy? The clash with the lady in charge? The crooks and their attempts to get the house? The father and his concern for the house? The people in the town? The adventures, running away, being lost, getting back? The people relieved? The fire and Pippi to the rescue? Her heroics? Everybody happy? Her father's return? The resolution of everything? Pippi as a young girl - cute and precocious?
5. The children next door and the ordinary lives, attracted by Pippi, getting to know her, all the adventures, running away, getting lost, the fire and the rescues? Their parents and their concern? The mother and her liking Pippi? The father and his anxieties? The father with the crooks? The final heroics?
6. The orphans? In line, being free, Pippi going to the orphanage, having to learn, her not fitting in? The fire? The lady in charge and her strictness, hostility towards Pippi, her farcical misadventures; change of heart?
7. The comic crooks and their wanting the house, treasure, the two stooges with the main crooks? Their comeuppance?
8. The people in the town, attitude towards Pippi, Pippi the heroine?
9. A story of children's imagination?
