THE CARE BEARS MOVIE

US, 1985, 75 minutes, Colour.
Voices: Mickey Rooney, Jackie Boroughs, Harry Dean Stanton.
Directed by Arna Selzick.

The Care Bears Movie is a cartoon feature for the youngest audiences. 1t has cuddly heroes in the form of the Care Bears from the land of Care-A-Lot?. The animation is in the cute style - often (sometimes unjustly) called the Disney style. The film is sentimental and designed to appeal to the littlies.

Mickey Rooney is the voice for the character of Mr Cherrywood and the voice cast includes Harry Dean Stanton as the lion. There are two songs written and performed by Carol King, 'Care A Lot' and 'Home Is In Your Heart' and additional songs by John Sebastian.

The film is an edifying fable about love, care for the children.

1. An enjoyable film for the youngest audiences? The delight in the story, the animation? the fable and its message?

2. The quality of the animation? The colourful and cute style? The cuddly care bears themselves? The land of Care-A-Lot? The humans? The Great Fettuccini as villain? The songs and their introduction throughout the film?

3. The title and the focus on the Care Bears, the land of Care-A-Lot?, the message of love overcoming all evil?

4. The Cherrywood Orphanage: Mr. Cherrywood and the children going to bed, his performing some tricks, his being persuaded to tell a story? His voice-over storytelling? The revelation at the end that he is Nicholas? Cherrywood and his wife?

5. The orphanage, the underprivileged children, the story of Kim and Jason and their cutting themselves off from everyone, their not wanting to be hurt? Their missing their parents? The bear, Tender Heart, going to help Nicholas? Their being caught up in the story? Their going back to earth but with two bears being lost in the Forest of Feelings? The cousins of the bears helping them? The evil genie attacking them? Their being found by the Care Bears? The moral of the story to help them be with others?

6. The story of Nicholas, no friends, assisting the Great Fettuccini, Nicholas and the book of spells, his reading the spells, the evil spirit taking him over, tempting him, his chanting to be a great magician, the casting of spells of misery? The love and care being destroyed? The Care Bears finding Nicholas? Their love overcoming the evil spirit? Nicholas being transformed?

7. The Care Bears and their land in the clouds, a nice place, Tender Heart and the other bears, the mission to save Nicholas? Kim, and Jason lost with the two bears? The cousins? The happy harmony at the end when everything is all right?

8. The value of this kind of children's film? Optimistic fairy tale?