Rocky & Bullwinkle (2014 film)

Last updated

Rocky & Bullwinkle
Rocky and Bullwinkle 2014 film screenshot.jpg
Rocky and Bullwinkle in the film.
Directed by Gary Trousdale
Written by
Based onCharacters
by Jay Ward
Produced byDenise Nolan Cascino
Starring
Narrated by Robert Ben Garant
Edited byMark A. Deimel
Music byTony Morales
Production
companies
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14)
(on the Blu-ray 3D release of Mr. Peabody & Sherman )
Running time
9 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Rocky and Bullwinkle (also known as Another Fine Moose You've Gotten Me Into or The Man In The Iron Moose) is a 2014 American computer-animated direct-to-video short film based on the 1960s animated television series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show , produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The short was directed by Gary Trousdale, (who is best known for co-directing Disney's Beauty and the Beast ) while Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon were the writers (They also provided the voices of Fearless Leader and the narrator for this short). [1] June Foray reprises her role as Rocky in her final voice role before her death on July 26, 2017, while Tom Kenny voices Bullwinkle. Originally planned as a theatrical short to accompany with Mr. Peabody & Sherman (which is also based on characters from The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show), it was released on October 14, 2014, on the Blu-ray 3D of the film.

Contents

Plot

Desperate to finally kill Rocky and Bullwinkle and have them as trophy heads for his rumpus room, Fearless Leader assigns his spies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale a new mission: to use a robotic female moose to seduce Bullwinkle, and inevitably destroy him (as well as Rocky in the process). Boris controls the robot's actions through the interior.

When Rocky and Bullwinkle return to Frostbite Falls after escaping from a Mayan temple, they are rewarded with a special day of their honor at a town ceremony, in which Bullwinkle is immediately smitten with Boris’ robot disguise. The two spend time together, with Boris constantly attempting to kill Bullwinkle, only to bring himself bad luck to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. Meanwhile, Rocky feels isolated from his best friend and follows them wherever they go, until he discovers Bullwinkle has proposed to the robot moose. The narrator tells us to wait for the next part called "Another Fine Moose You've Gotten Me Into!!" or "The Man in the Iron Moose!"

In "Bullwinkle's Poetry Corner," Bullwinkle reads a poem which is actually a rap song by Eminem (whom he formally introduces by his birth name, Marshall Mathers III), entitled Superman , only to stop reading it after just ten words, due to the fact it had swear words in it (which he had been caught by surprise with). Feeling embarrassed and finding no way to finish the rest (and trying, to no avail, to try and find another work of his to read), Bullwinkle then skips it, ends the sketch early, and says next week he will read "the complete works of Mr. Fifty Cents".

Back in the story arc, Rocky arrives to crash the wedding on a cruise ship, but Bullwinkle and the robot moose have already been wedded and Bullwinkle dances with the robot to Jimmy Soul's If You Wanna Be Happy. Rocky then discovers it was Boris who lured Bullwinkle away with romantic gestures, and tries to stop him only for Natasha to intervene by challenging him to a duel. Boris eventually gets fed up with the act while being hit with a bowling ball and evacuates leaving the robotic bride to explode and kill Bullwinkle. However, he falls back down after finding out his parachute has been taken by Fearless Leader, and falls into the ocean with Natasha. Rocky is able to save Bullwinkle in the last minute, knocking the robot moose off the ship to explode into Boris and Natasha's faces, before the two spies are immediately eaten by a shark. Bullwinkle makes amends with his buddy and they swear never to let anything come between them again, only for Rocky to fall in love with a female explosive mechanical squirrel.

In a mid-credits scene Fearless Leader tries to find his bowling ball and he asks his mother if she saw it to which she replies "Did you look in your killer robot?".

Voice cast

History

The short was originally [2] going to be released in theatres [3] in front of Mr. Peabody & Sherman and it was to serve as a test for a possible feature film with the characters. However, Almost Home, a short based on another DreamWorks Animation film, Home , played before the film instead. Soon it was decided that the short itself would be a direct to video short and was released on the Blu-ray 3D disc of Mr. Peabody & Sherman. [4]

Music

The short features the songs "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga, and "If You Wanna Be Happy" by Jimmy Soul.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends</i> American animated television series

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC television networks. Produced by Jay Ward Productions, the series is structured as a variety show, with the main feature being the serialized adventures of the two title characters, the anthropomorphic flying squirrel Rocket J. ("Rocky") Squirrel and moose Bullwinkle J. Moose. The main antagonists in most of their adventures are the two Russian-like spies Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, both working for the Nazi-like dictator Fearless Leader. Supporting segments include "Dudley Do-Right", "Peabody's Improbable History", and "Fractured Fairy Tales", among others. The current blanket title was imposed for home video releases more than 40 years after the series originally aired and was never used when the show was televised; television airings of the show were broadcast under the titles of Rocky and His Friends from 1959 to 1961, The Bullwinkle Show from 1961 to 1964, and The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show in syndication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Ward</span> American animator and television producer

Joseph Ward Cohen Jr., also known as Jay Ward, was an American creator and producer of animated TV cartoon shows. He produced animated series based on such characters as Crusader Rabbit, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, Peabody and Sherman, Hoppity Hooper, George of the Jungle, Tom Slick, and Super Chicken. His own company, Jay Ward Productions, designed the trademark characters for the Cap'n Crunch, Quisp, and Quake breakfast cereals and it made TV commercials for those products. Ward produced the non-animated series Fractured Flickers (1963) that featured comedic redubbing of silent films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dudley Do-Right</span> Canadian Mountie cartoon character

Dudley Do-Right is a fictional character created by Alex Anderson, Chris Hayward, Allan Burns, Jay Ward, and Bill Scott, who appears as the main protagonist of "Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties", a segment on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pottsylvania</span> Imaginary Country In Rocky And his Friends and the Bullwinkle show

Pottsylvania is a fictional country that appeared in the television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle. Its name is a parody of the US State of Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fearless Leader</span> American animated television character

Fearless Leader is the main antagonist in the 1959–1964 animated television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, both shows often collectively referred to as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. He is the employer of fellow primary villains Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, serving as an overarching antagonist in some episodes of the series. He was originally voiced by Bill Scott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky the Flying Squirrel</span> American animated film and television character

Rocket "Rocky" J. Squirrel, also known as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, is a fictional character and one of the two male protagonists of the 1959–1964 animated series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, produced by Jay Ward. Rocky is the best friend and ally of the western moose, Bullwinkle. Both Rocky and Bullwinkle were given the middle initial "J" as a reference to Ward.

<i>Boris and Natasha: The Movie</i> 1992 film by Charles Martin Smith

Boris and Natasha: The Movie is a 1992 American comedy television film that was loosely based on the animated television series The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Although Rocky and Bullwinkle do not appear in this film, they are referenced when two minor characters are revealed to be known also as "Agents Moose and Squirrel" during a climactic scene. This was due to the production company's inability to secure the rights to the animated characters' likenesses for this film. Originally intended for a theatrical release, this film was produced by Management Company Entertainment Group for Showtime Networks, and aired on Showtime on April 17, 1992.

<i>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle</i> (film) 2000 film directed by Des McAnuff

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is a 2000 American live-action/animated adventure slapstick comedy film directed by Des McAnuff and produced by Universal Pictures, based on the television cartoon of the same name by Jay Ward. Animated characters Rocky and Bullwinkle share the screen with live actors portraying Fearless Leader, Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale along with Randy Quaid, Piper Perabo, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. June Foray reprised her role as Rocky, while Keith Scott voiced Bullwinkle and the film's narrator. It also features cameo appearances by performers including James Rebhorn, Paget Brewster, Janeane Garofalo, John Goodman, David Alan Grier, Don Novello, Jon Polito, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg, Max Grodenchik, Norman Lloyd, Jonathan Winters and Billy Crystal. The film follows a young rookie FBI agent named Karen Sympathy enlisting the help of Rocky and Bullwinkle to stop Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader from taking over the United States.

Hector James Peabody, simply referred to as Mr. Peabody, is an anthropomorphic cartoon dog who appeared in the late 1950s and early 1960s television animated series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, produced by Jay Ward. Peabody appeared in the "Peabody's Improbable History" segments created by Ted Key, and was voiced by Bill Scott. In 2014, he was featured in a computer-animated film, Mr. Peabody & Sherman. From 2015 to 2017, he appeared in a television series based on the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boris Badenov</span> Antagonist of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show

Boris Badenov is an antagonist character in the 1959–1964 animated series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, so often appearing with his devious accomplice, Natasha Fatale, that the two are usually grouped together, as Boris and Natasha. He was originally voiced by Paul Frees. The character was created by Bill Scott, who based his appearance on that of Gomez Addams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bullwinkle J. Moose</span> American animated film and television character

Bullwinkle J. Moose is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists of the 1959–1964 animated television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, often collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle, produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott. When the show changed networks in 1961, the series moved to NBC and was retitled The Bullwinkle Show, where it stayed until 1964. It then returned to ABC, where it was in repeats for nine more years. It has been in syndication ever since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natasha Fatale</span> Antagonist of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show

Natasha Fatale is an antagonist of the 1959-1964 animated cartoons Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, collectively referred to as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. She was voiced by June Foray who also voiced Rocky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay Ward Productions</span> American animation studio

Jay Ward Productions, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Costa Mesa, California. It was founded in 1948 by American animator Jay Ward. As of 2022, the studio was headed by Ward's daughter, Tiffany Ward, and granddaughter, vice president Amber Ward.

<i>Mr. Peabody & Sherman</i> 2014 DreamWorks Animation film

Mr. Peabody & Sherman is a 2014 American animated science fiction comedy film produced by PDI/DreamWorks, and Bullwinkle Studios, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film is based on characters from the Peabody's Improbable History segments of the animated television series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. It was directed by Rob Minkoff and produced by Alex Schwartz and Denise Nolan Cascino, from a screenplay by Craig Wright. Tiffany Ward, daughter of series co-creator Jay Ward, served as executive producer. Mr. Peabody & Sherman features the voices of Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, and Allison Janney. In the film, Mr. Peabody (Burrell) and his adoptive human son Sherman (Charles) use the WABAC to embark on time travel adventures. When Sherman accidentally rips a hole by taking the WABAC without permission to impress Penny Peterson (Winter), they must find themselves to repair history and save the future.

The Dudley Do-Right Emporium was a small, eccentric gift shop named after the fictional Canadian Mountie Dudley Do-Right, located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jet Fuel Formula</span> 1st episode of the 1st season of Rocky and His Friends

"Jet Fuel Formula" is the first and the longest Rocky and Bullwinkle story arc and is the pilot of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. It is also noteworthy in that it established most of the characters, themes, running gags, and other elements that would be employed in later stories and that would become so closely identified with the Rocky and Bullwinkle programs in the years since. The first few episodes contained a laugh track, which was removed when the episodes were released as part of Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends Complete Season 1.

"Upsidaisium" is the first story arc from the second season of Rocky and His Friends. With 36 segments it was the second-longest of all Rocky and Bullwinkle story arcs, and concerns Rocky and Bullwinkle's efforts to reclaim Bullwinkle's Uncle's Upsidaisium mine. It was broadcast on ABC during the 1960–1961 television season on Sundays, concurrently with Metal-Munching Mice on Thursdays.

<i>Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game</i> 1988 cartoon role-playing game

The Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game is a role-playing game published by TSR in 1988. It is based on characters and settings from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

<i>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle</i> (TV series) 2018 animated web television series

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle is an American animated comedy streaming television series produced by DreamWorks Animation Television which is a reboot of the 1959–64 animated television series of the same name. It debuted on May 11, 2018, on Amazon Prime Video, being DreamWorks Animation Television's first series to air on a streaming service other than Netflix. Like its preceding spin-off The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, animation was outsourced by DHX Media's 2D animation studio in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The second and final half of the series was released on January 11, 2019.

References

  1. DreamWorks Animation (November 4, 2013). "Hokey Smoke! DreamWorks Animation Produces New Rocky & Bullwinkle Short". PR Newswire. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  2. Graser, Marc (February 25, 2014). "DreamWorks Animation Profitable in Q4 Despite $13.5 Million 'Turbo' Loss". Variety. Retrieved February 26, 2014. Company also took an impairment charge of $6.7 million from the production of a "Rocky and Bullwinkle" short that was to play in front of Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
  3. Wolfe, Jennifer (December 6, 2012). "DreamWorks Animation Previews 2013 Slate". Animation World Network. Retrieved October 20, 2013. According to Desowitz, Minkoff also said there will be a Rocky & Bullwinkle short in front of the Mr. Peabody & Sherman feature, with Rocky to be voiced by the venerable June Foray.
  4. Amidi, Amid (March 10, 2014). "DreamWorks Promotes Upcoming 'Home' with new short 'Almost Home'". Cartoon Brew . Retrieved March 13, 2014.