An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster

Last updated
An American Tail:
The Mystery of the Night Monster
An American Tail The Mystery of the Night Monster poster.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Larry Latham
Screenplay byLen Uhley
Based onCharacters
by David Kirschner
Produced byLarry Latham
Starring
Edited byJay Bixson
Music by
Production
companies
Universal Family and Home Entertainment Production [1]
Universal Cartoon Studios
Tama Production
(overseas animation studio)
Distributed by Universal Studios Home Video
Release dates
  • December 9, 1999 (1999-12-09)(Germany)
  • July 25, 2000 (2000-07-25)(US)
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster (also known as An American Tail 4: The Mystery of the Night Monster) is a 1999 American animated adventure film directed and produced by Larry Latham. It is the second direct-to-video follow-up to An American Tail as well as the fourth and final film of the series. The film premiered on December 9, 1999, in Germany, and was released on July 25, 2000, in the United States and Canada. While the actors retain their voices for the original characters (with the exception of Erica Yohn as Jane Singer took over her role for Mama Mousekewitz), this film introduces new characters and voices of Susan Boyd, Robert Hays, John Garry, Candi Milo, John Mariano, Jeff Bennett, and Joe Lala, completely omitting the previous film’s characters. Universal Cartoon Studios discontinued the franchise while moving on to work on sequels based on The Land Before Time during the 21st century. [2] Thomas Dekker received a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voice-Over for Fievel.

Contents

Plot

After the events of the third film, but before the second, Fievel, his sister Tanya, and his friend Tony get jobs at the local newspaper. The Mousekewitz children and Tony meet Nellie Brie, who wants to be an important reporter, but only gets small assignments, as if she were a secretary to Reed Daley, the newspaper's editor.

Nellie gets a chance when she is assigned to report on mice who disappear overnight into holes that open up on their floor all over New York City. Reed makes up a, as Nellie calls it, "so-called monster" that lives under Manhattan and takes mice away during the night to add more excitement to the otherwise unimportant story, intending to sell more papers. The night monster creates fears among the readers, as could be expected. Fievel begins having nightmares that cause him to lose sleep because of his fear of the monster; the film opens up with Fievel having a dream about being chased by what he thinks the monster looks like (a fiery demonic cat with a mouse trap on its tongue). When, through Tanya, he is assigned the job of following Nellie and drawing up interpretations of what the monster looks like based on witness testimony, this makes his insomnia all the worse. A particularly suspicious miniature French poodle named Madame Mousey, who has started living among the mice about this time, appears at every crime scene, claiming to be a fortune teller. The heroes finally decide to investigate her by means of the "dog council" that meets at Central Park. They also search down one of the holes, which leads directly to a group of cats known as the infamous Outlaw Cats hiding in the sewers. All the mice that had disappeared are being held in wood cages there, to be sold off to other cats and eaten.

The night monster itself, a mechanic device with ghastly flashing pictures and a circular saw, is revealed in full when it attacks the mice newspaper office and printing press to prevent them from printing the truth, which they had just discovered. A great chase scene takes place throughout both the mouse and the human newspaper offices. Reed finally wins Nellie‘s heart and ended up in a relationship. When all the cats seem to be under control, the "dog council" appears just as they are regaining consciousness and chase them all away, taking Madame Mousey with them. As the film ends, the last scene takes place at the beach, where Tony informed the Mousekewitz family that the "dog council" had chosen for the French poodle (who was the mastermind behind the night monster all along) a punishment worse than prison: returning her to her owner, Mrs. Abernathy. Mama Mousekewitz surmises saying that now that the mystery has been cleared up, Fievel finally goes to sleep, only to turn around and find him with Yasha his sister already asleep on the beach towel, to which Papa smiles and says, "You were saying?" The Mousekewitz family, including Tony and Tiger, share a group hug as Mama says, "Sweet dreams, my little Fievel. Sweet dreams".

Voice cast

Production

Like the previous direct-to-video sequel, this film was directed by Larry Latham, except it was animated by another overseas company Tama Productions as Universal would end production of An American Tail film series after completing this film. Most of the previous actors reprise their roles for the franchise's original characters, except Erica Yohn as she retired from acting after casting for Mama Mousekewitz in The Treasure of Manhattan Island , which was her last film role.[ citation needed ] Jane Singer was chosen to take over Yohn's role for the character in this film. While omitting the previous sequel's characters from this film without public explanation, new characters and voices are introduced. Susan Boyd was chosen to voice for Nellie Brie, as Boyd previously cast as Daisy in Rover Dangerfield and lip-synced for Cameron Diaz as Tina Carlyle‘s singing voice in The Mask . Robert Hays, the known actor for playing Ted Striker in Airplane! and for voicing Tony Stark in the 1990's Iron Man animated series, was chosen to voice for Reed Daley. The villains are voiced by Candi Milo (Madame Mousey), Jeff Bennett (Slug), and John Mariano (Twitch), who are all well known voice actors in the animation industry. The film reverts to the usual "cat and mouse" routine from the first two films while elements from the previous sequel are completely phased out.[ citation needed ]

This film was originally scheduled to be released in June 1999, [3] but was put on hold for over a year as it would not reach the markets until after releasing The Treasure of Manhattan Island first, which got delayed until the beginning of the 21st century for posthumous reasons. [4]

Soundtrack

Release

Universal Studios Home Video released this fourth installment on VHS in North America on July 25, 2000. [5] The film was later released on DVD in 2004, with a sing-along version of "Creature de la Nuit" as a bonus feature. It was combined with three other films on June 13, 2017. [6]

Overseas

Before the North American release, it first premiered in Germany in December 1999. Then it was released in the United Kingdom on March 6, 2000. It was also released on November 2, 2004 in Australia, January 5, 2005 in Spain, June 23, 2005 in Japan, October 5, 2005 in Italy, October 31, 2005 in Russia and February 3, 2006 in France.

Reception

David Parkinson of Radio Times rated it 2/5 stars and criticized the film's ethnic stereotyping. Parkinson concluded: "But, apart from a couple of imaginatively eerie dream sequences, there's little here to hold the attention of even the least discriminating youngster". [7] Michael Scheinfeld of Common Sense Media, gave it positive reviews compared to the previous installment, describing it as "a mystery with spunk, courage, and heart", since this film encourages the children how to overcome their fears. [8] Felix Vasquez Jr. called it "a nice diversion and mediocre finale to the animated series". [9]

Accolades

Young Artist Award

Related Research Articles

<i>An American Tail</i> 1986 animated film directed by Don Bluth

An American Tail is a 1986 American animated musical adventure comedy-drama film directed by Don Bluth and written by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss from a story by David Kirschner, Freudberg and Geiss. The film stars the voices of Phillip Glasser, John Finnegan, Amy Green, Nehemiah Persoff, Dom DeLuise, and Christopher Plummer. It is the story of Fievel Mousekewitz and his family as they emigrate from Russia to the United States for freedom, but Fievel gets lost and must find a way to reunite with them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miyoko Asō</span> Japanese actress (1926–2018)

Miyoko Asō was a Japanese actress. She is best known for her role as the first voice of Fune Isono from 1969 to 2015 in the longest-running Japanese anime series Sazae-san, which first aired in 1969. She was the voice of Dr. Pinako Rockbell in both Fullmetal Alchemist anime adaptations. Asō also starred as an actress in cinema, in the 2006 movie Aogeba Tōtoshi, directed by Jun Ichikawa. On September 18, 2015, it was announced that Asō would step down from her role in Sazae-san. She was replaced by Yorie Terauchi on October 5, 2015. On September 3, 2018, it was reported that Asō had died on August 25 from senility.

<i>An American Tail: Fievel Goes West</i> 1991 animated film directed by Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West is a 1991 American animated Western musical adventure film directed by Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells, with producer Steven Spielberg for Amblin Entertainment and animated by his Amblimation animation studio and released by Universal Pictures. A sequel to 1986's An American Tail, the film follows the story of the Mousekewitzes, a family of Russian-Jewish mice who emigrate to the Wild West. In it, Fievel is separated from his family as the train approaches the American Old West; the film chronicles him and Sheriff Wylie Burp teaching Tiger how to act like a dog.

<i>Fievels American Tails</i> 1992 animated television series

Fievel's American Tails is an animated television series, produced by Amblin Television, Nelvana, and Universal Cartoon Studios. It aired on CBS for one season in 1992, and continued Fievel's adventures from the film An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. Phillip Glasser, Dom DeLuise and Cathy Cavadini were the only actors from the film to reprise their roles, as Fievel, Tiger and Tanya respectively. One character, Wylie Burp, is written off from this show in respect of James Stewart's retirement. Another character, Tony Toponi, is written off following Pat Musick's then-current parenting of her daughter Mae Whitman, as Tony could not reappear until the late 1990s direct-to-video sequels. He only made cameos in Fievel Goes West owing to that respect.

<i>Aladdin</i> (animated TV series) Animated television series made by Walt Disney Television

Aladdin: The Series is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation that aired from February 6, 1994, to November 25, 1995, concluding exactly three years to the day from the release of the original Disney's 1992 animated feature film of the same name on which it was based. Despite the animated television series premiering four months before the first sequel, the direct-to-video film The Return of Jafar, it takes place afterward. The second and final animated sequel was the 1996 direct-to-video film, Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

Candi Milo is an American actress. She has voiced various characters on many animated series including Tiny Toon Adventures, SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron, Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, ChalkZone, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, ¡Mucha Lucha!, Codename: Kids Next Door, My Life as a Teenage Robot, Loonatics Unleashed, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Maya & Miguel, W.I.T.C.H., The Life and Times of Juniper Lee,The Replacements, and The Adventures of Puss in Boots. She has voiced the Looney Tunes characters Granny and Witch Hazel since 2017 and Petunia Pig since 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillip Glasser</span> American producer and former actor (born 1978)

Phillip Alexander Glasser is an American producer and a former actor. He is best known for providing the voice of Fievel Mousekewitz in An American Tail (1986), its sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991), and its spinoff animated TV series Fievel's American Tails (1992-93).

<i>An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island</i> 1998 animated film directed by Larry Latham

An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island is a 1998 American animated adventure film produced by Universal Cartoon Studios and directed by Larry Latham. It is the third film in the An American Tail series, the first to be released direct-to-video, and the first in the series to use digital ink and paint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nehemiah Persoff</span> American actor and painter (1919–2022)

Nehemiah Persoff was an American actor and painter. He appeared in more than 200 television series, films, and theatre productions, and also performed as a voice artist in a career spanning 55 years.

Susan Silo is an American actress who is known for her work in voice-over roles.

Jennifer Darling is an American voice, film and television actress. Her best-known role on screen was as Peggy Callahan in The Six Million Dollar Man and its spin-off The Bionic Woman. In anime, she is the voice of Ayeka in the English dub of Tenchi Muyo for most of the English adaptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Dekker (actor)</span> American actor

Thomas Alexander Dekker is an American actor, musician, singer, director and producer. He is known for his roles as John Connor in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Adam Conant on The Secret Circle, and Zach on Heroes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Musick</span> American voice actress

Patricia Anne Musick is an American voice actress who has provided numerous voices in many television shows, films, and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Nibbelink</span> American animator and film director

Phil Nibbelink is an American animator and film director as well as comic book writer and illustrator known for his work on films as the Academy Award-winning Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the 1991 cult animated sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West.

Somewhere Out There (<i>An American Tail</i> song) 1986 single by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram

"Somewhere Out There" is a song released by MCA Records and recorded by American singers Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram for the soundtrack of the animated feature film An American Tail (1986). The song was written by James Horner, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil, and produced by Peter Asher and Steve Tyrell. It reached number eight in the United Kingdom, number six in Ireland, and number two in both the United States and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Bowers (director)</span> English animator, storyboard artist, film director, screenwriter and voice actor

David Bowers is an English animator, storyboard artist, film director, screenwriter and voice actor.

Erica Yohn was an American stage and television actress.

<i>An American Tail: Fievels Gold Rush</i> 2003 video game

An American Tail: Fievel's Gold Rush is a platform game that was first released in Europe on March 1, 2002, for the Game Boy Advance, then in North America on May 2, 2003. Based on Universal Studios' An American Tail animated feature film franchise, the game was developed by Hokus-Pokus and published by Conspiracy Entertainment.

An American Tail is a franchise based on the 1986 animated feature film of the same name directed by Don Bluth and produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios/Amblin Entertainment.

A Hanukkah film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Films in this style may incorporate the religious aspects of Hanukkah, such as lighting the menorah or the story of the Maccabees, along with cultural aspects of Hanukkah, such as spinning dreidels, or eating traditional foods such as latkes, sufganiyot, or gelt.

References

  1. ↑ "An American Tail The Mystery of the Night Monster (1999)". British Film Institute . Archived from the original on 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  2. ↑ Hettrick, Scott (23 June 2000). "Video bows mint coin". Variety . Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  3. ↑ "'American Tail' videos return to stores". Variety. 5 June 1998. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  4. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Eileen (December 25, 1999). "'Mummy' Shoots Universal's Sales Over $1 Bil.; Retailers Win With Sight And Sound". Billboard . Vol. 111, no. 52.
  5. ↑ Nichols, Peter M. (2000-07-28). "HOME VIDEO; It's a Sequel? O.K., I'll Take It". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2015-05-27. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  6. ↑ "An American Tail: 4 Movie Complete Collection". Amazon. 13 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  7. ↑ Parkinson, David. "An American Tail: the Mystery of the Night Monster". Radio Times . Archived from the original on 2018-01-25. Retrieved 2017-10-01.
  8. ↑ Scheinfeld, Michael (2017-10-01). "An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster". Common Sense Media . Archived from the original on 2019-05-05. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  9. ↑ "An American Tail: Mystery of the Night Monster (2000) |". Archived from the original on 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.