Unstable Fables is a trilogy of animated films produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with Flame Ventures, Prana Studios, and The Weinstein Company. The direct-to-DVD feature-length films were distributed by Genius Products. [1] [2] [3]
The films' casts include Brad Garrett, Jay Leno and Jamie Lynn Spears. The films irreverently and unfaithfully retell classic fairy tales, folktales, and fables with a modern twist. [2] The first film, 3 Pigs and a Baby (based on "The Three Little Pigs"), was released on DVD on March 4, 2008. [4] The second title, Tortoise vs. Hare (based on "The Tortoise and the Hare"), was released on September 9, 2008. [5] The third and final release, The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Show (based on "Goldilocks and the Three Bears"), was released on December 16, 2008. [6]
3 Pigs and a Baby | |
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Directed by | Howard E. Baker Arish Fyzee |
Written by | Craig Bartlett Joseph Purdy |
Starring | Jon Cryer Brad Garrett Steve Zahn Jesse McCartney Timothy McCartney Steve Wilcox |
Music by | Jim Lang |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Genius Products |
Release date |
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Running time | 76 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
3 Pigs and a Baby is the first animated film in the series based on "The Three Little Pigs". The direct-to-DVD film was released on March 4, 2008 and stars Jon Cryer, Brad Garrett, Steve Zahn and Jesse McCartney. [4]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2012) |
The Three Little Pigs become the target of a special-ops team of wolves. The wolves plan to finally infiltrate the impenetrable house of bricks by leaving a tiny wolf cub on the unassuming pigs' doorstep. The pigs take the baby in and raise him as their own. The newest addition to their family, Lucky, grows up into his teens not knowing his history, his role in the wolves' plan or the difficult choice he will have to make about the family that raised him. [7]
Tortoise vs. Hare | |
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Directed by | Howard E. Baker Arish Fyzee |
Written by | Tom Martin |
Starring | Jay Leno Danny Glover Vivica A. Fox Keke Palmer Cybill Shepherd Drake Bell |
Music by | Jim Lang |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Genius Products |
Release date |
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Running time | 76 minutes |
Language | English |
Tortoise vs. Hare is the second animated film in the "Unstable Fables" series. The direct-to-DVD film, based on Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare," was released on DVD on September 9, 2008 [5] [8]
The film features the voices of Danny Glover, Jay Leno, Vivica A. Fox, Keke Palmer and Drake Bell. [5] [8]
The film won a Film Advisory Board award.
Fifteen years following his surprise victory over Murray Hare in a televised cross-country race, Walter Tortoise and his wife Dotty watch their daughter Crystal perform at her school talent show. Crystal performs a moving interpretive dance for which she only earns a 3rd place medal, to the chagrin of her father.
Meanwhile, Murray Hare works as a used car salesman before remembering to pick up his son Butch from the science fair. On the car ride home, Murray suggests joining the track team to Butch, who would prefer studying rocks, minerals, and astronomy. Suddenly, a radio broadcast advertising the Mt. Impossible Nature Adventure Race catches the attention of a redemption seeking Murray Hare. After arriving to their neighboring homes from the talent show and science fair, Murray and Walter pull into their driveways before they begin to exchange banter and brag about the accomplishments of their respective children. During this exchange, Murray challenges the Tortoise father-daughter duo on his son’s behalf. A challenge which Walter accepts quickly, before Crystal has a chance to voice her complaints.
Murray’s wife arrives from work momentarily and shares a brief exchange with Dotty, criticizing her stay at home nature.
The day of the race arrives, and the pairs are joined by fellow competing Pig and Mole family pairs. The race begins and ultimately the Mole family wins the race, citing furious excavation and ignoring personal problems as pivotal to winning the race.
The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Show | |
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Directed by | Howard E. Baker Arish Fyzee |
Written by | Chris Parrish |
Starring | Jamie Lynn Spears Brooke Shields Tom Arnold |
Music by | Jim Lang |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Genius Products |
Release date |
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Running time | 78 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Show (promotionally titled as simply Goldilocks and the 3 Bears) is the third and final animated film in the series. The film is a twisted retelling of the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". The direct-to-DVD film was released on December 16, 2008. [5] The film features the voices of Tom Arnold, Brooke Shields, and Jamie Lynn Spears. [10]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2012) |
Goldilocks, a spoiled television star, moves in with a family of three bears to be filmed in a Big Brother -style reality TV show.
The Big Bad Wolf is a fictional wolf appearing in several cautionary tales, including some of Grimms' Fairy Tales. Versions of this character have appeared in numerous works, and it has become a generic archetype of a menacing predatory antagonist.
"The Tortoise and the Hare" is one of Aesop's Fables and is numbered 226 in the Perry Index. The account of a race between unequal partners has attracted conflicting interpretations. The fable itself is a variant of a common folktale theme in which ingenuity and trickery are employed to overcome a stronger opponent.
Cecil Turtle is a fictional character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of films. Though he made only three theatrical appearances, Cecil has the unusual distinction in that he is one of the very few characters who were able to outsmart Bugs Bunny, and the only one to do so three times in a row and at the rabbit's own game. Cecil often gives Bugs the taunting nickname of "Speedy" when addressing the rabbit.
Daniel Dorff is an American classical musician and classical composer.
Bugs Bunny and the Three Bears is a 1944 Merrie Melodies cartoon short directed by Chuck Jones and written by Tedd Pierce. The short was released on February 26, 1944, and features Bugs Bunny. This short marks the first appearance of Jones' dysfunctional version of The Three Bears, and is a parody of the old fairy tale, Goldilocks and The Three Bears.
Revolting Rhymes is a 1982 poetry collection by British author Roald Dahl. Originally published under the title Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, it is a parody of traditional folk tales in verse, where Dahl gives a re-interpretation of six well-known fairy tales, featuring surprise endings in place of the traditional happily-ever-after finishes.
Three Little Pigs is a 1933 animated short film released by United Artists, produced by Walt Disney and directed by Burt Gillett. Based on the fable of the same name, the Silly Symphony won the 1934 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The short cost $22,000 and grossed $250,000.
The Harveytoons Show is a television series presenting theatrical animated cartoons produced by Famous Studios from 1950 until 1962, which were acquired by Harvey Entertainment.
The first wave of Walt Disney Treasures was released on December 4, 2001. It includes four different DVD sets.
The Tortoise and the Hare is an American animated short film part of the Silly Symphony series, released on January 5, 1935, by United Artists, produced by Walt Disney and directed by Wilfred Jackson. Based on an Aesop's fable of the same name, it won the 1934 Oscar for Best Short Subject: Cartoons. This cartoon is also believed to be one of the inspirations for Bugs Bunny by Warner Bros., who first appeared in 1940.
Events in 2008 in animation.
Prana Studios, Inc. was an American computer animation and visual effects company, founded in 2003 in Los Angeles, United States, with a wholly owned subsidiary in Mumbai, India.
Events in 1964 in animation.
The Tortoise and the Hare is one of Aesop's Fables.
Goldilocks is a 12" soundtrack vinyl album taken from the live-action/animated De-Patie-Freleng TV film Goldilocks shown on NBC on March 31, 1970. It was first released in 1970 as DL-3511 by Disneyland Records for a special promotion of Evans-Black Carpets by Armstrong. The album could be purchased for $2.25. When the promotion period had expired, the album was re-released by Disneyland Records as ST-3889 with an accompanying 12-page storybook. The recording is particularly important to the Bing Crosby career as he recorded commercial tracks in every year from 1926 to 1977 and this album represents his only recording work for 1969.
Goldie & Bear is an American animated fantasy children's television series created by Jorge Aguirre for Disney Junior. The series is produced by Milk Barn Entertainment and Titmouse, Inc in its first and second seasons respectively. Inspired by the fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," the show focuses on Goldie and Bear, who become best friends following an incident at his house.
Hustle Punch is a Japanese adventure anime series created by Yasuji Mori and produced by Toei Animation. Its 26 episodes were aired on November 1, 1965, to April 25, 1966, on NET.
The Bear's Tale is a 1940 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated cartoon short, directed by Tex Avery. The short was released on April 13, 1940, and stars the Three Bears.
The Smokey Bear Show is an American-Japanese animated television series that aired on ABC's Saturday morning schedule, produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. The show features Smokey Bear, the icon of the United States Forest Service, who was well known for his 1947 slogan, "Remember... only YOU can prevent forest fires". It aired for one season of 17 episodes starting on September 6, 1969, then aired in reruns on Sunday mornings for the 1970–71 season, due to the show's inability to compete with CBS' The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour and NBC's The Heckle and Jeckle Show. Copies of all 17 episodes were deposited at the Library of Congress, but only 4 episodes from other sources have been made publicly available as of 2023.