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Recently I got the chance to watch the first and second Jungledyret films. for those who don't know this is a series of Danish films who's first film debuted in 1993 with Jungledyret or "The Jungle Animal" as it is translated. Like any at least mildly successful film, it got a sequel called Jungledyret 2 - den store filmhelt the subtitle is translated "The movie star". This sequel was followed by an Animated series and a 3rd movie.
Now Miramax did a "heavily edited" English version of the first 2 films for a single DVD named Hugo the Movie Star.
If anyone does want to watch either of these films I would suggest the Danish ones with subtitles as I watched the first in both Danish first and English second and the English version has had it's script changed and scenes cut out because it was felt American kids would be offended by somethings. I went into both of the films already aware that the English version was of less quality but I felt I needed to at least watch it in my native language (I don't speak a word of Danish). Despite this variance, the first two movies are actually quite good and do have a little bit of that Don Bluth style that I love so much.
Jungledyret is about a small and very rare and extremely clever animal named, Hugo, who lives in the jungle. He lives a carefree life In the jungle with his monkey friends Zig and Zag. One day a movie producer and his actress wife come to the Jungle in search of a cute animal to play in their new film Beauty and the Pet. They capture Hugo but he escapes, unfortunately, he losses his way and ends up in a bag of bananas and on board the same ship as the producer and his wife. Luckily he finds his way into the ships kitchen and meets the ships chef who befriends him and offers to take him to the zoo when they reach land and that he might find it a suitable home. Once they reach the mainland and Hugo is dropped off at the zoo Hugo soon finds that this is no place for him and he wants to run free. It is then that he meets a young vixen named Rita who happens to be passing by. Rita says that she cannot help him out of the cage and begins to tell Hug about her life and he listens intently and obviously love stricken with the fox. Rita has to run off when a pair of kidnappers comming for Hugo show up. And I won't ruin any more of the movie (unless you want me too just send a PM lol) but the rest of it consist of Hugo and Rita's adventures together.
Now the second film picks up where the first leaves off and the series after that, but what really has me steamed is the third film. It's in CGI! The first 2 films have a wonderful art style that is absolutely classic, but someone had to mess it all up with a CGI film to round out the trilogy. I know I have no right to really question the makers and I know it was most likely some kind of change in upper management and a way to "rejuvenate" the franchise. Or more likely it was a "follow the leader" type thing with the idea that if they made a CGI movie maybe it would be more attractive to an audience more familiar with Disney/Pixar films than traditional animation. I personally thing it's something of a small tragedy to see a franchise that had so much promise be tarnished by the cold hand of CGI animation.
In closing and to sum this all up I suggest everyone to watch at least the first Jungledyret, in Danish, if possible as I promise it will be a freash revisit of the great classic animation style that died in the late 90's with the greater use of computer graphics in movies for more than just special effects. If anyone wants any more info on where you can watch the Danish versions with subs I'll be happy to assist just sent a PM my way.
And finally yes there was a topic on this movie once before, but it's almost 2 years old and I wanted to address some more things than what that topic covered.
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