Rugrats Go Wild

Rugrats Go Wild

Several toddlers and a dog sit atop a palm tree, with a teenage girl, a younger girl a man, a young boy and a monkey standing underneath

Theatrical release poster
Directed by
  • Norton Virgien
  • John Eng
Produced by
Written by Kate Boutilier[1]
Based on Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys
by Arlene Klasky
Gabor Csupo
Starring
Music by Mark Mothersbaugh[1]
Edited by
  • John Bryant
  • Kimberly Rettberg
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates
  • June 13, 2003 (2003-06-13)[2]
Running time
80 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $25 million
Box office $55.4 million

Rugrats Go Wild is a 2003 American animated comedy crossover film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. It is the third, and so far, final film in the Rugrats film trilogy, and the second in Wild Thornberrys series. Christine Cavanaugh, the voice of Chuckie Finster, was replaced by Nancy Cartwright.[3][4] The film was produced by Nickelodeon Movies and Klasky Csupo and released in theaters on June 13, 2003 by Paramount Pictures. With a world-wide gross of $55.4 million, it is the lowest grossing Rugrats film.[5]

The film used "Aroma-Scope," which allowed people to smell odors and aromas from the film via scratch and sniff cards (reminiscent of 1960s Smell-O-Vision), and it was not used again theatrically for eight years, until the release of Spy Kids: All the Time in the World.

Plot

The Rugrats go on an adventure through the safari. Tommy impersonates Nigel Thornberry, who is his role model, and spoofs his nature show. However, the babies' broadcast is cut short when they come across a tiger and then a crocodile, both of which threaten them. Just as they begin sinking in quicksand and are nearly attacked, this is revealed as only imagination; the babies and their families are about to go on vacation on the Lipschitz cruise ship.

When the families arrive at the dock, they miss the Lipschitz cruise. Tommy's father, Stu, has rented a ramshackle boat called the S.S. Nancy which he reveals to be their real mode of transportation, and their real vacation. The families are angered that Stu did not consult them on his plans, and soon the boat is flipped over by a wave during a tropical storm. Everyone is forced to abandon the ship and board a life raft as the ship sinks. Everyone blames Stu for causing all of this and lose hope of being saved. Things start looking up when Angelica sings about having hope on the karaoke machine she brought, until she drops her Cynthia doll into the ocean and starts crying.

The next morning, they arrive on a small, seemingly uninhabited island (possibly in Southeast Asia). The adults argue about who should be the leader. When it gets out of hand, Betty suggests an unusual test: she draws a circle around the fighting adults and tells everyone to step out of the circle, saying that it is the bad circle. They all step out and say that they all feel better, except Stu, and make Betty the leader, much to Stu's anger.

On the opposite side of the island is the famous globe-trotting family the Thornberrys (out to film a clouded leopard). Tommy, Chuckie, and the rest of the kids, except for Angelica, set off to find them, for they suspect they are somewhere on the island. Along the way, Chuckie gets lost and runs into the Thornberry's Tarzan-like child Donnie, who steals Chuckie's clothes.

Meanwhile, Eliza, the gifted Thornberry, is exploring about the jungle with Darwin, her chimpanzee companion and runs into Spike, the Pickles' dog. Since Eliza can talk to animals, Spike (now voiced by Bruce Willis) talks for the first time; he informs her that his 'babies' are lost somewhere on the island. Under the impression that Spike means he is looking for puppies, Eliza (and a reluctant Darwin) agree to help him find them. Following a close encounter with Siri, an angry clouded leopard whom Spike believes to be just a regular domestic cat, they learn that he meant the human babies.

Simultaneously, Eliza's father, Nigel, finds the lost babies. He heads in their direction but ends up tumbling down a hill and suffers amnesia after a coconut falls on his head. Angelica (going by "Angelitiki, the Island Princess") runs into Debbie, the teenage Thornberry, and takes off with Debbie in the Thornberry's all-purpose mobile communication vehicle (commvee). While not paying attention, the two girls sink the commvee.

With the other parents' help, Marianne Thornberry, the mother of Eliza and Debbie as well as the wife of Nigel, raises the commvee and uses the automatic-retrieval system to rescue Nigel, who has regained his memory, and the babies. Nigel and the kids see a giant squid on the way to the surface. They are reunited with their families and forgives Stu, and everyone finally gets on board the Lipschitz cruise. Spike vows never to lose his babies again.

Cast

Main characters from Rugrats

Supporting characters from Rugrats

The Wild Thornberrys

Guest stars

Production

Rugrats Go Wild was originally made by Klasky Csupo's television unit (directed by Mark Risley and written by Kate Boutilier), but after screenings, Paramount decided it should be shelved and remade into a feature film.

Among the biggest hype this movie received was Bruce Willis voicing Spike, and the use of "Odorama" cards to enhance the viewing experience, Burger King and Blockbuster released a scratch and sniff piece of cardboard that was to be scratched and sniffed during the run of the movie.

There were many complaints, however, that the only thing that the "Odorama" cards smelled like was cardboard. The Odorama card was somewhat of an homage to John Waters' (decidedly adult-oriented) film Polyester. Despite the homage, Waters felt he was ripped off and realized that New Line Cinema, the studio that released Polyester, didn't renew the copyright for Odorama. He later said that "a cheque would have been an homage".[10]

"Odorama" cards would later be released with the DVD release of the movie. Early trailers for the film give the title The Rugrats Meet The Wild Thornberrys.

Release

During its initial theatrical run, Go Wild was presented in "Smell-O-Vision". During certain scenes in the movie, an icon would pop up on screen with an item inside of it (example: a smelly shoe). When this happened, audience members would smell a scratch-and-sniff card (which were handed out at the box office) with the corresponding image.

Rating

This is the only Rugrats film to receive a PG rating by the MPAA.[11]

Home video

The film was released on videocassette and DVD on December 16, 2003. Most VHS copies included a "Smell-O-Vision" scratch-and-sniff card, as did most initial run DVDs; however, later copies of the DVD, while still retaining the option to view the film with the scratch-and-sniff on, did not include additional cards. The film is also available as a part of the Rugrats 3-disc set of all three films, as well as a double feature 2-disc set that also included The Rugrats Movie.

Reception

As of March 23, 2014, the film held a 41% rating at the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. The consensus is, "The Rugrats franchise has gone from fresh to formulaic."[12] Another review aggregator, Metacritic, gives the movie a score of 38/100, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[13][14][15] The film grossed $39.4 million domestically and $55.4 million worldwide on a budget of $25 million. The film brought in less than each of the other two Rugrats films. The film opened at #4 with Finding Nemo at the #1 spot.

Soundtrack

Rugrats Go Wild: Music from the Motion Picture
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released June 10, 2003
Recorded 2002
Genre Pop, Rock
Length 49:36
Label Hollywood, Nick
Rugrats soundtrack chronology
Rugrats in Paris: Music From the Motion Picture
(2000)
Rugrats Go Wild: Music from the Motion Picture
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[16]

An original soundtrack was released on June 10, 2003 from Hollywood Records.[17]

Track listing

The following is a list of songs that appear on the Rugrats Go Wild soundtrack.[17]

No. TitleArtist(s) Length
1. "Message in a Bottle"  American Hi-Fi 4:12
2. "Big Bad Cat"  Bruce Willis and Chrissie Hynde 3:15
3. "She's On Fire"  Train 3:50
4. "Island Princess"  Cheryl Chase and Cree Summer 2:32
5. "Lizard Love"  Aerosmith 4:35
6. "Ready To Roll"  Flashlight Brown 2:51
7. "The Morning After"  Chase 3:22
8. "Atomic Dog"  George Clinton 4:45
9. "Dresses and Shoes"  Chase 3:28
10. "Should I Stay or Should I Go"  The Clash 3:09
11. "Lust For Life"  Willis 3:43
12. "Phil's Diapey's Hanging Low"  Tim Curry, Nancy Cartwright, Elizabeth Daily, Tara Strong, Kath Soucie and Dionne Quan 3:01
13. "It's a Jungle Out Here"  Summer, Cartwright, Daily, Strong, Soucie and Quan 3:11
14. "Changing Faces"  Daily 3:42
Total length:
53:25

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Detail view of Movies Page". afi.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  2. "Rugrats Go Wild (2003)". RottenTomatoes.com. Flixster, Inc. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  3. Thomas, Kevin (June 13, 2003). "Rugrats go 'Wild' in search of adventure". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  4. "Rugrats Go Wild!". DVD Talk. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  5. "Rugrats Go Wild". BoxOfficeMojo.com. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  6. "Jodi Carlisle Credits" imdb.com, accessed February 8, 2016
  7. "Jodi Carlisle Voices" behindthevoiceactors.com, accessed February 8, 2016
  8. "Jodi Carlisle Biography" hollywood.com, accessed February 8, 2016
  9. Rugrats Go Wild rottentomatoes.com, accessed February 8, 2016
  10. Jeff Garlin's film of John Waters' one man show This Filthy World.
  11. Nichols, Peter M. (June 20, 2003). "Diaper-Clad Adventurers Heed the Call of the Wild". New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  12. "Rugrats Go Wild". RottenTomatoes.com. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  13. "Rugrats Go Wild Reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  14. "Rugrats Go Wild". BBC. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  15. "Rugrats Go Wild". Film Four. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  16. Phares, Heather (June 10, 2003). "Rugrats Go Wild – Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  17. 1 2 "Rugrats Go Wild". AllMusic.com. Rovi Corp. Retrieved July 18, 2013.

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