The Tigger Movie

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox film The Tigger Movie is a 2000 American animated musical comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation with animation production by Walt Disney Animation Japan.<ref name=am>Template:Cite news</ref> The film was written and directed by Jun Falkenstein. It is the second theatrical Winnie the Pooh feature film, after The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977). It features Pooh's sidekick Tigger searching for his family tree and other Tiggers like himself.

The film was the first feature-length theatrical Winnie the Pooh film that was not a collection of previously released shorts. It is also the first in the original films in which Tigger's is voiced entirely by Jim Cummings (in addition to Pooh) following the retirement of Tigger's original voice actor Paul Winchell in 1999. Since 1989, Cummings' had shared the role with Winchell and provided his singing voice in most projects, with Winchell as the character's speaking voice. The film features original songs from the Sherman Brothers.

The Tigger Movie was originally planned as a direct-to-video release in 2001, until then–Disney CEO Michael Eisner heard the songs and decided to release the film in theaters a year early. It was released in the United States on February 11, 2000, by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $96 million.

The film received three nominations at the Annie Awards, including Best Direction, Best Voice Acting, and Best Music.

Plot

In the Hundred Acre Wood, Tigger looks for someone to bounce with but finds his friends busy preparing for winter. While searching for a playmate, he accidentally destroys Eeyore's house with a boulder. Although he helps remove it, Tigger then unintentionally breaks Rabbit's pulley system, leading the group to admonish for his recklessness. Hurt by their words, Tigger confides in his closest friend, Roo, who asks whether Tigger has a family of his own. Inspired by the idea, Tigger resolves to find his relatives.

Misinterpreting advice from Owl, Tigger and Roo search for his "family tree", believing it to be a literal striped tree full of Tiggers, but they come up empty-handed. Following Roo's suggestion, Tigger writes a letter to his family and lets the wind carry it away, but after several days without a reply, he loses hope. Wanting to cheer him up, Tigger's friends compose a letter signed "your family". Believing his relatives are coming to visit, Tigger throws a party in their honor. Unable to tell him the truth, Roo convinces the others to disguise themselves as Tiggers and attend.

Despite their efforts, the ruse collapses when Roo's mask falls off during a difficult bounce that Tigger had taught him. Feeling betrayed, Tigger storms off into a blizzard to continue his search. He eventually comes across a massive tree covered in stripes of snow and mistakes it for his family tree, only to find it empty. When his friends arrive to retrieve him, their quarrel accidentally triggers an avalanche. Tigger rescues the group by bringing them to safety but is himself swept away. Roo recalls Tigger's special bounce, uses it successfully, and saves him. Afterward, Tigger learns that his friends wrote the letter, realizes they are his true family, and hosts a new party in their honor.

Cast

• Jim Cummings as Tigger and Winnie the Pooh
• Nikita Hopkins as Roo
• Ken Sansom as Rabbit
• John Fiedler as Piglet
• Peter Cullen as Eeyore
• Andre Stojka as Owl
• Kath Soucie as Kanga
• Tom Attenborough as Christopher Robin
• John Hurt as The Narrator

Production

Jun Falkenstein directed the film, in her own feature length debut, following her work on A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> The film began production in April 1998.<ref name=":0" /> Many scenes, totaling up to 60% of the film, were completed by Walt Disney Animation Japan.<ref name=":0" /> Drawing inspiration from the end of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too when Tigger agrees to not bounce anymore, the film crafted a fuller character arc that "[showed] a range of emotions" for Tigger.<ref name=":0" />

Voice cast

Paul Winchell, the original voice of Tigger, was originally cast to voice Tigger for the film, which was then titled Winnie the Pooh and the Family Tree.<ref name="JHMJohnFiedler" /> During Spring 1998, Winchell participated in a single recording session for the film. However, he was dropped from the project after the studio found his voice too raspy.<ref name="JHMJohnFiedler" /><ref name="USATBounced">Template:Cite news</ref> The role was given to Jim Cummings, who was already voicing Winnie the Pooh for the film, and had voiced Tigger on various Disney television shows and for Disney consumer products.<ref name="JHMJohnFiedler">Template:Cite web</ref> When the Disney Imagineers heard about Winchell's dismissal, they hired him to perform the voice of Tigger for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction at the Magic Kingdom, which opened a year before The Tigger Movie's release; it was Winchell's final performance before his retirement from acting in 1999 and his death in 2005.<ref name="JHMJohnFiedler" />

Music

The songs for The Tigger Movie were written by Robert and Richard Sherman who had not written a feature for Disney in over 28 years. Their last fully original feature film score was for the Oscar nominated film, Bedknobs and Broomsticks which was released in 1971. The Tigger Movie would also be the last film work for the Sherman Brothers. Robert B. Sherman died in London on March 6, 2012 at the age of 86 and Richard M. Sherman died of "age-related illness" at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, on May 25, 2024 at the age of 95. Originally slated for video or television release, the demo cut of the score was so well received by then Disney CEO, Michael Eisner, that the project's priority level moved up to feature theatrical release. The score of the film is composed by Harry Gregson-Williams with additional music by Klaus Badelt and Steve Jablonsky and the score was conducted by Nick Glennie-Smith.

All the songs were original ones created for the film except for "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" which was originally written in 1968 for the featurette, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (released in 1968). That song was also by the Sherman Brothers. The "punch line" of the song: "But the most wonderful Thing About Tiggers is I'm the only one..." provides the basis of The Tigger MovieTemplate:'s storyline. Most of the songs, including "Someone Like Me", "Whoop-de-Dooper Bounce", "Pooh's Lullabee", and "Round My Family Tree" were performed by Jim Cummings, while "How to Be a Tigger" was performed by the cast.

"Your Heart Will Lead You Home" was the last song written for the film and is a collaborative effort between the Sherman Brothers and singer Kenny Loggins. Richard Sherman described the song as "a song about the picture, as opposed to songs of the picture." It marks the only time the trio worked together on a song.<ref>Susan King, The Pair Who Write Songs for Nannies and Pooh Bears" Template:Webarchive, Los Angeles Times, February 11, 2000.</ref>

The original theatrical trailer for the film featured the song "Semi-Charmed Life" by alternative band Third Eye Blind. A Disney spokeswoman said that she was not aware of the sexual content within the song's lyrics.<ref name=HollywoodVeronicaCloset>Template:Cite news</ref>

Songs

Original songs performed in the film include:

Release

The film was originally intended to be released straight-to-video, akin to most Disney spin-offs and sequels, but was instead bumped up to a theatrical release.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Marketing

Disney released a teaser trailer for The Tigger Movie in August 1999, during theatrical screenings of The Iron Giant. The teaser was later attached to theatrical screenings of The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Toy Story 2 and Stuart Little. The teaser trailer was included on the Winnie the Pooh Seasons of Giving home video release.

Theatrical

After a Hollywood red carpet premiere on February 6, 2000 at El Capitan Theatre,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the film was released theatrically on February 11, 2000. The movie was on screens for 23 weeks.<ref name=BOM/>

Home media

The Tigger Movie was originally released on August 22, 2000, on both VHS and DVD.<ref name=rt/> The film was later re-released on a 2-disc DVD edition on August 4, 2009 to coincide with its 10th anniversary and includes two bonus episodes of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh "King of the Beasties" and "Tigger’s Houseguest." The 2-disc release includes a DVD and a digital copy. The film was also re-released as a Bounce-a-rrrific special edition on Blu-ray on August 21, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

Box office

The film opened at number 4 at the US box office making $9.4 million in its opening weekend. The film was a box office success, earning $45,554,533 in the United States and Canada and a further $50,605,267 overseas, resulting in a worldwide gross of $96,159,800.<ref name=BOM>Template:Cite web</ref> Its budget is estimated at between $15 million<ref name=WSJGrooveBack>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=LATMoreScream>Template:Cite news</ref> and $30 million.<ref name=BOM /> On its initial release on home video, it earned $90 million.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 63% based on 72 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The site's consensus states, "The Tigger Movie may lack the technological flash and underlying adult sophistication of other recent animated movies, but it's fun and charming."<ref name=rt>Template:Cite web</ref> On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

William Thomas of Empire gave the film a three out of four stars, saying: "And while the one-dimensional nature of the plot is unlikely to entertain anyone over the age of 11, the end result certainly includes enough pre-pubescent prerequisites to ensure that the furry fella will never bounce alone."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Common Sense Media gave the film a three out of five stars and said: "Tigger's bouncy quest will appeal to younger viewers."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Accolades

Award	Category	Recipient	Result
Annie Awards<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Annie Award for Directing in a Feature Production	Jun Falkenstein	rowspan=4 Template:Nom
	Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production	Nikita Hopkins as Roo
	Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production	Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman for the song "Round My Family Tree"
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards	Best Family Film	Jun Falkenstein and Cheryl Abood
Golden Tomato Awards 2011<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Best Animated Film	The Tigger Movie	Template:Draw
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Best Animated Feature	Jun Falkenstein	Template:Nom

In other media

Sequels

Disney released various theatrical and direct-to-videos in the years that followed. There were two theatrical animated films: Piglet's Big Movie in 2003 and Pooh's Heffalump Movie in 2005. Two direct-to-video animated films also followed, Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo in 2004 and Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie in 2005.

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:IMDb title