2001 film by Nelvana
Maurice Sendak's Little Bear: The Little Bear Movie, or simply The Little Bear Movie, also known as Maurice Sendak's Little Bear: The Movie or simply Little Bear: The Movie, is a 2001 Canadian-American direct-to-video children's animated adventure film directed by Raymond Jafelice who co-wrote the screenplay with James Still and Nancy Barr. It is based on the Canadian children's animated television series Little Bear, which in turn is based on the children's book series of the same name written by Else Holmelund Minarik and illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
In the film, Little Bear meets a wild bear cub named Cub during a camping trip. Upon learning that Cub got separated from his parents, Little Bear and his friends embark on a journey to help him reunite with his parents while coming face-to-face with a ferocious mountain lion along the way.
The Little Bear Movie was produced by Nelvana Limited in association with Wild Things Productions. The film was released direct-to-video on August 7, 2001, by Paramount Home Entertainment in the United States and Canada while it was also released in Canada by Alliance Atlantis. The film has Kristin Fairlie reprise her role as Little Bear, while featuring her brother Kyle Fairlie as the voice of Cub.
In addition to Lesley Barber's instrumental track from the series, The Little Bear Movie features two original songs composed by Marc Jordan and Anthony Vanderbilt and performed by Shawn Colvin: "Great Big World" and "Everybody Wants To Paint My Picture."
Plot
Little Bear and Father Bear set out on a camping trip. While camping on a hill Father Bear talks about the wilderness and the time he met an eagle. The next day Little Bear meets another bear in the wilderness called Cub. They both wrestle around in a river, Cub then chases after a moose leaving Little Bear all alone when he is met with a villainous mountain lion, but Cub comes back and saves him from being eaten. They then enjoy a grilled fish breakfast together with Father Bear before they decide it's time to start heading home. Little Bear asks Cub if he wants to come with them, Cub agrees.
Back at the house Cub tries to get used to living in a house. The whole family then makes Pancakes for lunch. Little Bear then wants Cub to meet his friends Cat, Owl, Duck, and Hen. When they learn that Cub got separated from his parents during an intense storm, they decide to go on a journey to search for them. They make missing person posters for Cub's parents and then head back into the wilderness to hang them up. While doing so they meet their friend Moose, he shows them that raccoons have used a poster to make a dam. Little Bear and Cub try to recover the banner, but beavers, angry with the raccoons break the dam and, in the process, Little Bear and Cub are washed away in a flood, straight over a waterfall getting separated from the rest of the group. They find Duck has wandered downstream as well, looking for Cub's parents.
The three become lost in the dark wilderness and are unable to find the rest of the gang. They then run into Cub's best friends Poppy and Pete, two playful and hyperactive red foxes who took care of Cub after he got separated from his parents. They spend the night in the foxes den and the next day they keep looking and head towards a canyon.
While trying to help Cub after he gets his foot stuck in some rocks, they meet the mountain lion again and he tries to eat Duck, but Poppy and Pete try to tackle him to save her, which causes them to fall into the river. After helping Poppy and Pete make it out of the river, Little Bear notices the mountain lion drowning and tries to help him, only to end up getting cornered. Mountain lion is about to attack Little Bear, only to get scared off by the arrival of Cub's parents (who the mountain lion thought were Little Bears). Cub and his parents are reunited and Little Bear is found by his family and friends. After saying goodbye to Cub, Little Bear heads home and on the way back to the house it starts snowing.
Release
The film was released on VHS and DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment.
Reception
Tracy Moore of Common Sense Media gave the film a 5 out of 5 star rating, writing:
The Little Bear Movie, based on the TV series Little Bear, is such remarkably gentle, positive programming for children that it feels like an anomaly. Fit for any preschooler, and likely to incite a little nostalgia for organic, free-range play in adults, the film is slower-paced and practically quaint in its simple desire to show the budding friendship between a civilized bear and a wild bear, and the abiding respect they foster for each other's ways of life along the way.
Kids will enjoy the sweet friendships, the silly foxes, and the outdoor adventure. Parents will like the attention paid to the dangers of the outdoors, the free-spirited play driven by imagination and a cardboard box, and the family-friendly themes.[2]
Shawn Colvin (performer) and Marc Jordan and Antony Vanderburgh (composers) were nominated for Best Original Song at the 2001 Video Premiere Awards for the song "Great Big World".[3]
