Curious George

[Brian in Mesa]

Curious George

Release Date: February 10, 2006
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Jun Falkenstein
Screenwriter: Karey Kirkpatrick, Joe Stillman, Michael McCullers, Daniel Gerson, Rob Baird
Genre: Animation, Comedy
MPAA Rating: N/A
Official Website: N/A

Starring: Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore, David Cross, Eugene Levy, Dick Van Dyke, Joan Plowright, Ed O'Ross

Plot Summary: Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment bring "Curious George," the original "monkey see, monkey do" chimp, to the screen in an all-new animated adventure based upon the beloved tales that have been enchanting readers for more than 60 years. George, the inquisitive little primate transplanted from the jungle to the big city by The Man in the Yellow Hat, sets off in a brand new tale for the big screen, where his spunky and fun-loving nature endear him to new friends he meets along the way and lands him in a series of adventures.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Animated 'Curious George' is 'pure' storytelling
By Anthony Breznican, USA TODAY

Curious George comes to the big screen in February with a few updates but also some returns to old-fashioned storytelling for families.

Nearly 65 years after the first books by the late illustrator/writer duo H.A. Rey and his wife, Margret, were published, the Curious George movie is an ink-and-pen animated film rather than the computerized animation currently in vogue.

"It has a very painterly feel, as opposed to high-gloss," says director Matthew O'Callaghan.

The Curious George trailer arrives in theaters Friday with Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

In the movie, George's keeper, the Man with the Yellow Hat, gets a bigger role.

"The books usually introduce the Man with the Yellow Hat at the beginning. He says, 'Goodbye, George, I'm going to work.' He leaves, George gets into all his adventures, and the Man is absent until the end," O'Callaghan says. "My approach was to make it more of a buddy comedy."

The Man (voiced by Will Ferrell) is a timid museum employee who is reluctantly dispatched to the jungles of Africa to find artifacts for exhibit by his curator boss (Dick Van Dyke).

There he meets George, who spots his yellow hat from the trees and mistakes it for a banana. What follows is a story about owner and pet, about giving kindness and getting kindness in return, O'Callaghan says.

In the books, the Man befriends George after catching him for a zoo, but O'Callaghan feared that would seem harsh today. "He basically steals George," the director says.

Instead, the movie presents the Man as the first friend George meets, and then George follows him to the city, O'Callaghan says.

Singer Jack Johnson, whose band contributes seven songs to the soundtrack, says the movie "lacks the sarcasm" of many contemporary cartoons. "The Man with the Yellow Hat and Curious George are both renegades and misfits, learning from their mistakes as they go."

 

[abomb]

the Curious George movie is an ink-and-pen animated film rather than the computerized animation currently in vogue.

Awesome. I will prob go see it just on principle.

A-Bomb

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Article with pics

 

[maddogkf]

damn. I was hoping Pete Sampras was going to get the lead role

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Bump...opened yesterday.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Curious George Collaborator Found Dead, Covered In Plastic

February 8, 2006

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. -- A collaborator on the children's book series Curious George has been found dead on the driveway of his mobile home in Florida.

Police said Allen Shalleck's body was covered in black garbage bags. Neighbors had passed by for a least a day, thinking it was just trash.

Investigators haven't released any details of the death.

The 76-year-old Shalleck co-edited more than 28 Curious George books and helped write and direct 104 short films.

An animated feature film about the mischievous monkey opens in theaters Friday.

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Men Confess To Killing 'Curious George' Collaborator

February 10, 2006

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. -- Two men are being held in the Palm Beach County jail in connection with the death of the co-creator of "Curious George."

Boynton Beach police say Rex Ditto and Vincent Puglisi surrendered and confessed to killing Alan Shalleck.

Ditto and Puglisi were arrested on charges of first-degree murder, armed home invasion, aggravated battery and dealing in stolen property.

A maintenance worker found Shalleck's bloodied body Tuesday covered in garbage bags in the driveway of his home.

The 76-year-old suffered several stab wounds and was stuffed beneath a heap of trash. An autopsy has been scheduled.

Authorities allege Ditto and Puglisi stole jewelry from Shalleck and pilfered funds from his checking account.

Police said they tracked Ditto and Puglisi using Shalleck's telephone records. They were acquaintances, but police won't elaborate on their relationship.

Shalleck co-wrote more than 28 "Curious George" books and helped write and direct 104 film shorts.

The monkey, created in 1939 by Hans and Margret Rey, makes his big-screen debuts Friday in movie theaters nationwide.

 

[NMCard]

Took my 5yo to see this yesterday, she enjoyed it.