`KING AND I' WHISTLES HAPPY TUNE FOR YOUNG.Byline: Rob Lowman Daily News Entertainment Editor For the last several years, Disney has created animated features like ``Beauty and the Beast'' and ``The Lion King'' and successfully turned them into Broadway shows. Now Warners has done the reverse with the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ``The King and I,'' transforming it into an animated feature. Oh, would that it were that easy, but even a wonderful score and story do not make a classic film or even a particularly good one. If the goal here was to introduce the younger set to the charms of Broadway musicals, then ``The King and I'' does have its pluses. You probably know in one form or another the true story Anna Leonowens  This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers.Please [improve the article] or discuss this issue on the talk page. , a widowed British schoolteacher who journeys to Siam with her son to tutor the children of the king in the mid-19th century. It was first a book, then a stage play, then a musical and finally a 1956 film starring Deborah Kerr This article is about a recently deceased person. Some information, such as the circumstances of the person's death and surrounding events, may change rapidly as more facts become known. (as Anna) and Yul Brynner (as the King). That film picked up nine Academy Award nominations, winning five, including a best actor statuette. The conflict between the strong-willed Anna and the King, who is the unchallenged ruler of his land, is at the heart of story. It is only after the numerous and often-amusing clashes that the King and Anna reach a level of mutual respect. This animated version has reworked the story. The villain, Kralahome (Ian Richardson Ian William Richardson CBE (7 April 1934 – 9 February 2007) was a Scottish actor best known for playing the machiavellian conservative politician Francis Urquhart in the House of Cards trilogy for the BBC. ), now has magical powers, which allows the filmmakers to create some fantastical scenes. His sidekick, Master Little (Darrell Hammond This article is about the comedian. For the football player, see Darryl Hammond. Darrell Hammond (born October 8, 1955) is an American comedian who has been a cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL) since 1995. ), is meant to be there for comic relief comic relief n. A humorous or farcical interlude in a serious literary work or drama, especially a tragedy, intended to relieve the dramatic tension or heighten the emotional impact by means of contrast. as are three more characters - an elephant, a monkey and a panther. Presumably pre·sum·a·ble adj. That can be presumed or taken for granted; reasonable as a supposition: presumable causes of the disaster. this was all done to make the film more kid friendly. Little of this works particularly well, however. When Anna (Miranda Richardson) and her son are sailing to Siam to meet the King (Martin Vidnovic Martin Vidnovic (born January 4 1948) is an American actor and singer. Born in Falls Church, Virginia, Vidnovic made his Broadway debut in the ill-fated Home Sweet Homer (1976) which, following a one-year tour, closed on opening night. ), Kralahome sends a sea monster to stop the ship and Anna helps her son overcome his fear by singing ``I Whistle a Happy Tune,'' the scene is more ludicrous than uplifting. But the tone of this movie isn't its only problem. In this new era of animation where Disney and DreamWorks have continued to raise the bar, ``The King and I'' looks old-fashioned at best and, at times, remarkably cheesy cheesy (che´ze) caseous. . There are some Saturday morning shows with better animation. Making it more obvious, the filmmakers - producer Arthur Rankin (``Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is a popular Christmas story about Santa Claus' ninth and lead reindeer who possesses an unusually red colored nose that gives off its own light that is powerful enough to illuminate the team's path through inclement weather. ,'' ``Frosty the Snowman'') and director Richard Rich (``The Fox and the Hound,'' ``The Black Cauldron'') - inserted a couple of computer-generated images that stick out, but not in a good way. But the filmmakers haven't completely sapped the charm out of the musical. With songs like ``Getting to Know You,'' ``Shall We Dance?'' ``Hello Young Lovers'' ``I Whistle a Happy Tune'' and ``I Have Dreamed,'' which are among Rodgers and Hammerstein's best, it's hard to completely dismiss the animated feature. It helps that the songs are delightfully sung by Christiane Noll, who starred in the Broadway musical ``Jekyll and Hyde Jekyll and Hyde 1. A slang term referring to the strengths and weaknesses of a company's financial statements. 2. An asset that suddenly increases or decreases in value. 3. .'' If not for some odd arrangements, she would have sounded as good as the legendary Marni Nixon, who sang for Kerr as well as Audrey Hepburn in ``My Fair Lady'' and Natalie Wood in ``West Side Story.'' Perhaps some children will be drawn to Broadway classics through this film. But do you really believe a flat animated character could possibly replace the delightful image of the bald-headed Yul Brynner dancing across the screen.? What were the filmmakers thinking? The facts The film: ``The King and I'' (G). The stars: Anna (voice of Miranda Richardson, sung by Christiane Noll), King of Siam (Martin Vidnovic), Kralahome (Ian Richardson) and Master Little (Darrell Hammond). Behind the scenes: Directed by Richard Rush. Written by Peter Bakalian, Jacqueline Feather and David Seidler. Released by Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . Running time: One hour, 30 minutes. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: two stars CAPTION(S): photo PHOTO This animated ``The King and I'' introduces young audiences to the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. |
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