The Care Bears Movie is an animated fantasy feature film that was the first film to be both directly based on a toy line and based on the Care Bears. It was originally released to theaters in Washington D.C. on March 24, 1985, and then across the US on March 29, 1985. Due to the villain being a spirit, this film makes suitable viewing around October.
Plot[]
In 1984, The Cherrywoods are a middle-aged couple who run an orphanage. One night, Mr. Cherrywood tells the orphans a story about the Care Bears and Care-a-Lot, their home in the clouds. In the story, which takes place in 1967, Friend Bear and Secret Bear travel looking for people to cheer up. They meet Kim and Jason, two lonely orphaned children, who lost their parents in a car accident. Friend Bear and Secret Bear introduce themselves and remind the children of their ambitions, but neither of them are interested.
At an amusement park, Tenderheart Bear spots a magician's apprentice named Nicholas. While unloading a trunk of goods for his master, the "Great Fettucini", Nicholas finds an old book with a diary-style lock. When he unlocks it, an evil spirit appears as a woman's face, and starts corrupting him. With his help, it lays waste to the park, and begins a quest to remove all caring and love from the world.
Back at Care-a-Lot, some of the other bears are working on their new invention: the Rainbow Rescue Beam, a portal that can send any bear to Earth and back. The two Care Bear cubs belonging to Grams Bear, Baby Hugs and Baby Tugs, interfere with it and bring forth a group of unexpected visitors: Friend Bear, Secret Bear, Kim, and Jason. The bears introduce themselves to the children, and give them a tour of their home. Tenderheart Bear returns on his now out of control Rainbow Roller just before a "Cloud Quake" caused by the spirit, which ruins Care-a-Lot. He informs the others of Nicholas' troubles on Earth. Using the Rainbow Rescue Beam, he sends Kim and Jason to the park, along with Friend Bear and Secret Bear. They end up in the Forest of Feelings when the portal malfunctions. From a nearby river, the rest of the bears begin searching for them aboard a cloud ship called the Cloud Clipper, leaving behind Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, Grams Bear and the cubs in Care-a-Lot.
Within the Forest, the children and their friends are introduced to Brave Heart Lion and Playful Heart Monkey, two of the Care Bear Cousins. Later on, the other bears discover more of these creatures, among them Cozy Heart Penguin, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Swift Heart Rabbit, and Bright Heart Raccoon. During their stay, the spirit attacks them in several disguises: a cloud, tree, and eagle. After the Care Bears and their Cousins defeat the spirit's eagle disguise, they venture back to Earth to save Nicholas and the world from the spirit's influence.
At the park, Nicholas obtains the ingredients for his spell against the children and the creatures. After he casts it, the Care Bears and company engage in a long battle. The bears shoot beams of bright light on him, forming their "Stare"; the Cousins help with their "Call" – Good Luck Bear and Grumpy Bear arriving in time to help after fixing the Rainbow Rescue Beam. As the creatures' power drains away, Nicholas and the spirit briefly regain control. After Kim and Jason reach out to him, Nicholas finally realizes his misdeeds and shakes off the spirit's influence. He closes the book, which Secret Bear then locks. Having saved himself, the park, and the world, Nicholas thanks the group. He reunites with Fettucini, while Tenderheart Bear inducts the Care Bear Cousins into the Care Bear Family. Kim and Jason find new parents who take them to one of Nicholas' shows.
Back in 1984, As Mr. Cherrywood finishes his story, it is revealed that he is Nicholas, and his wife is Kim. Tenderheart Bear, who has been listening from outside a window, returns to Care-a-Lot in his Cloudmobile.
Cast[]
- Mickey Rooney as Mr. Cherrywood
- Jackie Burroughs as The Spirit
- Georgia Engel as Love-a-Lot Bear
- Sunny Besen Thrasher as Jason
- Eva Almos as Friend Bear/Swift Heart Rabbit
- Patricia Black as Funshine Bear/Share Bear
- Melleny Melody as Cheer Bear/Baby Tugs Bear
- Bob Dermer as Grumpy Bear
- Jayne Eastwood as Birthday Bear
- Eve Evans as Secret Bear/Champ Bear
- Gloria Figura as Bedtime Bear
- Cree Summer as Kim
- Brian George as Mr. Fetuccini
- Janet-Laine Green as Wish Bear
- Luba Goy as Lotsa Heart Elephant/Gentle Heart Lamb
- Terri Hawkes as Baby Hugs Bear
- Dan Hennessey as Brave Heart Lion
- Jim Henshaw as Bright Heart Raccoon
- Hadley Kay as Nicholas
- Marla Lukofsky as Good Luck Bear/Playful Heart Monkey
- Pauline Rennie as Cozy Heart Penguin/Grams Bear
- Billie Mae Richards as Tender Hear Bear/Mrs. Cherrywood
- Brent Titcomb as Additional voices
Trivia[]
- Several months after The Care Bears Movie, Walt Disney Pictures released its animated feature The Black Cauldron. Costing US$25 million, it was the most expensive animated film of its time, but grossed nearly as much as Nelvana's production (US$21.3 million). Meaning that The Black Cauldron, a movie with darker themes, was beaten in the box office by this film.