Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

A struggling songwriter named Dave Seville finds success when he comes across a trio of singing chipmunks: mischievous leader Alvin, brainy Simon, and chubby, impressionable Theodore.

Director:

Tim Hill

Writers:

Jon Vitti (screenplay), Will McRobb (screenplay),

Stars:

Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Lee	...	Dave
David Cross	...	Ian
Cameron Richardson	...	Claire
Jane Lynch	...	Gail
Justin Long	...	Alvin (voice)
Matthew Gray Gubler	...	Simon (voice)
Jesse McCartney	...	Theodore (voice)
Allison Karman	...	Female Intern #1
Tiara Parker	...	Female Intern #2
Kira Verrastro	...	Female Intern #3
Veronica Alicino	...	Amy
Beth Riesgraf	...	Mother in Store
Adriane Lenox	...	Vet
Don Tiffany	...	Engineer
Lorne Green	...	Director

Storyline

In a tree farm, three musically inclined chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, find their tree cut down and sent to Los Angeles. Once there, they meet the frustrated songwriter David Seville, and despite a poor house wrecking first impression, they impress him with their singing talent. Seeing the opportunity for success, both human and chipmunks make a pact for them to sing his songs. While that ambition proves a frustrating struggle with the difficult trio, the dream does come true after all. However, that success presents its own trials as their unscrupulous record executive, Ian Hawke, plans to break up this family to exploit the boys. Can Dave and the Chipmunks discover what they really value amid the superficial glamor around them?

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Plot Keywords:

chipmunk | songwriter | nickelodeon | triumph tr4 | laptop computer | 

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Taglines:

Watch out, cause here they come

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild rude humor

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox (us) 20th Century Fox [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish Japanese

Release Date:

14 December 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alvin et les Chipmunks

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Concert Hall - 111 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,433,937 (UK) (21 December 2007)

Gross:

$217,326,336 (USA) (30 May 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox 2000 Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Bagdasarian Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Tim Allen and John Travolta were all offered and declined the role of Dave. Jason Lee states that he was so excited the producers offered him a role they originally offered one of his biggest influences, Bill Murray, that he did back flips.

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Goofs

When Claire is taking pictures of the Chipmunks at the party you can see a flash go off directly at them, even though Claire's camera doesn't have a flash attached. However, the Chipmunks are being flashed at every few seconds throughout the scene, even before Claire comes to their table, and after she leaves as well. It's obvious that all those flashes come from the other cameras nearby, not from Claire's.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alvin (singing voice), Simon (singing voice), Theodore (singing voice): [a capella] Where is the moment we needed the most/You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost/They tell me your blue skies fade to gray/They tell me your passion's gone away/And I don't need no carryin' on/Cause you had a bad day/You're taking one down/You sing a sad song just to turn it around/You say you don't know/You tell me don't lie/You work at a smile and you go for a ride/You had a bad day/You've seen what you like/And how does it feel for one more time/You had a bad day/...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

During the ending credits, there are signs for the memory and dedicated that say "This film is dedicated to Ross Bagdasarian Sr., who was crazy enough to invent three singing chipmunks nearly fifty years ago."

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Connections

Referenced in Mad: Al Pacino and the Chipmunks/That's What Super Friends Are For (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Aloha Oe"
Traditional

User Reviews

Not too bad

Alvin and the chipmunks. I guess just about anyone that has ever watched television cartoons knows them. Right before their 50th birthday they make another appearance, this time on the cinema screen in a film that just like Garfield (2004) combines live actors and computer graphics. The story of the film is no new one: a guy becomes the more or less unwilling host to the chipmunks as their tree is demolished and together they roll from one adventure into the other.

For the rest there is not much to tell about this film. It is worked out well enough and most kids will enjoy it. I know the one I watched it with did. It isn't half bad for the adults either. Graphics have been done well enough and the actors work with it well enough to make a nicely working film. Storyline is rather straightforward and very predictable, but not really to the point of being irritating.

All in all, typical children's film that works out well enough for the younger audience and that doesn't put the parents to sleep right from the start 6 out of 10 chipmunks singing