The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985)

Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn join Mark Twain on his airship to meet Halley's Comet.

Director:

Will Vinton

Writers:

Susan Shadburne, Mark Twain (segment)

Stars:

James Whitmore, Michele Mariana, Gary Krug

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Whitmore	...	Mark Twain (voice)
Michele Mariana	...	Becky Thatcher / The Mysterious Stranger / Girl In Crowd (voice)
Gary Krug	...	Huck Finn (voice)
Chris Ritchie	...	Tom Sawyer (voice)
John Morrison	...	Adam (voice)
Carol Edelman	...	Eve (voice)
Dal McKennon	...	Jim Smiley (voice) (as Dallas McKennon)
Herb Smith	...	The Stranger (voice)
Marley Stone	...	Aunt Polly (voice)
Wilbur Vincent	...	The Mysterious Stranger (voice)
Wally Newman	...	Captain Stormfield (voice)
Tim Conner	...	Three-Headed Alien (voice)
Todd Tolces	...	Saint Peter (voice)
Billy Scream	...	The Indexivator / Animals (voice)
Bob Griggs	...	First Heckler (voice)

Storyline

Based on elements from the stories of Mark Twain, this feature-length Claymation fantasy follows the adventures of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher and Huck Finn as they stowaway aboard the interplanetary balloon of Mark Twain. Twain, disgusted with the human race, is intent upon finding Halley's Comet and crashing into it, achieving his "destiny." It's up to Tom, Becky, and Huck to convince him that his judgment is wrong and that he still has much to offer humanity that might make a difference. Their efforts aren't just charitable; if they fail, they will share Twain's fate. Along the way, they use a magical time portal to get a detailed overview of the Twain philosophy, observing the "historical" events that inspired his works.

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Plot Keywords:

claymation | knife murder | character name as title | mark twain character | huckleberry finn character | 

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Taglines:

Where dreams become reality.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the children meet the Mysterious Stranger, his world is a single island floating in a dark void. Mark Twain never finished The Mysterious Stranger, and only fragments of different versions he had considered exist.

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Goofs

All the characters pronounce Halley's Comet with a long a. The comet is named for Sir Edmund Halley, whose name is pronounced with a short a.

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Quotes

Tom Sawyer: We're only waiting for the right moment now.
Becky Thatcher: What are you talking about?
Huck Finn: Yeah?
Tom Sawyer: Becky, do you swear not to tell?
Becky Thatcher: Sure.
Tom Sawyer: On your grandmother's bones?
[Becky rolls her eyes]
Tom Sawyer: Well, do ya?
Becky Thatcher: Yeah.
Tom Sawyer: We're gonna hijack this balloon.
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Animation Lookback: Top 10 Controversial Cartoons (2015)

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Soundtracks

Heroes
Written by Billy Scream and Paul Jamison
Performed by Craig Carothers and the Billy Scream Band
Lyrics by Susan Shadburne

User Reviews

No Ordinary Steamboat Ride

"The Adventures of Mark Twain" is a fascinating animated feature. The clever mind of Will Vinton fashioned a masterpiece from the works of one of America's greatest writers. Seeing stories like "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and "The Diaries of Adam and Eve" fleshed out in animation is something else. Of course, it's doubtful that any studio today would make an animated film exactly like this. Still, I'd think it's a wonderful way to introduce younger people to classic American literature.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Adventures of Mark Twain by Huck Finn

Filming Locations:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$226,525, 19 January 1986

Gross USA:

$849,915

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$849,915

Company Credits

Production Co:

Atlantic, Harbour Towns, Will Vinton Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1