The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

A group of dated appliances embark on a journey to the city to find their master after being abandoned in a cabin in the woods.

Director:

Jerry Rees

Writers:

Thomas M. Disch (based on the novella by), Jerry Rees (screenplay by)

Stars:

Jon Lovitz, Timothy Stack, Timothy E. Day

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jon Lovitz	...	Radio (voice)
Timothy Stack	...	Lampy / Zeke (voice) (as Tim Stack)
Timothy E. Day	...	Blanky / Young Rob (The Master) (voice)
Thurl Ravenscroft	...	Kirby (voice)
Deanna Oliver	...	Toaster (voice)
Phil Hartman	...	Air Conditioner / Hanging Lamp (voice)
Joe Ranft	...	Elmo St. Peters (voice)
Judy Toll	...	Mish-Mash / Two-Face Sewing Machine (voice)
Wayne Kaatz	...	Rob (The Master) (voice)
Colette Savage	...	Chris (voice)
Mindy Sterling	...	Mother / Two-Face Sewing Machine (voice) (as Mindy Stern)
Jim Jackman	...	Plugsy (voice)
Randall William Cook	...	Entertainment Center (voice)
Randy Bennett	...	Computer (voice)
Jonathan Benair	...	Black and White TV (voice)

Storyline

A group of dated appliances that find themselves stranded in a summer home that their family had just sold, decide to, á la "The Incredible Journey", seek their young 8 year old "master". Children's film which on the surface is a frivolous fantasy, but with a dark subtext of abandonment, obsolescence, and loneliness.

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Plot Keywords:

journey | abandonment | obsolescence | toaster | friends who live together | 

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Taglines:

Plug into the adventure!

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Coincidentally Phil Hartman (voice of the Air Conditioner) and Jack Nicholson (who was impersonated through the character) were both considered for the role of Hades in Hercules prior to James Woods being cast in said role.

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Goofs

Early on in the movie, Kirby mentions that they have been doing chores and cleaning the Master's house for the last 2000 days, which is nearly five and a half years. However, during the musical cleaning sequence, complex cobwebs are in easily reached areas, the windows are caked with dust to the point of being opaque, and all surfaces seem generally dusty. If no humans have been living there for 5.5 years and the appliances have been "doing chores" as they are shown doing every day, there's no way the house could be as filthy as it is shown to be.

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Quotes

[first lines]
The Radio: Good morning, good morning, gooooood morning!

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Alternate Versions

On the 1998 VHS release, during the end credits, Mark Elliott announces that a preview for The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue is following. Because of that, the end credits are at warp speed and the end credits score is shortened.

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Connections

Referenced in Nostalgia Critic: Black Cauldron (2019)

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Soundtracks

Worthless
Music and Lyrics by Van Dyke Parks

User Reviews

Ah, to be young and still have an imagination

When I was a little kid, my imagination was a dynamo of activity. My young nieces are just starting to grow out of that stage, which is sort of sad to me. Because never again will their minds be able to dwell within and without the fantasy world. This film captures that sort of mindset wonderfully. Of *course* the appliances get up and walk around as soon as we turn our backs. That's why we can never find anything!

Seems like a lot of people who have posted here have made one of two mistakes:

1) They have forgotten that children's minds have not yet been clobbered into creative submission like adults', or

2) The adults didn't watch the movie before plunking their kids down in front of the TV and going back to regrouting the tub.

While this is a fantasy about appliances, it is also a film about loyalty, companionship, and even fear. There are several disturbing scenes but I think many kids will find it intriguing more than scary. And if they do find it frightening, then it's a good way to discuss the things that scare them.

This film is mostly for kids, but I think it has plenty of stuff to keep the adults awake, especially "Rabbit Ears", the black & white TV guy (look closely at some of the pictures he pulls out of the file cabinet). This film is infinitely better than other Disney films like "The Little Mermaid" and that sort of claptrap.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Taiwan Japan China Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 July 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Brave Little Toaster: A Bedtime Story for Small Appliances

Box Office

Budget:

$2,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hyperion Pictures, The Kushner-Locke Company, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color (DeLuxe) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1