Rock-A-Doodle (1991)

In order to defeat the Grand Duke of Owls, a young boy transformed into a cat teams up with a group of barnyard animals to find a rooster who can raise the sun.

Directors:

Don Bluth, Gary Goldman (co-director)

Writers:

Don Bluth (story), John Pomeroy (story)

Stars:

Glen Campbell, Christopher Plummer, Phil Harris

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phil Harris	...	Narrator / Patou (voice)
Glen Campbell	...	Chanticleer / The King (voice)
Eddie Deezen	...	Snipes (voice)
Kathryn Holcomb	...	Dory - Mother
Toby Scott Ganger	...	Edmond
Stan Ivar	...	Frank - Dad
Christian Hoff	...	Scott - Edmond's Brother
Jason Marin	...	Mark - Edmond's Brother
Christopher Plummer	...	Grand Duke (voice)
Sandy Duncan	...	Peepers (voice)
Will Ryan	...	Stuey (voice)
Charles Nelson Reilly	...	Hunch - Duke's Nephew (voice) (as Charles Nelson-Reilly)
Ellen Greene	...	Goldie (voice)
Sorrell Booke	...	Pinky - The Manager (voice)
Dee Wallace	...	Dory - Mother

Storyline

Edmond's favorite story is of Chanticleer, a rooster whose singing makes the sun rise every morning until the Grand Duke of Owls, whose kind despises the bright sun, makes him look like a fraud. The owls drive Chanticleer from his farm and put it under a spell of perpetual darkness and rain. As Edmond's own farm floods, he calls to Chanticleer and summons the Duke himself, who transforms him into a kitten to devour him. He's rescued by Chanticleer's friends Patou the hound, Snipes the magpie, and Peepers the mouse, and they go on an adventure to the city where Chanticleer has become a rock star.

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Plot Keywords:

cat | flirting | loss of money | giraffe | groupie | 

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Taglines:

The rousing, rollicking adventure of the world's first rockin' rooster!

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Music

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

The second of what was to be a three-picture deal between UK-based Goldcrest Films and Sullivan Bluth Studios. Amid financial difficulties at Sullivan Bluth, Goldcrest terminated the deal after this film.

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Goofs

The Grand Duke and the rest of his clan hate the sun and any particular light source, yet he bakes a pie near a bright, crackling fire.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: Once upon a time, back before I knew how to tie my shoes, the sun came up. Now, I know an everyday sunrise may not seem like such a big deal to some folks. But, imagine for a moment: if instead of rising up like this one morning where you lived, she took a look around and decided to go back to sleep. It happened once to us. Let me tell you all about it.

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Alternate Versions

In Region 1, the 1999 HBO DVD and 2005 MGM DVD contain the film's full screen presentation and is properly framed. The 2017 Olive Films DVD and Blu-ray contain the widescreen version, but use the sped-up 25 fps PAL video from a 24 fps film source (save for the 2012 MGM logo and the last half of the end credits).

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Connections

Referenced in The Reviewers: So What's the Deal with Caroline? (2014)

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Soundtracks

Back to the Country
Sung by Glen Campbell
Written by T.J. Kuenster
Arranged and Produced by T.J. Kuenster
Executive Music Producer: Shopan Entesari

User Reviews

Immense film!!

Sorry if people disagree with me here but I think Rock a Doodle is absolutely immense! I watched it as a small kid and recently found it only to discover how awesome it truly is. I would have to say though that the films best feature is the evil Grand Duke. He is quite possibly the best villain in cartoon history. Seriously, this film has become kinda obscure but you should definitely check it out! It has energy, warmth, great songs and once more the animation is so unique that it sticks in your head for ages. The ideas are original and the script is funny and emotional. The creators of this movie really found the right ingredients to create the perfect family cartoon. This film is an absolutely legendary piece!!!

Details

Country:

Ireland UK USA

Language:

Basque Spanish English

Release Date:

3 April 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rock-A-Doodle 3D

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,603,286, 5 April 1992

Gross USA:

$11,657,385

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$11,657,385

Company Credits

Production Co:

Goldcrest Films International, Sullivan Bluth Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

74 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1