The Thief and the Cobbler (1993)

When Tack upsets ZigZag the Vizier, the wizard drags him off to the royal castle, where Princess YumYum falls for the bashful boy and saves him from execution. Unfortunately, ZigZag plans ... See full summary »

Director:

Richard Williams

Writers:

Richard Williams (created by), Richard Williams (screenplay)

Stars:

Vincent Price, Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vincent Price	...	ZigZag (voice)
Bobbi Page	...	Princess YumYum (Majestic Films version) / Additional voices (Miramax version) (voice)
Steve Lively	...	Tack the Cobbler (Majestic Films version) / Additional voices (Miramax version) (voice)
Ed E. Carroll	...	The Thief (Majestic Films version) / Additional voices (Miramax version) (voice) (as Ed. E. Carroll)
Clive Revill	...	King Nod (re-edited versions) (voice)
Mona Marshall	...	Nurse (Majestic Films version) / Witch (Majestic Films version) / Additional voices (Miramax version) (voice)
Joan Sims	...	Mad and Holy Old Witch (voice)
Kevin Dorsey	...	Mighty One-Eye (re-edited versions) (voice)
Donald Pleasence	...	Phido the Vulture (original and Majestic Films version) / Additional voices (Miramax version) (voice)
Stanley Baxter	...	Gofer / Slap (voice)
Kenneth Williams	...	Goblet / Tickle (voice)
Clinton Sundberg	...	Dying Soldier (voice)
Windsor Davies	...	Chief Roofless (voice)
Frederick Shaw	...	Goolie (voice)
Thick Wilson	...	Hook (voice)

Storyline

When Tack upsets ZigZag the Vizier, the wizard drags him off to the royal castle, where Princess YumYum falls for the bashful boy and saves him from execution. Unfortunately, ZigZag plans to marry the Princess in order to succeed her father, King Nod. The Thief, meanwhile, is more interested in gold than love and takes off with the protective orbs topping the palace. Together, Tack and YumYum attempt to retrieve them in order to prevent ZigZag and the One-Eye army from conquering the city.

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Plot Keywords:

unfinished film | surrealism | surreal | king | baghdad | 

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

UK USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 August 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arabian Knight

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$319,723, 27 August 1995, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$669,276

Company Credits

Production Co:

Richard Williams Productions, Allied Filmmakers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min (workprint) 80 min (The Princess and the Cobbler) 74 min (Arabian Knight)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR (theatrical print) Dolby Digital (theatrical print)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vincent Price was hired to make the villain more enjoyable for Richard Williams, as he was a great fan of Price's work and ZigZag was based on two people Williams hated.

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Goofs

During the song sequence in the desert scenes, it is said they are all illiterate, but earlier they were seen reading.

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Quotes

Chief Roofless: May I remind you gentlemen that when in doubt, consult the brigand's... book!

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Crazy Credits

The end credits of the South African/Australian prints of "The Princess and the Cobbler" show scenes from the movie that were scrapped from the edited versions, including the Thief narrowly avoiding getting his arms chopped off, behind the credits. However, the prints of "Arabian Knight" only use a black background behind the credits.

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Alternate Versions

As of 2006, six versions of the film exist. The first is a work-in-progress print from 1992 that features most completed animation edited together with storyboards and pencils-only animation. It also features the original dialog and music tracks. This is the version most commonly bootlegged. A second work-in-progress version exists, but details are unknown on the contents. After the film was seized by the completion bond company, a third work-in-progress print was created. This features the revised editing, some re-dubbing, and wholly new scenes. It retains some original audio, but features a temp track almost entirely of Danny Elfman and John Williams music. There is also a temporary voice-over. The fourth version is the first released cut, "The Princess and the Cobbler." It contains four new song sequences, many re-dubbed voices, new music, and many edits. However, it features some cut scenes behind the closing credits, as well as nearly all of the Mad Holy Old Witch footage and more of the War Machine sequence. The fifth version is the American "Arabian Knight" cut. It features further re-dubbing (Steve Lively is replaced by Matthew Broderick as Tack, Bobbi Page is replaced by Jennifer Beals as Yum-Yum), new voices such as The Thief (silent in the Princess version) re-dubbed in the third-person by Jonathan Winters and Phido's vocal effects by Donald Pleasence replaced by dialog by Eric Bogosian. This cut also removes most of the remaining footage of the Mad Holy Old Witch and most of the war machine sequence. It also removes one song sequence and features the end credits over black.

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Connections

Referenced in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Sonic the WHAT IS THAT?!? (2019)

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Soundtracks

It's So Amazing
Lyrics by Norman Gimbel
Music by Robert Folk
Performed by Bobbi Page and Steve Lively

User Reviews

The otherwise enchanting Jonathan Winters was an intrusive distraction.

This is one of the most innovative and amazing pieces of animation I have ever seen. The treatment of each of the characters was fresh compelling, unique and entirely hilarious, especially that of Zigzag the Sorcerer and of the Thief. Princess Yum Yum was every bit as seductive as Richard William's Jessica Rabbit. The use of meticulously crafted geometric designs and patterns for the backgrounds was a delightful change from the photo realistic computer generated images offered up as the order of the day. This could easily have been considered an historic piece of classic family entertainment weren't it for the intrusive and entirely unnecessary dialogue of the usually funny Jonathan Winters as the voice of the thief. His mumblings in no way moved the story forward or complimented the visual personality of the thief, interjecting meaningless dribble into the what would be otherwise, natural pauses in the rhythm of the story. Richard Williams could have easily basked in the same spotlight as does Tim Burton or Roald Dahl. I'll keep an eye out for a 'directors cut' to share with my friends.