The Care Bears Movie

***The Care Bears Movie*** is a Canadian/American animated movie that came out on March 29, 1985. It was produced by Nelvana Limited of Canada, and was distributed by Universal Pictures. It was the first in a trilogy(or set of three) of big-screen movies that had the Care Bears in lead roles, and the first to be based directly on a toy line. The movie's success led to a spin-off television series that premiered on ABC a year after its release.

There were well-known celebrities among the movie's starring line-up, such as Carole King, who wrote and sung its opening theme. John Sebastian and NRBQ also contributed to its score. The movie also had the voices of Mickey Rooney, Canadian actress Georgia Engel, and voice actress Cree Summer.

It was made as a full-length commercial for the title toys, and had mixed views from critics. But its $23 million gross at the box office made it the biggest animated work outside the Disney market when it came out. It is one of the most profitable releases in the animation industry (its cost was $3 million). The movie saved Nelvana from closing down when _Rock & Rule_, the company's first production, did not do well.

## Facts

***The Care Bears Movie*** holds financial records for non-Disney animation (at the time it first came out), for Canadian moviemaking (only rivalled by _Porky's_ and, more recently, _The Wild_), and for its distributor Samuel Goldwyn.

Its director, Arna Selznick, was one of three women to ever lead the production for a full-length cartoon. To this day, she is proud of these efforts, though she was aware of the strategy to promote it.

## Plot

In this movie, an orphanage caretaker named Mr. Cherrywood tells the story of how the Care Bears come to help two children who do not care for anyone (Kim and Jason). The Care Bears live in Care-a-lot, a cloud-filled place up in the sky. As the two of them become friends with the Bears, a carnival magician's helper, Nicholas, turns from good to bad, because of an evil spirit he got from an old book.

When the boy's evil grows more and more, the Care Bears and their Cousins (from the Forest of Feelings), along with Kim and Jason, come back to Earth to end his evil doings. In turn, the carnival and the whole world will be saved.

## Other websites

- _The Care Bears Movie_  at the Keyframe - the Animation Resource
- Theatrical trailer  at Google Video
- The Care Bear Zone's picture gallery
- Authentic cel from the movie at Toy Archive
- A page with sketches from the film by one of its crew, Kevin Davies
- Soundtrack page at SoundtrackCollector

## Infobox (movie)

- **name**: The Care Bears Movie
- **director**: Arna Selznick
- **producer**: Michael Hirsh
Patrick Loubert
Clive A. Smith<hr>**Supervising**:
Lenora Hume
- **writer**: Peter Sauder (screenplay)
- **music**: Patricia Cullen
- **cinematography**: David Altman
Jim Christianson
Barbara Sachs
(animation camera)
- **editing**: Jim Erickson
Tom Joerin
Gordon Kidd
Stephen Mitchell
Sheila Murray
Steve Weslak
Michael O'Farrell<hr>**Supervising**:
John Broughton
Rob Kirkpatrick
- **starring**: Mickey Rooney
Cree Summer
Sunny Besen Thrasher
Jackie Burroughs
Brent Titcomb
Hadley Kay
Georgia Engel
Billie Mae Richards
Bob Dermer
Melleny Brown
Marla Lukofsky
Dan Hennessey
Susan Roman
Luba Goy
Jim Henshaw
- **distributor**: Universal Pictures
 Astral Media, Astral Films
 Miracle Films
 Artédis
 Seven Keys (movie distributor), Seven Keys
 &  The Samuel Goldwyn Company
 Mosfilm
- **released**: March 29, 1985
- **runtime**: 76
- **country**: Canada/United States
- **language**: English
- **budget**: $3 million