Alakazam the Great

is a 1960 Japanese musical anime film, based on the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West, and was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named as a director of the film by Toei Company. However, Tezuka later stated that the only time he was in the studio was to pose for publicity photos. His involvement in promoting the film, however, led to his interest in animation.
== Plot ==
Alakazam is a young and brave monkey (a macaque) who has been encouraged by all the other monkeys to become their king. After attaining the throne, he becomes rude and dictatorial, and does not believe that human beings are greater than he is. Then he deceives/forces Merlin the magician to teach him magic (reluctantly on Merlin's part, who warns Alakazam that the powers he acquires now will bring him much unhappiness later).
Alakazam becomes so arrogant that he abuses his magic powers, and chooses to go up to Majutsu Land (the Heavens), to challenge King Amo. He is defeated by King Amo. For his punishment, he is sentenced to serve as the bodyguard of Prince Amat on a pilgrimage; in order to learn humility. Ultimately, he learns his lesson and becomes a true hero.
== Cast and Characters ==
===Original===
*Kiyoshi Komiyama - Sun Wukong
*Noriko Shindō - Lin-Lin
*Hideo Kinoshita - Zhu Bajie
*Setsuo Shinoda - Sha Wujing
*Nobuaki Sekine - Tang Sanzang
*Kunihisa Takeda - Shakyamuni
*Katsuko Ozaki - Guanyin
*Michiko Shirasaka - Shōryū
*Kinshiro Iwao - Bull Demon King
*Tamae Kato - Princess Iron Fan
*Kiyoshi Kawakubo - Golden Horned King
*Shuichi Kazamatsuri - Silver Horned King
===English===
*Frankie Avalon - Alakazam (singing)
*Dodie Stevens - DeeDee (singing)
*Jonathan Winters - Sir Quigley Broken Bottom
*Arnold Stang - Max Lulipopo
*Sterling Holloway - Narrator
;Uncredited
*Jack Curtis - King Amo, King Gruesome
*Peter Fernandez - Alakazam (speaking)
*George Gonneau - Vermin McSnarles, Additional Voices
*Joyce Gordon - Queen Amas, Queen Gruesome
*Bernard Grant - Herman McSnarles, Additional Voices
*Jackie Joseph - Additional Voices
*Gilbert Mack - Additional Voices
*E.G. Marshall - Additional Voices
*Corinne Orr - DeeDee (speaking)
*Ray Owens - Additional Voices
*Larry Robinson - Prince Amat
*Billie Lou Watt - Filo Fester
==U.S. release==
The film was released in the United States by American International on July 26, 1961. For the American release, a few scenes were heavily edited and rearranged and bandleader Les Baxter was hired to compose a new soundtrack. Teen idol Frankie Avalon supplied the singing voice of Alakazam (the speaking voice was done by Peter Fernandez), and Sterling Holloway provided English-language narration.
Other famous voices included Jonathan Winters, Arnold Stang, Dodie Stevens, & E.G. Marshall.
===Reception===
Despite a large marketing budget and heavy promotion, the film was unsuccessful in America. The Los Angeles Times called it "warm, amusing and exciting... the art work is really excellent." It was included as one of the choices in The Fifty Worst Films of All Time, and is the only animated film featured in the book.
==See also==
*Journey to the West
*List of animated feature films
*List of Osamu Tezuka anime
*List of Osamu Tezuka manga
*Osamu Tezuka
*Osamu Tezuka's Star System
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:1960 films
Category:1960 anime films
Category:1960s fantasy adventure films
Category:1960s musical films
Category:Adventure anime and manga
Category:American International Pictures films
Category:Animated musical films
Category:Fantasy anime and manga
Category:Films based on Journey to the West
Category:Films based on works by Osamu Tezuka
Category:Japanese animated fantasy films
Category:Japanese fantasy adventure films
Category:Japanese films
Category:Chinese mythology in anime and manga
Category:Buddhist animation
Category:Toei Animation films
Category:Films about apes
Category:Films about pigs
Category:Films scored by Ryōichi Hattori
Category:1960s children's animated films