Music Machine (1991 Film)
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Music Machine, known more commonly as The Music Machine, is a 1991 animated film made by Anthony Paul Productions and Bridgestone Group, directed by Leo Salkin. It is based on Samuel Wright's story of the same name, and the Music Machine albums. The film also spun off a partially animated series called Lessons in Agapeland. It features Stan Freberg and Pat Boone as voices for certain characters.
[edit] Synopsis
While flying a kite on a hill, a couple of children (assumably siblings) are swept away aloft their kite in sci-fi fashion to a fantasy, wonderland-type world called Agapeland. It is a lush green place near a river, containing over-sized mushrooms, living plants, and friendly woodland animals.
Shortly after their arrival in the pleasant Agapeland, the children (Stevie and Nancy) encounter two of Agapeland's most delighhtful highlights: the incredible, mystical Music Machine, and its caretaker (possibly creator) Mr. Conductor.
When one of the children asks how the machine works, Mr. Conductor simply smiles and replies: "You put something in it [a slot on the machine], and a song comes out." The next few minutes are spent singing songs, playing around, and learning important things.
But partway into the film; the storyline (which has so far stayed close to the plot of the original 1978 cassette) takes a twist; across the river from Agapeland, it is revealed that there is a barren, dry, creepy, dark place plagued with misery (due to its lack of love). This land is inhabited by the Pudges (three barefoot, waif-like, young characters similar to dwarfs), and their scheming, grouchy "friend", Mr. Pims.
Upon the transistion to the miserable land, Mr. Pims enlists the three Pudges, Grum, Snard, and Bubort, to help him in a mastermind, wildly wacky scheme of schemes; steal Agapeland's source of happiness (the Music Machine) so that their land may be just as lush and green. pims also figures out a byproduct as well--once the machine is away from Agapeland, people will have to buy their happiness from him and the Pudges.
Immediately, Pims puts his plan into action. He and the Pudges pack up a mule-driven wagon, raft across the river to Agapeland, and spy on Stevie, Nancy, and the conductor, waiting for a moment to steal the machine.
Once the three humans leave, the Pudges try everything to get the machine away from Agapeland; however, they continually get distracted (and annoy Pims) until theyh finally come up wityh a terrific distraction: a picnic to keep Stevie, Nancy away from the music machine. Their trick works! Stevie and Nancy return from the picnic to find the machine roped up and being (or trying to be) lifted onto Mr. Pims wagon. In the nick of time, Stevie uses a jack knife to thwart Pims' plan (and it makes the Pudges and Pism escape from Agapeland as soon as they can), but the Music Machine has been wrecked and disformed from all of its mistreatment. WHat will it take to restore the machine to its original beauty.
[edit] Notes
- Three songs, "A Land Called Love," "Goodness" (which is heard in the background as the Pudges try to steal the machine), and a redone version of "Patience (Herbert the Snail)" are all from the original 1977 album.
- For about two seconds as the Pudges excitedly comment about Mr. Pims scheme, Snard and Bubort switch voices.
- In a far off shot of the snail blocking the ants' way on the tree limb, the snail and ants are only vibrating in one spot instead of moving forward.
- In a shot of the Steve, Nancy, and the Conductor looking at the vegetation of Agapeland, Stevie says something but his mouth doesn't move.
- Right after the Patience song, a shot shows Mr. Pims spying on Stevie, Nancy and the Conductor. In the next shot, he is literally "back in a flash" at the landing with the Pudges.
- While the conductor is trying to fix the Music Machine after its attempted kidnapping, the machine's body is all contorted and twisted. When it starts up and breaks down, its body is straight. But when Nancy starts to cry, the machine's body is twisted again.
