| Choose Your Own Adventure The Abominable Snowman | |
|---|---|
DVD cover for Choose Your Own Adventure The Abominable Snowman |
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| Directed by | Bob Doucette |
| Produced by | Michelle Crames and Jeff Norton |
| Written by | Shawn Tanaka, Doug Wood, Elise Allen |
| Distributed by | Goldhil Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | July 25, 2006 on DVD |
| Running time | 80 min (interactive) |
| Language | English |
Choose Your Own Adventure The Abominable Snowman is a 2006 animated interactive DVD movie, based on the Choose Your Own Adventure gamebook of the same name by R. A. Montgomery. Viewers make choices every 3–6 minutes using their DVD player remote control to determine what happens. The Abominable Snowman was released on DVD July 25, 2006.
Contents |
The North Siblings, Benjamin, Crista and Marco, must rescue their missing Uncle Rudy, who has gone to the Himalayas in search of the mythical Yeti. The first decision that the player has to make is when their Fokker F27 has a fuel leak and they either have to parachute or stay. Producer Jeff Norton explains that they aspired to create alternate story paths (there are "over eleven possible endings") with different character and story developments and yet still obey the rules of their fictional world.[1]
Both Jeff Norton and Michelle Crames (The producers of the film and founders of Lean Forward Media) recall having read the classic Choose Your Own Adventure series in their youth.[1] Norton explains that they "developed a patent-pending technology" for using the remote control and created the film's main characters (forgoing the book's more ambiguous second-person perspective).[1] He also noted the touch of cinematic perspective Bob Doucette brought the film.[1] Director Norton believes that the interactivity will provide an interesting way for parents and children to discuss the story and characters.[1] The DVD also provides documentary material on life in Nepal, cast interviews, and a music video.[2]
Norton stated on Leanforwardmedia.com that the film would appeal to parents who grew up with the books.[3] Crame said that parents would value the film because through it kids would learn about making decisions and the consequences of those decisions.[3]
Upon its release the film was featured on “18 million boxes of Life cereal.”[3]
In their review, the Dove Foundation praised the concept of the film, stating that, “Teaching your children how to make choices, and deal with what the outcomes of those choices might be, is hard to do,” and noting that each adventure can last twenty-minutes depending on the choices the viewer makes.[4] Kidzworld gave it four stars and noted how the DVD makes a choice for the viewer after a certain amount of time.[2] Dave Johnson, in review on DVD Verdict, also praised the overall concept of “multiple branching storylines” on a DVD and noted the colorful animation, anamorphic widescreen presentation and 5.1 surround sound. [5] Colin Jacobson in a review for DVD Movie Guide said that the film’s color palette was a strength but found many aspects of the film to be generic and uninteresting; He also stated that the smoothness with which the story transitions is sometimes an issue and found one life-decision choice to be unfairly punishing.[6]
Choose Your Own Adventure The Abominable Snowman is the first in a series of DVDs based on the Choose your Own Adventure books. Other planned releases include The Lost Jewels and Mystery of the Maya.[3] As of 2011, however, there has yet to be further releases.