Horrid Henry: The Movie

Horrid Henry: The Movie
UK theatrical release poster
Directed by	Nick Moore
Produced by	Allan Niblo Rupert Preston Mike Watts Lucinda Whiteley
Written by	Lucinda Whiteley
Based on	Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon
Starring	Theo Stevenson Richard E. Grant Parminder Nagra Kimberley Walsh Mathew Horne Siobhan Hayes Dick and Dom Noel Fielding Jo Brand Anjelica Huston
Music by	Lester Barnes
Cinematography	Sam McCurdy
Edited by	Simon Cozens
Production company	Novel Entertainment Prescience Aegis Film Fund UK Film Council
Distributed by	Vertigo Films Phase 4 Films Entertainment One Pathé Shaw Organisation Front Row Filmed Entertainment Square One Entertainment Universum Film (UFA) Kaboom! Entertainment PFA Films
Release dates	29 July 2011 (2011-07-29) (United Kingdom) 22 December 2012 (2012-12-22) (United States)
Running time	93 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$10,000,000
Box office	$10,124,760

Horrid Henry: The Movie is a 2011 British live action 3D children's/family fantasy comedy film based on the fictional character Horrid Henry, starring Theo Stevenson, Richard E. Grant, Parminder Nagra, Kimberley Walsh, Mathew Horne, Siobhan Hayes, Dick and Dom, Noel Fielding, Jo Brand & Anjelica Huston, directed by Nick Moore, written by Lucinda Whiteley, and produced by Allan Niblo, Rupert Preston & Mike Watts. The first British film for children to be shot in 3D, the United Kingdom release date was 29 July 2011. On 9 February 2012, Phase 4 Films announced it would release the film in theatres in the United States & Canada on 22 December 2012.^[2]

Plot

At the beginning, Horrid Henry tries to steal cookies from Moody Margaret's Secret Club, and succeeds, but before he could eat them, his mother interrupts, telling him to do his homework. In the morning, Henry's mother wakes him up, and tells him to go to school. When she reminds him to take his homework, he remembers that his homework is in a really bad state, and leaves it behind. When he goes to school, Henry arranges for a forged note to be made, this and the lack of homework lands him in detention. Later, Miss Oddbod, the headteacher, tells Henry's class that the school inspectors are coming, and they don't want any 'unpleasantness'. With Henry in detention, his friends join him to practice for a talent contest, but their rehearsal is interrupted.

It is revealed that Ashton Primary, the school Henry attends, is to be (deliberately) closed and Vic Van Wrinkle, the headteacher of Brick House School, stands to make a fortune from the resulting influx of pupils. With the help of his worst arch-enemy Moody Margaret, and her sidekick Sour Susan, Henry comes up with a plan to save the school. First, he decides to enter a Talent Contest with his 'Zero Zombies' Band, which he reckons that they'll become 'famous enough' that they won't want to shut the school down. Henry is later invited onto TV programme '2 Cool 4 School', where he can win a Cash Prize if he wins the show, which he plans to use to save the school. He wins the competition and the cash, then returning to the school.

Meanwhile, Van Wrinkle holds Miss Lovely, Peter, and his friends hostage in his office. Miss Lovely tricks him into explaining his plan while she has her mobile phone calling the school so that Miss Oddbod can hear. Hearing the sirens and the police arrive at the scene, Vic attempts to escape but is arrested. Miss Oddbod is offered the money, who declines it. It is decided that the money will be used for the party of a lifetime instead. The next day, Henry's family and friends congratulate him for saving the school and, as promised between Henry and Margaret, have the party. The movie then closes with the 'Purple Hand Gang' logo.

Cast

• Theo Stevenson as Horrid Henry
• Richard E. Grant as Vic Van Wrinkle
• Ross Marron as Perfect Peter
• Scarlett Stitt as Moody Margaret
• Anjelica Huston as Miss Battle-Axe
• David Schneider as Soggy Sid
• Rebecca Front as Miss Oddbod
• Parminder Nagra as Miss Lovely
• Siobhan Hayes as Henry's Mum
• Mathew Horne as Henry's Dad
• Dick and Dom as 2 Cool 4 School presenters
• Noel Fielding as Ed Banger
• Jo Brand as Greasy Greta/Demon Dinner Lady
• Kimberley Walsh as Prissy Polly
• Helen Lederer as Rich Aunt Ruby
• Tyger Drew-Honey as Stuck-Up Steve
• Joshua-James Thomas as Goody Goody Gordon
• Prunella Scales as Great Aunt Greta
• Anthony Fantano as Moody Margaret's Dad
• Billy Kennedy as Weepy William
• Helena Barlow as Sour Susan
• Kia Pegg as Vicious Vicky
• Gabriel Werb as Tidy Ted

Production

On 23 June 2010, Pathé announced that a live action 3-D film of Horrid Henry was in production. On 24 December 2010, a release date of 29 July 2011 was announced. Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry books, stated that she has not seen the film, and had nothing to do with it.

Reception

The film was released on 29 July 2011 in the United Kingdom, on 29 July 2011 in Ireland, on 22 September 2011 in Ukraine, on 21 October 2011 in Turkey, on 3 November 2011 in Kuwait, on 22 December 2011 in Singapore, on 2 February 2012 in Israel, on 9 November 2012 at the DVD and Blu-ray Premiere in Germany, on 11 January 2013 in the United States, and on 12 April 2014 in Hungary. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Germany on November 9, 2012. The film received mainly negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 10% of 21 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 3.6 out of 10.^[3]

When interviewed on Desert Island Discs by Kirsty Young, Horrid Henry book author Francesca Simon stated that "I haven't seen it [the movie]...I had nothing to do with it." This was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 11 November 2011. Despite negative reaction, the film opened at #5 in the U.K Box Office with £1.3 million, but was knocked down to #7 by Super 8 & Mr. Popper's Penguins. The film was a box office bomb, only £10M was grossed on a budget of £10M, meaning the movie just made its budget back.

Future

In March 2012, Vertigo Films eyed up plans for a trilogy, and that two films would be filmed back-to-back during August 2012, with the films being released a year apart. However, due to the failure of the first film, the trilogy was cancelled. Despite the cancellation of the trilogy, plans for a reboot are currently rumoured, which would contain a totally new cast.

Soundtrack

See also

• Horrid Henry
• Horrid Henry (TV series)

References

External links

• Official website
• Horrid Henry: The Movie at the Internet Movie Database