A Monkey's Tale
Encyclopedia
A Monkey's Tale is a feature-length French animated film
by Jean-François Laguionie
. It was released in 1999. For unknown reasons, it has never been released on American video or DVD, although it has been available in the UK.
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Gina- the maid Lankoo, who has realised something is up for a while, but has not been taken seriously. Voiced by Sally Anne Marsh.
Master Martin- the kindly, wise, but wimpy old scholar, who is a good friend to Kom and Gina, but does not believe in the conspiracy. Voiced by Michael Gambon
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Sebastian- The main antagonist of the film, he is the chancellor and is feared by many people, although he is trusted by them too. Only the workers building the castle are suspicious of him. Voiced by John Hurt
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Governess- The princess Ida's malicious governess, who helps Sebastian, is poisioning the princess and realises Gina is suspicious of her.
Gerard the Gormless- A villainous character, although he is just a sidekick, and does not appear to have many villainous qualities. He is one of the comic relief characters. Voiced by Rik Mayall
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The King- A kindly, but foolish old man, who lets fantasy rule over fact. Dies by drowning in ice. Voiced by Michael York
.
Princess Ida- The King's sickly daughter who is being poisoned by the governess. By the end of the film, because of the help of Kom and Gina, she has recovered and becomes queen.
Lionel- A Lankoo soldier, one of the few to trust Kom.
Gavin- Kom's more sensible older bother.
Kom's mum- A kindly woman who loves both her sons.
Korcnak- The pompous, bossy elder of the Wonkoos, who warns them about the Lankoos.
Lankoo workers- They are surprised about Kom. They provide us with much of the gossip and information that is going on. They are also comic relief characters.
Narrator- He tells the story right at the start.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
by Jean-François Laguionie
Jean-François Laguionie
Jean-François Laguionie is a French animator, film director and producer of animation born 1939 in Besançon.-Biography:Laguionie was originally interested in theatre but his encounter with Paul Grimault gave him the opportunity to learn the techniques of animated film...
. It was released in 1999. For unknown reasons, it has never been released on American video or DVD, although it has been available in the UK.
Synopsis
Kom is a member of the Woonkos, a tribe of monkeys who live in a canopy and they live in obsessive fear of falling into a nearby pit, which is inhabited by other monkeys they believe to be demons. Kom refuses to believe these superstitions and claims bravery and is rude to the elder of the Woonkos. However, on the way home, he accidentally falls from the tress into the land below. When there, he meets the Lankoo tribe and finds they are in fact very similar to his own tribe. He befriends Gina, a young maid and Master Martin, the librarian and they help teach him to behave like a Lankoo. The Lankoo king is impressed by his actions. However, there is also evil afoot. The chancellor Sebastian, the governess and their dim-witted side-kick, Gerard the Gormless, are up to evil plans: they will find a way for the King to die and they are poisoning his already sick daughter, Princess Ida. The King, along with most of his army, die drowning while attempting to reach the "promised land" on the other side of the poisonous lake when it was frozen. Sebastian believes his plan has worked, but the governess (who was giving the princess the poison) is given it herself by Gina and the one remaining soldier, however it is believed she is tough enough not to die, but will remain a "sleeping ugly". The film ends with Sebastian and Gerard in cages, Princess Ida as the new queen and Kom and Gina returning to the land of the Woonkos, while it is clear that the two tribes will unite. It features the song "We Are One" by Westlife.Characters
Kom- the protagonist, a rebellious, cheeky, but brave young Wonkoo monkey who helps uncover the evil plot. Voiced by Matt HillMatt Hill
Matthew "Matt" Hill is a Canadian voice actor. He is known for several roles, including Kevin Keene/Captain N in Captain N: The Game Master, Kira Yamato in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, Ed in Ed, Edd n Eddy, Raphael in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, Ryo Sanada in Ronin Warriors and Artha...
.
Gina- the maid Lankoo, who has realised something is up for a while, but has not been taken seriously. Voiced by Sally Anne Marsh.
Master Martin- the kindly, wise, but wimpy old scholar, who is a good friend to Kom and Gina, but does not believe in the conspiracy. Voiced by Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
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Sebastian- The main antagonist of the film, he is the chancellor and is feared by many people, although he is trusted by them too. Only the workers building the castle are suspicious of him. Voiced by John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
.
Governess- The princess Ida's malicious governess, who helps Sebastian, is poisioning the princess and realises Gina is suspicious of her.
Gerard the Gormless- A villainous character, although he is just a sidekick, and does not appear to have many villainous qualities. He is one of the comic relief characters. Voiced by Rik Mayall
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall is an English comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of characters, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s...
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The King- A kindly, but foolish old man, who lets fantasy rule over fact. Dies by drowning in ice. Voiced by Michael York
Michael York (actor)
Michael York, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May , a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores...
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Princess Ida- The King's sickly daughter who is being poisoned by the governess. By the end of the film, because of the help of Kom and Gina, she has recovered and becomes queen.
Lionel- A Lankoo soldier, one of the few to trust Kom.
Gavin- Kom's more sensible older bother.
Kom's mum- A kindly woman who loves both her sons.
Korcnak- The pompous, bossy elder of the Wonkoos, who warns them about the Lankoos.
Lankoo workers- They are surprised about Kom. They provide us with much of the gossip and information that is going on. They are also comic relief characters.
Narrator- He tells the story right at the start.