At the Movies (Rugrats)
Encyclopedia
"At the Movies" is the third episode of the animated television series Rugrats
. It originally aired on the television network
Nickelodeon
on August 25, 1991, during the series' first season. In the episode, Didi and Stu take The Rugrats to a movie theather to see The Dummi Bears: The Land Without Smiles, but Tommy is infatuated with seeing the monster movie
Reptar!. He and the babies sneak out of the theater room to catch a showing of Reptar! while leaving a wake of accidental mayhem and destruction as they do.
"At the Movies" was written by Craig Bartlett and series co-creator Paul Germain
and directed by Dan Thompson. The episode introduced the characters of the Dummi Bears and Reptar
. The Dummi Bears were inspired by non-violent children's characters such as the Care Bears
and the Gummi Bears, whereas Reptar was heavily inspired by the Japan
ese monster
Godzilla
and satirized the ever growing domination of Japanese culture into children's society. The character appeared in countless media tie-ins for the series, including a cereal
brand, t-shirts, and video games, and would be reused in several other episodes of the series throughout its run.
Author Jan Susina gave a generally positive review of "At the Movies" in the book, The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture: From Godzilla to Miyazaki
. In 1997, it became available on the VHS
Rugrats: Return of Reptar, which was nominated for Video Software Dealers Association's Home Entertainment Award in the "Outstanding Marketing Campaign for a Major Direct-to-Video Release" category in 2000.
, Chuckie
, Phil, and Lil
to go see The Land Without Smiles, starring the Dummi Bears, at the Westside Octoplex. Tommy, however, wants to see the monster movie Reptar! after seeing a commercial for it on television. When they go to the theater and the movie starts, the babies sneak off to try and find the room showing Reptar! at the theater. The first room they attempt is a romance film, so they move on and end up accidentally creating a huge mess at the concession stand. Tommy is looking for popcorn, Chuckie eats candy bars, while Phil & Lil find orange & grape drinks, ketchup & mustard, and straws. The babies also find Wieners, Hot dog bun
s, popcorn tubs, lids, napkins, and cups. They find their way up to the projection booth and finally find the room where Reptar! is playing.
As they are watching the film through the booth window, Phil trips on some film and the babies decide to ride on the projectors for fun. In the process, though, all of the projectors in the room become unraveled, and various films break so they exit the room. They soon run into Grandpa, who is getting popcorn, at the concession stand and are led back into the theater. As the arrive, The Land Without Smiles is about to reach its climax; however, the film burns as a result of the babies' earlier tomfoolery and everyone leaves the theater disgruntled.
—creator of Rugrats
along with Arlene Klasky
and Gábor Csupó
—and directed by Dan Thompson. Germain additionally served as animation director
, a role he played for all early episodes of the series. Recording sessions for the episode, located in Hollywood, California, for each actor individually took one day to complete, taking anywhere from fifteen minutes to four hours depending on the scene or role.
The episode marked the first appearance of the character Reptar. Reptar was modeled visually to resemble a Tyrannosaurus rex, but his mannerisms and actions were meant to parody
that of the fictional monster, Godzilla
, who first appeared in the 1954 film
Godzilla
, released in Japan
as Gojira. Though he is portrayed comically, his name was based on a child's mispronunciation of Velociraptor
, a ferocious dinosaur
made iconic for its appearance in the Steven Spielberg
film Jurassic Park
. As noted by W. J. T. Mitchell in his book The Last Dinosaur Book, children generally begin fascination with dinosaurs between ages four and seven, while at other times during pre-school and elementary school
. This demographic was the general age of Rugrats' viewers, and likely the reason behind Reptar's species.
"At the Movies" became available on the VHS
release entitled Rugrats: Return of Reptar in 1997. The release included several other Reptar themed episodes, including "Reptar 2010" and "Reptar on Ice
." It was released both as part of a special promotional deal between Paramount Home Entertainment
and Oral-B
and as a re-promotion of Rugrats videos during the holiday season.
"At the Movies" introduced characters such as Reptar and the Dummi Bears—each of whom would become recurring characters throughout the series—and marked the first time in the series that the babies had seen a movie. Reptar, in particular, would appear in several episodes throughout the series in different manifestations. During different episodes, he has appeared as a toyline, a focal point in a marketing campaign, cereal brands, and a character in television series. In The Rugrats Movie
, the feature-length film based on the series and released in 1998, Reptar appears as a mechanical wagon built by Stu, voiced by rapper Busta Rhymes
. In its sequel
, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
, the central setting is located at a vast Reptar theme park in France
called "EuroReptarland," similar to Disneyland Paris, which features a stage production with a robotic Reptar created by Stu.
Reptar himself become an actual merchandising piece and became the basis of several Rugrats promotional works. Several videos, books, toylines, and clothing have been marketed by Nickelodeon, serving as both a high-profit margin and a parody of the character's fictional success in the series. Bed sheets, lamps, and a cereal brand have all become available in stores and feature Reptar. A Rugrats video game entitled Rugrats: Search for Reptar
, followed Tommy looking for missing pieces of a Reptar puzzle. The game was widely successful and become a part of PlayStation
's "Greatest Hits" label in 1999.
The Dummi Bears are parodies of the Care Bears
franchise, and the film they are featured in, The Land Without Smiles, is a parody of the feature length 1985 film
The Care Bears Movie
based on the franchise, while the title of the film is a reference to the Care Bears' first TV special from 1983, The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings
. The Dummi Bears' name is a reference to the Gummi Bears TV series. One scene in The Land Without Smiles details the Gummy Bears firing valentines from the clouds for all the sad and lonely children in the United States
, references a similar scene from The Care Bears Movie.
Nickelodeon
on August 25, 1991. It was paired with the episode "Slumber Party." In 2000, Rugrats: Return of Reptar, in which the episode featured, was nominated for Video Software Dealers Association's Home Entertainment Award for "Outstanding Marketing Campaign for a Major Direct-to-Video Release. In 2001, Nickelodeon allowed viewers to vote for their favorite Rugrats episode on Nick.com
as part of the series 10th anniversary. When the poll results were announced, "At the Movies" ranked at number 39.
The episode received a generally positive response. In the book The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture: From Godzilla to Miyazaki, Jan Susina opted that it was "appropriate" to introduce Reptar in the episode via a television commercial, as "Throughout the series, Reptar's power and popularity increases, so that by Rugrats in Paris a Euro-Reptarland exists." Susina also noted that his existence in the series was "one of the more unexpected" treatments of Japanese culture in "contemporary American children's culture."
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
. It originally aired on the television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
on August 25, 1991, during the series' first season. In the episode, Didi and Stu take The Rugrats to a movie theather to see The Dummi Bears: The Land Without Smiles, but Tommy is infatuated with seeing the monster movie
Monster movie
Monster movie is a name commonly given to movies, which centre on the struggle between human beings and one or more monsters...
Reptar!. He and the babies sneak out of the theater room to catch a showing of Reptar! while leaving a wake of accidental mayhem and destruction as they do.
"At the Movies" was written by Craig Bartlett and series co-creator Paul Germain
Paul Germain
Paul Germain is an American animation screenwriter and producer. Among the shows Germain has written and/or produced for are Rugrats, All Grown Up!, The Simpsons, Recess, Even Stevens, Lloyd in Space, The Tracey Ullman Show, and Beethoven: The Animated Series...
and directed by Dan Thompson. The episode introduced the characters of the Dummi Bears and Reptar
Reptar
Reptar is a fictional character from the American animated television series Rugrats. Reptar is a green dinosaur with rounded, blue spike-like appendages on his back, which intentionally causes him to resemble and spoof Godzilla.-The Rugrats films:Reptar appeared in the first Rugrats film as a...
. The Dummi Bears were inspired by non-violent children's characters such as the Care Bears
Care Bears
The Care Bears are characters created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. The original artwork for the cards was painted by artist Elena Kucharik. In 1983, Kenner turned the Care Bears into plush teddy bears...
and the Gummi Bears, whereas Reptar was heavily inspired by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
and satirized the ever growing domination of Japanese culture into children's society. The character appeared in countless media tie-ins for the series, including a cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
brand, t-shirts, and video games, and would be reused in several other episodes of the series throughout its run.
Author Jan Susina gave a generally positive review of "At the Movies" in the book, The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture: From Godzilla to Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
. In 1997, it became available on the VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
Rugrats: Return of Reptar, which was nominated for Video Software Dealers Association's Home Entertainment Award in the "Outstanding Marketing Campaign for a Major Direct-to-Video Release" category in 2000.
Plot
Stu and Didi decide to take TommyTommy Pickles
Thomas Malcolm "Tommy" Pickles is the main protagonist of the Nickelodeon animated television series' Rugrats and its spin-off All Grown Up!. He is clad in only a T-shirt and a diaper and is bald with big, blank eyes. He translates everything adult into baby gibberish...
, Chuckie
Chuckie Finster
Charles "Chuckie" Crandall Finster is a fictional character from the Nickelodeon animated television series' Rugrats and All Grown Up!. He is Tommy Pickles' best friend and tritagonist . The character is voiced by Christine Cavanaugh...
, Phil, and Lil
Phil and Lil DeVille
Phillip Richard Bill "Phil" and Lillian Marie Jill "Lil" DeVille, or simply Phil and Lil, are the twins from the Nickelodeon shows Rugrats and All Grown Up!, and are among the series' original characters....
to go see The Land Without Smiles, starring the Dummi Bears, at the Westside Octoplex. Tommy, however, wants to see the monster movie Reptar! after seeing a commercial for it on television. When they go to the theater and the movie starts, the babies sneak off to try and find the room showing Reptar! at the theater. The first room they attempt is a romance film, so they move on and end up accidentally creating a huge mess at the concession stand. Tommy is looking for popcorn, Chuckie eats candy bars, while Phil & Lil find orange & grape drinks, ketchup & mustard, and straws. The babies also find Wieners, Hot dog bun
Hot dog bun
A hot dog bun is a type of soft bun shaped specifically to contain a hot dog. The original purpose of this bun was to make it possible to eat hot dogs without burning ones hands....
s, popcorn tubs, lids, napkins, and cups. They find their way up to the projection booth and finally find the room where Reptar! is playing.
As they are watching the film through the booth window, Phil trips on some film and the babies decide to ride on the projectors for fun. In the process, though, all of the projectors in the room become unraveled, and various films break so they exit the room. They soon run into Grandpa, who is getting popcorn, at the concession stand and are led back into the theater. As the arrive, The Land Without Smiles is about to reach its climax; however, the film burns as a result of the babies' earlier tomfoolery and everyone leaves the theater disgruntled.
Production
"At the Movies" was written by Craig Bartlett and Paul GermainPaul Germain
Paul Germain is an American animation screenwriter and producer. Among the shows Germain has written and/or produced for are Rugrats, All Grown Up!, The Simpsons, Recess, Even Stevens, Lloyd in Space, The Tracey Ullman Show, and Beethoven: The Animated Series...
—creator of Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
along with Arlene Klasky
Arlene Klasky
Arlene Klasky is an animator, graphic designer, television producer and co-founder of Klasky-Csupo with Gábor Csupó. Arlene Klasky is one of the television industry’s leading advocates for quality animated programming that entertains children. In 1999, she was named one of the “Top 25 Women in...
and Gábor Csupó
Gábor Csupó
Gábor Csupó is a Hungarian-born animator, writer, film director and music producer. He is co-founder of the animation studio Klasky Csupo, which has produced shows like Rugrats, Duckman, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.-Career:...
—and directed by Dan Thompson. Germain additionally served as animation director
Animation director
An animation director is the director in charge of all aspects of the animation process during the production of an animated film or animated segment for a live-action film...
, a role he played for all early episodes of the series. Recording sessions for the episode, located in Hollywood, California, for each actor individually took one day to complete, taking anywhere from fifteen minutes to four hours depending on the scene or role.
The episode marked the first appearance of the character Reptar. Reptar was modeled visually to resemble a Tyrannosaurus rex, but his mannerisms and actions were meant to parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
that of the fictional monster, Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
, who first appeared in the 1954 film
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
Godzilla
Godzilla (1954 film)
is a 1954 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The film stars Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. The film tells the story of Godzilla, a giant monster mutated by nuclear radiation, who ravages Japan, bringing back the...
, released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as Gojira. Though he is portrayed comically, his name was based on a child's mispronunciation of Velociraptor
Velociraptor
Velociraptor is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 75 to 71 million years ago during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The type species is V. mongoliensis; fossils...
, a ferocious dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
made iconic for its appearance in the Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
film Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
. As noted by W. J. T. Mitchell in his book The Last Dinosaur Book, children generally begin fascination with dinosaurs between ages four and seven, while at other times during pre-school and elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
. This demographic was the general age of Rugrats
"At the Movies" became available on the VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
release entitled Rugrats: Return of Reptar in 1997. The release included several other Reptar themed episodes, including "Reptar 2010" and "Reptar on Ice
Reptar on Ice
"Reptar on Ice" is the tenth episode of the second season of the animated television series Rugrats. It is the first segment of the twenty-third episode for the entire series. The episode was written by Peter Gaffney and directed by Howard E. Baker. It was originally broadcast on November 8, 1992...
." It was released both as part of a special promotional deal between Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
and Oral-B
Oral-B
Oral-B is a popular brand of oral hygiene products, including toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.It all started with a dentist, back in 1950, who created the first Oral-B toothbrush and its soft, end-rounded nylon bristles. Dr. Robert Hutson, a California periodontist, designed...
and as a re-promotion of Rugrats videos during the holiday season.
Cultural impact and references
The Rugrats Movie
The Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998....
, the feature-length film based on the series and released in 1998, Reptar appears as a mechanical wagon built by Stu, voiced by rapper Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
. In its sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, also known as The Rugrats Movie 2: Rugrats in Paris and Rugrats in Paris: The Movie - Rugrats II, is 2000 American animated film, and the sequel to the 1998 film The Rugrats Movie that follows the continuing adventures of the Rugrats. In the film, Chuckie Finster takes...
, the central setting is located at a vast Reptar theme park in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
called "EuroReptarland," similar to Disneyland Paris, which features a stage production with a robotic Reptar created by Stu.
Reptar himself become an actual merchandising piece and became the basis of several Rugrats promotional works. Several videos, books, toylines, and clothing have been marketed by Nickelodeon, serving as both a high-profit margin and a parody of the character's fictional success in the series. Bed sheets, lamps, and a cereal brand have all become available in stores and feature Reptar. A Rugrats video game entitled Rugrats: Search for Reptar
Rugrats: Search for Reptar
Rugrats: Search for Reptar is an adventure video game that was released in 1998 for PlayStation in North America and in the PAL region by THQ. The game is based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Rugrats which aired from 1991 until 2004. The game follows the main character of the cartoon, Tommy...
, followed Tommy looking for missing pieces of a Reptar puzzle. The game was widely successful and become a part of PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
's "Greatest Hits" label in 1999.
The Dummi Bears are parodies of the Care Bears
Care Bears
The Care Bears are characters created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. The original artwork for the cards was painted by artist Elena Kucharik. In 1983, Kenner turned the Care Bears into plush teddy bears...
franchise, and the film they are featured in, The Land Without Smiles, is a parody of the feature length 1985 film
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...
The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie
The Care Bears Movie is a 1985 Canadian animated film, the second feature production from the Toronto animation studio Nelvana. One of the first films based directly on a toy line, it introduced the Care Bears characters and their companions, the Care Bear Cousins. In the film, orphanage owners...
based on the franchise, while the title of the film is a reference to the Care Bears' first TV special from 1983, The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings
The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings
The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings is the first television special to feature the Care Bears characters. Made by Atkinson Film-Arts of Canada, it was premiered on syndication in April 1983...
. The Dummi Bears' name is a reference to the Gummi Bears TV series. One scene in The Land Without Smiles details the Gummy Bears firing valentines from the clouds for all the sad and lonely children in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, references a similar scene from The Care Bears Movie.
Reception
"At the Movies" was originally broadcast on the television networkTelevision network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
on August 25, 1991. It was paired with the episode "Slumber Party." In 2000, Rugrats: Return of Reptar, in which the episode featured, was nominated for Video Software Dealers Association's Home Entertainment Award for "Outstanding Marketing Campaign for a Major Direct-to-Video Release. In 2001, Nickelodeon allowed viewers to vote for their favorite Rugrats episode on Nick.com
Nick.com
Nick.com is a website owned and developed by Nickelodeon, launched in October 1995. The website serves mainly as an online portal for Nickelodeon content, and offers online games, message boards, and individual websites for each show it has broadcast....
as part of the series 10th anniversary. When the poll results were announced, "At the Movies" ranked at number 39.
The episode received a generally positive response. In the book The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture: From Godzilla to Miyazaki, Jan Susina opted that it was "appropriate" to introduce Reptar in the episode via a television commercial, as "Throughout the series, Reptar's power and popularity increases, so that by Rugrats in Paris a Euro-Reptarland exists." Susina also noted that his existence in the series was "one of the more unexpected" treatments of Japanese culture in "contemporary American children's culture."
External links
- "At the Movies" at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...