Barney's Great Adventure
Encyclopedia
Barney's Great Adventure (also known as it's promotional title: "Barney's Great Adventure: The Movie") is a 1998 musical
adventure film
based on the children's television series
Barney & Friends
, featuring the character Barney the dinosaur. The film was written by Stephen White, directed by Steve Gomer
, produced by Sheryl Leach
and Lyrick Studios
and released by Polygram Filmed Entertainment
on March 27, 1998 in the United States and Canada.
), his sister Abby (Diana Rice), their best friend Marcella (Kyla Pratt
), and their baby brother Fig are dropped off by their parents for a visit at their grandparents' farm. Cody gets hit in his face by a basketball
by accident while Abby and Marcella laugh and rub a Barney doll in his face. Cody loses his patience and starts a game of "keep-away" by taking the Barney doll and runs off with it. The two girls go after Cody. He then hides the Barney doll in the shower in the bathroom and the girls catch up with him. Cody tells them to use their imagination and laughs when he thinks that it is not working. However, the doll comes to life and turns into Barney the purple dinosaur. Cody refuses to believe in Barney at first, claiming that imagination is just for kids and that "real dinosaurs don't talk and real dinosaurs don't laugh."
That night, Cody wishes for a real adventure for that summer, and to do something no one has done before. A shooting star
deposits a large colorful egg in the barn discovered by Cody,Barney hears baby Fig needs a diaper change and Abby and Marcella decide to take the egg to Ms. Goldfinch,a bird expert. . Barney and the kids begin their adventure to recover it through a parade. Barney's friend B.J. catches it when it almost lands on the ground and breaks. Barney and the gang chase the egg throughout a restaurant, a circus, and fly through the sky on an airplane to continue their pursuit of the egg which is in a hot air balloon. B.J. and Baby Bop arrive just in time to see the egg hatch. After they return the egg to the barn, it finally hatches. Cody comments that the egg looks like a rainbow.
The egg is a koala-like dream maker named Twinken who shows everyone Abby's dream and then Barney's. Cody apologizes to Barney for being mean and admits that he thinks he's cool. Barney accepts his apology and tells Cody that he thinks he's cool too and the two share a hug. Twinken shows everyone a magical fireworks display which lands in Barney's arms. Barney begins to sing "I Love You", and everyone else sings with him. Baby Bop gets sleepy, which prompts B.J. to decide that they are ready to go home. The film ends with Barney turning back into a doll with Twinken sitting right next to him.
which is aimed for young children aged 1–8 the film received negative reviews from upon film critics and was nominated for two awards at the 19th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Worst New Star" and "Worst Original Song".
Because of its negative reception, the film is said to be considered one of the worst movies ever made as well as becoming a box office bomb
. On Rotten Tomatoes
, the film currently has a "Rotten" rating of 23%, based on 22 reviews with only 5 fresh, and a rating of a 4.1 out of 10.0. It is currently 87th among IMDB's Bottom 100 as of September 23, 2011.
weekend, the film grossed $2,203,865 and ranked #11. A week later, in wide release
, it grossed $1,382,373 and ranked #15. By the end of its run, the film grossed $12,218,638 in the domestic box office, almost returning its $15 million budget becoming a box office bomb
.
country, Malaysia due to the fact that it was unacceptable for children to watch, without any true reason why it was found to be invalid for it's target audience.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
adventure film
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
based on the children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends
Barney and Friends, also referred to by HiT Entertainment as Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, is an independent children's television show produced in the United States, aimed at children from ages 1-8...
, featuring the character Barney the dinosaur. The film was written by Stephen White, directed by Steve Gomer
Steve Gomer
Steve Gomer is an American film and television director.In 1987, he made his directorial debut directing the film Sweet Lorriane starring Maureen Stapleton. He continued directing films namely Fly by Night , Sunset Park starring Rhea Perlman and Barney's Great Adventure...
, produced by Sheryl Leach
Sheryl Leach
Sheryl Lyna Stamps Leach from Dallas, Texas, is one of the creators of the popular children's show Barney & Friends. Kathy Parker is the other creator.-Career:...
and Lyrick Studios
Lyrick Studios
Lyrick Studios, Inc. is an American video production and distribution company founded in 1991 and based in Allen, Texas. The company was best known for its distribution of home videos, audio products and children's books and toys for the children's television series Barney & Friends and...
and released by Polygram Filmed Entertainment
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment was a film studio, founded in 1979 as a European competitor to Hollywood, but eventually sold and merged with Universal Pictures in 1999....
on March 27, 1998 in the United States and Canada.
Plot
Cody (Trevor MorganTrevor Morgan (actor)
Trevor John Morgan is an American actor. He has appeared in the films Genius, The Sixth Sense, The Patriot, A Rumor of Angels, Jurassic Park III, The Glass House, Chasing 3000, Mean Creek, Barney's Great Adventure, Local Color, Family Plan and Uncle Nino.-Early life:Trevor John Morgan was born...
), his sister Abby (Diana Rice), their best friend Marcella (Kyla Pratt
Kyla Pratt
Kyla Alissa Pratt is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Pratt was born in Los Angeles, the oldest of five children of Kecia Pratt-McCullar, a schoolteacher, and Johnny McCullar, a semi-professional basketball player....
), and their baby brother Fig are dropped off by their parents for a visit at their grandparents' farm. Cody gets hit in his face by a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
by accident while Abby and Marcella laugh and rub a Barney doll in his face. Cody loses his patience and starts a game of "keep-away" by taking the Barney doll and runs off with it. The two girls go after Cody. He then hides the Barney doll in the shower in the bathroom and the girls catch up with him. Cody tells them to use their imagination and laughs when he thinks that it is not working. However, the doll comes to life and turns into Barney the purple dinosaur. Cody refuses to believe in Barney at first, claiming that imagination is just for kids and that "real dinosaurs don't talk and real dinosaurs don't laugh."
That night, Cody wishes for a real adventure for that summer, and to do something no one has done before. A shooting star
Shooting Star
Shooting star is a common name for the visible path of a meteoroid as it enters the atmosphere to become a meteor.Shooting star may also refer to:* Shooting Star Children's Hospice, a UK children's charity* The Shooting Star, a 1942 Tintin adventure...
deposits a large colorful egg in the barn discovered by Cody,Barney hears baby Fig needs a diaper change and Abby and Marcella decide to take the egg to Ms. Goldfinch,a bird expert. . Barney and the kids begin their adventure to recover it through a parade. Barney's friend B.J. catches it when it almost lands on the ground and breaks. Barney and the gang chase the egg throughout a restaurant, a circus, and fly through the sky on an airplane to continue their pursuit of the egg which is in a hot air balloon. B.J. and Baby Bop arrive just in time to see the egg hatch. After they return the egg to the barn, it finally hatches. Cody comments that the egg looks like a rainbow.
The egg is a koala-like dream maker named Twinken who shows everyone Abby's dream and then Barney's. Cody apologizes to Barney for being mean and admits that he thinks he's cool. Barney accepts his apology and tells Cody that he thinks he's cool too and the two share a hug. Twinken shows everyone a magical fireworks display which lands in Barney's arms. Barney begins to sing "I Love You", and everyone else sings with him. Baby Bop gets sleepy, which prompts B.J. to decide that they are ready to go home. The film ends with Barney turning back into a doll with Twinken sitting right next to him.
Cast
- David Joyner (Bob WestBob WestBob West is an American television actor best known as the voice of Barney in the hit children's show Barney & Friends. He has also appeared in several Barney-related shows such as concert tours...
, voice) as Barney - Trevor MorganTrevor Morgan (actor)Trevor John Morgan is an American actor. He has appeared in the films Genius, The Sixth Sense, The Patriot, A Rumor of Angels, Jurassic Park III, The Glass House, Chasing 3000, Mean Creek, Barney's Great Adventure, Local Color, Family Plan and Uncle Nino.-Early life:Trevor John Morgan was born...
as Cody - Diana Rice as Abby
- Kyla PrattKyla PrattKyla Alissa Pratt is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Pratt was born in Los Angeles, the oldest of five children of Kecia Pratt-McCullar, a schoolteacher, and Johnny McCullar, a semi-professional basketball player....
as Marcella - Jeff Brooks (Patty Wirtz, voice) as B.J.
- Jeff Ayers (Julie Johnson, voice) as Baby Bop
- George HearnGeorge HearnGeorge Hearn is an American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway musical theatre.-Early years:Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before he embarked on a career in the theater, training for the stage with actress turned acting...
as Grandpa - Shirley DouglasShirley DouglasShirley Jean Douglas, OC is a Canadian television, film and stage actress and activist. Her acting career combined with her family name has made her recognisable in Canadian film, television and politics.-Personal life:...
as Grandma - Renee Madeline La Guerrier as Mildred Goldfinch
- Roch Jutras as Mr. Millet
- Alan Fawcett as Dad
- Jane Wheeler as Mom
Musical numbers
- "Barney: The Song" (main title) -
- "Imagine" - Barney, Abby, Cody, Marcella
- "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" - Grandpa
- "Let Me Call You Sweetheart (Reprise)" - Valerie CarterValerie CarterValerie Carter to James J and Dorothy Carter, is an American singer-songwriter...
- "Twinkle Twinkle Little StarTwinkle Twinkle Little Star"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is a popular English nursery rhyme. The lyrics are from an early nineteenth-century English poem, "The Star" by Jane Taylor. The poem, which is in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Taylor and her sister Ann...
" - Barney, Abby, Marcella - "Old McDonald Had a FarmOld McDonald Had a Farm"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" is a children's song and nursery rhyme about a farmer named MacDonald and the various animals he keeps on his farm. Each verse of the song changes the name of the animal and its respective noise. In many versions, the song is cumulative, with the noises from all the...
" - Barney, Abby, Marcella - "If You're Happy and You Know ItIf You're Happy and You Know It"If You're Happy and You Know It" is a popular repetitive children's song, stemming from an old Latvian folk song. The song is supposed to belong to the public domain, although many of the different versions of the song are still protected by copyright law...
" - Barney - "Count the Stars" - Roberta FlackRoberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B, and folk music...
- "Who's Inside It?" - Barney, Abby, Cody, Marcella
- "All the Pretty Ponies" - Jane Siberry
- "If All the Raindrops" - Barney
- "We're Gonna Find a Way" - Barney, Abby, Cody, Marcella
- "I Love You" - Barney, B.J., Baby Bop, Abby, Cody, Marcella, Grandma, Grandpa
- "Rainbows Follow the Rain" - Peabo BrysonPeabo BrysonPeabo Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina...
Reception
Due to being based on the aforementioned television programBarney & Friends
Barney and Friends, also referred to by HiT Entertainment as Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, is an independent children's television show produced in the United States, aimed at children from ages 1-8...
which is aimed for young children aged 1–8 the film received negative reviews from upon film critics and was nominated for two awards at the 19th Golden Raspberry Awards: "Worst New Star" and "Worst Original Song".
Because of its negative reception, the film is said to be considered one of the worst movies ever made as well as becoming a box office bomb
Box office bomb
The phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue regained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
. On Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the film currently has a "Rotten" rating of 23%, based on 22 reviews with only 5 fresh, and a rating of a 4.1 out of 10.0. It is currently 87th among IMDB's Bottom 100 as of September 23, 2011.
Box office
In its limited releaseLimited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
weekend, the film grossed $2,203,865 and ranked #11. A week later, in wide release
Wide release
Wide release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing nationally . Specifically, a movie is considered to be in wide release when it is on 600 screens or more in the United States and Canada.In the US, films holding an NC-17 rating almost never have a...
, it grossed $1,382,373 and ranked #15. By the end of its run, the film grossed $12,218,638 in the domestic box office, almost returning its $15 million budget becoming a box office bomb
Box office bomb
The phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue regained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
.
Banning in Malaysia
The film was banned in the Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
country, Malaysia due to the fact that it was unacceptable for children to watch, without any true reason why it was found to be invalid for it's target audience.
See also
- Barney & FriendsBarney & FriendsBarney and Friends, also referred to by HiT Entertainment as Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, is an independent children's television show produced in the United States, aimed at children from ages 1-8...
- List of Barney & Friends episodes and videos
- List of banned films