Alvin and the Chipmunks

The lackluster cover design on the DVD case in no way reflects the movie. It's true they pay people to design these covers, but I nearly always think they'd be better with actual stills, especially in the case of animation. Forget that bad marketing decision, and slip in the disc. Immediately you're transformed back to the whimsical sense of the original "The Chipmunk Song" which took radio by storm so many decades ago, and for those lucky enough to remember it, to the great '60s cartoon, "The Alvin Show". At the end of the film, the credits even include some of the sleeves for the singles and albums, including Chipmunk Punk, the album that spurred the Chipmunk revival and their eventual return to TV.

This film is a lot better than I expected, and the interview with Ross Bagdasarian explains why. He and Janice had the sense to try and make a family movie that wasn't dumbed down and stupefying. ABC Family, whose motto ought to be "No Kind of Family" could take a lesson here. Alvin has style and verve without trying to be Adult Swim. Jason Lee is dead on as Dave Seville, although the cartoon Dave yelled "Alllvin!" more often.

The Chipmunk Song arrives in a suitably ramped up version, but one wonders why Dave Bagdasarian's other early radio hit, "The Witchdoctor" was recast in a hip hop/ disco/ pop mash that manages to be both overdone and a snooze at the same time (like much radio pop). In the interview Janice B. says that they wanted to keep updating the Chipmunks to keep them fresh. That led to the addition of the Chipettes in the recast TV show. That show proved a popular comeback, but later efforts smoothed off so many rough edges that the later 'toon chipmunks could pass as Care Bears. This film brings back the curious trio's animal instincts (they are Chipmunks) while echoing their individual traits as developed in the cartoons.

What's missing from the mix, of course, is the '60s TV show. There's a tantalizing glimpse of it in an included featurette on the History of Chipmunkmania. This merely shows how great the modern, simple art of the '60s was compared to the later cartoons, not unlike classic "pie-eyed" Mickey Mouse compared to ghastly later versions as Disco Mickey. Disney had the sense to bring back the modern, retro Mickey, and hopefully the '60s The Alvin Show will also find its way onto DVD. The shows made a brief return as segments of Wienerville on Nick, which dropped the little orange Nick logo into the opening titles.

Hopefully the Monks don't go Garfield, and start appearing in every style of CGI and animation possible, but rather release their extensive back catalog, and as with this film, remain true to Dave Seville AKA Bagdasarian's original vision.

my four year old son and eight year old daughter can watch this one over and over. I remember some of the songs on this as well. great movie and a must purchase.

Me and my best friend, Roger,have loved the chipmunks ever sence we were little and now they star in a hit movie musical. the story is a little differant from what any of us were execting, but I liked that, it is more exiting than I ever expected.
athogh everyone (including me) was epecting this movie to just be a live-action virsion of the chipmunk cartons, the movie's diffarant moods gave it more exitment, Storys whare the charicors have to solve problems and sort out difficulies are always more exiting than those that are just the same way all the way throgh, and sad, scary,and tence scenes make happy endings even more special.
My favorite part, thogh is the old clasic chipmunk song "Christmas, don't be late" any time they sing it, I sing along and dance to it! I also like when dave finnally relizes he really does love the chipmunks, and considers them family.
The ending, when the chipmunks are finnally reunited wirh Dave, and home agin is so sweet-and funny!
I think they should make a sequel to this movie with the Girl chipmunks(Chipetts)in it, more songs and the old favorite chipmunk song "Christmas, don't be late" and another exiting story with lots of moods.

8/5/08 - Item never arrived. I ordered 2 other items from other sellers on the same date of 7/3/08 and received both within 2 weeks. This item was due no later than 7/28/08. I emailed seller on 7/22/08 to confirm shipment as it was guaranteed to be shipped no later than 7/11/08. Seller responded to this email stating it had been shipped. Seller has not responded to my 2nd email of 7/30/08 stating item not delivered. I have taken the matter to Amazon's A-Z guarantee.

I just watched this movie today and it was adorable. The characters were unique and the way that the real world blended with the chipmunks looked nice and not cheap.

It's a comedy and brings some laughs too! If you have kids then this is a perfect stocking stuffer or birthday present (if they haven't already seen it).

Dave, the father, yells at Alvin almost as much as he does in the old cartoon!! lol...

3.6 stars.