Alvin and the Chipmunks (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alvin and the Chipmunks |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Tim Hill |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Jon Vitti |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Christopher Lennertz |
| Cinematography | Peter Lyons Collister |
| Editing by | Peter Berger |
| Studio |
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| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | December 14, 2007 |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $60 million |
| Money made | $361.3 million |
Alvin and the Chipmunks is a fun 2007 American movie that mixes live actors with computer-animated characters. It's a musical comedy directed by Tim Hill. The film is based on the famous characters Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, who were created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr..
The movie stars Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Jesse McCartney as the voices of the Chipmunks. Jason Lee plays David Seville, their human friend. Other actors include David Cross, Cameron Richardson, and Jane Lynch.
Alvin and the Chipmunks was released around the world on December 14, 2007. It was a big success, earning $361 million worldwide from a budget of $60 million. It was also one of the best-selling DVDs in 2008. This film was the first time the Chipmunks appeared in a live-action movie using computer animation since 2003. It led to three more movies: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009), Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015).
Contents
Story of Alvin and the Chipmunks
The movie begins with three chipmunk brothers: Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. Their home tree is cut down and taken to Los Angeles to be a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, a songwriter named David Seville (Jason Lee) is having a tough time. His new songs are rejected by Ian Hawke (David Cross), the boss at JETT Records.
The Chipmunks accidentally end up at Dave's house. Dave is surprised to hear them sing "Only You (And You Alone)" and "Funkytown." He makes a deal with them: they can live with him if they sing his songs.
At first, the Chipmunks get stage fright and can't sing for Ian. This causes more trouble for Dave, who even loses his advertising job. Later, when Dave tries to have dinner with his ex-girlfriend Claire (Cameron Richardson), Alvin tries to set a romantic mood, which makes Claire uncomfortable and she leaves.
To make up for it, the Chipmunks sneak to Ian's fancy house. They sing Dave's song, and Ian is very impressed. He quickly signs a record deal with them.
The Chipmunks become super famous all over the world. Dave worries about them being too young for fame. But Ian tells the Chipmunks that Dave is holding them back. After a misunderstanding, the Chipmunks decide to live with Ian. Ian, however, only cares about making money from them.
Ian spoils the Chipmunks with lots of candy and toys. He makes them work too hard on a big tour across the country. Dave gets upset about how Ian is treating them. He decides to go to their concert to get them back.
Before the tour starts, a vet tells Ian the Chipmunks' voices are tired. The vet suggests they rest, but Ian doesn't want to cancel the show. He tells the Chipmunks to pretend to sing (lip-sync). With Claire's help, Dave gets into the concert. The Chipmunks see Dave and decide to mess up the show.
Ian tries to lock the Chipmunks in a cage to take them on a world tour. He escapes in his limo with Dave chasing him. But the Chipmunks are smart! They escape to Dave's car, leaving stuffed animals behind. Dave is so happy and tells them he loves them like family. Ian, realizing the Chipmunks are gone, loses his career and his money.
Meet the Cast
Here are the main actors and who they play:
- Justin Long as Alvin Seville (voice)
- Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon Seville (voice)
- Jesse McCartney as Theodore Seville (voice)
- Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville, the songwriter who takes care of the Chipmunks.
- David Cross as Ian Hawke, the record company boss.
- Cameron Richardson as Claire Wilson, Dave's ex-girlfriend.
- Jane Lynch as Gail, Dave's former boss.
How the Movie Was Made
Choosing the Actors
Before Jason Lee was chosen, other actors like Chevy Chase and Tim Allen were thought of for the role of David Seville. Lee liked playing Dave because it was a different kind of role for him.
For the Chipmunks' voices, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, and Jesse McCartney were picked. They had to speak their lines very slowly. Then, in post-production, their voices were sped up to sound like chipmunks. Jesse McCartney, who voiced Theodore, was a big fan of Alvin and the Chipmunks growing up!
Filming Locations
Filming started on March 28, 2007. Dave's house in the movie was built on a special set. It had details that honored Ross Bagdasarian Sr., who created the Chipmunks. For example, the house number included 1958, the year the Chipmunks were created.
When Jason Lee acted with the Chipmunks, he first practiced with small stuffed animals. This helped him know where the animated chipmunks would be. Then, the stuffed animals were removed for the actual filming.
Cool Visual Effects
The amazing computer-animated chipmunks were created by Rhythm and Hues Studios. This company is famous for animating creatures in other movies like Babe. They used their own special software to make the Chipmunks look real.
It was a challenge to make the Chipmunks look realistic but still like the cartoon characters. The artists studied real chipmunks and all the past versions of the cartoon Chipmunks. They even watched videos of famous guitar players to animate Alvin's guitar moves!
Music from the Movie
| Alvin and the Chipmunks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
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| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | November 20, 2007 | |||
| Genre | Pop, rock, hip hop, dance, Christmas | |||
| Length | 48:17 | |||
| Label | Razor & Tie | |||
| Producer | Ali Dee Theodore | |||
| The Chipmunks chronology | ||||
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The movie's soundtrack came out on November 20, 2007. It has new versions of classic Chipmunks songs like "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don't Be Late)." It also includes cover songs like "Bad Day" and "Funkytown," plus new songs like "Coast 2 Coast."
This soundtrack was the Chipmunks' 43rd album! Four songs from the album became popular on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These songs became popular just from digital downloads, even without being officially released as singles.
Chart-Topping Songs
Here are some songs from the soundtrack that made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 2007:
| Song | Chart | Position |
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| "Witch Doctor (2007 Version)" (featuring Chris Classic) | US Billboard Hot 100 | 62 |
| "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) (2007 Version)" | 66 | |
| "Bad Day" | 67 | |
| "Funkytown" | 86 |
The soundtrack album itself was very successful. It was certified Platinum, meaning it sold over one million copies!
A separate album with the film's original music, called the score, was also released. It was composed by Christopher Lennertz.
Movie Release and Success
Awards and Recognition
Alvin and the Chipmunks won a Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie! It also won a BMI Film & TV Award for its music. The film was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Family Feature Film.
Box Office Success
The movie came out in North America on December 14, 2007. It earned $44.3 million in its first weekend, placing second at the box office. It continued to do very well, surprising the studio.
Alvin and the Chipmunks made $217.3 million in the US and $144 million overseas. This adds up to a huge total of $361.3 million worldwide! With a budget of $60 million, the movie was very profitable. It became the highest-grossing live-action talking animal movie based on a cartoon at the time.
Home Entertainment
Alvin and the Chipmunks was released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2008. A special Blu-ray "gift set" was also available, which included dolls of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore along with the movie.
Video Game Fun
A video game based on the movie was released on December 4, 2007. It was available for the Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and PC.
More Chipmunks Movies!
Because the first movie was so popular, three sequels were made:
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) – This movie introduced the Chipettes!
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)
Images for kids
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Theatrical release poster
See Also
In Spanish: Alvin y las ardillas (película) para niños
