Once Upon a Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Once Upon a Forest |
|
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Charles Grosvenor |
| Produced by |
|
| Written by |
|
| Story by | Rae Lambert |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | James Horner |
| Editing by | Pat A. Foley |
| Studio |
|
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | June 18, 1993 (United States) October 22, 1993 (United Kingdom) |
| Running time | 71 minutes |
| Country |
|
| Language | English |
| Budget | $13 million |
| Money made | $6.6 million |
Once Upon a Forest is an animated adventure film that came out in 1993. It was made by Hanna-Barbera Productions and released by 20th Century Fox. The movie is based on characters called "Furlings" created by Rae Lambert.
The film was directed by Charles Grosvenor. It features the voices of actors like Michael Crawford, Ellen Blain, Benji Gregory, Paige Gosney, Elisabeth Moss, and Ben Vereen. The story is about three young animal friends, called Furlings, who go on a brave journey. They need to find a cure for their friend who got sick from dangerous chemical fumes. The movie also shares an important message about protecting our environment.
Contents
Story of the Film
In the peaceful forest of Dapplewood, four young animal friends live together. They are called "Furlings." There's Abigail, a smart woodmouse; Edgar, a clever mole; Russell, a brave hedgehog; and Michelle, a sweet badger. Their teacher and Michelle's uncle, Cornelius, also lives with them.
The Accident in Dapplewood
One day, the Furlings and Cornelius go on a trip through the forest. They see a road for the first time. Russell almost gets hit by a car, and the driver throws a glass bottle that breaks on the road. Later, they return to find their forest changed. A tanker truck crashed because of the broken glass. It released poison gas into the air, harming the forest.
Michelle rushes home to find her family. She breathes in the gas and becomes very ill. Abigail bravely saves Michelle, who is now in a coma. The Furlings go to Cornelius's house for safety. They believe all the other animals have been affected by the gas.
A Dangerous Journey Begins
Cornelius tells the Furlings about his past. He explains that humans caused his parents' deaths, which is why he fears them. He knows Michelle needs two special herbs to get better: lungwort and eyebright. With little time, the Furlings decide to set off on a journey the next day to find these herbs.
Facing Challenges and Finding Friends
On their adventure, the Furlings face many dangers. They escape a hungry barn owl. They also get help from a group of religious wrens led by a preacher named Phineas. They see huge construction vehicles that the wrens call "Yellow Dragons."
Finally, the Furlings reach a meadow where the herbs grow. There, they meet a mean squirrel named Waggs. They also meet Willy, a tough but kind mouse who likes Abigail. They find the eyebright, but the lungwort is on a very tall cliff. Russell suggests they use Cornelius's airship, the Flapper-Wing-a-Ma-Thing, to reach it.
The Return to Dapplewood
The Furlings manage to get the lungwort after a risky flight up the cliff. They then steer their airship back towards Dapplewood. A storm causes them to crash-land back in the forest. They quickly bring the herbs to Michelle and Cornelius.
A group of humans appears, and the animals think they are in danger. They escape through the back of Cornelius's house. Edgar gets separated and caught in an old trap. A worker finds him and, to everyone's surprise, frees Edgar and destroys the trap. The animals realize that these humans are actually cleaning up the gas. Cornelius especially learns that some humans are good.
Michelle's Recovery and Hope for the Future
Michelle is given the herbs. The next day, she is still not moving. But a single tear from Cornelius makes her wake up from her coma. Cornelius is amazed by how much the Furlings have grown up during their journey.
The Furlings' families and many other animals arrive, except for Michelle's parents. Cornelius promises to take care of Michelle. The Furlings are happy to reunite with their families. Michelle asks Cornelius if things will ever be the same again. Cornelius looks at the damaged trees and says that if everyone works as hard to save Dapplewood as the Furlings did to save Michelle, it will be.
Voice Cast
Here are the main actors who lent their voices to the characters:
- Michael Crawford as Cornelius/Narrator: Michelle's uncle and the teacher of the Furlings.
- Ellen Blain as Abigail: A brave young wood mouse and the leader of the Furlings.
- Benji Gregory as Edgar: A young mole who is good at planning.
- Paige Gosney as Russell: A young hedgehog who is good at getting things done.
- Elisabeth Moss as Michelle: A young badger who gets sick from the gas. She is Cornelius's niece.
- Ben Vereen as Phineas: A religious bird who helps the Furlings.
- Will Estes as Willy: A young field mouse who becomes friends with Abigail.
- Charlie Adler as Waggs: A mean squirrel who tries to bully the Furlings.
- Rickey D'Shon Collins as Bosworth: A young bird saved by the Furlings.
- Don Reed as Marshbird.
- Robert David Hall as Truck Driver: The man whose truck crashed and caused the gas leak.
- Paul Eiding as Abigail's father.
- Janet Waldo as Edgar's mother.
- Susan Silo as Russell's mother.
- Angel Harper as Bosworth's mother.
- Benjamin Kimball Smith as Russell's brother.
- Haven Hartman as Russell's sister.
- Frank Welker as the Barn Owl.
- Florence Warner as Abigail as an Adult / The Balladeer.
Music from the Film
The music for Once Upon a Forest was composed by James Horner. He wrote the score, which is the background music for the film. Three main songs were also created for the movie: "Please Wake Up," "He's Gone/He's Back," and "Once Upon a Time with Me," which plays during the end credits.
Related Products
The story of Once Upon a Forest was also made into a book. Elizabeth Isele wrote the book, and Carol Holman Grosvenor, who designed the film's look, did the illustrations. This book was released a month before the movie came out.
A point-and-click adventure game based on the film was also created for computers. Many parts of the game stayed true to the movie's story.
See also
In Spanish: Once Upon a Forest para niños
