The sad-sack penguin is then drummed out of the penguin corps, shunned for his lack of song and strength of feet, and he runs into another penguin colony, one that uses pebbles to woo their females instead of song, and makes new friends - a Latino-sounding quartet that's high on life, full of zest and pizazz and charisma, everything that Mumble's old group isn't. Worse, with the penguins' food supply running out, some of the other birds begin to blame Mumble's foot-tapping, that somehow he is angering the great god Guin. Mumble heart belongs to the best singer in his age group, Gloria (Brittany Murphy), but without the gift of song he can't hope to woo her. Soon, with no heart song to guide him, Mumble isn't permitted to graduate from school, to the chagrin of his Elvis-like dad (Hugh Jackman) and his songbird-like mom (Nicole Kidman). Amazingly, though, Mumble can tap dance, a big no-no in the penguin community. The poor flightless bird can only look on helplessly as his fellow hatchlings croon their little hearts out. Mumble is an unfortunate penguin, you see, because was born with no singing ability, and in his penguin tribe one attracts a mate through the use of song. It's charming and exquisitely detailed, and it succeeds where it really counts: It makes you really feel for the lovable lead penguin, Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood). If I understood correctly, Savion Glover participated in the film's tap-dance sequences.ĭuring yesterday's impromptu field trip, I particularly enjoyed seeing the kids respond to the live penguins.Happy Feet, directed by the man who gave us both Babe: Pig in the City and Mad Max, is just the kind of feel-good animated film that works on a few different levels it'll make you laugh, it'll make you cry, and it'll inevitably, unquestionably, make you tap your toes or bounce your leg, right there in the theater. I didn't know that work began on "Happy Feet" four years ago - before " March of the Penguins" arrived in theaters in 2005. Then a studio executive provided an introduction to the 20-minute video that was narrated by the film's Australian director, George Miller ("Babe: Pig in the City"). Then we entered the theater and had the pleasure of watching four talented teenage tap dancers in tuxedos perform a lively routine that included a cameo from four BFPEs. At two stations, some kids played the Mumble video game by Midway, but most of the minors lined up to take their picture with this fellow:Īs tempted as I was to push aside the children to play the game and to sit beside the Black-footed Penguin, I resisted. Leaving Irvine about 4 p.m., I found the Pacific Design Center on Melrose Avenue at 5:15 and entered the Silver Screen Theater's reception area to find this:Īround the ice sculpture milled lots of happy children, eating penguin and tuxedo cookies, chocolate-dipped strawberries and powdered-sugar-covered brownies. Luckily, my schedule yesterday could accommodate a last-minute jaunt to West Hollywood, a mere 52 miles away through dense SoCal. He has to strike out on his own and finds new friends, such as the Adelie Penguins and Rockhopper Penguin in the poster above. Mumble can tap dance, but his inability to sing leads to his isolation and exclusion from his parents and the colony. In case you're unfamiliar with the animated film, it focuses on Mumble, an Emperor Penguin that cannot sing - an essential skill for finding a mate. Yesterday morning's e-mail included this invitation:
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