site update
so many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 1965 (in the U.S.), audiences were delighted with the theatrical release of Willy McBean And His Magic Machine. Written (in part) and directed by Arthur Rankin Jr., the animated film featured the voice talents of Billie Mae Richards, Larry D. Mann, Alfie Scopp, and others.
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Little Willy McBean joins up with a Mexican monkey named Pablo to travel back in time and stop the evil Prof. von Rotten from changing history."
-- EZ
According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"Little Willy McBean joins up with a Mexican monkey named Pablo to travel back in time and stop the evil Prof. von Rotten from changing history."
-- EZ
From Google.com:
Willy McBean and His Magic Machine is a 1965 stop-motion animated science fiction musical film produced by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass's studio, Videocraft International. Released theatrically on June 23, 1965, it stands out as the very first feature-length film created using the studio's famous "Animagic" puppet animation technique. This was the same style later used for their classic holiday specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. [1, 2, 3]
The Plot
The story follows Willy McBean, a young schoolboy who hates studying for his history tests. His life changes when a talking, Spanish-accented monkey named Pablo escapes from a lab and climbs through his window. [3, 4]
Pablo explains that his former master, the mad scientist Professor Rasputin Von Rotten, is insanely jealous that he isn't in history books. Von Rotten has built a "magic" time machine to travel to the past so he can take credit for history’s greatest inventions and achievements. [5, 6]
Because Pablo stole the blueprints, Willy is able to build his own duplicate time machine. Together, the boy and the monkey chase the professor through time to protect the history of the world. [1, 4]
Historical Pit Stops
Willy and Pablo travel to several eras to foil Von Rotten's ridiculous schemes:
In the end, Willy wakes up at his desk and realizes the entire time-traveling adventure was just a dream. [7]
Cast and Production
Reception and Legacy
While younger audiences enjoyed the movie's fun visual styles and catchy original songs, it has largely faded into obscurity. Modern viewers and animation critics often point out that it lacks the timeless charm of Rankin/Bass's shorter Christmas specials. The film has also drawn modern criticism for its heavy historical inaccuracies and outdated, problematic ethnic stereotypes, particularly regarding Pablo the monkey. [9, 13, 14]
AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_McBean_and_His_Magic_Machine
[2] https://rankinbass.fandom.com/wiki/Willy_McBean_and_his_Magic_Machine
[3] https://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=11492
[4] https://rankinbass.fandom.com/wiki/Willy_McBean_and_his_Magic_Machine
[5] https://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=11492
[6] https://moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/willy-mcbean-and-his-magic-machine-1965.htm
[7] https://catalog.afi.com/Film/18488-WILLY-MCBEANANDHISMAGICMACHINE
[8] http://www.skooldays.com/categories/movies/mv1444.htm
[9] http://www.skooldays.com/categories/movies/mv1444.htm
[10] https://catalog.afi.com/Film/18488-WILLY-MCBEAN-AND-HIS-MAGIC-MACHINE?cxt=filmography
[11] https://kids.kiddle.co/Willy_McBean_and_His_Magic_Machine
[12] https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Willy_McBean_and_his_Magic_Machine?id=1A106B658C892DB6MV&hl=en_US
[13] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVB4RXqzWyI
[14] https://letterboxd.com/film/willy-mcbean-his-magic-machine/
Willy McBean and His Magic Machine is a 1965 stop-motion animated science fiction musical film produced by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass's studio, Videocraft International. Released theatrically on June 23, 1965, it stands out as the very first feature-length film created using the studio's famous "Animagic" puppet animation technique. This was the same style later used for their classic holiday specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. [1, 2, 3]
The Plot
The story follows Willy McBean, a young schoolboy who hates studying for his history tests. His life changes when a talking, Spanish-accented monkey named Pablo escapes from a lab and climbs through his window. [3, 4]
Pablo explains that his former master, the mad scientist Professor Rasputin Von Rotten, is insanely jealous that he isn't in history books. Von Rotten has built a "magic" time machine to travel to the past so he can take credit for history’s greatest inventions and achievements. [5, 6]
Because Pablo stole the blueprints, Willy is able to build his own duplicate time machine. Together, the boy and the monkey chase the professor through time to protect the history of the world. [1, 4]
Historical Pit Stops
Willy and Pablo travel to several eras to foil Von Rotten's ridiculous schemes:
- The Wild West: The professor tries to cheat in a showdown to prove he is faster than Buffalo Bill Cody.
- 1492 Spain: Posing as a trader, Von Rotten tries to trick Christopher Columbus's crew into mutinying so he can discover the New World first.
- Medieval England: The professor uses a special rust remover to slide Excalibur cleanly out of the stone before King Arthur can.
- Ancient Egypt: Posing as an architect, he attempts to convince King Tut to sculpt the Sphinx with Von Rotten's face.
- Prehistoric Times (40,000 B.C.): The professor tries to take credit for discovering fire and inventing the wheel. Willy and Pablo ultimately save him from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. [6, 9, 10]
In the end, Willy wakes up at his desk and realizes the entire time-traveling adventure was just a dream. [7]
Cast and Production
- Creators: Written, produced, and directed by legendary animation duo Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass.
- Animation Supervisor: Tadahito Mochinaga handled the stop-motion process alongside MOM Productions in Tokyo, Japan.
- Willy McBean: Voiced by Billie Mae Richards, who famously voiced Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
- Professor Von Rotten: Voiced by Larry D. Mann.
- Pablo the Monkey: Voiced by Paul Soles (and Alfie Scopp in alternate recording sessions).
- Fun Fact: The film features voice acting by James Doohan, who later achieved sci-fi fame playing Scotty in Star Trek. [1, 5, 6, 11, 12]
Reception and Legacy
While younger audiences enjoyed the movie's fun visual styles and catchy original songs, it has largely faded into obscurity. Modern viewers and animation critics often point out that it lacks the timeless charm of Rankin/Bass's shorter Christmas specials. The film has also drawn modern criticism for its heavy historical inaccuracies and outdated, problematic ethnic stereotypes, particularly regarding Pablo the monkey. [9, 13, 14]
AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy_McBean_and_His_Magic_Machine
[2] https://rankinbass.fandom.com/wiki/Willy_McBean_and_his_Magic_Machine
[3] https://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=11492
[4] https://rankinbass.fandom.com/wiki/Willy_McBean_and_his_Magic_Machine
[5] https://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=11492
[6] https://moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/willy-mcbean-and-his-magic-machine-1965.htm
[7] https://catalog.afi.com/Film/18488-WILLY-MCBEANANDHISMAGICMACHINE
[8] http://www.skooldays.com/categories/movies/mv1444.htm
[9] http://www.skooldays.com/categories/movies/mv1444.htm
[10] https://catalog.afi.com/Film/18488-WILLY-MCBEAN-AND-HIS-MAGIC-MACHINE?cxt=filmography
[11] https://kids.kiddle.co/Willy_McBean_and_His_Magic_Machine
[12] https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Willy_McBean_and_his_Magic_Machine?id=1A106B658C892DB6MV&hl=en_US
[13] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVB4RXqzWyI
[14] https://letterboxd.com/film/willy-mcbean-his-magic-machine/
RSS Feed