Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin
Director: Karl Geurs
Cast: Jim Cummings, John Fielder, Paul Winchell, Brady Bluhm, Ken Sansom, David Warner, Andre Stojka, Peter Cullen
It's the last day of a golden summer, and it is time for Christopher Robin (Brady Bluhm) to return to school, which means he's unable to play in the Hundred Acre Wood with his animal friends, including his very best friend, Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings). But when Pooh misreads a letter from Christopher Robin, he mistakenly believes that his friend has been abducted by a "Skull-a-saurus." Along with Tigger (Paul Winchell), Piglet (John Fiedler), Eeyore (Peter Cullen) and Rabbit (Ken Sansom), Pooh journeys to the terrifying "Eye of the Skull" to rescue Christopher Robin and bring him home.
One of the most important themes in the story is the wise proverb that Christopher Robin teaches Winnie the Pooh, just before he goes off to school. He teaches Pooh that “you are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” This lesson is illustrated beautifully in the characters of Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit and Pooh, himself, and the challenges that these characters must overcome on their journey to rescue Christopher Robin.
Piglet has always been the most timid character among his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Time and time again, he has depended on Pooh and Christopher Robin to protect him from the danger. Piglet learns that he is braver than he believes, when he must overcome his fear of heights to help save his missing friend. When we first meet Piglet, he is clinging desperately to the highest branch of his tree. When Pooh asks what he is doing, Piglet replies that Christopher Robin advised him to overcome his fear of heights by looking it right in the face and conquering it. Unfortunately for poor Piglet, his fear conquers him in this moment, and he cries out to Christopher Robin to come and save him. Piglet’s fear is challenged again when Piglet and his friends happen upon a beautiful meadow during their journey, filled with vibrant flowers and butterflies. Piglet is lifted by butterflies, high in the air, but even when Pooh asks Piglet to open his eyes and look down to find them, Piglet is still too afraid to conquer his fears.
Ever since we first met Tigger, one of the strongest aspects of his rather vivacious character is that he loves to bounce. Tigger learns that he is stronger than he seems, when he must overcome a problem that up until this moment, he has considered to be impossible: he has lost his ability to bounce. Although he tries several times to bounce up and rescue Piglet from falling out of his tree, his “world record bounces” fail to get him high enough to reach the frightened Piglet…a challenge that he finds deeply frustrating, considering that Tigger’s mantra is, “bouncing is what Tigger’s do best.” When the map is lost to the wind, Tigger tries to bounce up and get the map back…but once again, he just cannot seem to bounce high enough. Feeling utterly defeated, Tigger finally confesses the truth to his friends (that he lacks the strength to bounce) when he falls into a deep ravine and cannot bounce back up to them.
Rabbit has always believed himself to be the unspoken leader of the group. He learns a valuable lesson on their journey - that he is smarter than he thinks – when he must find a way to rescue Christopher Robin, without the help of his precious map. When the friends discover that Christopher Robin is missing, Rabbit attempts to decipher the honey-stained note that Christopher Robin left for Pooh…but he can’t understand the words at all. When Pooh struggles to guide them on their journey, Rabbit happily takes his place as the leader of their quest, but while he maintains an air of confidence and bravado, Rabbit secretly worries that he and his friends are truly lost, and he struggles to guide them. When he finally realizes the truth - that they are truly lost, and that he has not led them to Christopher Robin at all - Rabbit tearfully laments that he’s not smart enough to lead them and that he has failed them all.
Pooh learns a valuable lesson about the true meaning of his friendship with Christopher Robin, as the story unfolds. In the beginning, we clearly see that Pooh and Christopher Robin are the very best of friends. They enjoy spending time with each other, and they want that time - and their friendship - to last forever. Pooh laments at the thought that his friendship with Christopher might not last forever…because they are best friends and Pooh needs Christopher there to love and protect him. Christopher teaches Pooh that “he is braver than he believes, and stronger than he seems, and smarter than he thinks.” after Pooh confesses that he would be lost without Christopher Robin. Although Christopher must go away to school, he promises his dear friend that even when they are apart, he will always be with Pooh. When the next day comes and Pooh and the others discover that Christopher Robin is missing…and that according to Owl, he has been abducted by a terrible “Skull-a-Saurus”, and taken away to “Skull” (obviously school), this news leaves Pooh feeling completely lost and devastated. Christopher Robin is his very best friend, and to have him just not be there, is just unbearable to Pooh. Although he bravely goes on the adventure to save his dear friend, Pooh struggles to remember the words of wisdom that Christopher Robin taught him, as he tries to encourage his friends to overcome their fears.
Pooh’s ultimate test comes when he is trapped alone in the dark and scary chasm. As he realizes that he is truly alone, Pooh sadly laments that he must stay there with no more friends…no more Christopher Robin…and no more “we”. Although he is sad, Pooh begins sharing with Christopher Robin, the story of how each of his friends overcame their different challenges. He hears Christopher Robin’s promise echoing in his heart; the promise that he will always be with Pooh. And Pooh realizes that Christopher Robin isn’t lost at all…for even when they are apart, they will always be together in Pooh’s soft little heart...and that was very nice, indeed.
The friends’ journey comes full circle when they finally reach the “eye of the skull”, and they all must use their courage, strength, and smarts to rescue their friend from his terrible fate. Rabbit must use his own wits (without the help of his map) to devise a plan to get them up to the eye of the skull to rescue their friend. Tigger must find the strength he needs to bounce Piglet up to the eye to bring down the vine for them to climb up on. And dear, little Piglet bravely faces his fear of heights, when he finds the courage to stand over the deep chasm and open his eyes to retrieve the vine for his friends. And when they are finally reunited with Christopher Robin, the friends realize that they had their courage, strength, and smarts inside them all along. Their fears melt away, and with them, the illusions of their dark and scary surroundings…because since they are together, with Christopher Robin, they feel safe and happy in the warm sanctuary of the Hundred Acre Wood.
I have always had a special place in my heart for Winnie the Pooh, and this film illustrates, once more, why these characters are so special and timeless. The animation, done in the classic Winnie the Pooh style, is stunning, the songs are charming and sweet, and the story is deeply heartfelt, and rings with an unvarnished and sincerely emotional truth that anyone who has grown up with these characters can connect with. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loves Winnie the Pooh.
© 2021 Keriane Kellogg
Director: Karl Geurs
Cast: Jim Cummings, John Fielder, Paul Winchell, Brady Bluhm, Ken Sansom, David Warner, Andre Stojka, Peter Cullen
It's the last day of a golden summer, and it is time for Christopher Robin (Brady Bluhm) to return to school, which means he's unable to play in the Hundred Acre Wood with his animal friends, including his very best friend, Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings). But when Pooh misreads a letter from Christopher Robin, he mistakenly believes that his friend has been abducted by a "Skull-a-saurus." Along with Tigger (Paul Winchell), Piglet (John Fiedler), Eeyore (Peter Cullen) and Rabbit (Ken Sansom), Pooh journeys to the terrifying "Eye of the Skull" to rescue Christopher Robin and bring him home.
One of the most important themes in the story is the wise proverb that Christopher Robin teaches Winnie the Pooh, just before he goes off to school. He teaches Pooh that “you are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” This lesson is illustrated beautifully in the characters of Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit and Pooh, himself, and the challenges that these characters must overcome on their journey to rescue Christopher Robin.
Piglet has always been the most timid character among his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Time and time again, he has depended on Pooh and Christopher Robin to protect him from the danger. Piglet learns that he is braver than he believes, when he must overcome his fear of heights to help save his missing friend. When we first meet Piglet, he is clinging desperately to the highest branch of his tree. When Pooh asks what he is doing, Piglet replies that Christopher Robin advised him to overcome his fear of heights by looking it right in the face and conquering it. Unfortunately for poor Piglet, his fear conquers him in this moment, and he cries out to Christopher Robin to come and save him. Piglet’s fear is challenged again when Piglet and his friends happen upon a beautiful meadow during their journey, filled with vibrant flowers and butterflies. Piglet is lifted by butterflies, high in the air, but even when Pooh asks Piglet to open his eyes and look down to find them, Piglet is still too afraid to conquer his fears.
Ever since we first met Tigger, one of the strongest aspects of his rather vivacious character is that he loves to bounce. Tigger learns that he is stronger than he seems, when he must overcome a problem that up until this moment, he has considered to be impossible: he has lost his ability to bounce. Although he tries several times to bounce up and rescue Piglet from falling out of his tree, his “world record bounces” fail to get him high enough to reach the frightened Piglet…a challenge that he finds deeply frustrating, considering that Tigger’s mantra is, “bouncing is what Tigger’s do best.” When the map is lost to the wind, Tigger tries to bounce up and get the map back…but once again, he just cannot seem to bounce high enough. Feeling utterly defeated, Tigger finally confesses the truth to his friends (that he lacks the strength to bounce) when he falls into a deep ravine and cannot bounce back up to them.
Rabbit has always believed himself to be the unspoken leader of the group. He learns a valuable lesson on their journey - that he is smarter than he thinks – when he must find a way to rescue Christopher Robin, without the help of his precious map. When the friends discover that Christopher Robin is missing, Rabbit attempts to decipher the honey-stained note that Christopher Robin left for Pooh…but he can’t understand the words at all. When Pooh struggles to guide them on their journey, Rabbit happily takes his place as the leader of their quest, but while he maintains an air of confidence and bravado, Rabbit secretly worries that he and his friends are truly lost, and he struggles to guide them. When he finally realizes the truth - that they are truly lost, and that he has not led them to Christopher Robin at all - Rabbit tearfully laments that he’s not smart enough to lead them and that he has failed them all.
Pooh learns a valuable lesson about the true meaning of his friendship with Christopher Robin, as the story unfolds. In the beginning, we clearly see that Pooh and Christopher Robin are the very best of friends. They enjoy spending time with each other, and they want that time - and their friendship - to last forever. Pooh laments at the thought that his friendship with Christopher might not last forever…because they are best friends and Pooh needs Christopher there to love and protect him. Christopher teaches Pooh that “he is braver than he believes, and stronger than he seems, and smarter than he thinks.” after Pooh confesses that he would be lost without Christopher Robin. Although Christopher must go away to school, he promises his dear friend that even when they are apart, he will always be with Pooh. When the next day comes and Pooh and the others discover that Christopher Robin is missing…and that according to Owl, he has been abducted by a terrible “Skull-a-Saurus”, and taken away to “Skull” (obviously school), this news leaves Pooh feeling completely lost and devastated. Christopher Robin is his very best friend, and to have him just not be there, is just unbearable to Pooh. Although he bravely goes on the adventure to save his dear friend, Pooh struggles to remember the words of wisdom that Christopher Robin taught him, as he tries to encourage his friends to overcome their fears.
Pooh’s ultimate test comes when he is trapped alone in the dark and scary chasm. As he realizes that he is truly alone, Pooh sadly laments that he must stay there with no more friends…no more Christopher Robin…and no more “we”. Although he is sad, Pooh begins sharing with Christopher Robin, the story of how each of his friends overcame their different challenges. He hears Christopher Robin’s promise echoing in his heart; the promise that he will always be with Pooh. And Pooh realizes that Christopher Robin isn’t lost at all…for even when they are apart, they will always be together in Pooh’s soft little heart...and that was very nice, indeed.
The friends’ journey comes full circle when they finally reach the “eye of the skull”, and they all must use their courage, strength, and smarts to rescue their friend from his terrible fate. Rabbit must use his own wits (without the help of his map) to devise a plan to get them up to the eye of the skull to rescue their friend. Tigger must find the strength he needs to bounce Piglet up to the eye to bring down the vine for them to climb up on. And dear, little Piglet bravely faces his fear of heights, when he finds the courage to stand over the deep chasm and open his eyes to retrieve the vine for his friends. And when they are finally reunited with Christopher Robin, the friends realize that they had their courage, strength, and smarts inside them all along. Their fears melt away, and with them, the illusions of their dark and scary surroundings…because since they are together, with Christopher Robin, they feel safe and happy in the warm sanctuary of the Hundred Acre Wood.
I have always had a special place in my heart for Winnie the Pooh, and this film illustrates, once more, why these characters are so special and timeless. The animation, done in the classic Winnie the Pooh style, is stunning, the songs are charming and sweet, and the story is deeply heartfelt, and rings with an unvarnished and sincerely emotional truth that anyone who has grown up with these characters can connect with. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loves Winnie the Pooh.
© 2021 Keriane Kellogg