Care Bears Movie II: A new Generation Production Notes Storyline Created in 1981, the Care Bears have been phenomenally popular, including starring in the hugely successful "The Care Bears Movie." Now these bears who care, along with the Care Bear Cousins, each one with a symbol emblazoned on their tummy, star in an exciting new adventure from Columbia Pictures, "Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation." A Nelvana Production, the film is the story of the origin of the Care Bear Family, introducing the Care Bear Cubs and Care Cousin Cubs, and how they became the champions of caring. Peter Sauder serves as the writer, Michael Hirsh, Clive A. Smith and Patrick Loubert as the producers, and Dale Schott the director. Featured in the film are six original songs written and performed by Dean and Carol Parks, with Debbie Allen performing "Care Bears Cheer Song," and Stephen Bishop singing "I Care for You" and "Growing up." "Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation" begins long ago when the Great Wishing Star granted a wish to two friends, a bear and a horse. Instead of using the wishes for themselves, they used them to save their friends. The Great Wishing Star was so moved by the love for others, which set them apart from the rest of the world, that he sent out two of his star helpers to find them. The star helpers find them piloting a clipper ship carrying a very special cargo of orphan cubs, hoping to take them to a place safely out of reach of Dark Heart, the Master of Evil. Dark Heart creates a menacing storm that unmercifully buffets the ship and its precious passengers. The Great Wishing Star sends a great wave which turns into a brilliant rainbow ramp that carries the ship into the clouds and down a rainbow river fed by brilliantly colored waters of the Fountain of Feelings. The Great Wishing Star bestows upon the bear the name of True Heart Bear, giving her a special symbol to wear on her tummy, marking her as keeper of the magical powers of caring. Mentor of the cubs, she is the most caring creature and the eternal optimist. He names the horse Noble Heart Horse, giving him a special symbol and magic powers to help others bring out their best by putting their feelings into action. Mentor of the Care Cousin Cubs, he believes that there is nothing you can't do if you really put your mind to it. The Great Wishing Star then decreed that True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse would be keepers of the colorful world of feelings. But the Great Wishing Star also knew that the day would come when True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse would need help as the "Keepers of Feelings," and it would be the young orphan bear cubs who would be ready to answer that call. Suddenly, the famous signature Tummy Symbols of the Care Bears appeared on the bear cubs' tummies. In the Kingdom of Caring, the Care Bear Family watches over the world below and protects it from Dark Heart. While the Care Bears and Care Cousin Cubs experienced the happy growth from childhood to maturity, Dark Heart plotted his revenge on the world of feelings. By bargaining for the help of an unhappy summer camper named Christy, Dark Heart transforms the girl into the camp champ and makes his headquarters at the camp lodge. Christy's friends, twins John and Dawn, befriend the Care Bears as they challenge Dark Heart, who works his evil in a variety of guises. Grudgingly, Christy fulfills her end of the bargain by enabling Dark Heart to trap the Care Bear Family. As Noble Heart and True Heart try to rescue the Care Bears, Christy is felled in the clash. With her remaining energy, she frees the Care Bears and the Care Cousins. Despite the efforts of the Care Bear Family to bring her back, it is not until Dark Heart proclaims his own feelings of caring that Christy is saved. Now that he has voiced his feelings and his caring, Dark Heart's evil power disappears and he becomes a real living boy.
About The Film Makers "Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation," like its successful predecessor, "The Care Bears Movie," is a beautifully animated, fast-paced motion picture featuring some new and some well-known and beloved characters, brought together through the innovative talents of its creators. Director DALE SCHOTT brings years of animation experience to his debut as director. He served as assistant director on the film's successful predecessor, "The Care Bears Movie." Prior to that, he worked as assistant director on "Ewoks," a half-hour animated television series produced by Nelvana for Lucasfilm. Over the past several years, he has worked on more than 20 animated productions. MICHAEL HIRSH, co-producer of "Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation" and "The Care Bears Movie," has been attracted to the magic and charm of films since an early age, and has been actively making films for many years. It was out of a passion for animation and a belief in the power of film that he and co-producer Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith formed their own company, Nelvana, in 1972. Under their energetic leadership, Nelvana has flourished, producing highly acclaimed original material such as "A Cosmic Christmas" and "The Devil and Daniel Mouse," and producing two 13-episode animated television series, "Droids" and "Ewoks," for director George Lucas of "Star Wars" fame. Also under Nelvana's banner was 1985's multi-million-dollar box-office animated success, "The Care Bears Movie," which was the most successful non-Disney animated feature ever produced at its time. Then Hirsh was in charge of marketing, distribution, publicity and talent packaging for the fifth largest animation studio in North America. Yet his attraction to film was still the same as when he was 6 years old. "I love the magic, the hoopla." Today Micheal Hirsh has left Nelvana, to head Cinar Animation. Michael Hirsh has left Nelvana, and has moved on to become the CEO and founder of Cookie Jar Entertainment, whom now holds the rights to the Care Bears characters. PATRICK LOUBERT,
co-producer of "Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation" and co-founder
of Nelvana, is now in charge of production for the animation studio. In little more than 10 years, Hirsh, Loubert and Smith built Nelvana into an internationally respected studio whose work has been sold worldwide and whose television specials, commercials and special effects have garnered awards in the United States, Canada, Brussels and at Cannes. Screenwriter PETER SAUDER is also familiar with the Care Bears Family, having served as the writer of the screenplay for the highly successful theatrical feature film, "The Care Bears Movie," as well as the 1983 film, "The Care Bears Battle the Freeze Machine," the second of the Care Bears' animated television specials. He also scripted all three Strawberry Shortcake animated specials for NeIvana. An animator-turned-writer, Sauder has been weaving his story magic on several Nelvana productions, including "Inspector Gadget," a 65-episode animated television series co-produced by NeIvana and DIC Audiovisual; "Droids," and "The Edison Twins," a 65-episode live action television series produced by Nelvana in association with the Disney Channel and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. About The Music
DEAN and CAROL PARKS, were two of the most sought after session musicians in the Los Angeles circuit during the 80's, produced, wrote and performed six original musical numbers for "Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation." The songs include "Our Beginning" and "Forever Young"; "I Care For You" and "Growing Up," performed by Stephen Bishop; "Care Bears Cheer Song," performed by Debbie Allen, and "Flying My Colors," the latter two featuring background vocals by the Parks' daughters, Acacia and Amanda. "Our children helped us tremendously with their feedback as real Care Bear fans," comments Carol Parks. "When we took on this project, we made up our mind not to write down to children. There's a huge library of over-simplistic music available to children, but kids love music and they have very sophisticated tastes." The Parks have been a musical team for many years, and do most of their work in the recording studio in their home. "When Debbie came over to the house to record 'Care Bears Cheer Song,' she brought her baby and nanny and manager and everyone had a great time." Dean Parks' production experience includes working with Dolly Parton, Gary Wright, Gordon Lightfoot and Johnny Rivers. He wrote the Jacksons' "Dancing Machine." The Parks also completed work on the film "Flying," featuring Carol as writer/artist and Dean as producer. They have also co-written Juice Newton's "With You" on her album, "Old Flame." "Care Bears Movie II: A. New Generation" is a creative sensory experience with exciting sounds, images, colors and songs. Parks says, "The songs are particularly important because they forward the movement and reflect the action and feelings of the story. We try to make it so that everyone can relate to the music." STEPHEN BISHOP, multi-talented singer-songwriter, received an Academy Award nomination for writing "White Nights'" love theme, "Separate Lives." "It Might Be You" from "Tootsie," which Bishop performed, also received recognition from the Academy. Bishop has written extensively for film, including the themes for "Animal House," "The China Syndrome," "Unfaithfully Yours," "Roadie," "Moment by Moment," "Summer Lovers" and the soundtrack for "Arthur." In addition to recording four of his own albums, his songs have been recorded by top artists including Phil Collins, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Loggins and Art Garfunkel. Bishop remembers his early beginnings in music, "I first moved to Hollywood in 1969 when I was 18. The first time I had actually been here was in 1966 with my group, The Weeds. We were a combination of the Beatles, the Stones and Buffalo Springfield, all rolled in one. I started writing when I was 13 and had amassed about 26 songs by the time I was 15." DEBBIE ALLEN's career took off with her long-running TV role in "Fame." "Fame" has also earned her two Emmys for choreography, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a television series. Before joining the "Fame" cast, she starred, choreographed, directed and produced the stage production which toured throughout Europe in 1983. Allen has also recently displayed her talents in a one-hour television special, "Dancing in the Wings," for which she was the co-writer, star and co-executive producer. Allen has also worked on a film with Richard Pryor, "Jo Jo Dancer~ Your Life Is Calling." Her other feature films include Milos Forman's "Ragtime" and "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh," which she also choreographed. Allen was also seen on the Broadway stage as "Sweet Charity," for which she received critical acclaim in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Allen made her debut on the Great White Way in the chorus of "Purlie," followed by "Raisin" and the 1979 tribute production of "West Side Story," for which she received the prestigious Drama Desk Award and a Tony nomination. Allen is married to former NBA's Norman Nixon and has a daughter, Vivian Nichole. * Source Nelvana press release. Some information has been updated |