Babe: Pig in the City
A Kennedy-Miller Production
Directed by Cast:
George Miller Magda Szubanski Mrs. Esme Hoggett
Written by James Cromwell Farmer Arthur Hoggett
George Miller Mary Stein The Landlady
Judy Morris Mickey Rooney Fugly Floom
Mark Lamprell Elizabeth Daily Babe (voice)
Cinematography by Danny Mann Ferdinand (voice)
Andrew Lesnie Glenne Headly Zootie (voice)
Produced by Steven Wright Bob (voice)
Bill Miller James Cosmo Thelonius (voice)
Doug Mitchell Roscoe Lee Browne The Narrator
George Miller
Original Music by
Nigel Westlake
Release Dates:
Australia December 10, 1998
United States November 25, 1998
Box Office Figures:
Australia Opening: Number 3 $899,498 AUD
Week 2: Number 4 $735,611 AUD
Week 3: Number 7 $740,399 AUD
Source: www.urbancinefile.com.au
United States Opening: $6,162,640 USD
Total: $18,307,790 USD
The film made one third of its total opening weekend, meaning it did not
last long in the theatres.
It made 29% of its money in America and 71% elsewhere.
Source: www.boxofficeguru.com
Interviews:
George Miller:
On the darkness of the film- "You can't soft pedal, especially with kids. They
too live in a world where with every bit of joy, there's sadness, with every life there's death. You must deal with both sides or the piece is not whole."
On the original novel- "Dick King-Smith's [story] dealt with dignity, death,
destiny, courage and bigotry."
On pigs- "I'd used a number of pigs in [Mad Max 3] and remembered them as
affectionate, responsive and remarkably bright."
On connections between his films- "I believe all three [MM, Lorenzo's Oil, and
Babe: PIC] are about the hero's journey."
On his involvement in his films- "I use film to tell stories. If they are beautiful,
they belong to everyone. If they are bad, it is my fault completely."
Source: www.babeinthecity.com
Chris Godfrey of Animal Logic:
Babe: Pig in the City helped Animal Logic move from "a little Australian
company to a company bidding successfully for major international work."
Mickey Rooney:
"It was the most rewarding experience I've had in years and I don't have to tell
you how much I cared for George Miller."
"Who wouldn't jump at the chance to work with George? He's a genius."
Source: www.urbancinefile.com.au
Reviews:
Louise Keller- "While technically brilliant with much that echoes the original, Babe: Pig in the City falls short of delivering a heart, bordering on being a freak show, albeit a very entertaining one."
Paul Fischer- "This Babe is a stunner of a film, a visual feast of colour, stylised décor and the extraordinary imagination of George Miller."
"The film explores a variety of complex themes, and perhaps in so doing, has regrettably frightened away American audiences."
David Edwards- "That animals convey this morality play is reminiscent of Orwell's Animal Farm. However, in stark contrast, the latter part of the film is pure slapstick leading up to the inevitable happy ending. This disjunction means the film fails to deliver as a cohesive whole- it's neither a strong social statement, nor a light children's film."
Roger Ebert- Since Babe was a masterpiece, he asks, "Can the sequel possibly live up to the original? It can and does and in many ways is more magical than the original."
"…literate, humane and wicked…"
"It is in no way just a 'children's movie,' but one that extends the imagination of everyone who sees it, and there is a wise, grown-up sensibility to its narration, it's characters and a lot of the action."
Paul Tatara- "Miller displays a visual and technical mastery."
"This is a first-rate children's film that's just as rewarding for adults as it is for the little ones. It's funny, sweet and often incredibly moving."
Maitland McDonagh- "This film may scar impressionable children for life."
Kevin Maynard- "So distressingly dark, grim and cynical, it's likely to make kids cry."
Stuart Klawans of The Nation- "Magical first half, disappointing second."
Amy Taubin of The Village Voice- "Rougher and more sophisticated than the original."
Leah Rozen of People Weekly- "Delectable ham on wry."
Richard Schickel of Time- "In its frenzy to top the original, it has lost touch with the first film's gently whimsical spirit."
For the rest of these reviews and others go to:
www.urbancinefile.com.au
www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/1998/11/112505.html
www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9812/01/review.babe2/
www.rottentomatoes.com
www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos/archive/4q98/babeinthecity.html
www.combustiblecelluloid.com/babe.shtml
www.imdb.com
Or try searching with the ProQuest or Factiva databases in the library.
Babe: Pig in the City did not appear in any books that I could find. As for articles in journals and newspapers, these consisted mostly of reviews and were not as convenient to find as the reviews online. The databases that the Murdoch library has to offer are somewhat helpful in the search, but I found the easiest way to obtain information on this film was by looking online through different search engines. Often, one page would have a link to another helpful page. The official website, www.babeinthecity.com, was very useful as well.
My Review:
Babe returns to the farm as a hero amidst a crowd of supportive fans. But soon after in an attempt to help, he causes a calamity, which lands Farmer Hoggett at the bottom of the well. With her husband out of commission, Mrs. Esme Hoggett is left to run the farm on her own. She finds the task more daunting than she'd imagined and soon the men with "pale faces and soulless eyes" arrive from the bank. The only way to save the farm now is to put Babe on exhibition at a State Fair, and so Esme and the pig begin on their journey.
The trouble begins when Babe strikes up a conversation at the airport and soon Esme is accused of carrying drugs and subjected to a strip search. As a result of these events, they miss their connecting flight and thus the State Fair and sadly can't even return home immediately. They are stuck in the city, unable to "go forward and they couldn't go back." Having trouble finding a hotel that accepts animals, Esme is helped by a porcine individual and makes her way to the Flealands Hotel, where she is finally offered a room. While Esme is gone Babe finds his way into Fugly Floom's room where he meets the chimps, Easy, Zootie and Bob and a capuchin monkey named Tug. Soon Thelonius, the wise orangutan, and Fugly himself enter the room. Fugly stuffs Babe into his trunk and when confronted by Esme upon her return, denies that he has him. Esme returns to the streets to reclaim her pig and through a misunderstanding ends up in jail.
Meanwhile, Babe, in an effort to make some cash, agrees to entertain with the chimps. However, he trips Fugly, causing a fire onstage and Fugly to end up in the hospital. With Esme in jail, Fugly on his deathbed and the Landlady at his side, the animals are left to fend for themselves. They venture out to find some food and Babe is tricked into distracting vicious guard dogs. He gets chased through the city and finally manages to escape with his attacker dangling in the water about to drown. The others merely look on, but Babe swims out and saves the pitbull, who forever after is his bodyguard and trusted follower.
The neighbourhood animals look to Babe for shelter and he invites them into the hotel. The older residents look on disapprovingly, but Babe has compassion for all. The food is distributed, but he chorus of animals singing is just too loud and the nosy neighbour calls the pound. The catchers arrive and make quick work of scooping up all the pets. Babe manages to run free and he, along with some friends find the pound and release the others. During the animal's adventures, Esme has been acquitted, thanks to the help of another pig-faced human, and the Landlady has returned home. The pair confronts the neighbour and they make their way to the pound. After an elaborate ballroom scene, which must be seen to be believed, the animals and their humans are reunited. Finally, they all make their way back to the Hoggett's farm, where they live happily ever after (except for the pitbull who gets ditched by his streetwise wife).
Now, what do I think about all of this? Well, Babe: Pig in the City is undeniably a dark film and much of the depth of the characters and other subtleties might be missed by children. But who says that because the main characters are animals, the film must be directed only at young ones? Parents must usually take their children to see a film (I haven't seen any five year-olds behind the wheel lately), so shouldn't they have something to enjoy as well? No one faulted Shrek for containing too much adult humour. Why shouldn't a film be accessible on more than one level? Well, I think it should and its usually better if it is. However, I think that some of this film might be a bit too traumatic for very small children to witness (I had trouble watching as Thelonius's fish plummeted to the floor in a splattering of glass, rocks and water- definitely a tribute to Shirley Temple's Heidi. Remember the snowglobe?). I was scared by Back to the Future: II when I was young, so I think the city dwellers and pound people might have freaked me out, not to mention Fugly's demise and the drowning pitbull. But okay, perhaps they should have given it a PG rating. Oh well, it happens.
As for the look of this film, all I can say is Wow! The set design is quite spectacular and the visual effects are amazing. I don't know that much about the different technologies involved, but however they managed to create the images they did, the end result is amazing. While maintaining the storybook/fantasy feel, the animals and their environment are as close to reality as possible, and all without the use of any cheesy-looking computer generated images. The skyline is fantastic and the animal interactions flawless. The use of colour in the film can also be commended, especially when looking at the contrast from the country to the city. Even now as I think back on the film, a bright green comes to mind in relation to the farm, and a dark blackish maroon frames my memory of the city. Keeping Esme clad in a bright red floral print helps to keep her separate from the noticeably drab city dwellers. I found this technique exemplified quite well when she was asked to leave the airport.
My feelings on the script are not quite the same as the visual aspects. Some things I didn't really understand like why a strip search was necessary or why Fugly tried to conceal Babe in his trunk. But those are just minor points. There were certain characters that I could do without, namely Pink Poodle, and the ballroom scene was bordering on absurdity. If the premise of the film was to show "how a kind and steady heart can mend a sorry world," I'm not sure if it completed its mission. I don't know how taking the animals, who seem to represent the heart of the city (hidden and forgotten, pushed away in pursuit of other gains), away to the farm actually fixed the world. In fact, this would leave the city hopeless and heartless. Unless of course, the humans are too evil to be saved, in which case this story is kind of like the Great Flood, where God (Babe) saves only the good ones (Noah and his family, a.k.a.- the animals of Flealands) and lets the rest perish. And I'm not so sure I agree with that method of salvage. Anyway, this may seem like a bit of a reach, but I'm just throwing it out there.
So basically, I find this film to be disturbing, but fantastic to watch. They could have done more with the script, but I'll say this: If you're over five, you should see the film at least once.
Critics' Opinions:
Most of the critics who looked at Babe: Pig in the City found it to be a well-made film and spoke highly of the technical aspects and visual effects. Andrew Urban did have a problem with the realistic airport in the world of fantasy, but I could find no other set-based complaint. Some critics felt that the story was fragmented and may have looked at too many themes without following through at the end, but most who faulted the film did so only with regard to its darkness. I felt like most of these complaints were more a result of disappointed expectations, rather than actual faults in the film. Others cited this movement away from light-heartedness as one of its biggest assets. Many of the Australian critics denounced American critics who knocked the film. However, when I looked at the American reviews, most critics loved it. Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune even picked it as the best film of the year. It tended to be smaller scale critics and ordinary moviegoers who found it too dark for their liking, as well as those who were worried about the impressionable kiddies. Most critics felt that this Babe was equal to if not better than the original, and that despite a few problems with the scripting it belongs in the category of great films. On the other hand, the majority of ordinary viewers seem to shy away from the film, perhaps because of the darkness or its lack of performance at the box office. (Many people wait to see a movie until it has been out for a while and look to see if a lot of people have gone to see it or not).
Production and Release:
Babe: Pig in the City was filmed entirely in Australia, mostly in studio at Fox Studios Australia in Sydney and minimally in Robertson, New South Wales. Pre-production began in October 1996 and was no easy task. After signing on most involved in the original film (Christine Cavanaugh the original voice of Babe asked for too much money) and getting the new ones acclimated to the idea, filming began on September 1, 1997. It was a hefty undertaking with many working round the clock. Steve Martin, in charge of the chimps, and Karl Miller, the returning animal supervisor, took care of most of the animals, while two New Zealanders (how fitting) handled the sheep. Norma Moriceau was contracted to design hundreds of costumes. Roger Ford, Oscar nominated for the first Babe, returned as production designer and undertook the design of the Flealands Hotel. Neal Scanlan Studio Group and Rhythm & Hues, co-recipients of the Visual Effects Oscar for Babe, signed up for the sequel and while Scanlan sent a group from London, Rhythm & Hues operated from their base in Los Angeles, but did send effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer to Sydney. London based Mill Film sent over people and equipment and started work on the spectacular international skyline. And Animal Logic returned as well, remaining in continuous operation in order to promptly complete new assignments. The production was constant and fast paced, but rewarding for those involved. However, problems occurred when release time came around.
Babe: PIC was scheduled for release in LA two weeks prior to its Thanksgiving weekend opening across the country, but the premier was cancelled to allow for more editing. Some speculate that the film needed to be made "nicer" for the young audience and a "G" rating; others say it just wasn't ready. Either way, the film did not debut early in LA. Not only did this delay hurt the film, but due to certain product tie-ins and agreements with other distributors (Dreamworks, who has an agreement with Universal, was releasing Prince of Egypt in December), Babe: PIC was forced to keep its original release date even though the competition had raised the stakes. Disney and Pixar's newest venture A Bug's Life and Paramount's The Rugrats Movie both opened opposite
little Babe. With these films, along with Adam Sandler's surprise hit The Waterboy, drawing the same audience and murmurs of unsettling scenes in Babe, the "pig on a mission" could hardly compete.
Babe: PIC's poor performance did not only hurt the pocketbooks and pride of those involved, it caused quite a shake up in the Universal executive department. Only two weeks before, former Universal chairman and CEO Frank Biondi, Jr. was fired by parent company Seagram presumably over the failure of Meet Joe Black, among other reasons. On December 1, 1998, Casey Silver, his replacement, resigned and while a specific reason was not stated, the failure of Babe: PIC cannot be ignored as a portion of the cause. So, unfortunately for these executives and despite its critical acclaim, Babe: Pig in the City failed to perform like its predecessor.
Other Works:
George Miller: As mentioned before, he is the director of the Mad Max trilogy, along with Lorenzo's Oil and The Witches of Eastwick. He has also worked on documentaries and TV series. He produces and writes many of the films he directs, and Babe: PIC is an example of this. I'm not sure what his next venture will be, but I read somewhere that a Mad Max 4 might be in the works. Hmmmm? We shall see. But with or without the fourth edition, the man is an Australian legend.
Andrew Lesnie: This award winning cinematographer didn't stop with the pork, he has moved on to bigger and better things, namely the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Not a bad day's work I would say. He won four consecutive Gold Tripod Awards from the A.C.S. (Australian Cinematographers Society) from 1994-1997 and in 1997 he also received the AFI award for best cinematography. I think it is fair to say that his career is not stopping anytime soon.
James Cromwell: While appearing in a few films before the Babe pair, Cromwell attributes his new presence in the film industry to his Oscar nomination for the original. In between the two, he starred in six films including L.A. Confidential and The People vs. Larry Flint, both a far cry from Revenge of the Nerds Parts I-IV. After Babe: PIC, he appeared in The Green Mile, The General's Daughter and most recently The Magnificent Ambersons a made for TV special feature. So, like Lesnie, the original Babe seemed to give his career a boost.
Magda Szubanski: This Australian comedienne made her film debut in Babe, but has acted in many TV series before and after the films. She can be seen in Steve Irwin's upcoming adventure Collision Course. Here's one you certainly won't want to miss!
Elizabeth Daily: I just thought it was interesting that E.G. Daily (Elizabeth Daily, voice of Babe) is also the voice of Tommy from Rugrats. So basically, she was competing against herself Thanksgiving weekend in American theatres.
Value and Position of Australian Film:
I don't think that looking at Babe: PIC as a reflection of the current value of Australian film is fair. The film's failure at the box office can be attributed to a combination of factors including heavy competition, negative publicity and some questionable content for children, but I don't think that its Australianness can be included here. Unless of course one would make the argument that only an Australian would make a children's film of this sort. But even with that thought, too many other factors were involved during the film's run in the theatres for that to be the main cause of disappointment. Australian filmmakers and their films have gained respect worldwide and the setback of Babe: PIC shouldn't be seen as a generalization of the reception of Australian moviemaking efforts. However, as far as the international spirit of the 1990's is concerned, Babe: PIC can certainly be seen as an example of this development. The international skyline and non-specific landscape of the everycity along with the wide array of accents gives the film a non-national feeling, seeming to come out of nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Rather than keeping with the traditional, recognizable Australian qualities, the trend as of late has been to create works that are more universal, less nationally linked. And in this regard, Babe: PIC fits the bill (or should I say snout).
As a Part of Australian Cinema:
Babe: Pig in the City is a product of a medium-sized English language cinema, that of Australia. Along with Britain, New Zealand and Anglophone Canada, the national cinema of Australia faces a challenge concerning distribution. While other national cinemas face less competition because of language or size, those in the previous category must compete with the production of Hollywood for success. The manner in which Babe: PIC was thwarted at the box office by Hollywood creations like A Bug's Life and The Rugrats Movie just reinforces the point that in order for an Australian movie to make it (in the monetary sense), the circumstances must be right. Not only must the film be well-made, but the public must be in a position to receive it; otherwise it will be relegated to the company of others who tried to fight Hollywood and lost.
Prepared by
Elizabeth Wanic 2002