The Wild Puffalumps
Encyclopedia
The Wild Puffalumps was a 22-minute direct-to-video
animated cartoon, based on the Puffalump
toy line of the same name. It was produced by Nelvana
, and released on videocassette in the United States by Family Home Entertainment
in 1987 and in Canada by Cineplex Odeon
and MCA.
This cartoon was intended to act as an advertisement for the “Wild Puffalumps” toy line, which consisted of vividly-colored Puffalumps wearing Aloha shirt
s and sunglasses
whose lenses displayed the word “WILD” when seen at the proper angle. The glasses were large enough that the children who owned the toys could wear them, a fact which was pointed out in the television commercial for the toys.
In the cartoon, the characters all live on an island separate from the rest of the world, much like many other 1980s toy-based cartoon characters (Care Bears
, The Wuzzles
, et cetera). The two children who visit this place soon find themselves going on a journey, parts of which are like amusement park
rides, and the word “wild” is repeatedly emphasized throughout the cartoon. All of this is intended to make the characters fit in with the current cartoon culture, as well as give the impression that the toys on which they’re based are fun and exciting.
The VHS
videocassette is currently out of print, and the cartoon was never released on DVD
, and as of December 29, 2009, Lions Gate has not announced any plans to release it on DVD. The Wild Puffalumps toys were sold in 1987 and discontinued the same year.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
animated cartoon, based on the Puffalump
Puffalump
The Puffalumps were stuffed animals created by Fisher-Price in 1986 . They were lightweight stuffed animals made of parachute material and filled with poly-fil stuffing...
toy line of the same name. It was produced by Nelvana
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
, and released on videocassette in the United States by Family Home Entertainment
Family Home Entertainment
Family Home Entertainment was an American home video company founded in 1980 by Noel C. Bloom. It was a division of International Video Entertainment, which had its headquarters in Newbury Park, California.-General information:...
in 1987 and in Canada by Cineplex Odeon
Cineplex Odeon
Cineplex Odeon Corporation was one of North America's largest movie theatre operators, with theatres in its home country of Canada and the United States...
and MCA.
This cartoon was intended to act as an advertisement for the “Wild Puffalumps” toy line, which consisted of vividly-colored Puffalumps wearing Aloha shirt
Aloha shirt
The Aloha shirt commonly referred to as a Hawaiian shirt is a style of dress shirt originating in Hawaii. It is currently the premier textile export of the Hawaii manufacturing industry. The shirts are printed, mostly short-sleeved, and collared. They usually have buttons, sometimes as a complete...
s and sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
whose lenses displayed the word “WILD” when seen at the proper angle. The glasses were large enough that the children who owned the toys could wear them, a fact which was pointed out in the television commercial for the toys.
In the cartoon, the characters all live on an island separate from the rest of the world, much like many other 1980s toy-based cartoon characters (Care Bears
Care Bears
The Care Bears are characters created by American Greetings in 1981 for use on greeting cards. The original artwork for the cards was painted by artist Elena Kucharik. In 1983, Kenner turned the Care Bears into plush teddy bears...
, The Wuzzles
The Wuzzles
Disney's Wuzzles is an American animated television series created for Saturday morning television, and was first broadcast on September 14, 1985 on CBS. An idea of Michael Eisner for his new Disney television animation studio, the Wuzzles are crossbred animals which sport a combined appearance of...
, et cetera). The two children who visit this place soon find themselves going on a journey, parts of which are like amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
rides, and the word “wild” is repeatedly emphasized throughout the cartoon. All of this is intended to make the characters fit in with the current cartoon culture, as well as give the impression that the toys on which they’re based are fun and exciting.
The VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
videocassette is currently out of print, and the cartoon was never released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, and as of December 29, 2009, Lions Gate has not announced any plans to release it on DVD. The Wild Puffalumps toys were sold in 1987 and discontinued the same year.
Voices
- Mairon Bennett (Toucan)
- Lisa Coristine (Monkey)
- Victor Erdos (Walrus)
- Jennifer Gula (Elephant)
- Tara Meyer (Panda)
- Adam Simpson (Rhino)
- Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
(Holly) - Marlow Vella (Kevin)
- Noam ZylbermanNoam ZylbermanNoam Zylberman is a voice actor best known for the voice of Split Kit from Garbage Pail Kids and also the voice of Bentley Raccoon in the popular animated series The Raccoons from 1988 to 1990....
(Tiger)
External links
- The Wild Puffalumps on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
: - 1987 TV commercial for the Wild Puffalumps toys, on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....