Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure (1976) User Reviews (44)

It's official, Raggedy Ann scares me!

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 17 June 2009]

Oh, boy, God bless the 1970's, we got some of the most horrific movies that came out of that decade: The Exorcist, Jaws, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween and now, Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure. This movie must be used to torture captured terrorists into telling us about their evil plans to destroy the world, I mean seriously, this movie scared the heck out of me. My sister had this movie in her VHS collection and I was kind of curious what kind of movie they would make out of a doll that came out of the great depression for kids with very little pocket money. What the heck? It's kinda funny how this movie is the 1970's version of Toy Story, pretty much down to a key, only this was a thousand times scarier, Disney had Alice in Wonderland to get into the drug trips for the children.

Whenever Marcella leaves the room, Raggedy Ann, along with her brother Raggedy Andy and a whole nursery full of colorful toys come to life. On Marcella's birthday, a new doll, Babette, arrives from Paris, France to the United States of America. Babette is a spoiled creature who is unaware she is a doll, but the friendly Raggedy Ann does everything she can to make Babette feel at home. However, the pirate Captain Contagious kidnaps her. Raggedy Ann and Andy set off to try to rescue her before Marcella discovers Babette is gone. Out in the world outside the nursery, the two meet the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees, a blue toy camel who has been cast off by past owners and is now heartbroken and lonely. After Raggedy Ann and Andy hitch a ride on the Camel, he begins to follow his hallucinations and without looking, runs over the edge of a cliff, into a deep pit. In this pit they encounter the Greedy, who is a giant gluttonous blob of taffy who eats constantly and is never full. The Raggedys and the Camel narrowly escape being consumed by the Greedy and continue their journey to find Babette… and believe me, it just gets weirder from this point on.

While this movie was certainly disturbing and I just wanted to cry and cover my eyes during a lot of the movie, this was actually pretty creative. Back in the day when we had hand drawn animation that made films more personal and that the writers and animators put their heart into it, you can tell that they did that with Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure. This certainly wasn't the worst movie I have ever seen, I just don't know who to recommend it too. As scared as I was, I have to admit I'm glad I watched it, sometimes you need a "WTF?!" movie to spice up your selection, believe me when I say that Raggedy Ann had no problem in doing just that with me. It's official, that doll is just plain creepy, let's just put it this way, there's a giant caramel river that is eating everything, a king who's head keeps getting bigger as he laughs, a bizarre thing that humiliates Raggedy Ann and her brother, a strange almost incest between Ann and Andy and a couple of naked dolls that will forever haunt my dreams with their songs. Yikes.

7/10

A Rare Psychedelic Masterpiece

[lovableladyfish · 8/10 · 31 May 2009]

This is a very strange film by director/animator Richard Williams. All who know of William's work know it's a bit off-kilter (if not ingenious) but this one takes the cake.

It features two hapless ragdolls who have to save their owner's new French doll from a lustful pirate toy and find themselves at the mercy of several bizarre characters along the way. The strength in this movie lies primarily in its aesthetic quality; its strange character designs, its powerful animation, and its stark contrast of the sweet and scary. Williams' brilliant animation portrayed Raggedy Ann and Andy as real rag dolls, floppy and darned, rather than simple cartoon versions of the dolls, which made it more believable (at least in a visual sense). The animation shines on the bring us the Camel-with-the-Wrinkled-Knees, whose body walks with two different personalities controlling each end, the silent-movie chase with Sir Leonard Looney and, of course, the Greedy.

The Greedy animation, on its own, is possibly the most exquisite psychedelic animation I've ever seen. There's something about this animation that just makes your jaw drop--and every second it's something new. Living in what was deemed "the Taffy Pit," the Greedy is a massive blob man that lives in and mercilessly eats sweets. He sings a song that I can't help but feel hold some sexual undertones, then tries to kill Raggedy Ann for her candy heart.

The only complaint I have about this film is that there are too many songs. It continuously bogs down the movie's pace because there are SIXTEEN of them. There are about six good songs (which should have been the only ones) including "I Look, And What Do I See?", "No Girl's Toy", "Blue" (though they didn't need to make him sing it twice), "I Never Get Enough", "Because I Love You" and maybe "I'm Home." The others just seem unnecessary and frankly aren't too amazing to listen to.

This is a weird film with strange undertones, but if that's what you're looking for, you won't find better.

Good when little, trippy now

[carm15 · 6/10 · 19 November 2005]

I own an incredibly battered copy of this movie, which leads me to believe that I loved it when I was maybe 6 or 8, but looking back from my young adulthood, I can't say I enjoy it as much. It sat on a shelf for a few years before I dusted it off to reminisce with a movie that I remember loving so much, especially because the main voice was also the woman from Shining Time Station (another kiddie fave). But I soon found that 80% of the scenes made me feel like I was in a chemically-induced state of mind (which I've never actually done, but I'm sure the sensations are similar). Aside from overall creepiness from the male characters, I still appreciate the girly, cutesy message it sends that I oh-so-highly enjoyed in my childhood. But I may not watch it again until I have a dreamy-eyed daughter of my own

An oasis of warmth in the cold wasteland of seventies animation

[lowercasegods · 21 November 2003]

People not quite into their twenties take for granted the warm, feel good animated films that are available to them these days. Starting with Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988 (though unfairly attributed to The Little Mermaid a year later), a renaissance of animation had begun that is still going strong today (thanks mostly to Pixar). But the privileged children of the 90's would never know of the cold, bleak wasteland of theatrical animation in the 1970's. With the advent of Fritz the Cat in 1971, soft, fuzzy, family-friendly animation fell out of favor with the studios, and ushered in the dark wave of adult themed cartoons. Ralph Bakshi led the pack with such topical and wholly adult productions as Coonskin (a.k.a. Streetfight), Wizards, Heavy Traffic, the original Lords of the Rings, and the previously mentioned Fritz the Cat. Soon his violent vision was adopted by other renegade animators and before long, virtually all animated films were saddled with either a PG or dreaded R rating. So it goes without saying that a sweet little film like Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure hardly had an audience when it was released in 1976. The fact that it ever got made is a testimony to the desperation of the studios and people who so desperately missed the sweet and touching films in the old Disney vein. This film dared to be cute, had the tenacity to be sweet, had the temerity to be gentle, the chutzpah to be (GASP!) KID FRIENDLY! In all fairness, it must be stressed that RAAA was not alone in their attempt to bring softness back into modern animation. Charles Schulz's wonderful Peanuts characters had two great attempts in the seventies with Snoopy, Come Home and Race For Your Life, Charlie Brown. And the usually rigid and slap-sticky Hanna Barbera brought us that lovely tear-jerker of a cartoon, Charlotte's Web. But these productions were far and few between, and never on such a grandiose scale as their more violent bretheren. With RAAA, director Richard Williams (the real brain trust behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit, not Robert Zemeckis, who only directed the live action) not only attempted to revive family friendly cartoons, but also attempted to bring back lavish, fluid animation and movie musical sensibilities. In doing so he brought back some of animation's pioneers to make sure the film was done right. Grim Natwick (creator of Betty Boop, animator of Snow White and Richard's mentor) lent a hand, along with countless others, in the creation of The Greedy, King Cuckoo, the Camel with the wrinkled knees and the rest of Johnny Gruelle's storybook menagerie. The Brilliant Joe Raposo (of Sesame Street fame and brain trust of Kermit the Frog's Bein' Green)provided delightful songs for the film (The Camel's sweet and somber song alone is worth watching this film), and Didi Conn and Mark Lynn-Baker voiced the title characters to perfection. The net result of this creative hodge podge was one of the warmest, most entertaining and family friendly cartoons to break through the doom and gloom of standard 70's animation.

Regretfully, movie critics denounced the film for reasons too varied and unfounded to mention here. That, coupled with the fact that RAAA became avalanched by the glut of violent animation and the wealth of bad family films, resulting in it barely making a blip on the pop culture radar. Thanks to old school television programming (does anyone else recall Nickelodeon's Special Delivery?), I re-discovered this long lost treasure in the mid 80's, and had the foresight to immortalize it (along with some vintage 80's commercials) on Beta video (and you don't get much more vintage that Beta). This has been a gem in my movie collection ever since, and still holds a special place in my heart and my childhood. So modern movie going audiences, count your blessings. You have warm, family friendly animation dropped at your feet these days. But you never know. The day may come again soon where such kid-oriented fare becomes passe, and the studios return to churning out violent, bleak animation, just as they did in the 70's. If that day does come, however, I still have a copy of Raggedy Ann and Andy to see me through the darkness, comforting me in the knowledge that, at least in animation, good will always rise out of the ashes of evil.

Better than what people say but still flawed

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 6/10 · 8 May 2016]

Many people of the latest generation just are not fond of dolls. Dolls have gained a reputation for being ominous and foreboding, with creepy smiles and endless stares. However, this is only seen in the horror genre of movies. Rarely are dolls seen in any other form of light when it comes to cinema. If there are any recent mainstream productions that come to mind, majority would likely recollect Toy Story (1995), which involved dolls / toys. Even then, there were some dolls that were portrayed in a relatively grim and unsettling light. Yet for some reason, not enough youth know of Raggedy Ann and her brother Andy. Created by Johnny Gruelle for a series of children's books, would become a timeless piece in history. Then in one of the biggest years of the 20th century, Raggedy Ann would receive her first animated feature in 1977. The weird thing is for anyone who has seen it; people only call it a "trippy film". Is it really that seizure inducing? There really is more to look at here because it's not all LSD and flashing lights.

Interestingly enough, the introduction of Raggedy Ann and friends starts out a lot like Toy Story (1995). Immediately when Ann's owner Marcella (Claire Williams) leaves the vicinity, all the toys and dolls come to life. Written by Patricia Thackray and Max Wilk, two people who didn't have much experience with theatrical cinema are perhaps why the story doesn't have much priority in the running time. It's Marcella's birthday and she receives a new doll named Babette (Niki Flacks) who is then greeted by Raggedy Ann (Didi Conn), her brother Andy (Mark Baker) and several other side characters. However Babette thinks she doesn't belong because of her class (which is a pricey doll), but is soon snagged by The Captain (George S. Irving). The Captain's reason for taking Babette hostage was for being in love, but it's up to Raggedy Ann and Andy to save Babette. On their travels, they make friends with The Camel (Fred Stuthman) and run into more characters that pose as obstacles.

It is this part of the movie that serves no purpose. Originally what looked like might be a Toy Story (1995) movie, ends up having an Alice in Wonderland (1951) twist. It really doesn't further the plot any. Adding to that are the strange character motivations that just bring up further questions than resolutions. The Camel continues to be in some kind of a hallucinogenic trance to find his way home and is never explained why. Apparently Raggedy Ann has a "candy heart" but that doesn't change how problems are solved. Babette has strange opinions on whatever situation she's in, which conflicts with her development and the same could be said for The Captain. There's also an individual named King Koo Koo (Marty Brill) who looks to increase his height by laughing but can only do so by laughing at others. He too has no significance. Plus, there is no translation of these characters when the story focuses on the world Marcella lives in. What were they in reality? Obviously The Camel was real, but what about everyone else?

This is what undoubtedly brings the viewing experience down, but it isn't entirely a waste. In fact, there is an indefinite amount of things to admire. Directing this feature was Richard Williams; a two time Oscar winner for animated films, one of which being Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). He also headed The Princess and the Cobbler (1993), which people feel is another underrated gem. With that said, the animation being the late 1970s looks fantastic and will surely engage its audience and not just because how strange some of the characters move. Unfortunately that's why people call it "trippy" but that's what gives its characters personality. The most creative animated sequence should go to when Ann and Andy meet The Greedy (Joe Silver), a gluttonous sludge creature who indulges on sweets. The way the character moves is so elaborate that it can be quite overwhelming to think of just how much time and effort when into actually making that scene work the way it did.

The voice work was laudable for all entities. Didi Conn was the perfect choice for Raggedy Ann. Her sweet, high pitched voice makes Ann look and sound completely amiable. The rest of cast also does their jobs well but other than Conn, nobody takes second place. There's also roles played by Arnold Stang (who is best known for Hercules in New York (1970)) and Alan Sues. The songs and music was composed by Joe Raposo. Of other big productions, Raposo is known for making the music to Nashville (1975) and The Great Muppet Caper (1981). For the score its main theme is "Rag Dolly", which is sung later and is highlighted by harps, horns and music box like bells that help give it the child-like sound. For songs, all actors in their roles can sing the lyrics well and there are moments where the tune might tug on a few heart strings. The songs themselves aren't as collectively memorable as other soundtracks to some musicals, but there are some like "I Look and What Do I See" and "I Never Get Enough".

This animated feature of the popular children's doll should not be seen just because past viewers have called it "trippy". The story lacks in clarity on several subtopics but the music is enjoyable, the animation is unique and the voice cast performs well. There are things to like about it no matter how flawed it may be.

I love this film and yet hate it at the same time

[ndunsmo · 6/10 · 4 November 2010]

As the title indicates, I have a love/hate connection to this one. On one hand, the story is a jumbled mess with some good ideas that just don't seem to work well together. Also, some scenes really drag on for too long, though I heard this was because Richard Williams was trying to make up for his "stolen" project, The Thief and the Cobbler. Finally, Ann and Andy themselves aren't that interesting and barely undergo any development throughout the film.

On the other hand, the animations are spectacular for a 70's animated feature, especially when you take into account that most 70's works had small budgets for this sort of thing. Secondly, I don't care what anyone says, I think the soundtrack is amazing, bringing a great Broadway feel to the film. There is admittedly too much singing in the film, but the songs themselves make up for it. The only actor who can't sing well is the guy played Leonard, and I'm pretty sure that was done intentionally since the character is meant to be crazy. Also, as mentioned, I thought a lot of the ideas were good. Babette, while kind of annoying, was at least relate-able as she just wasn't used to a life outside of her home country. The Greedy is another relate-able character despite his pointlessness as his loneliness led him to gluttony. A lot criticize the camel for his hallucinations, but he's also an interesting character as his subplot was more interesting than the main one. I also liked little moments such as Babette taking over a pirate ship mostly because that sort of thing was rare back in the day.

This is far from a great film, but it's certainly imaginative and has some major highlights to it. Would I recommend it? Not completely, but I think it's worth checking out at least once.

Formative years often end in tears, but the love always remains

[jmbwithcats · 10/10 · 7 October 2004]

Raggedy Ann & Andy is the first movie I ever saw in the theaters. My dad took my sister and I, and the funny thing is - when we got home, dad asked us "what do you want to do now?" and we said we want to watch Raggedy Ann & Andy again! lol, and my dad actually took us back to the theatre to watch it again -- at least that's how I remember it. I was five years old at the time.

This movie was pretty scary for a five year old. The scene with the giant ocean of sweets, and the hypnotic camel scene.. i don't remember a lot from this film, naturally, the beginning was magical, and a few scenes -- I wish I could find it again, and will likely seek it out now.

I remember I loved Raggedy Ann & Andy.

Fond memories

[Baldach · 7/10 · 3 June 2002]

The last time I saw the movie I was around seven years, so my opinions might be jaded over time. At the time I enjoyed the filming that switched between cartoon and live action. At the time I felt sad for the blue camel and his sad life. Also I felt glee when after Captain Contagious kidnapped the heroine (a princess or toy shepherdess) the tables the were turned on him. Unfortunately the producers never decided to transfer this movie to VHS, so all I have are twenty year old memories. I am sure that if I saw the movie again I would consider it corny and sappy, but I really enjoyed it the movie at the time.

To have a friend who's as lovely as Ann...

[GiraffeDoor · 10/10 · 31 December 2021]

It is hard to put into words just how charming, delightful, enchanting and singular this retro adventure is. Yes, I know, from certain technical perspectives one could argue it's not a first rate animation, but it is testimony to how having the right approach and heart can carry you a long way.

First of all: I love Raggedy Ann! I was indifferent to her before but now I feel joy every time I see one of her dolls. I love her voice (Frenchy from Grease) and she is just wonderful. I hope she becomes a lesbian icon now because they are not subtle with the sapphic undertones here with Ann simping over the voluptuous French doll.

Ordinarily it would be a criticism to say that this movie feels like a bunch of abandoned concepts slammed together with the brand recognition of Ann and Andy counted on to keep it afloat.

Golly...if you saw the first ten minutes and then the last few minutes you would have no idea what kind of adventure awaits you here. It goes from tender to funny to really, really freaky. Those penny dolls, I think they're really cool but heads up they are kind of racially insensitive to a modern eye. Just putting that out there. Not derogatory to black people but...still...

I could go on and on about little details that will just stay with you.

And the tunes are just banging!

Please treat yourself to this hidden gem.

Delightfully Trippy Animated Movie

[michael_the_nermal · 7/10 · 19 March 2013]

This film was regularly shown on "The Disney Channel" in the mid-1990s, back when the channel had quality entertainment. I must have seen this movie several times back then. While the plot is rather weak, the animation is absolutely wonderful. I love this film because, rather than in spite, of its eclectic and eccentric animation styles. I also enjoy the songs in this film; were "Raggedy Ann and Andy" released today, there would be no doubt that someone would try to transform it into a successful Broadway musical. When designing the movements of Raggedy Ann and Andy, the animators mixed realistic rotoscoped human movements with the fanciful tumbles and contortions one would expect of rag dolls. In keeping with the psychedelic styles of the 1970s, this film features some bizarre and crazy sequences, in particular those involving a creature made of living taffy called The Greedy, and Looney Land. The Greedy is a particularly inspired character, as he is a liquid rather than solid being, and he is constantly flowing and spilling over himself, and his features constantly change. The animation shows a whimsical and childlike form of creativity, which I feel is perfect for a movie involving living toys as iconic as Raggedy Ann and Andy.

Like the adult movie "Heavy Metal," "Raggedy Ann and Andy" is ultimately about style over substance. The film does have a plot, but much of the story diverts into subplots that have little bearing on the main story. The weird and inspired animation is the movie's main attraction. Many people have criticized the movie for this, and it does detract somewhat from this film's quality, but I nonetheless find the movie ultimately entertaining and beautiful. There are some good themes about love, friendship and the importance of cooperation in times of difficulty, although they are not developed enough to make an impression on the minds of the target audience of small children. In spite of this film's flaws, the subplots are in themselves amusing and wonderful to watch, and their sense of weirdness only help to cement this film as a cult classic in the minds of the Generation Y viewers who saw it on the Disney Channel. The voices are also inspired. Didi Conn, best known as Frenchie in "Grease," is perfect as the kind, gentle and sweet-natured Raggedy Ann. Her brother, voiced by theater actor Mark Baker, is also well-defined as a plucky, sarcastic yet compassionate character. Character actor Marty Brill is amusing as the curmudgeonly, Teutonic-accented antagonist King Koo Koo. His henchman, mad and sadistic prankster known as the Looney Knight, is voiced by "Laugh-In" player Alan Sues. Sues is able to channel the mischievous persona of the infamous Knight through deranged giggles and cackles.

I recommend this movie as a way to pass the time with your kids. Viewers of all ages will enjoy the funky animation and positive messages in this film. The plot's not well-defined, but I doubt child viewers will care too much. Enjoy this classic directed by veteran animator Richard Williams.

Well, That Was a Trippy Playtime

[elicopperman · 4/10 · 8 July 2018]

The Raggedy Ann books were a beloved series created by illustrator Johnny Gruelle, so much so that there were even a few cartoon adaptations by Paramount in the 1940s (one of which I even reviewed). So, fast forward to the 1970s, when both the Bobbs-Merrill company and master animator Richard Williams made the first ever animated feature based on the aforementioned doll and friends, complete with a slew of highly talented animators on board like Tissa David, Art Babbitt, Hal Ambro, Charlie Downs, Emery Hawkins, Gerry Chiniquy, Corny Cole, Chrystal Klabunde, Tom Sito, etc. Unfortunately, like many of his past projects, Williams was removed by the end of production due to going over budget and behind schedule, although he still received director's credit in the final cut. It doesn't help that the movie wasn't really a hit with the public, and after seeing it, I can see why.

Before I enter the negatives, the main highlight of the whole feature is the animation, if the aforementioned crew didn't already give it away. Each character is well defined by their designs and movements to give them personalities, especially when it comes to how Raggedy Ann and Andy look and move as rag dolls. Even when the movie gets ridiculously trippy, that's when the visuals really ooze with creativity and there's not one moment that doesn't show the animator's unbelievably hard work on screen. One particular scene featuring a gluttonous sludge creature who endlessly consumes candy called the Greedy is practically Emery Hawkins' magnum opus. The usage of color is also quite gorgeous to view, whether the scheme be shadowy or saturated. The only major issue with the animation is that at times the editing can be way too rapid and there's not much of a reason for Ann and Andy's owner Marcella to be live-action.

That being said though, when it comes to the narrative, this is where the movie becomes strangely problematic. The basic storyline is that Raggedy Ann and Andy must rescue their new playmate Babette from Marcella's snow globe character, Captain Contagious, out in the forest. Now the first half of the movie is a little slow but it at least sets up who each character is and helps the audience understand the contrast between Marcella's reality and the toys'. However, once Ann and Andy go on their journey beyond the woods to rescue Babette, that's when the movie loses all fragments of reality and becomes similar to Alice in Wonderland. The main issue with all the wackiness that occurs is that there's no proper context of where Ann and Andy go to, making the movie's madness come off as irritatingly surreal. Even the climax becomes so ludicrous that one will have to breathe to wonder what the heck they just watched. If Ann and Andy are real dolls, one can only wonder what form of reality they even enter upon their journey.

In addition, most of the characters are rather bland and generic, and if it weren't for their luscious movements, they'd be far less interesting. The least interesting characters throughout are unfortunately Raggedy Ann and Andy, as they just move from place to place meeting strange characters that get more focus, leaving them nothing to do besides moving the plot forward. Sure Andy does start off as a rather tough cookie who's sick of being a girl's toy, but he never develops outside of that, making him two-dimensional. Even the strange characters Ann and Andy meet aren't that memorable outside of their quirks, especially King Koo Koo who has little significance outside of wanting to grow by laughing at others. The two notable characters who do gain some development are Babette and the camel with the wrinkled knees, as they go from being either snobby or depressed to being either courageous or happy because of who they meet. The captain also counts as he goes from being stubbornly obsessive to realizing the errors of his ways. Outside of that though, most of the characters leave much to be desired.

As for the musical numbers done by the wonderful Joe Raposo, they're rather hit or miss and there may even be a bit too much of them. Most of Ann's songs like "I Look, and What Do I See?" and "Rag Dolly" set her existence up well but they kind of sound the same. "Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers" establishes Ann and Andy's loving relation as siblings, but it moves at too slow a pace and becomes rather dreary after a while. The best songs like "No Girl's Toy", "Poor Babette", "Blue", "I Never Get Enough" and "I Love You" are memorable either because of their upbeat and lively tempo and vocals, zany visuals, bittersweet character moments, or because they're just looney. However, as stated before, there are too many of them and the movie would have really benefited with fewer, since some of them stop the movie dead in its tracks even more than the zany antics. Keep in mind, this movie has about 13 musical numbers; even Disney would say that's too much.

You know, after seeing this, I don't think I'd like to go on any more adventures with Raggedy Ann again anytime soon. Needless to say, Raggedy Ann & Andy is one of the weirdest animated features I've ever seen, mainly for the bizarre visuals and random shenanigans with no proper context whatsoever. Sadly, the insanity is the only memorable aspect of the movie, because without it, the film would still be left with a thin story, a majority of flat characters and hit-or-miss musical numbers. Personally, I'd only recommend this to those who are really into movies with more emphasis on trippy visual madness than plot or if you'd like to see what else Richard Williams did outside of Roger Rabbit or The Thief & the Cobbler. It really is sad to see so many highly professional artists and animators working on such a second rate feature with no logic at all, but at least a really interesting book came out of it (feel free to check out John Canemaker's book The Animated Raggedy Ann and Andy if you please).

Whats In The Box?

[Mappyman · 9/10 · 2 January 2005]

Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy THE MOVIE is about dolls that come to life when the humans aren't around. In this adventure they must rescue a kidnapped french doll named Babette from the captain of pirates. On their way they journey though Deep Dark Woods, Taffy Pit, and even Looney Land. Will the aide of their new friend The Camel With Wrinkled Knees help them or just slow them down with his hallucinations of his friends leaving him? How will they escape the Kookoo king and his henchmen!? What will their owner Marcella say when she sees her 7th birthday present doll gone along with her other toys? Delightful surprises await the two adventurers.

All scores are out of a possible 10: Story: 8 - Very cute. Dolls that come to life when the master isn't around. Not just that because they go out into many many different places, but they are in an imaginary world so anything can happen. Meeting new characters, going to different places finding new friends, its great. The characters all work so well in this too and who doesn't love pirates?! Acting: 8 - Every character suits their voice so well. Specifically the Marlon Brando taffy pit enemy, The Greed. The french doll has a very uptight french accent, the evil Hitler-esquire king Kookoo (whos got hair that resembles Simpson's Sideshow Bob) plays his role very well, and the sorrow old black man voice for Camel works perfectly. Why is it that old dubbed animation was soo much better than new ones? Music: 10 - Nothing short of perfection here. The songs have been in my head for years, and re-watching it nearly 20 years later, i can still remember each and every one of them and will now be able to know exactly where these tunes come from. Joe Raposo of "Sesame Street" fame did an excellent job with the songs for this and everyone sings real well.

Editing: 6 - Heh, this is where it'll get confusing. I mean how far did the Raggedy's walk anyway? A lot of events just seem to occur one after another and there's no telling WHO the other dolls and toys were as you never see them in the real world of the movie, but it does follow some sort of path and you know they'll eventually get to where they need to go, its just pretty hard to follow at times.

Uniqueness: 8 - Between this and Unico i'd have to say there's parts in both movies i will never forget no matter how hard i try to. Mainly the scary parts. I've probably mentioned already how older movies were Much creepier than animation of today but this takes the cake in the scary factor. Outside of the South Park movie and some Disney films there's almost no animated musicals, or good ones of that coming out so its very unique.

Worth: 8- Its classic. Worth the hunt to get a good copy thats for sure, but the VHS copies are probably all stretched out by now. The DVD version is sold on Ebay all the time and it'll definitely be something you'll watch more than once. If anything get it for the nostalgia purposes.

Overall Score (Not an average): 8 - Its a wonderful timeless musical made in the late 70s and can still be enjoyed today. Its characters are all unique and the songs are great. So great you might find yourself humming them time and time again. Give your favorite stuffed animal a hug today! Reviewer's Insight (Including bias): This isn't like the Raggedy Ann TV series made a decade later. This was way more darker and real world. The effects in this seem like a lot of other acid-trip cartoons from the 70's, in particular, Yellow Submarine. Still, its given me memories I'll never forget, and might still influence things today. It wasn't easy to find but it'll remain a treasure to keep in my collection of DVDs and videos forever.

Good for young kids.

[BadWebDiver · 6/10 · 16 November 2004]

This is a *very* cutesy, simple story based on a very old comic strip, in the days when those were sweetly fun, gentle humor.

I remember showing this movie to entertain a group of children at a social function, while the adults did their own thing. The older kids were totally bored and hated this movie, while the younger ones (below say about 8) were totally entranced.

That may not be much of a recommendation, but these type are in fact a bit hard to find. So if you're looking for some diverting entertainment for very young kids who like gentle pretty stories, this probably will work.

The animation is very simple, and the songs are rather basic and bland. It's not for everyone.

A very weird nostalgic movie

[jwhale9382 · 3/10 · 4 March 2009]

I saw this movie when I was really little. It is, by far, one of the strangest movies I have ever seen. Now, normally, I like weird movies, but this was just a bit too much.

There's not much of a plot to the movie. If anything, it starts out like Toy Story, where toys come to life, and Raggedy Ann and Andy go on an adventure to rescue their new friend, Babette. From there, craziness ensues. There's the Greedy, the Looneys, a sea monster named Gazooks, and a bunch of pirates singing show tunes, all of which just made the movie weirder. Also, I can't help but feel that Babette is annoying and a bit too whiny. She definitely didn't help the movie.

Now, even though I didn't like this movie, there were a few cute parts. I liked the camel's song. Even though it was a song about being lonely, it had a friendly feel to it. Then, there was Sir Leonard. While most of the Looneys were just plain nuts, Sir Leonard was the most interesting and probably the funniest. King Koo Koo was just a little dirtbag that made Dr. Evil look like a serious villain. Also, there was Raggedy Andy's song, No Girl's Toy. It was definitely good song for little boys who wanted to act tough. But, honestly, even these things didn't make the movie any better. (But remember, this is just my perspective.)

While I personally wouldn't recommend this movie, even I have to admit, it does have its charming moments. See it if you're interested, but only if you're in the mood for something "really" out of the ordinary.

Nowhere near as disastrous as others would have you believe.

[San Franciscan · 15 October 2001]

Hey, kids! Let's play a game! I'm going to make a point about a particular animated film and we'll see whether it succeeds in intriguing you despite whatever else the press has said in the past! Sound like fun? Ok, hang on tight and here we go!

If you ask anybody who loves animation to tell you what they think are the absolute lousiest animated films ever created, you can bet the farm on the fact that their list will include at least one of the follow titles: "My Little Pony", any one of the "Care Bears" movies, "Rainbow Brite and The Star Stealer", "Raggedy Ann and Andy", "Wizards", "The Pebble and The Penguin", "The Lord of The Rings" and "Thumbelina" among countless others.

It's hard to argue with any of those titles. Put simply, they are almost all completely down the row horribly written, terribly produced movies.

But I want to point out one of these titles to you: what I'm about to say is a really wild nonconformist recommendation. I'm going to recommend one of these films I just listed. It's not as bad as the press has claimed. Heck, I even think it's pretty good.

Which movie am I talking about? This particular title, of course. Richard Williams' expensive animated bomb "Raggedy Ann and Andy".

Well look, I did warn you that I was going to make a really wild nonconformist recommendation. But think about it a moment--here is a film with the finest talent on hand, gorgeous animation and art direction and genuinely terrific songs. It's enjoyable--except for the holes that drag down the lot a bit (some scenes, such as the opening dollroom segment, the Greedy sequence and the meeting with King Kookoo, could have been neatly chopped in half and bettered the pacing here).

The problem is that Richard Williams was inexperienced as a feature film producer and was given an incredibly short production schedule. I mean hey, YOU try creating an absolute masterpiece under those conditions! Williams was fighting a losing battle, but he still tried.

The results aren't guaranteed to please everybody out there (fans of "wild" animation who hate children's material will gag on it, I'm sure), but that doesn't mean it's not fun. The whole routine with the French doll and the Captain is so hysterically ridiculous that you can't help but smirk at the whole situation--you'll see what I mean later in the movie. The scene-stealing section here is a song feature a dancing Camel With The Wrinkled Knees, which is gorgeous both in art and in music. Other musical faves here include "I Look and What Do I See?", the title piece and especially "Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers". There are others just as charming here... this soundtrack really deserves to be released on CD. Plus, the whole thing has a genuinely warm ending to it that will please the young at heart everywhere.

While animation diabetics will most likely get cavities from it, everybody else who loves hypnotically lovely children's stories will enjoy it. It's certainly not without flaws, but it has special moments in it that you'll genuinely fall in love with. Give it a chance.

Kind of a fascinating nightmare

[Blazehgehg · 6/10 · 19 November 2023]

This was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, but I haven't seen it in probably close to 25 years. I watched Garret Gilchrist's 4K restoration, and I was shocked by how... goopy and horrifying a lot of the animation is. And I don't just mean Greedy, the candy monster.

They were clearly proud of their animation. They give several of their key animators named, top billing during the opening credits. It's impressive, in a sense, and "interesting" insofar that it doesn't look anything like anything you've seen come out of Disney, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, or anywhere else.

But there's a lurching, almost drunk liquidity to the way these characters move, and it gets worse the more they lean into it. There are so many scenes in this movie that are genuinely, legitimately nightmare fuel. From the candy monster trapped in the pit, the camel that dreams of his dead ancestors calling him to the afterlife, and the wacky kingdom that openly knows it is hauntingly unfunny, there's a lot of uncanny, weird stuff in this movie.

And when they say "a musical adventure", you better buckle in, because there's practically a mandate to have another song every four minutes. Most of the music is ultimately fine, it's definitely not the most frustrating musical I've ever seen, but it did start to wear on me after a bit.

It's a nice curiosity but I'd never feel comfortable showing this to modern children.

Cartoon Artistry at its Best!

[JohnHowardReid · 10/10 · 4 June 2017]

It's a hard ask to compete with Disney, but Richard Williams and his super team of craftsmen have not only done just that, but outdone Disney in scope, imagination, novelty and breathtaking effects. True, the movie starts off in a disappointingly bland, conventional style. But it turns out that this was a deliberate, brilliantly artistic approach. For when our Raggedy and her Andy set off in pursuit of the wayward pirate, all manner of extraordinary adventures and fascinatingly grotesque creatures hurl their way into our view.

And as for the spellbinding employment of the wide, anamorphic screen, Mr Williams and his colleagues leave our Disney to bite his nails in frustration. Never before (and rarely since) has the wide- wide-screen been put to such highly imaginative and creative use. I'm firmly in Roger Ebert's Sun-Times corner: Raggedy Ann & Andy is definitely "one of the most visually exciting feature-length cartoons ever made!"

an uneven nonetheless charming children's film

[Vagabear · 8/10 · 7 May 1999]

I have very fond memories of this film, as I saw it with my two younger sisters when it first shown theatrically in 1977 and I was eight years old. Apparently it was deemed a failure - and is now practically forgotten (the pan-and scan videocassette - which never did justice to the picture or it's ambitious Panavision compositions is now out-of -print.) The film is very stylized (shades of YELLOW SUBMARINE) and admittedly uneven. Some of the characters and sequences are exquisite while others are somewhat juvenile and undistinguished. The sad discarded blue camel (shades of Eeyore) and his blue song are truly heartwarming. Joe Raposo's songs are for the most part simply beautiful. Definitely a worthwhile curiousity that will probably (sadly) fall into total obscurity.

Joyfully Tickled When I Saw It In 1979!

[happipuppi13 · 10/10 · 17 April 2004]

I saw this jolly little film at age 10/11 in 1979 when it was broadcast on CBS. I didn't know it had been in a theater at all. To rate it from a kid's point of view I'd give it 10 stars, because at the time my mind was still, thankfully, an open book.

I rate it 10 now because in rewatching it, found I still loved everything about it. The live action segments, leading into the playroom scenes with the the toys and dolls. The first song and the rest of the great Joe Raposo numbers. (That's Joe Raposo who wrote songs for Sesame Street).

The story is simpy little Marcella is turning 8 and is having her party that day and recieves a French doll named Babette and dollhouse to go with it. (Marcella is played by Claire Williams, who was born on May 13, 1969, now an adult of course).

Raggedy Ann & Andy and the others try to make Babette feel welcomed but she feels she is too good to associate with them. Enter the Pirate Captain in Marcella's snow globe, who on seeing Babette, instantly falls for her and after some trickery, takes her away on his boat ...out of the playroom! (Which is a no no!)

It's up to Ann & Andy to venture into the world and get them back. While out , they encounter a sad & lonely Blue Camel , a strange and quirky knight, who leads them into 'Looney Land' , where everything is silly and comical.

After a meeting the king and his 'odd' subjects', Ann , Andy and the camel get away on his boat , out to sea and catch up to Babette and the captain and crew.

The climactic scene where Gazooks (a leafy sea creature) tickles the daylights out of everyone was a 'bit' disturbing ...but, as a kid's film, you know they'll get out of this somehow and back to home.

When I re-discovered it a Blockbuster Video in 1995, I had to revisit it! I still liked it despite the fact that it looked a bit "old". It's out there. Might even be on DVD by now, at least I hope it is.

10 stars on here, it's still a great kids film. (end)

09/08/2009 : Finally found a VHS copy!! Woo-hoo!

Flawed Masterpiece

[Muctu · 8/10 · 13 September 2003]

Richard Willaims is an animation god. He was hampered in directing this film by the producer. The final product is a very uneven film with a very convoluted story, but some amazing moments of animation (like Emery Hawkins' "Greedy"). Joe Raposo's repetitive music doesn't help either. It was made in wide screen so the VHS doesn't show it in all it's glory, let's hope for a letterboxed DVD someday. Still it's worth watching for some eye popping animation.

Raggedy Ann & Andy's Silver Screen Performances

[ja_kitty_71 · 10/10 · 27 June 2008]

Now here's a film straight out of my childhood. My family used to tape it, but it kind of got tapped over and lost over the years. Now I was fortunate to watch the whole film on YouTube. I loved this wonderful film when I watched it as a kid, and after watching it again (online), I still do today. One of my favourite songs from the movie is "Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers." I will always remember that sweet song forever."

I was surprised when I looked at the opening credits to see who animated who that I found that some of the animators date back to the Golden Age of Animation, like Art Babbit, Gerry Chiniquy, Emery Hawkins, etc. I mean, WOW! That's like going back 47 years.

My short review.

[Isilud_Tengille · 10/10 · 10 October 2019]

The film was made by Richard WIlliams, the one who worked with Who Framed Roger Rabbit and also created The Thief and The Cobbler.

I give this film 10 stars for its creativity, wackiness (something very lacking today), animation, story, and overall ability to keep your attention. 2 points per topic, making a total of 10 stars.

Creativity: The dolls Raggedy Ann and Andy leave their home and traverse a whole slew of worlds, all of which are simply contained in their own back yard. Clever.

Wackiness: You don't see this much in films today. How many of you enjoyed Pink Elephants on Parade? I remember rewinding my VHS over and over to watch it. There are scenes in this film that mirror this type of presentation, not once, not twice, but thrice! A hallucinating camel, a taffy pit, and a loony land.

Animation: Very reminiscent of Thief and The Cobbler's chase scene within the palace. There are lots of little details that, keep in mind, people actually had to have the patience to draw frame by frame. The art is great, the animation is smooth and immersive, and the details are perfection.

Story: It's cute. Think of a sandbox. The whole universe of these toys take place in their own home and backyard. A doll is kidnapped by pirates... where did the pirates come from? Are they toys? Or is it that these toys have the power of imagination, where everything they think of is what makes up their world? Again, very clever.

Attention Keeper: I've seen the kids get up and walk away from various films, especially most things made post 2000. Why won't kids sit down and watch movies? Well, they sure sat through this one. I did, still do. Each scene is just interesting enough to keep your attention, especially the taffy pit. Again, like Pink Elephants from Dumbo, the motion is just mesmerizing. I like it.

There's not much to it when reviewing, it's either good or it isn't, and for each point, it's double good. so 2x5=10!

woo

[scamponegurl07 · 10/10 · 27 August 2006]

I believe I received this film when I was a young buck. I remembered watching it as a child, but i could never find the film. I remembered good ol Rageddy Ann, Andy, Babette, the Greedy, King Koo Koo. I searched high and low for this movie and still no luck. But one day when I was moving out of my childhood home I had found it. We were reunited. I am 17 years old now. I still watch it. All the time actually. It's one of the funniest and touching movies I have ever seen and enjoyed at the same time. And personally I think they should make a sequel. Mmm, yes a sequel indeed. Now i am even considering getting the captains bird tattooed somewhere on my body!

An Adorable Memory

[pacati-237-601464 · 10/10 · 11 February 2015]

If you are an adult seeing this movie for the first time, I can't vouch for the experience you'll have.

But if you're shopping movies for kids, I've always felt this was one of the best I've ever seen. As a kid, it was my favorite movie next to Star Wars and the animated Hobbit. It isn't just that's it's hilarious (to kids at least), it's the music. I also own the soundtrack on a very scratchy vinyl.

That this movie gets raspberries for being cheap-looking is selling the movie's music short. Aside from Mary Poppins, I have never heard a more delightful kids' movie soundtrack. The melodies can stick in your head for days.

I'd wager each one of the bad reviews given for this movie are the result of seeing it through adult's eyes. This kids' movie comes from a time when kids' movies didn't necessarily try to pander to adults. They are for kids, first and final. This is not a mark against them when you consider the movie is specializing in appealing to kids, kids' fears, kids' dreams, and kids' enthusiasm. Most kids' movies that attempt this are not effective because the filmmakers make the incorrect assumption that quality is not necessary.

The only lacking quality in this movie is the animation quality. Since kids rarely care about that, you may be surprised just how approachable and lovable this movie is to kids you know.