Pocahontas (1994 film)

:"This article is for the animated film from Jetlag Productions, for the Disney film, see Pocahontas (1995 film)"Infobox Film
name = Pocahontas


size = 250px
director = Toshiyuki Hiruma Takashi
producer = Mark Taylor
writer = Jack Olesker (based on a true story)
starring =
distributor = GoodTimes Home Video
Goodtimes Entertainment
released = October 19, 1994 (USA)
August 6, 2002 (DVD release) (USA)
runtime = 45 minutes
language = English
country = flagicon|Japan Japan
flagicon|United States United States
budget =
music = Andrew Dimitroff
awards =
amg_id = 1:266280
imdb_id = 1119154

"Pocahontas" is a 45-minute direct-to-video animated film produced by Jetlag Productions. It was distributed by GoodTimes Home Video and originally released on October 19, 1994cite web | work=The Internet Movie Database | title=Release dates for "Pocahontas"|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119154/releaseinfo| accessdate=15 March|accessyear=2008] . The film was produced by Mark Taylor and directed by Toshiyuki Hiruma. Writer Jack Olesker adapted the script from the true story about the young Indian princess named Pocahontas. The film was re-released on DVD on August 6, 2002cite web | work=The Internet Movie Database | title=Release dates for "Pocahontas"|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119154/releaseinfo| accessdate=15 March|accessyear=2008] by Goodtimes Entertainment as part of their extensive "Collectible Classics" line that included the works of other animation companies such as Golden Films and Blye Migicovsky Productions. Another similar direct-to-video animated film with the same name was previously released on June 1, 1994.cite web | work=The Internet Movie Database | title=Release dates for "Pocahontas"|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0956219/releaseinfo| accessdate=15 March|accessyear=2008]

Plot summary

Pocahontas is the daughter of the Indian chief Powhatan; one day, she is out playing in the woods near the shore when she spots a strange ship filled with white men. When they notice her, she runs away in alarm and tells her father and her people all about the new arrivals. Powhatan's tribe begins to worry; they have terrible memories of the last time the "pale faces" arrived in their land. Some of the younger men suggest attacking the white men and sending them back to where they came from, but Powhatan feels that these new men should not have to pay for the mistakes or cruelty of others in the past. He suggests everyone stay away from them, and to not harm them in any way, but to continue living their lives within their lands until they know what the settlers are up to. Eventually, the young Pocahontas befriends the captain Smith, and the two become fast friends. Captain Smith is a friendly man and desires peace, but neither he nor Pocahontas can prevent a growing hatred between the two groups. Some of the Indians, feeling that Powhatan has grown weak, decide to abandon the tribe and start their own, with new laws. The ones that remain allow themselves to be taught many things by the white men, including new sports and useful everyday things. As winter begins to approach, the two groups face difficult problems; the Indians believe that the white men are purposely hunting all of their animals and that they may soon be left to starve, while the white men fear they may not survive unless they're invited to spend the winter safely in this new land, rather than sail back to England. The wisdom and good heart of young Pocahontas becomes the key to the collaboration between the two different groups of people in order to survive those difficult times.

Songs

As a common rule in Jetlag Productions' films, "Pocahontas" featured a total of three original songs:

* "Land of Pocahontas": The new world is described as "an unsullied land across the sea" in this first opening and closing song.
* "Enemy or Friend": The Indian tribe struggles to understand the true purpose and intention of the white men.
* "Princess of Peace": Pocahontas' life is described in this closing song and referred to as the "princess of peace".

References

External links

*
* [http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/84910-Pocahontas.html "Pocahontas"] at the Big Cartoon Database