Alvin and the Chipmunks (film)

Alvin and the Chipmunks
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTim Hill
Screenplay by
Story byJon Vitti
Based onAlvin and the Chipmunks
by Ross Bagdasarian Sr.
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPeter Lyons Collister
Edited byPeter E. Berger
Music byChristopher Lennertz
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Fox[1]
Release date
  • December 14, 2007 (2007-12-14)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States[1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$60 million[3]
Box office$361.3 million[3]

Alvin and the Chipmunks is a 2007 American live-action animated jukebox musical comedy film[1] based on the characters Alvin and the Chipmunks created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr.; the film was dedicated in his memory.[4] Directed by Tim Hill from a screenplay by Jon Vitti and the writing team of Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi, the film stars Jason Lee, David Cross and Cameron Richardson, while Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney voice the titular Chipmunks. The film follows chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, who move in with struggling songwriter Dave Seville after they lose their home. When Dave discovers they have rare singing talent, he has them perform in front of JETT Records executive Ian Hawke, who then plans to trick them into living with him to profit off their success with a world tour.[5][6]

Development of Alvin and the Chipmunks began in 1997 when Ross Bagdasarian Jr. expressed interest in creating a live-action film. The project saw multiple changes before it was officially announced in September 2004 as a collaboration between Fox 2000 Pictures, 20th Century Fox Animation, and Bagdasarian Productions. The animation for the film was handled by Rhythm and Hues Studios, which studied real chipmunks and previous versions of the characters to design CGI models that retained the original essence. The integration of CGI with live-action footage presented challenges, particularly in scenes involving actor Jason Lee, who portrayed David Seville, requiring match-moving techniques and advanced visual effects software.[7]

Alvin and the Chipmunks was released in the United States on December 14, 2007, by 20th Century Fox. The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the film's humor and "rehashed kids' movie formula", while Cross’ performance as the villain received general praise.[8] It grossed $361.3 million worldwide against a $60 million budget[9][3] and was the third-best-selling DVD of 2008 in the United States.[10] The film's success spawned a live-action film series, which comprises the sequels Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009), Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015).[11]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)". BFI. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on July 28, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) | MUBI. Retrieved August 8, 2024 – via mubi.com.
  6. ^ Service, -Synopsis courtesy of Tribune Media (December 14, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". CITY Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  7. ^ Wolff, Ellen (December 14, 2007). "'Alvin and the Chipmunks': A Critter Christmas". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
  8. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on June 30, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference mtv was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Top-Selling DVD Titles in the United States 2008". The Numbers. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  11. ^ Kit, Borys (December 18, 2014). "'Alvin and the Chipmunks 4' Finds a Director (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2014.