Babar: King of the Elephants (1999): Dir: Raymond Jafelace / Voices: Dan Lett, Chris Wiggins, Elizabeth Hannah, Cody Jones, Wayne Robson: Another family film distracted with nitwit situations. Title takes "King" and "elephants" as a reference to massive responsibility. Classic children's story about an elephant named Babar whose mother is shot by poachers leaving him stranded. Ridiculous situations occur when he enters a city and receives dumb reactions from everybody. He eventually meets an elderly woman and buys clothes. She is obviously senile since she gives this elephant her purse to buy clothes. Elephant or not, he could have been a thief. When he returns home he becomes the new King where he will deal with a rhino feud. Perhaps the rhinos are disappointed with the lame script. Director Raymond Jafelace knows the tale well but that doesn't render it any less dumb. Babar is an interesting personality who becomes the one character with any form of charm. The old woman is a total write off. She is in need of a good psychiatrist and heavy medication. In reality animals just aren't met with such confusion or acceptance. No, they're usually shot at. Animation is hardly on par to what it could have become. An episode of South Park may not be for the same audience as this film but the characters have far more appeal than this shameless safari. Score: 2 ½ / 10

On TVO, a public TV network I subscribe to, there used to be a series called BABAR, which was in French and aired on Sunday evenings. This was based on the stories of BABAR, which I read as a child, at my beloved grandmother's house. The series was in live-action and was set in Paris; it was done by actors who were in costume and masked to look like the main characters. Possibly, the speech was dubbed as well. The series was authentic to the look of the original books right down to the clothing worn by the main characters, especially Babar's green suit. The show opened with a full face shot of Babar opening a disk with a drawing of himself on it with his (puppeteered) trunk.

There aren't really any spoilers here, unless one has never read the books, which is probably not too likely. But, I just wanted to be safe since I do point out a couple events in the cartoon.Babar: King of the Elephants is really a pretty good adaptation of the books to a cartoon, basically telling the events that are in some of the first few Babar books. The stories and characters are displayed faithfully, telling the events very much as they happen in the books, basically staying true to the stories, the themes, and the characters. There is some conflict, but it is mild and very appropriate even for the youngest of children.This film is not great art and it is nothing special in terms of animation, etc., but it is solid and gets the job done. The result is fairly entertaining, although a little more child-oriented than adults might like. Some scenes in particular are done quite well, such as the beginning with the "jungle" noises, the singing birds, and the credits, as well as the scene where Babar's mom is shot. On the other hand, some musical sequences like "getting the job done" as Babar makes his city are a little corny and definitely only kids are likely to appreciate it.I also want to add that I find this film far superior to the apparently more loved and well-known "Babar the Movie" and that one should not be confused between the two. In terms of style, animation, etc., the two are very similar, and a lot of the same people worked on both. However, Babar the Movie inexplicably strays from the stories, totally messing with the events as portrayed in the books. One example is that in Babar the Movie, Babar is a very young, and apparently reluctant, king at first, seemingly thrust into the position, and without Celeste as queen. This is completely different from the books, and this film, where Babar, although chosen king, is mature by then; is the one who makes the elephant society "complex" and urban, etc.; and marries Celeste as soon as he becomes king and before he builds the city. Moreover, the "war" with the rhinos in Babar the Movie is more violent, so it is not as good for really young children, and it is inexplicable and apparently senseless, unlike the fight in this movie or the first books. The story and conflict in Babar the movie may be based on some of the latest books in the series, but not any of the books I have read, and it differs in story and spirit from the Babar books with which I am familiar. Babar: KLing of the Elephants may be a little more "cutesy" than the books, and suffers for this, but it does basically stay faithful to them.

Nowadays all successful animation needs to be either packed with as many jokes for adults as kids (Toy Story, Antz) or need at least one smart mouthed sidekick for adult laughs (every Disney film of the past 10 years!).Babar is a older style of animation - if I had to guess when it was made I would never have got close to guessing 1999! The style is simplistic and lacking in style or flair but the elephants and other characters are faithful to the books and the basic visuals are good for younger kids. The story is based on the beginnings of the Babar story and follows him from childhood to growing up in with humans in the city and returning to build an elephant city later in life. The film shows his mother die - however it's not exactly a "bambi's mother" moment but it might still freak some children out.The story is simple enough to follow and it has some cute moments for adults while children will fall for the fun antics of the elephants. In terms of story the message conveyed at the start is that humans are intruding in this wonderfully relaxed and fun elephant culture - in the form of the hunter ending Babar's childhood innocence and separating him from his own kind. However the message then changes and the human culture is then the ideal, with Babar no longer seeking to play in mud but rather wear a green suit and live an aristocrat lifestyle of sorts. Once he returns to the great forest he keeps his clothing and frills (having decked out his friends) and uses his learning to beat the rhinos in a war. When he is then crowned he then sets around building a city in place of the great forest and giving the elephants all human jobs and clothes. What does this say to children? That our distinctly western human culture is better than the elephant culture that exists at the start of the film? At some level this must degrade the idea that other groups that don't live our way should be viewed as lesser unless they change to wear our clothes etc. Also Babar's "putting things right in the forest" by concreting it all into a huge city gives the impression that the natural environment is less desirable than a good human city.In terms of Babar the King - the film generally gives a good image to kids. Babar successfully avoids a war with rhinos and then negotiates peace, when he builds his city he ensures that every elephant has a place and is given human stuff equally. A socialist king! This impression that the King is on the same level as others and has equal right to clothes etc is good for children - rather than the idea that the royalty get the good life while the other elephants are given work but no frills!Overall the film will have simple laughs for young children but there's nothing for adults to check out - unless you read too much into the subplots like I did!