We're the Chipmunks, C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K!
Published Saturday, December 22, 2007 by T-Man | E-mail this post
Ahhh…if you are over 30, then you probably watched Alvin and the Chipmunks when you were little. Those of you kids my age who might be reading the site probably have only heard of the movie, which has recently come on in theaters. Well, Alvin and the Chipmunks were a novelty band started around 1958 by Mr. Ross Bagdasarian. He sped up his own voice to sound like the Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, after which he put them on an album. The Chipmunks also had a caretaker named Dave Seville.
This whole Chipmunk thing came to be with the song, The Witch Doctor, where Ross sped up his voice in some parts, particularly when the Witch Doctor was talking. Everybody thought it was creative, so he created The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late), which you may have heard on the radio on your way home from school before Christmas Break began (awesome that Christmas Break has begun, isn’t it?). Then, he started speeding up songs, giving the Chipmunks their own versions of famous songs! Today, other people do it, and it’s a common practice on YouTube, but this ultimately ruins the songs. Sadly, my sister (who’s only 5 by the way) loves it, particularly Thnks Fr the Mmmrs, and plays it all the time, annoying me and my father to death. These singing chipmunks branched out into animation with The Alvin Show in the 60’s and Alvin and the Chipmunks in the 80’s.
How do I know this, being 11 years old, you ask? Research, and I could occasionally catch Alvin and the Chipmunks on Cartoon Network before they stopped showing it. I’ve also seen Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein and Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolf-Man.
Well, fast forward to Christmastime, 2007, when the new movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks, comes on, starring Ross Bagdasarian’s three little dudes. Featuring the new, more sophisticated style of humor, it’s a new look for the Chipmunks. They actually look more like real chipmunks this time around. They’re tiny, cute, CGI animated…what more couldja want?
The movie is hilarious. It deals with how Dave Seville is having trouble with his record company, since every song he writes is absolutely terrible, and no one would cover it. Then, he meets the chipmunk trio, who had their tree they were storing food in cut down during the Christmas tree craze, and stowed away in his goodie basked after escaping from the record company’s Christmas tree, which ended up being the tree they were storing nuts in. Disaster results, as the chipmunks are unaware that Dave is not exactly willing to share the food he has “stored for winter.” Dave sends them away, but he soon hears their singing talents. Finding this a good chance for someone to cover his songs, he allows them to stay at his house as long as they sing every song he throws at ‘em. Immediately after going to bed, he gets the idea for The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late), and has the chipmunks sing it the next morning. It works well, but his record company isn’t convinced of the chipmunks’ talents when they’re too frightened to sing in front of his manager, Ian. Feeling sorry, they sneak away at night and go to Ian’s house, where they pop out of no where and sing their song. Ian is very impressed, and immediately gives them a record deal. This ultimately leads to disaster, as the more popular they grow, the more Ian tries to convince them that they should live like rock stars and tour around everywhere; not the child life that Dave wants them to live. That’s when the rest of the plot begins to unfold.
The chipmunks’ talents are revealed right away, as the movie opens up with an a capella version of You Had a Bad Day. Further remixes are heard, like Funkytown and some opera. Aside from that, all other chipmunk songs heard are their original work from the good ol’ days, slightly remade for the music of today. These songs reek of “pop radio,” and as you probably know, the pop radio is evil. It is the reason that Fergalicious exists. It’s the reason I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie exists. It’s the reason just about every horrible song exists. It’s only every twenty years or so that a cool band like Nickelback or Creed comes around…
As you may have already assumed, this movie also passes as a Christmas movie. While the first Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (there may be a sequel if it does well), it also takes place at Christmastime, reflecting its release. Thus, if you think Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium or Fred Claus looks like crap, but you’re looking for a Christmas movie to see, then this can pass as one, too.
So, if you like the Chipmunks, then by all means, go see this movie. If you’re looking for a fun Christmas musical, then this movie’s also worth watching. If you hate the Chipmunks AND Christmas (bah-humbug), then avoid this movie.
Overall: Awesome! It passes as a fun Christmas movie as well as just an adventure with the Chipmunks.
This whole Chipmunk thing came to be with the song, The Witch Doctor, where Ross sped up his voice in some parts, particularly when the Witch Doctor was talking. Everybody thought it was creative, so he created The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late), which you may have heard on the radio on your way home from school before Christmas Break began (awesome that Christmas Break has begun, isn’t it?). Then, he started speeding up songs, giving the Chipmunks their own versions of famous songs! Today, other people do it, and it’s a common practice on YouTube, but this ultimately ruins the songs. Sadly, my sister (who’s only 5 by the way) loves it, particularly Thnks Fr the Mmmrs, and plays it all the time, annoying me and my father to death. These singing chipmunks branched out into animation with The Alvin Show in the 60’s and Alvin and the Chipmunks in the 80’s.
How do I know this, being 11 years old, you ask? Research, and I could occasionally catch Alvin and the Chipmunks on Cartoon Network before they stopped showing it. I’ve also seen Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein and Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolf-Man.
Well, fast forward to Christmastime, 2007, when the new movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks, comes on, starring Ross Bagdasarian’s three little dudes. Featuring the new, more sophisticated style of humor, it’s a new look for the Chipmunks. They actually look more like real chipmunks this time around. They’re tiny, cute, CGI animated…what more couldja want?
The movie is hilarious. It deals with how Dave Seville is having trouble with his record company, since every song he writes is absolutely terrible, and no one would cover it. Then, he meets the chipmunk trio, who had their tree they were storing food in cut down during the Christmas tree craze, and stowed away in his goodie basked after escaping from the record company’s Christmas tree, which ended up being the tree they were storing nuts in. Disaster results, as the chipmunks are unaware that Dave is not exactly willing to share the food he has “stored for winter.” Dave sends them away, but he soon hears their singing talents. Finding this a good chance for someone to cover his songs, he allows them to stay at his house as long as they sing every song he throws at ‘em. Immediately after going to bed, he gets the idea for The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late), and has the chipmunks sing it the next morning. It works well, but his record company isn’t convinced of the chipmunks’ talents when they’re too frightened to sing in front of his manager, Ian. Feeling sorry, they sneak away at night and go to Ian’s house, where they pop out of no where and sing their song. Ian is very impressed, and immediately gives them a record deal. This ultimately leads to disaster, as the more popular they grow, the more Ian tries to convince them that they should live like rock stars and tour around everywhere; not the child life that Dave wants them to live. That’s when the rest of the plot begins to unfold.
The chipmunks’ talents are revealed right away, as the movie opens up with an a capella version of You Had a Bad Day. Further remixes are heard, like Funkytown and some opera. Aside from that, all other chipmunk songs heard are their original work from the good ol’ days, slightly remade for the music of today. These songs reek of “pop radio,” and as you probably know, the pop radio is evil. It is the reason that Fergalicious exists. It’s the reason I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie exists. It’s the reason just about every horrible song exists. It’s only every twenty years or so that a cool band like Nickelback or Creed comes around…
As you may have already assumed, this movie also passes as a Christmas movie. While the first Alvin and the Chipmunks movie (there may be a sequel if it does well), it also takes place at Christmastime, reflecting its release. Thus, if you think Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium or Fred Claus looks like crap, but you’re looking for a Christmas movie to see, then this can pass as one, too.
So, if you like the Chipmunks, then by all means, go see this movie. If you’re looking for a fun Christmas musical, then this movie’s also worth watching. If you hate the Chipmunks AND Christmas (bah-humbug), then avoid this movie.
Overall: Awesome! It passes as a fun Christmas movie as well as just an adventure with the Chipmunks.
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