Shrek Review

Shrek


Release Date: 21st June 2001 - Australia


Production Companies
DreamWorks Pictures (presents)

DreamWorks Animation
Pacific Data Images (PDI)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Animation/Family/

Fantasy/Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 90 minutes


Budget: $60,000,000

Box Office Gross: $488,629,509 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A terrifying ogre named Shrek finds that fairy-tale creatures who were all exiled by the diminutive Lord Farquaad have invaded his swamp. Shrek begins his journey with the wisecracking Donkey to reclaim his swamp from Farquaad, who then cuts up a deal with the ogre to rescue Princess Fiona in exchange for its freedom.


Voice Cast
Mike Myers - Shrek/Blind Mouse
Eddie Murphy - Donkey
Cameron Diaz - Fiona
John Lithgow - Lord Farquaad
Vincent Cassel - Monsieur Hood
Conrad Vernon - Gingerbread Man
Chris Miller - Magic Mirror/

Geppetto
Cody Cameron - Pinocchio/

The Three Little Pigs
Simon J. Smith - Blind Mouse
Christopher Knights - Blind Mouse/Thelonius
Aron Warner - Big Bad Wolf
Jim Cummings - Captain of Guards
Kathleen Freeman - Old Woman
Bobby Block - Baby Bear
Michael Galasso - Peter Pan

Val Bettin - Bishop
Andrew Adamson - Duloc Mascot (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer: Song "Merry Men"/
Director - Andrew Adamson
Director - Vicky Jenson
Based Upon the Book "Shrek" - William Steig
Writers/Co-Producers - Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio
Writers - Joe Stillman and Roger S.H. Schulman
Additional Dialogue/Story

Artists - Cody Cameron, Chris Miller and Conrad Vernon

Associate Producer/Head of Production: PDI - Jane Hartwell
Executive Producers - Penney Finkelman Cox, Sandra Rabins and Steven Spielberg (Uncredited)

Co-Executive Producer - David Lipman
Producers - Jeffrey Katzenberg,

Aron Warner and John H. Williams

Production Designer - James Hegedus
Art Directors - Guillaume Aretos and
Douglas Rogers
Character Designer - Tom Hester

Character Designer/Supervising Animator -

Raman Hui

CG Visual Development - Wendy Rogers
Costume Designer - Isis Mussenden

Co-Heads of Story - Randy Cartwright

and David Lowery

Directing Animators - Tim Cheung,

Paul Chung, Denis Couchon,

Donnachada Daly and James Straus

Additional Supervising Animator - Rex Grignon
Head of Layout - Simon J. Smith

Layout Production Supervisors -

Denise Nolan Cascino and Laura Lockwood

Animation Software Development Director -

Ken Pearce
Visual Effects Supervisor - Ken Bielenberg

Character Technical Director Co-Supervisors -

Lucia Modesto and Lucas Prasso

Lead Character Technical Directors -

Beth Hofer and Dick Walsh

Sequence Supervisors: Lighting and Effects -

Susan Hayden, Philippe Gluckman,

Apurva Shah, Paul Wang, Janet Rentel and

Mark Wendell

Film Editor - Sim Evan-Jones

Second Editor - Mike Andrews

Supervising Sound Editors - Wylie Stateman

and Lon Bender

Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Nelson

and Anna Behlmer

Foley Artists - James Moriana and

Jeffrey Wilhoit

Music - Harry Gregson-Williams and
John Powell

Music Supervisor - Marylata Elton

Additional Music Mixer - Alan Meyerson


Awards

2002 Academy Awards
Best Animated Feature - Aron Warner (Won)
------------------------
Best Adapted Screenplay - Ted Elliott,

Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman and

Roger S.H. Schulman (Nominated)


Review

A childhood classic of its day, I cannot remember the last time I watched SHREK when attending school. It has been a long time, and the film has not changed. The concept of SHREK had been in its consideration not long before DreamWorks started to imitate the charm of Pixar in their computer-animated features, and it was its game-changer. The studio and its rivals tried to replicate the formula and style in other movies, but none have the anachronism and goofiness of SHREK. The team behind the feature was not afraid to mock Disney and satirise the magical world of fairy tales that had previously been in animation (like Pinocchio, The Three Little Pigs, Snow White, etc.). Along with these Disney references, there are several pop-cultural references to any movie that anyone may recognise. The animation and humour have aged better with innuendos and adult jokes.

The film's best aspects include the witty dialogue and stellar voice acting from a few A-list celebrities like Mike Myers as the titular character of the lovable ogre. The distinguishable veteran comedian/actor Eddie Murphy gets to be in a show-stealing performance as the annoying, wisecracking Donkey. Cameron Diaz portrays Princess Fiona, and John Lithgow plays the main antagonist, Lord Farquaad.

Kids and adults will enjoy SHREK as they did years after its release. It is a cheerful and lighthearted animated movie that is delightfully funny. It started a franchise with three sequels, a spin-off and two television specials in the following years.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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