Alvin and the Chipmunks (film)

2007 film by Tim Hill

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Tim Hill
Screenplay by|

* Jon Vitti
* Will McRobb
Chris Viscardi

Story by| Jon Vitti
Based on| Alvin and the Chipmunks
by Ross Bagdasarian Sr.
Produced by|

* Janice Karman
* Ross Bagdasarian Jr.

Starring|

* Jason Lee
* David Cross
* Cameron Richardson
* Justin Long
* Matthew Gray Gubler
* Jesse McCartney

Cinematography| Peter Lyons Collister
Edited by| Peter E. Berger
Music by| Christopher Lennertz

Production
companies

* Fox 2000 Pictures[1]
* Regency Enterprises[1]
* Dune Entertainment[2]
* Bagdasarian Productions[2]

Distributed by| 20th Century Fox[1]

Release date

* December 14, 2007 (2007-12-14)

Running time

| 92 minutes[1]
Country| United States[1]
Language| English
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] directed by Tim Hill from a screenplay by Jon Vitti and the writing team of Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi, based on the characters of the same name created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. and the film was thus dedicated in his memory.[4] The film stars Jason Lee, David Cross and Cameron Richardson, while Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney voice the titular Chipmunks.[4] The film follows the 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.

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".[5] However, it grossed $361.3 million worldwide against a $60 million budget[6][3] and was the seventh-best-selling DVD of 2008 in the United States.

The film was followed by three sequels: The Squeakquel (2009), Chipwrecked (2011), and The Road Chip (2015).[7]

## Plot

[edit]

Three talking chipmunks Alvin, Simon, and Theodore reside in a fir tree alone, after their parents left them to fend for themselves. The tree is cut down and driven to Los Angeles after JETT Records purchases it as a Christmas tree. Meanwhile, struggling songwriter/composer Dave Seville has his latest demo rejected by their chief executive, Ian Hawke who was his college roommate, and suggests that Dave quit writing songs. The Chipmunks hop into a basket of muffins that Dave stole from one of Ian's subordinates and follow Dave home.

Dave discovers the Chipmunks in his home. He forces them to leave, but then he hears them sing "Only You (And You Alone)" and "Funkytown". This leads to him making a deal with the Chipmunks to sing songs that he writes in exchange for food and shelter. That night, after hearing the Chipmunks hum in their sleep, Dave stays up writing a song for them. The next day, Dave plays his piano and the Chipmunks began to practice, singing the song, "Christmas Don't Be Late". However, when Dave tries to present the Chipmunks to Ian, they fail to sing because of stage fright. The day worsens as Dave is dismissed from his advertising job due to the Chipmunks having unknowingly ruined his presentation boards by drawing and writing on them. While hosting dinner with former girlfriend Claire, Dave struggles to hide the Chipmunks after Alvin attempts to create a romantic atmosphere, making Claire uncomfortable and ultimately causing her to leave. As an apology to Dave, the Chipmunks go to Ian's lavish mansion, where they sing Dave's song, prompting Ian to sign a record deal and give Dave his job back as a songwriter for JETT.

The Chipmunks quickly become an international success. Dave, concerned for their well-being, insists that the Chipmunks are too young to handle fame, but Ian convinces them that Dave is reducing their success. After a misunderstanding and after reading an old letter Dave wrote about them going back to the forest, the Chipmunks choose to go live with Ian, whose only interest is profiting off the Chipmunks' success as they set off on a nationwide cross-country tour. He also exploits their naïveté by overworking them constantly. When Ian's plan to take the Chipmunks on a twelve-month international tour is revealed on the news, Dave decides to infiltrate their concert at the Orpheum Theatre to retrieve them.

Before their tour can begin, a veterinarian explains to Ian that the Chipmunks' voices have been worn out due to exhaustion and suggests that they take a long rest. Unwilling to cancel the concert and issue refunds, Ian advises the Chipmunks to lip sync. Dave sneaks into the concert with help from Claire; the Chipmunks hear Dave calling and realizing that Ian has tricked them, they decide to sabotage the show by causing chaos onstage. Dave is stopped by security, and Ian catches the Chipmunks, locks them in a cage, and prepares to take them on their world tour. Dave tries to convince Ian to let the Chipmunks go by saying they need a real life but Ian refuses. He then escapes in his limousine with Dave in pursuit. When he loses Ian, the Chipmunks unexpectedly show up in his car. As Dave and the Chipmunks reconcile, Ian uncovers the escape, which costs him both his career and his fortune.

## Cast

[edit]

* Justin Long as Alvin (speaking voice)
* Ross Bagdasarian Jr. as Alvin (singing voice)
* Matthew Gray Gubler as Simon (speaking voice)
* Steve Vining as Simon (singing voice)
* Jesse McCartney as Theodore (speaking voice)
* Janice Karman as Theodore (singing voice)
* Jason Lee as David "Dave" Seville, a struggling songwriter and adoptive father figure to Alvin, Simon and Theodore
* David Cross as Ian Hawke, the CEO of JETT Records
* Cameron Richardson as Claire Wilson, a photographer and Dave's ex-girlfriend
* Jane Lynch as Gail, an advertising executive and Dave's former boss
* Kevin Symons as Ted, Dave's former co-worker
* Frank Maharajh as Barry, Dave's former co-worker
* Veronica Alicino as Amy, Dave's former co-worker

SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny) and Mr. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown) from SpongeBob SquarePants appear on Dave's television when the Chipmunks watch the episode "Have You Seen This Snail?".

## Production

[edit]

### Development

[edit]

Ross Bagdasarian Jr., the son of Alvin and the Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian Sr. who revived the franchise after his father's death in 1972, dreamed of making a live-action Alvin film since 1997, "and the dream has had many nightmare moments."[8] In June 1997, Robert Zemeckis was attached to direct a live action adaptation of Alvin and the Chipmunks with Steven Spielberg producing with Universal Pictures,[9] but it was shelved after the estate of Ross Bagdasarian Sr. filed suit against Universal in September 2000.[10] On September 17, 2004, Fox 2000 Pictures, 20th Century Fox Animation and Bagdasarian Productions announced they would collaborate to create a live-action computer-generated film starring Alvin and the Chipmunks.[11] On April 17, 2005, Jon Vitti, writer of The Simpsons, was revealed to be writing the screenplay.[12] On January 24, 2007, it was announced Tim Hill, former writer of Rocko's Modern Life and SpongeBob SquarePants was in talks with Fox to direct the film, having previously directed Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties.[13]

### Casting

[edit]

Chevy Chase, Jim Carrey, Tim Allen, John Travolta, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Bill Murray were originally considered for the role of David Seville.[14][15][16] On March 7, 2007, Jason Lee joined the project to play David Seville,[17] and Cameron Richardson signed on March 21.[18] David was a more clean-cut character for Lee than his past roles, which he appreciated.[19] Patton Oswalt, Tom Cruise and Brian Posehn were approached to play Ian Hawke but all declined.[20]

Bagdasarian and his wife, Janice Karman, had always voiced the chipmunks since they revived the franchise; however, for the film, they were replaced by Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney for marketing reasons,[21] despite the fact that for the first trailer of the film, Bagdasarian and Karman voiced the chipmunks.

For recording, the chipmunk voice actors spoke their lines slowly to be sped up to normal speed in post-production; McCartney described it as a "tedious process", where "it could take 40 takes for one line." He was such an Alvin and the Chipmunks fan that he even owned the album Chipmunk Punk (1980), and studied 1980s Alvin cartoons for his role in the film.[22]

### Filming

[edit]

Principal photography began on March 28, 2007,[23] making it the first film to be produced under the leadership of Fox Animation president Vanessa Morrison.[24] Seville's house was built on Sunset Gower Studios and contains references to Bagdasarian Sr.'s life. The set pieces included an upright piano he used to write his songs and a flower visual he painted; the house's address number includes 1958, the year he created the chipmunk characters; and the house design is based on a cottage built in 1919, the year Bagdasarian Sr. was born.[19] In shots where Lee interacted with the chipmunks, the actor rehearsed with small stuffed animals indicating where the chipmunks would be; the animals were then removed when it was time to shoot, and he used his memory of where the animals were.[25]

### Visual effects

[edit]

The Chipmunks were animated by Rhythm and Hues Studios, a company that previously animated creatures for projects such as Mouse Hunt (1997); Scooby-Doo (2002); The Cat in the Hat (2003); The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005); and Babe (1995), the latter of which garnered Rhythm & Hues an Academy Award.[25] As with all of its past projects, Rhythm & Hues used its own software for animating Alvin and the Chipmunks, such as Voodoo and Icy, which was used for placing the CGI into live-action shots;[25] although Autodesk programs like Flame and Maya were used.[26]

According to Bagdasarian Jr., getting the look of the chipmunks suited for a live-action setting while maintaining the essence of the cartoon designs was challenging, and it took until September 10, 2006, for the artists to get it right.[27] Hill instructed the artists to make the chipmunks look realistic, but not entirely like chipmunks.[25] In addition to observing real chipmunks offered by Universal Studios, Rhythm and Hues studied all versions of the chipmunk characters from past Alvin media for conceiving, fur-texturing, and animating designs for the film.[25] Human dancers were referenced for animating the dance movements of the chipmunks, and YouTube videos of famous guitarists playing the guitar influenced how Alvin's guitar-playing was animated.[25] High-dynamic-range images of sets were also used for lighting the chipmunks to fit the live-action shots.[25] The most difficult part of integrating the CGI critters in the live-action shots was match moving for instances when they climb on Seville's head.[25] For scenes where the chipmunks interacted with props, some of them were live-action props while others, such as a paper airplane, were produced and animated with computers.[25]

## Music

[edit]

Main article: Alvin and the Chipmunks (soundtrack)

The soundtrack was released November 20, 2007, three weeks before the film's opening, and contains new versions of old songs such as "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas, Don't Be Late)" (as made famous by David Seville and the Chipmunks), cover versions of songs such as "Bad Day" (as made famous by Daniel Powter) and "Funkytown" (as made famous by Lipps Inc.) and new songs such as "Coast 2 Coast", "Get You Goin'" and "Get Munk'd". The second track on the album is "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)", a remake version, without Jason Lee as the voice of Dave. However, the seventh track, the rock version of the song, features Lee as the voice of Dave. The soundtrack is the first album to be released in three years by Bagdasarian Productions, and is the group's 43rd album overall. Four songs from the album have charted on the Billboard Hot 100.[28]

The album has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments of over one million copies, thereby becoming the Chipmunks' third Platinum album, sixth RIAA-certified album and the first since Chipmunks in Low Places (which also went Platinum).[29]

The film's original score was composed and conducted by Christopher Lennertz, a fan of the Chipmunks since childhood.[30] La-La Land Records released a limited edition album on September 19, 2008.

## Release

[edit]

### Marketing

[edit]

The first poster for Alvin and the Chipmunks was revealed online on July 4, 2007.[31] Later that month, Fox launched the official website for Alvin and the Chipmunks with only a trailer and synopsis;[32] Several games were added later on.[33] In an August 2007 survey of 750 American teens ran by eCRUSH and OTX, Alvin and the Chipmunks, alongside Saw IV, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Mama's Boy, Fred Claus, I Am Legend, and Enchanted, were the most anticipated films of the 2007 fall and winter seasons in the group.[34]

## Reception

[edit]

### Predictions

[edit]

Months before its release, bloggers predicted Alvin and the Chipmunks to be terrible because of the involvement of the director of Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006);[35][36] the writers of Snow Day (2000), the Ice Age films, Robots (2005) and Big Momma's House 2 (2006);[36] and the poor quality of previous live-action adaptations of old cartoons.[35]

### Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 29% of 108 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Though cutely rendered, Alvin and the Chipmunks suffers from bland potty humor and a rehashed kids' movie formula."[4] The website reported that "critics say this may be the weakest vehicle for the helium-voiced rodents yet," elaborating, "the pundits say despite a few laughs, this is pretty bland stuff: dated, weakly constructed, and lacking in three-dimensional characters of the human or CGI variety."[37] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 39 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[38] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it grade A, on a scale of A+ to F.[39]

Several film reviewers praised Cross' performance as the villain.[40][41]

Ty Burr of the Boston Globe said, "the script leans heavily on the pranks and big-eyed cuteness of the li'l guys and leaves the live actors with unfunny dialogue and nothing to do."[42] According to The New York Times, "its animated protagonists are egregiously eclipsed by the live-action characters."[41] Chicago Reader criticized the "cardboard" characters of David Seville and Ian Hawke.[43] The most common censure was the film's satire on commercialism, which was hypocritical due to being bombarded with popular brands, including the chipmunks themselves.[43][44][45][46][47][48][49] Explained Burr, the film's message "is torn between the glitz that sells and the homilies that endure."[42]

Some critics disliked Lee's under-acting, particularly his underwhelming yelling of the word "Alvin!"[a] In Premiere's view, "Jason Lee makes for a sympathetic Dave, yet there's an almost somnambulistic quality to his performance,"[54] and Vice wrote that Lee's "rather 'cartoony' acting style here leaves a lot to be desired."[52] However, Lee's acting did have some supporters for working as a likable protagonist,[56][49][57] such as Time Out, a source that thought his "wry approach lends an edge to some of the script's wittier moments."[46] Some reviewers praised Cross' performance,[b] such as Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic who called the villain the highlight of the film: "Cross is hilarious in everything he does, but he's surprisingly effective in a kids comedy. His villainy is so broad that it's never really scary, and he's so funny that you never tire of seeing him on-screen."[59] However, one reviewer, Tim Robey, admitted to being annoyed by Cross in the film.[48] Premiere called Richardson "sufficiently adorable and winsome, though the film's purity makes it difficult to imagine any sort of romantic entanglement."[54] Wrote Roger Ebert, "Jason Lee and David Cross manfully play roles that require them, as actors, to relate with empty space that would later be filled with CGI."[60]

The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "the values and the CGI are good."[61] Some critics praised the chipmunk protagonists;[43][44] with Vice writing they were "integrated pretty well into the live-action elements."[52] The A.V. Club wrote, "the manic Chipmunks wear out their welcome pretty quickly."[51] The Globe and Mail also commented on the shot composition: "you've got regulation-height dancers and musicians backing a singing group the size of kids' mittens."[62] "As rendered here by the average-looking CGI effects, the characters are underwhelming in their appeal, lacking the charm of their previous animated incarnations," summarized The Hollywood Reporter.[57] Some reviewers, including Ebert, also panned the lack of distinction between the chipmunks.[60][61] However, Variety thought there was a "persuasive interaction of human and digital co-stars."[50]

### Accolades

[edit]

Fox submitted Alvin and the Chipmunks to the Academy Awards for a Best Animated Feature before the film had a theatrical run required for the award;[63] it wasn't nominated. Upon the announcement of the submitted films, Brad Brevet of ComingSoon.net questioned the submission of a live-action/animated film like Alvin: "I mean, why wouldn't Transformers then be considered animated?"[64] While the Movieguide Awards named Alvin and the Chipmunks the third best family film of 2007,[65] PopMatters called it the second worst film of the year.[66] It was also named one of 2007's worst pictures by science fiction writer John Varley.[67] In 2011, Entertainment Weekly ranked Alvin and the Chipmunks the third worst live-action/animation hybrid film of all-time.[68] In terms of lists regarding the worst talking animal films of all time, both Complex and Screen Rant named it eleventh worst.[69][70] In 2013, it was ranked by GamesRadar the 48th worst Christmas movie ever.[71] In 2016, Box Office Prophets ranked it the fifth worst live-action film based on a cartoon.[72] The film also won a Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie, a BMI Film & TV Award for Film Music, and was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Family Feature Film (Fantasy or Musical).

#### Response towards Cross

[edit]

Negative fan responses as well as a joke about Cross' involvement in Alvin and the Chipmunks made in a blog by Patton Oswalt (pictured) influenced Cross to write on his blog about why he worked on the film.

Despite the critical praise towards his performance, Cross' appearance in Alvin and the Chipmunks was negatively received by fans of the comedian, The New York Observer reporting blog comments that called him a "smug, condescending asshole" and "a huge prick".[73] On December 10, 2007, comedian Patton Oswalt published a writing on his MySpace blog titled "Godawful/Thank God", where he revealed he and Brian Posehn were approached for the part of Ian for Alvin and the Chipmunks; he made the following remark in the post: "We both threw the script across the room in disgust. David Cross caught it."[74]

All of this prompted Cross to publicly discuss his involvement with the film on his website The Bob and Davider on December 31, 2007.[75] He explained that he actually was offered the role before the casting team approached Oswalt and Posehn, but rejected. He got the offer again after six months of failing to find acting work and having a down payment on a cottage in the middle of Sullivan County, New York due; this time, he accepted the role out of desperation.[75] He also admitted in the post he never saw the film, and hoped that his post "hopefully lessens some of the sense that I'm some kind of whore sell-out who doesn't care about anything but making money."[75] The post only garnered more bad comments on blog stories about it: a Defamer reader commented that it was "the shittiest fucking defense since the Nuremberg trials," an A.V. Club user stated that "he's digging his own grave, professionally," and a Stereogum reader thought he "wouldn't mind if [Cross] dies."[73]

Oswalt responded to the post via The A.V. Club on January 2, 2008. He revealed that the comment towards Cross was nothing more than a "snide, private in-joke between us" that referenced a comment Cross made at a party in New York in March 2006; Cross had just received the script for Failure to Launch and stated, "Man, they sent me that script, and I read ten pages and threw it across the room." He called blog comments that responded to Cross' writing "very entertaining", but also concluded, "I don't care what any of my friends – or, for that matter, enemies – does to pay the bills. I think my role in this is finished, so it's up to someone else to mention your massive cash donations to Operation Rescue, or your upcoming tour with Toby Keith."[74]

When it came to responses from professional writers towards Cross' behavior in the debacle, Jeff Bergstrom of BrooklynVegan opined that "no explanation was needed; a person needs work. And to be honest, I found his 5 part response to be a mega-invaluable resource for learning what Cross has been up to these days."[76] Gawker stated the post "will effectively quash any burgeoning feud between two of our favorite comedians—especially since Cross demonstrated the above-referenced respect for his Pixar-blessed peer by not noting Oswalt's longtime involvement in King of Queens."[77] C. Robert Cargill, on the other hand, thought that while Cross gave "pretty good reasons" in his post, "he forgot that he could drop some really biting sarcasm in the place of a 1000-word diatribe" and "lost" in responding to Oswalt.[78]

Playlist was very harsh, calling Cross' post an "extremely lengthy and tedious defense" and that "at least Jason Lee had the good sense to take the pay check and shut the fuck up."[79] Writing for The A.V. Club, Steve Hyden called Cross' blog post a "snide, dishonest, and largely unsuccessful attempt" to deflect the harsh responses thrown at him. He cited similar public statements Cross made when involved in previous projects, such as when he discussed being in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Bombshell" with Time Out Chicago; he elaborated, "Even at his funniest Cross is distant, cold, untouchable; he either can't admit to the occasional lame moment in his own life or he honestly believes he's above the foibles the rest of us idiots are guilty of every day."[80]

A week after Cross-published on his blog, The New York Observer interviewed him and reported that he "seemed genuinely hurt by the criticism he was being subjected to online." Cross stated while being interviewed:[73]

> There's no small part of people wanting to call you on your shit. And I think some of It's deserved on my part, but I also think a lot of it isn't. I think a lot of it is lazy and not really thoughtful. Look, do I really think that Lobsterboy103 thinks that I'm 'evil'? Of course not … But It's just the Internet, you know. It's tippity-tappity-tippity-tap … [here he mimics simian typing] … Done. Hit send.

In 2014, Flavorwire named Oswalt's snide remark in the MySpace blog the 30th harshest comedian-on-comedian insult of all time.[81]

### Box office

[edit]

Alvin and the Chipmunks was released in North America on December 14, 2007. The film grossed $44.3 million in 3,475 theaters its opening weekend averaging to about $12,750 per venue, and placing second at the box office behind I Am Legend.[82][83] Its second weekend was $28.2 million, behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets and I Am Legend. On its third weekend, it surpassed I Am Legend for number 2 at the box office, but still ranked behind National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The film closed on Thursday June 5, 2008, making $217.3 million in the US and $144 million overseas for a total of $361.3 million worldwide.[83] The sustained box-office success surprised the studio; Elizabeth Gabler of Fox 2000 told the Los Angeles Times, "I look at the numbers every day, and we just laugh". Given its $60 million budget, Alvin was far more profitable than either I Am Legend or National Treasure: Book of Secrets.[84] According to MTV, it also became the highest-grossing talking animal/cartoon adaptation until its sequel. It is also 20th Century Fox's highest-grossing film in the US to be released in 2007.[6]

### Home media

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Alvin and the Chipmunks was released on DVD and Blu-ray on April 1, 2008.

### Video game

[edit]

Main article: Alvin and the Chipmunks (video game)

The video game for this film was released December 4, 2007 for the Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and the PC. It was written and produced by DeeTown Entertainment.

## Sequels

[edit]

Main article: Alvin and the Chipmunks in film § Theatrical live-action films

A sequel, titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, was released on December 23, 2009. Zachary Levi joined the cast to replace Jason Lee due to his small role and because of his role on My Name Is Earl; the main cast members reprised their roles for the sequel and the film also re-introduced the Chipettes. A third film, titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, was released on December 16, 2011. A fourth and final film, titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, was released on December 18, 2015.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ [50][51][52][53][54][44][40][55]
2. ^ [40][41][58][45][56][50]

## References

[edit]

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. ^ a b c "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
5. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on June 30, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
6. ^ a b "Alvin & The Chipmunks To Meet Chipettes in Sequel?". MTV Movie Blog. Archived from the original on January 15, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ "A Chipmunk Interview – part 1". Channel 24. December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
9. ^ "Santa Maria Times from Santa Maria, California". Newspapers.com. June 19, 1997. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
10. ^ "Family of Chipmunks' Originator Files Suit Against Universal Studios". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 2000. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
11. ^ Brodesser, Claude (September 14, 2004). "'Alvin' to squeak again". Variety. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
12. ^ Brodesser, Claude (April 17, 2005). "Fox Animation ups Cohen". Variety. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
13. ^ LaPorte, Nicole (January 24, 2007). "Hill to direct 'Chipmunks'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
14. ^ Evans, Bradford (September 22, 2011). "The Lost Roles of Chevy Chase". New York. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
15. ^ Evans, Bradford (October 26, 2011). "The Lost Roles of Tim Allen". New York. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
16. ^ Evans, Bradford (February 16, 2012). "The Lost Roles of Bill Murray, Part Two". New York. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
17. ^ McNary, Dave (March 7, 2007). "'Chipmunks' befriend 'Earl' star". Variety. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
18. ^ Dodd, Stacy (March 21, 2007). "Cameron Richardson". Variety. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
19. ^ a b Rosen, Lisa (November 4, 2007). "Out of thin air". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
20. ^ "The Lost Roles of Patton Oswalt". December 8, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
21. ^ "Alvin, Chipmunks Stay In The Family". Billboard. December 11, 2007. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
22. ^ Eisinger, Amy (March 20, 2008). "Jesse McCartney". Seventeen. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
23. ^ Grove, Chris (March 8, 2007). "Earl Meets the Chipmunks". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
24. ^ Sperling, Nicole (March 8, 2007). "Alvin!!!!! Lee pops for 'Chipmunks'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
25. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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.
26. ^ Ball, Ryan (December 21, 2007). "Autodesk Behind Holiday Blockbusters". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
27. ^ Garfinkel, Jacki (September 11, 2006). "Alvin, Simon and Theodore are Coming Back". Media Village. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
28. ^ Hasty, Katie (April 9, 2008). "Strait Speeds Past R.E.M. To Debut At No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
29. ^ "Chart Shakers". Billboard. April 10, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
30. ^ "A Note From The Composer," liner notes, score album, La-La Land Records LLLCD 1077
31. ^ "Here are Alvin and the Chipmunks". ComingSoon.net. July 4, 2007. Archived from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
32. ^ Strowbridge, C.S. (July 29, 2007). "Movie Website Updates for July 22 – July 28, 2007". The Numbers. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
33. ^ Strowbridge, C.S. (December 15, 2007). "Movie Website Reviews for Weekend of December 15, 2007". The Numbers. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
34. ^ Schiller, Gail (August 27, 2007). "Study: TV, trailers keep teens tuned to movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
35. ^ a b Vespe, Eric (March 8, 2007). "Oh God, Jason Lee why? ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS movie from the mind-blowing talents behind the GARFIELD movie sequel?!?". Ain't It Cool News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
36. ^ a b Sciretta, Peter (July 3, 2007). "Alvin and The Chipmunks Movie Poster". /Film. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
37. ^ Ryan, Tim (December 13, 2007). "Critical Consensus: I Am Legend All Over the Map, Chipmunks Hits Sour Note". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
38. ^ "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
39. ^ "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on February 6, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
40. ^ a b c Willman, Chris (April 4, 2008). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
41. ^ a b c Webster, Andy (December 14, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
42. ^ a b Burr, Ty (December 14, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
43. ^ a b c Gronvall, Andrea (December 20, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
44. ^ a b c "Movie Reviews: Alvin and the Chipmunks, Look, The Perfect Holiday". LA Weekly. December 12, 2007. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
45. ^ a b Hartlaub, Peter (December 14, 2007). "Review: 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' get a 21st century update". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
46. ^ a b "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Time Out London. December 17, 2007. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
47. ^ Fox, Ken (May 18, 2008). "Alvin And The Chipmunks". TV Guide. Archived from the original on April 7, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
48. ^ a b Robey, Tim (December 21, 2007). "Film reviews: St Trinian's, Alvin and the Chipmunks and A Comedy of Power". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
49. ^ a b Smith, Anna (July 4, 2007). "Alvin And The Chipmunks Review". Empire. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
50. ^ a b c Leydon, Joe (December 13, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Variety. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
51. ^ a b Phipps, Keith (December 12, 2007). "Alvin And The Chipmunks". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
52. ^ a b c Vice, Jeff (December 13, 2007). "Film review: Alvin and the Chipmunks". Deseret News. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
53. ^ Hunter, Stephen (December 14, 2007). "Singing the Same Old Song". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
54. ^ a b c Grant, Andrew (December 13, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". Premiere. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
55. ^ Ordona, Michael (December 14, 2007). "'Chipmunks' hits kid-friendly note". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
56. ^ a b "Alvin And The Chipmunks". Daily Mirror. December 21, 2007. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
57. ^ a b Scheck, Frank (December 13, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
58. ^ Weitzman, Elizabeth (June 3, 2008). "'Chipmunks' drive us to rodent rage". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
59. ^ Goodykoontz, Bill (December 13, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
60. ^ a b Ebert, Roger (December 13, 2007). "Alvin and the Chipmunks". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
61. ^ a b Rickey, Carrie (December 14, 2007). "Please, Alvin, don't be so darned nice". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
62. ^ Cole, Stephen (December 14, 2007). "Funny, till the 'munks get funky". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
63. ^ "12 Animated Features Submitted for Oscar Consideration". ComingSoon.net. November 8, 2007. Archived from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
64. ^ Brevet, Brad (November 1, 2007). "2008 Oscars: The Animated Oscar Quandary". ComingSoon.net. Archived from the original on January 4, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
65. ^ Garcia, Elena (February 14, 2008). "Top 10 Movies of 2007 Announced at 'Christian Oscars'". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on May 1, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
66. ^ "Super Duper Bad: The Worst Films of 2007". PopMatters. January 10, 2008. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
67. ^ Varley, John (2008). "Varley's Best and Worst Films of 2007". Varley.net. Archived from the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
68. ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa; Gleiberman, Owen (April 1, 2011). "5 Best -- and 5 Worst -- Live-Action/Animation Hybrid Movies". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
69. ^ Striga, Danijel (December 17, 2015). "11 Worst Movies Starring Talking Animals". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
70. ^ Barone, Matt (March 30, 2011). "The 15 Most Obnoxious Movie Animals". Complex. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
71. ^ Kinnear, Simon (December 9, 2013). "100 Worst Christmas Movies". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
72. ^ "A-List: Worst Live Action Movies based on Cartoons". Box Office Prophets. April 14, 2016. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
73. ^ a b c Haber, Matt (January 10, 2008). "In Defense of David Cross". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
74. ^ a b Oswalt, Patton (January 2, 2008). "Patton Oswalt Responds". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
75. ^ a b c Cross, David (December 31, 2007). "Allllllviiiiin!". The Bob and Davider. Archived from the original on January 3, 2008. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
76. ^ Bergstrom, Jeff (January 4, 2008). "David, Patton, Theodore". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
77. ^ Mark (January 2, 2008). "David Cross Explains The Soul-Searching That Accompanied Cashing His 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' Paycheck". Gawker. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
78. ^ Robert Cargill, C. (January 11, 2008). "Comedian David Cross And The Great Chipmunk Debacle". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
79. ^ Perez, Rodrigo (January 3, 2008). "David Cross Defends Participation In Wretched 'Alvin And The Chipmunks' Film". The Playlist. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
80. ^ Hyden, Steven (January 2, 2008). "David Cross' "I haven't worked in six months!" defense". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
81. ^ Herman, Alison (August 27, 2014). "The 30 Harshest Comedian-on-Comedian Insults in History". Flavorwire. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
82. ^ Sperling, Nicole (December 17, 2007). "I Am Legend sets record". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
83. ^ a b "Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on December 9, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2007.
84. ^ "'Alvin's' broad appeal pays off". Los Angeles Times. January 3, 2008. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Alvin and the Chipmunks (film).

## External links

[edit]

* Alvin and the Chipmunks at IMDb
* Alvin and the Chipmunks at the TCM Movie Database
* Alvin and the Chipmunks at AllMovie
* Alvin and the Chipmunks at Box Office Mojo

* v
* t
* e

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Characters|

* Alvin and the Chipmunks
* David Seville
* The Chipettes
* Clyde Crashcup

Music|

| Singles|

* "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)"
* "Alvin's Harmonica"
* "Alvin's Orchestra"
* "Alvin for President"

|

Albums|

* Let's All Sing with The Chipmunks
* Sing Again with The Chipmunks
* Around the World with The Chipmunks
* The Alvin Show
* The Chipmunk Songbook
* Christmas with The Chipmunks
* The Chipmunks Sing the Beatles Hits
* The Chipmunks Sing with Children
* Chipmunks à Go-Go
* The Chipmunks See Doctor Dolittle
* The Chipmunks Go to the Movies
* The Very Best of The Chipmunks
* Chipmunk Punk
* Urban Chipmunk
* A Chipmunk Christmas
* Chipmunk Rock
* The Chipmunks Go Hollywood
* Songs from Our TV Shows
* 'Munk Rock
* Solid Gold Chipmunks
* The Chipmunks and The Chipettes: Born to Rock
* The Chipmunks Rock the House
* Chipmunks in Low Places
* Greatest Hits
* Here's Looking at Me!
* A Very Merry Chipmunk
* When You Wish Upon a Chipmunk
* Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes
* The A-Files: Alien Songs
* Greatest Hits: Still Squeaky After All These Years
* Undeniable

Soundtracks|

* Alvin and the Chipmunks
* The Chipmunk Adventure (soundtrack)
* The Squeakquel
* Chipwrecked
* Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks (soundtrack)
* We're the Chipmunks (Music from the TV Show)

Television series|

* The Alvin Show (1961–1962)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983–1990)
* episodes
* Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks (2015–2023)
* episodes

Specials and
home video|

* A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)
* A Chipmunk Reunion (1985)
* Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990; guest appearance)
* Rockin' Through the Decades (1991)

Feature films|

| Animated|

* The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)

|

Live-action|

* Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
* The Squeakquel (2009)
* Chipwrecked (2011)
* The Road Chip (2015)

Direct-to-video|

* Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein (1999)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman (2000)
* Little Alvin and the Mini-Munks (2003)

Video games|

* Alvin and the Chipmunks
* Nickelodeon Super Brawl

People|

* Ross Bagdasarian
* Ross Bagdasarian Jr.
* Janice Karman

Related|

* "Witch Doctor"
* Bagdasarian Productions

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie

* Beverly Hills Cop II (1988)
* Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1989)
* Look Who's Talking (1990)
* Home Alone (1991)
* The Addams Family (1992)
* Jurassic Park (1994)
* The Lion King (1995)
* Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1996)
* Independence Day (1997)
* Titanic (1998)
* The Rugrats Movie (1999)
* Big Daddy (2000)
* How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2001)
* Rush Hour 2 (2002)
* Austin Powers in Goldmember (2003)
* Finding Nemo (2004)
* The Incredibles (2005)
* Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2006)
* Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2007)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks (2008)
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2009)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2010)
* The Karate Kid (2011)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2012)
* The Hunger Games (2013)
* The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2014)
* The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2015)
* Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2016)
* Ghostbusters (2017)
* Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2018)
* Avengers: Infinity War (2019)
* Avengers: Endgame (2020)
* Wonder Woman 1984 (2021)
* Spider-Man: No Way Home (2022)
* Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2023)
* Barbie (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Tim Hill

Films directed|

* Muppets from Space (1999)
* Max Keeble's Big Move (2001)
* Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
* Hop (2011)
* Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever (2014; also screenwriter)
* The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (2020; also screenwriter)
* The War with Grandpa (2020)

Written only|

* The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
* Michael Jackson's Halloween (2017; TV special)

Television series developed|

* SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–present)
* Kenny the Shark (2003–2006)

* v
* t
* e

20th Century Animation

A subsidiary of 20th Century Studios.

Feature films|

| Released|

* The Simpsons Movie (2007)
* The Book of Life (2014)
* Ron's Gone Wrong (2021)
* The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)

| Fox Animation
Studios|

* Anastasia (1997)
* Bartok the Magnificent (1999)
* Titan A.E. (2000)

|

Blue Sky
Studios|

* Ice Age (2002)
* Robots (2005)
* Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)
* Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
* Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009)
* Rio (2011)
* Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)
* Epic (2013)
* Rio 2 (2014)
* The Peanuts Movie (2015)
* Ice Age: Collision Course (2016)
* Ferdinand (2017)
* Spies in Disguise (2019)

Walt Disney
Pictures[a]|

* Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2021)
* The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (2022)
* Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2022)
* Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022)
* Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever (2023)

Short films|

* Gone Nutty (2002)
* No Time for Nuts (2006)
* Surviving Sid (2008)
* The Longest Daycare (2012)
* The Predator Holiday Special (2018)
* Playdate with Destiny (2020)
* The Force Awakens from Its Nap (2021)
* The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021)
* The Simpsons | Balenciaga (2021)
* Plusaversary (2021)
* Ice Age: Scrat Tales (2022, TV series)
* When Billie Met Lisa (2022)
* Welcome to the Club (2022)
* The Simpsons Meet the Bocellis in "Feliz Navidad" (2022)
* Rogue Not Quite One (2023)
* May the 12th Be with You (2024)

Television specials|

* Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
* Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)
* Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (2016)

Associated
productions|

* FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
* Once Upon a Forest (1993)
* The Pagemaster (1994)
* Monkeybone (2001)
* Garfield: The Movie (2004)
* Fat Albert (2004)
* Everyone's Hero (2006)
* Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties (2006)
* Night at the Museum (2006)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)
* Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
* Aliens in the Attic (2009)
* Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
* The Croods (2013)
* Turbo (2013)
* Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
* How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
* Penguins of Madagascar (2014)
* Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
* Home (2015)
* Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)
* Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
* Trolls (2016)
* The Boss Baby (2017)
* Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
* Isle of Dogs (2018)

Franchises|

* The Simpsons
* Family Guy
* Ice Age
* Night at the Museum
* Alvin and the Chipmunks
* Diary of a Wimpy Kid
* Rio

People|

* Chris Wedge
* Carlos Saldanha
* Don Bluth
* Steve Martino

Related|

* 20th Television
* 20th Television Animation
* Terrytoons
* Fox Animation Studios
* Blue Sky Studios
* Animation on Fox
* Animation Domination
* Walt Disney Animation Studios
* List of 20th Century Studios theatrical animated feature films
* unproduced projects

1. ^ Originally in-production at 20th Century Studios, but were switched over to Walt Disney Pictures before completion.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template