Mr Peabody and Sherman
After the latest hits of Turbo e The Croods, from 13 March 2014 Dreamworks' new animated film, Mr Peabody and Sherman, is coming to theaters, directed by Rob Minkoff.
Mr. Peabody, the smartest dog in the world, and together with his adopted son, a brat named Sherman, use the time machine, the Tornindietro, to embark on the most reckless adventures ever made by man or dog! When Sherman sets the Backstroke in motion to impress his schoolmate Penny, he accidentally punches a hole in the universe, wreaking havoc between the events of world history.
But before Mr. Peabody can change the past, present and future forever, Mr. Peabody will come to their aid, taking on the most difficult test that can be faced: being a parent. This time-traveling trio will leave a mark on history.
MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN is an adventurous comedy with elements of science fiction, time travel, extravagant characters and a brilliant dialogue, all seasoned with the unusual friendship of the two protagonists: a dog and a boy.
MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN is the story of the relationship between a father and a son. Mr. Peabody has adopted Sherman and raised him in the best possible way, but as can happen within a family, a difficult time comes, and both will have to grow and learn from their experiences to build a better bond. Even a genius like Mr. Peabody has something to learn when it comes to parenting. Mr. Peabody must realize that it's not always easy to understand a child, so he will find that one of the greatest challenges for a father is to let go of control.
To educate Sherman, Mr. Peabody uses decidedly unconventional educational methods: for example, he carries his son through time gaps. Time travel is a compelling idea that involves exciting adventures in unknown worlds.
The film's contemporary characters interact with historical figures, and these encounters produce moments of surprising embarrassment as well as a myriad of cultural misunderstandings.
To travel through the various eras it is good to follow a series of rules, such as never meeting yourself and trying to have the least possible impact on the past. The means by which Mr. Peabody and Sherman are transported into the folds of history is a fantastic contraption called Tornindietro, created by the greatest inventor in the world, Mr. Peabody.
This insightful little dog built this machine for Sherman to experience the story firsthand. The Tornindietro is much more than a vehicle: it is a character through and through, who becomes an integral part of the adventures of Mr. Peabody and Sherman.
Mr. Peabody and Sherman are now an established duo, a bit like "Laurel and Hardy, Batman and Robin, Sherlock Holmes and Watson". I'm
hilarious but let's not forget that Mr. Peabody is not a typical beagle: he is a business giant, an inventor, a scientist, a Nobel laureate, a gourmet, an Olympic champion, in short, an authentic genius who is also a dog only by chance.
Peabody possesses the intelligence of Einstein, the humor of Oscar Wilde, the audacity of Indiana Jones, the deductive skill of Sherlock Holmes, the aplomb of James Bond, and the culinary talent of Mario Batali. Her only difficulty is keeping up with her adopted son, a boy named Sherman. Peabody is completely dedicated to Sherman and from him he learns the one thing that even a genius like him ignores: how to be a parent!
Growing up with an adoptive father, the brilliant time traveler Peabody, gives Sherman various opportunities for adventure. Like most young people, he is prone to getting into trouble and sometimes doesn't know how to get out of it but Peabody always manages to solve even the most difficult problems created by his son.
Parents know that this kind of behavior can cause problems, and for Sherman, breaking the rules of time travel will have a huge consequence.
Aside from Mr. Peabody, there is one person very close to Sherman: his classmate Penny Peterson. Penny poses a double threat because she is beautiful and intelligent. She is the undisputed queen of the elementary school she attends, until Sherman arrives, who knows a lot more than she does. However, her natural charisma and the courage that distinguish her, together with an amiable and loyal nature, lay the foundations for a friendship with Sherman who will be able to stand the test of time ...
“Penny initially conflicts with Sherman, but we will soon see that he has a lot of qualities and as soon as he can put his sense of competition aside, he will realize that he is a really interesting kid. We will see Penny grow over the course of the film.
Before Penny, Sherman and Mr. Peabody embark on their incredible time travels, we will witness the first Tornindietro expedition in France of the French Revolution where father and son wish to meet the queen, who after meeting them will - literally - lose her head! Sherman and Peabody will try to thwart the peasant revolt that will change France forever, and Peabody will even end up with his neck on the guillotine. Fortunately Peabody, unlike the unfortunate queen, will be able to escape the blade, thanks to a strategic move and his talent as a swordsman.
To turn Peabody into an accomplished swordsman, the filmmakers recruited fencing and tournament knight experts who taught the animators how to handle weapons and keep their balance.
But despite the dangers faced in the French eighteenth century, and a daring escape through the sewers of Paris, the real adventure of Mr. Peabody, Sherman and Penny has yet to begin. A ride in the time machine will take Sherman and Penny to ancient Egypt where Penny will find herself betrothed to King Tut, who is only nine years old. Shortly after Peabody, Sherman and Penny visit an old friend of
Peabody, the great Leonardo Da Vinci, humorously voiced by Oscar-nominated actor Stanley Tucci. Our trio finds the artist-scientist-engineer-inventor-
scholar etc. in the throes of a desperate creative crisis because she can't make Mona Lisa (voiced by Lake Bell) smile for her portrait. While Peabody works to be able to snatch her legendary smile from her, Sherman and Penny sneak in to take a ride in the flying machine already invented by Leonardo a few centuries earlier!
They find themselves in ancient Troy, where the Trojans will learn to distrust the gifts of the Greeks, especially if the gift is a gigantic wooden horse that hides a phalanx of fierce soldiers. Sherman finds himself inside the Trojan horse where he befriends Agamemnon, the commander of the Greek armed forces during the Trojan War.
But for our intrepid travelers, other encounters with the greats of history are in store, including Van Gogh, Einstein (voiced by the legendary Mel Brooks), Lincoln and Shakespeare. And as befits when visiting such luminaries, Peabody, Sherman and Penny travel in comfort with the Tornindietro. This machine consists of a sparkling red sphere suspended from the ground; inside we find a high-tech capsule with anatomic seats that move around the luminous control panel, formed by floating touch-screens and a holographic globe that acts as a GPS system.
The Tornindietro is a highly technological product, and the clicks, hums and noises coming from the computerized system lead us to wonder if it has a mind of its own.
The sophisticated accessories of the Tornindietro include an array of power buttons and retractable chairs, which appear magically.
While Peabody, Sherman and Penny loiter in space time, Penny's parents, Paul and Patty, take up residence in Peabody's elegant apartment. They have no idea what her daughter and her new friends are up to because Peabody has stopped time. (Peabody had invited the Petersons to dinner to clear up a problematic first encounter between the two boys at school).
Mr. Peabody has to solve a difficult situation: Paul is very distracted by his work and hobbies and his wife Patty gets frustrated. She also doesn't make friends easily, especially with Mr. Peabody. But the latter, who is gifted with formidable intuition and is an excellent host, manages to let Paul's guard down and put him at ease.
ANIMATION, DESIGN AND ORIGINS
The actors and their performances are crucial elements in shaping the characters and the relationships between them, but Minkoff and Schwartz also compliment the animation team, which the director defines as "actors with computers".
They take three-dimensional character models and bring them to life. They have to go into the head, heart, and soul of the characters to understand who they are and how they should behave.
The animators have made sure that Peabody, as befits a super genius, is a biped who moves with extreme ease. But the animation team has also endowed him with typical dog behaviors, in some scenes where he manifests more instinctive and less intellectual reactions.
MR. PEABODY AND SHERMAN is based on the beloved characters that appeared in the early 60s animated series “Rocky and His Friends” and “The Bullwinkle Show,” produced by Jay Ward. The characters were part of the “Peabody's Improbable History” segment created by Ted Key
The new film updates the classic duo of a dog and a child for the contemporary audience, with the latest generation GC animation and 3D, while retaining the charm of the original comics.
