Fievel - The Treasure of the Island of Manhattan - The 1998 animated film

Fievel - The treasure of the island of Manhattan (original title An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island) is an animated film aimed at the 1998 American home video OAV, produced by Universal Cartoon Studios and directed by Larry Latham. It is the third film in Fievel's series, the first to be released directly for home video and the first in the series to use digital illustration.

While retaining Dom DeLuise throughout the film series, the film reunites the voice cast of Nehemiah Persoff and Erica Yohn from both Fievel (1986) and Fievel Conquest the West. Japanese studio TMS-Kyokuichi Corporation was the overseas animation studio for the film.

The film premiered in the UK on November 16, 1998 and was released in the US and Canada on February 15, 2000.

History

The story begins when Fievel returns to New York City sometime after the first movie event and before the second movie. Fievel and Tony discover that an ancient treasure lies beneath Manhattan when they browse an abandoned subway and stumble upon the remains of a dead mouse clutching a treasure map in its paws. They decide that they have to find her with the help of an archaeologist Tony knows: Doctor Dithering, but they also have to fight five bad guys.

The film addresses relevant social issues, focusing on the relationship between the underpaid workers of an exploitative factory (in this case, a cheese production line) and the owners of the thieving barons of the factory: Mr. Grasping (Ron Perlman), Mr. Toplofty ( Tony Jay) and Mr. O'Bloat (Richard Karron). It also focuses on the plight of Native Americans in the United States. The treasure below Manhattan turns out to be a group of Lenape rats living long distances beneath the surface (far below the sewers, aboard a pressurized underground train) who decided to go into hiding when they saw how the first Europeans took with them. only war and disease and they did not want to wait for the European mice to do the same to them. An emotional scene follows when Fievel has to contend with how cruel were his people, the Europeans, to the Native Americans.

The sachem, chief Wulisso (David Carradine), decides to send his daughter Cholena (Elaine Bilstad) to the surface to see if they have "changed their ways". Upon their return, Scuttlebutt (John Kassir) (one of the members of the expedition to find the treasure) reports to the villains without the knowledge of the rest of the expedition members, who then decide to use it to their advantage. They lie to all the factory workers about Cholena (obviously not in name), telling them she is their enemy. NYPD chief rat McBrusque (Sherman Howard) and Scuttlebutt engage in a bout of police brutality, rummaging around every corner until they find her. After the mob of angry rats tries to capture Cholena and anyone else involved with her, Fievel and his friends decide to take Cholena back underground before they are put in further danger, but the police find out and chase them.

Meanwhile, everyone learns of Doctor Dithering's friendship with the Indian and takes him to the butcher's shop for his execution. Dad tells everyone how the madness of ethnic discrimination is the cause of all evils and why they all had to emigrate to America because of their social marginalization. They should work together to become friends with those as different from themselves as the American fellow citizens they are. Tiger the Orange Tabby Cat saves Dr. Dithering from the bad guys, who escape and order McBrusque and his men to find and kill Native Americans.

After taking Cholena back to her home, they tell the boss what's going on. McBrusque, Scuttlebutt and the other police officers show up at the village, but the chief, the Native Americans, Fievel and his friends chase away the bad guys. The boss gives them a gunpowder bomb to collapse the tunnel that connects Native Americans to the outside world. But before they can do so, they are ambushed by the enraged McBrusque and Scuttlebutt who attempt to take revenge on the children Mousekewitz and Tony once and for all, but the two criminals are overwhelmed and Fievel manages to detonate the bomb. This floods the tunnel, along with McBrusque and Scuttlebutt as they fall into the abyss to their death. Tony and Tanya have managed to reach a higher level, but Fievel is apparently carried away by the current.

When the water recedes Tanya and Tony desperately search the mud to find it, before giving up. But just then, Fievel bursts to the surface and all three share a muddy group hug, thankful they all survived.

The film ends with Fievel's dad forming a workers' union and the bad guys agree that they are forced to negotiate with "that scum" to avoid a strike. Meanwhile, Tiger is enjoying his new job as police chief. The last scene is Fievel who sees, through a folding telescope, Cholena and her father disappear into a hidden door at the foot of a statue, which pleases Fievel.

Technical data

Original title An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island
Country of Production United States of America
Year 1998
Duration 96 min
Gender sentimental, comedy, musical
Regia Larry Latham
Film script Len Uhley
Producer Larry Latham
Production house Universal Pictures
Editor Danik Thomas
Music Patrick Griffin, Michael Tavera
Art director Derek Carter

Original voice actors
Thomas Dekker: Fievel Toposkovich
Lacey Chabert as Tanya Toposkovits
Nehemiah Persoff: Pope Toposkovitz
Erica Yohn as Mama Toposkovits
Pat Musick: Tony Toponi
Dom DeLuise: Tiger
René Auberjonois: Prof. Dithering
Elaine Bilstad: Cholena
David Carradine: Chief Wulisso
Ron PerlmanMr. Grasping
Tony Jay: Mr. Toplofty
Richard Karron: Mr. O'Bloat
Sherman Howard: Chief of Police McBrusque
John Kassir: Scuttlebutt

Italian voice actors
Laura Latini: Fievel Toposkovich
Carlo Marini: Tiger
Paola Majano as Tony Toponi
Giorgio Lopez: Pope Toposkovich
Rita Savagnone as Mama Toposkovich
Tatiana Dessi as Tanya Toposkovich
Dario De Grassi: Prof. Dithering
Ilaria Latini: Cholena
Stefano Mondini: Chief Wulisso
Fabrizio Temperini: Mr Grasping, Chief of Police McBrusque
Diego Regent: Mr Toplofty
Alessio Cigliano: Mr O'Bloat
Davide Lepore: Scuttlebutt

Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/