Piglet's Big Movie
That’ll Do, Pig …

Poor little Piglet just never gets much respect …

For years, he has been relegated to the sidekick role in the Pooh universe, constantly overshadowed by that show-boating Tigger and that lovable loser Eeyore. One would think that, with the theatrical premiere of his starring vehicle, Piglet’s Big Movie, he would finally get his chance to shine in the spotlight.

Well, think again. His Big break turns out to be a Big Fat Porcine Bore.

Basically a TV episode or direct to video filler (with the wan backgrounds and sloppy character animation to prove it) unnecessarily given a theatrical release, this Movie finds our little piggy feeling left out from the adventures of the 100 Acre Wood gang. When Piglet ventures off to find his inner pig, Pooh and friends spend the bulk of the scant (but still seemingly endless) 70 minute running time trying to find him, along the way reminiscing and realizing how important Piglet is to their cuddly little dysfunctional family.

And that’s about it; the film wanders around from contrived flashback to flashback, blithely unencumbered by anything remotely resembling a plot. Eventually, the story does stumble into an expected warm and fuzzy reunion, and Carly Simon’s songs offer some comforting melodies underneath their simple lyrics, but when all is said and done, Piglet finds himself second best yet again: The Tigger Movie was better.

• John Fiedler has been voicing Piglet for 35 years, since 1968’s Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day.
• In addition to Fiedler, Jim Cummings (Pooh, Tigger), Andre Stojka (Owl), Kath Soucie (Kanga), Nikita Hopkins (Roo), Peter Cullen (Eeyore) and Ken Sansom (Rabbit) can all be heard in their famous roles in such recent Pooh outings as the feature film The Tigger Movie, the television series’ The Book of Pooh and House of Mouse and the video features Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year and Pooh’s Grand Adventure.
• Piglet’s Big Movie director Francis Glebas also directed the “Pomp and Circumstance” segment of Fantasia 2000.

Coming Soon:

• A true toon classic, Who Framed Roger Rabbit gets the deluxe, 2 disc Vista Edition treatment, available March 25^th.
• Billed as ‘an immersive 3-D adventure’, Oscar-winner James Cameron’s Ghosts of the Abyss starts its exclusive theatrical engagements April 11^th.
• Sigourney Weaver, Patricia Arquette, Henry Winkler, Eartha Kitt and Jon Voight star in the family adventure Holes, based on the award-winning book by Louis Sachar, opening April 18^th.
• A Robert Louis Stevenson double feature hits DVD players April 29^th: the original live action classic Treasure Island and the Oscar-nominated animated fantasy Treasure Planet.

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-- Kirby C. Holt

Kirby, a former Walt Disney World Resort Cast Member (and Trivia Champ), is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. He is also an avid list maker and chronic ellipsis user ...

Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.

The opinions expressed by our Kirby C. Holt, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.

-- Posted March 24, 2003