Treasure Island and The Three Musketeers

So the week of Treasure Island ends. My ninja-loving self will begin to focus on next week's theme, The Three Musketeers...which is actually about four musketeers...who seldom use muskets...

This next week may shatter some major assumptions in several films.

Maybe an Allosaurus ate the missing musketeer?

Treasure Planet

 
Treasure Planet produced by Disney.

Plot: A sci-fi version of the classic swashbuckling tale. Instead of sailing to the island of treasure, the crew take a ship-rocket hybrid. The captain is a cat-woman, the first mate is a talking rock, Ben Gunn is a robot, and a certain cook is a cyborg with an unexpected heart.

Genre: Science Fiction, Treasure Island, Animation, Movies

Reading Level: Rated G

Similar Titles: Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Titan A.E.

Personal Thoughts: The movie received mixed reviews. Much of the "original" aspects of the re-telling are gimmicky, such as a spaceship-sailing ship. Also, most of the characters fit into ridged stereotypes. For example, the captain is the tough chick, the doctor is the goofy scholar, and Jim is the troubled teen. The characters fail to surprise or captivate the audience, since they are largely mirrors of other films.

Still, the movie does provide value, especially from a film history perspective. Treasure Planet represents one of the last attempts to mingle science fiction, computer graphics, and traditional animation. Similar titles, such as Titan A.E., tried similar techniques. While the methods proved unpopular, they do reveal a brief, but meaningful, period of experimentation in animation history, when studios tried to combine old animation with new technology while keeping both aspects distinct, rather than interdependent.

Muppet Treasure Island

 Muppet Treasure Island produced by Disney.

Plot: The classic tale of treasure-seekers as told by the muppets. While the main plot follows the original story fairly accurately, the movie takes an appropriate comedic twist. Which is to be expected when the captain is a frog puppet.

Genre: Movies, Treasure Island, Humor

Reading Level: Rated G

Similar Title: The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan

Personal Thoughts: The movie combines classic muppet humor, songs, and situations with a work of literature. Generally, it received favorable reviews, although some protest the "childish" version of a classic novel.

Treasure Island

Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. New York : Scribner, 1981.


Plot: Jim Hawkins unintentionally becomes heir to a legendary treasure map when a sea-going stranger dies unexpectedly. He, with the local doctor and squire, set off to find the wealth. While the company eagerly seeks the treasure, they find themselves on board the Hispanola with a motley crew of questionable seamen, a strict captain, and a cheerful cook known as Long John Silver. The boat's occupants have their own agenda, though, and the island housing the treasure is not quite as deserted as initially thought.

Genre: Treasure Island, Adventure, Coming of Age, Historical Fiction

Reading Level: Ages 9-12; although some readers may be discouraged by the technical and old fashioned writing.

Similar Titles: Tales of Zorro, The Angel's Command, The Guns of Tortuga

Personal Thoughts: My ninja-loving bias will have to be suppressed this week.

Anyway, many consider this book to be the epitome of children's adventure literature. Due to the age and popularity of the novel, the belief seems justified. However, many modern books, such as Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, also capture adventure, but in a more accessible manner. The story requires several chapters describing the setting of the novel, and the action waits until nearly a third of the book. I would recommend the title to active readers. However, reluctant readers will most likely find lengthy set-up of the novel discouraging or boring. Another title may offer a more satisfying experience for newer readers.

Nannies and New Challenge

This week, we examined the women, the myths, and the stories of nannies. Next week, we will try something new. Many stories, such as Treasure Island and The Three Musketeers, inspire multiple "spinoffs," usually in the form of movies. So, we will compare a few of the new works with the original source.

Next week, Treasure Island!

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