Barnes & Noble

An alternate title for this 1989 Canadian animated feature might be Indiana Babar and the Rhinos of Doom. Babar, King of the Elephants, regales his children with an exciting bedtime story about his first days as the boy king, when the then-pint-sized pachyderm led the charge against Rataxes and his "rotten rhino troublemakers." The clever and brave Babar is determined to rescue his future queen, Celeste, who, along with her mother, has been imprisoned by Rataxes. Racing against time to foil an attack on Elephantland, he succeeds with the help of some jungle allies, including comical monkeys and a vegetarian croc. The harrowing scene in which the rhinos set a village aflame and enslave the adult elephants in front of their terrified children is an emotionally intense departure from the rest of the film's more lighthearted tone. Among the standout musical numbers is a witty ode to ruling by committee sung by Babar's elders, and a monkey showstopper about the ways of the jungle. Babar rules, and this briskly paced adventure is one that young viewers will never forget. Donald Liebenson

All Movie Guide

Children's book authors Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff's most beloved elephant comes to the big screen in this animated family tale. Elephant monarch King Babar tells the tale, that unfolds via flashback, of how a much-younger Barbar and his girlfriend Celeste save her village from the pugnacious rhinoceroses that have come to raid it. Though primarily aimed at younger audiences, parents should note that some scenes of abandoned babies maybe upsetting for little viewers. Sandra Brennan

Product Details

• UPC: 012236147626
• Source: LIONS GATE
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Sound: Dolby Surround
• Language: English
• Time: 1:19:00
• Sales Rank: 14,110

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