Alakazam the Great

Alakazam the Great
1961 US release lobby card
Directed by	Taiji Yabushita Daisaku Shirakawa
Produced by	Hiroshi Okawa
Written by	Keinosuke Uekusa
Based on	Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en Boku no Son Gokū by Osamu Tezuka
Starring	Kiyoshi Komiyama Noriko Shindō Hideo Kinoshita Setsuo Shinoda Peter Fernandez Frankie Avalon
Narrated by	Sterling Holloway
Music by	Ryoichi Hattori (Japanese Version) Les Baxter (American Version)
Cinematography	Harusato Otsuka Komei Ishikawa Kenji Sugiyama
Edited by	Shintaro Miyamoto Kanjiro Igusa Salvatore Billitteri Laurette Odney
Production company	Toei Animation
Distributed by	Toei Company (Japan) American International Pictures (USA)
Release dates	August 14, 1960 (1960-08-14) (Japan) July 14, 1961 (1961-07-14) (USA)
Running time	88 minutes (Japanese Version) 80 minutes (American Version)
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Alakazam the Great (西遊記, Saiyu-ki, lit. "Journey to the West") is a 1960 Japanese musical anime film, based on the Chinese novel Journey to the West, and was one of the earliest anime films to be released in the United States. Osamu Tezuka was named as a director of the film by Toei Company. However, Tezuka later stated that the only time he was in the studio was to pose for publicity photos.^[1] His involvement in promoting the film, however, led to his interest in animation.^[2]

Plot

Alakazam is a young and brave monkey (a macaque) who has been encouraged by all the other monkeys to become their king. After attaining the throne, he becomes rude and dictatorial, and does not believe that human beings are greater than he is. Then he tricks/forces Merlin the magician to teach him magic (reluctantly on Merlin's part, who warns Alakazam that the powers he acquires now will bring him much unhappiness later).

Alakazam becomes so arrogant that he abuses his magic powers, and chooses to go up to Majutsu Land (the Heavens), to challenge King Amo. He is defeated by King Amo. For his punishment, he is sentenced to serve as the bodyguard of Prince Amat on a pilgrimage; in order to learn humility, mercy and to fight with wisdom. Ultimately, he learns his lesson and becomes a true hero.

Characters

Character	Seiyu	Dub Name	Voice Actor
Sun Wukong	Kiyoshi Komiyama	Alakazam	Peter Fernandez Frankie Avalon
Lin-Lin	Noriko Shindō	DeeDee	Dodie Stevens
Zhu Bajie	Hideo Kinoshita	Sir Quigley Broken Bottom	Jonathan Winters
Sha Wujing	Setsuo Shinoda	Max Lulipopo	Arnold Stang
Xuanzang	Nobuaki Sekine	Prince Amat
Shakyamuni	Kunihisa Takeda	King Amo
Guanyin	Katsuko Ozaki	Queen Amass	Jackie Joseph
Shōryū	Michiko Shirasaka	Filo Fester
Bull Demon King	Kinshiro Iwao	King Gruesome
Princess Iron Fan	Tamae Kato	Queen Gruesome
Golden Horned King	Kiyoshi Kawakubo	Herman Mcsnarles
Silver Horned King	Shuichi Kazamatsuri	Vermin Mcsnarles
Subhuti		Merlin
Taibai Jinxing
Erlang Shen

U.S. release

The film was released in the United States by American International on July 26, 1961. For the American release, a few scenes were heavily edited and rearranged and bandleader Les Baxter was hired to compose a new soundtrack. Teen idol Frankie Avalon supplied the singing voice of Alakazam (the speaking voice was done by Peter Fernandez), and Sterling Holloway provided English-language narration. Other famous voices included Jonathan Winters, Arnold Stang, Dodie Stevens, & E.G. Marshall.

Reception

Despite a large marketing budget and heavy promotion, the film was unsuccessful in America. The Los Angeles Times called it "warm, amusing and exciting... the art work is really excellent".^[3]

Home media release

The AIP version of the film was first released on VHS in the 1980s by HBO/Cannon Video (under licensed from then-owner Orion Pictures). Orion Home Video re-released the film in both pan-and-scan and widescreen letterbox VHS editions and on a widescreen laserdisc in 1995. As of May 27, 2014, plans for a DVD and Blu-ray release of the AIP version have yet to be announced.

References

↑ Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. ISBN 1-55652-591-5.
↑ Patten, Fred (1996). "A Capsule History of Anime". Animation World Network. Retrieved 2014-12-04.
↑ Warren, Geoffrey (23 September 1961). "'Alakazam' Delightful New Cartoon Movie". Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Calif.). p. A6.

External links

Alakazam the Great at the Internet Movie Database

Tōei Dōga theatrical features

1950s	Hakujaden (1958) Shōnen Sarutobi Sasuke (1959)

1960s	Saiyūki (1960) Anju to Zushiō Maru (1961) Arabian Night: Sinbad no Bōken (1962) Wanpaku Ōji no Orochi Taiji (1963) Wanwan Chūshingura (1963) Gulliver no Uchū Ryokō (1965) Cyborg 009 (1966) Shōnen Jakku to Mahōtsukai (1967) Cyborg 009: Kaijū Sensō (1967) Hyokkori Hyōtanjima (1967) Andersen Monogatari (1968) Taiyō no Ōji: Hols no Daibōken (1968) Nagagutsu o Haita Neko (1969) Soratobu Yūreisen (1969)

1970s	Chibikko Remi to Meiken Kapi (1970) Kaitei San-man Mile (1970) Animal Treasure Island (1971) Ali Baba to Yonjuppiki no Tōzoku (1971) Nagagutsu Sanjūshi (1972) Maken Liner 0011 Henshin Seyo! (1972) Panda no Daibōken (1973) Kikansha Yaemon: D-goichi no Daibōken (1974) Andersen Dōwa: Ningyo-Hime (1975) Nagagutsu o Haita Neko: Hachijū Nichi-kan Sekaiisshū (1976) Sekai Meisaku Dōwa: Hakuchō no Ōji (1977) Sekai Meisaku Dōwa: Oyayubi-Hime (1978) Tatsu no Ko Tarō (1979)

1980s	Sekai Meisaku Dōwa: Mori wa Ikite Iru (1980) Terra e… (1980) Sekai Meisaku Dōwa: Hakuchō no Mizūmi (1981) Sekai Meisaku Dōwa: Aladdin to Mahō no Lamp (1982) Manga Aesop Monogatari (1983)

Not including spin-offs of prior animated television productions nor Madhouse-animated features produced by Tōei

Wu Cheng'en's Journey to the West

Characters	Sun Wukong Xuanzang Zhu Bajie Sha Wujing Red Boy Baigujing Princess Iron Fan Others

Films	The Cave of the Silken Web (1927) Princess Iron Fan (1941) Alakazam the Great (1960) Havoc in Heaven (1961) Princess Iron Fan (1966) The Cave of the Silken Web (1967) Doraemon: Nobita's Parallel "Journey to the West" (1988) A Chinese Odyssey (1995) A Chinese Tall Story (2005) Saiyūki (2007) Monkey King vs. Er Lang Shen (2007) The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013) The Monkey King (2014) Monkey King: Hero Is Back (2015) The Monkey King 2 (2016) Journey to the West (2016) Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2 (2017)

Sequels	A Supplement to the Journey to the West (c. 1640)

TV	Gokū no Daibōken (1967) Monkey (1978) Science Fiction Saiyuki Starzinger (1978) Journey to the West (1986 and 1999) Journey to the West (1996) Journey to the West II (1996) Monkey Magic (1998) Journey to the West – Legends of the Monkey King (1999) Shinzo (2000) Sunny Piggy (2000) The Monkey King (2001) The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra (2002) Saiyūki (2006) Wu Cheng'en and Journey to the West (2010) Journey to the West (2010) Journey to the West (2011)

Stage	Monkey: Journey to the West (play)

Manga & Comics	Dragon Ball Saiyūki Patalliro Saiyuki Monkey Typhoon Saint The Monkey King Xin American Born Chinese

Games	Ether Saga Online Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Fantasy Westward Journey Ganso Saiyūki: Super Monkey Daibōken Legend of Wukong Monkey Hero Monkey Magic Saiyuki: Journey West SonSon Westward Journey Online II Whomp 'Em Yūyūki

Literature	Griever: An American Monkey King in China Tripmaster Monkey Four Great Classical Novels

Places	Gao Village Gao Village Arc Mount Huaguo Shuilian Cave Tepe Narenj

Other	List of media adaptations of Journey to the West Monk's spade Ruyi Jingu Bang Journey to the West (album)

Works by Osamu Tezuka

Manga	Diary of Ma-chan (1946) Lost World (1948) Angel Gunfighter (1949) Metropolis (1949) Faust (1950) Kimba the White Lion (1950–1954) Age of Adventure (1951–1953) The Fossil Island (1951) The Adventure of Rock (1952–1954) Astro Boy (1952–1968) Crime and Punishment (1953) Princess Knight (1953–1956) Chief Detective Kenichi (1954–1956) The Devil of the Earth (1954) Lion Books (1956–1957) Biiko-chan (1957) The Curtain is Still Blue Tonight (1958) The Film Lives On (1958–1959) Peacock Shell (1958) The Twin Knights (1958) Dr. Thrill (1959) The Merchant of Venice (1959) Song of the White Peacock (1959) Angel's Hill (1960–1961) Captain Ken (1960–1961) Brave Dan (1962) Big X (1963–1966) Princess Knight (1963–1966) The Amazing 3 (1965–1966) Ambassador Magma (1965–1967) Ode to Kirihito (1966–1967) The Vampires (1966–1967) Dororo (1967–1968) Gum Gum Punch (1967–1969) Phoenix (1967–1988) Princess Knight (1967–1968) Activist Student (1968) Grand Dolls (1968) Swallowing the Earth (1968–1969) The Crater (1969–1970) Triton of the Sea (1969–1971) Alabaster (1970–1971) Apollo's Song (1970) Bomba! (1970) Marvelous Melmo (1970–1972) Birdman Anthology (1971–1975) Lion Books II (1971–1973) Little Wansa (1971–1972) Serenade of a Pig's Navel (1971) Ayako (1972–1973) Buddha (1972–1983) Lay of the Rhine (1972) Lord Iechika Mogami (1972) The Moon and Wolves (1972) Old Folk's Home (1972) Black Jack (1973–1983) The Record of Peter Kyulten (1973) Sensual Nights (1973) Son of Godfather (1973) The Three-Eyed One (1974–1978) Boy Detective Zumbera (1975) Rainbow Prelude (1975) MW (1976–1978) Unico (1976–1979) Don Dracula (1979) Insect Collector (1979) Insect Collector - The Butterfly Road Smells of Death (1979) The Thief Akikazu Inoue (1979) Hidamari no Ki (1981–1986) Rainbow Parakeet (1981–1983) Spaceship Ringel Rock (1982) Suspicion (1982) Volcanic Eruption (1982) Message to Adolf (1983–1985) Peace Concert (1984) Duke Goblin (1985–1986) Gringo (1987–1989)

Anime	Alakazam the Great (1960) Astro Boy (1963–1966) Big X (1964–1965) The Amazing 3 (1965–1966) Kimba the White Lion (1965–2009) Leo the Lion (1966–1968) Gokū no Daibōken (1967) Princess Knight (1967–1999) Dororo (1969) A Thousand and One Nights (1969) Cleopatra (1970) Marvelous Melmo (1971–1972) Triton of the Sea (1972–1979) Kanashimi no Belladonna (1973) Little Wansa (1973) Jetter Mars (1977) Undersea Super Train: Marine Express (1979) Unico (1979–1983) Astro Boy (1980–1981) Fumoon (1980) Phoenix 2772 (1980) Don Dracula (1982) The Green Cat (1983) Bagi, the Monster of Mighty Nature (1984) Lunn Flies into the Wind (1985) The Three-Eyed One (1985–1991) Phoenix (1986–2012) Yamataro Comes Back (1986) Blue Blink (1989–1990) The New Adventures of Kimba The White Lion (1989–1990) Rain Boy (1989) Adachi-ga Hara (1991) Akuemon (1993) Ambassador Magma (1993) Black Jack (1993–2011) In the Beginning: The Bible Stories (1997) Jungle Emperor Leo (1997) Hidamari no Ki (2000) Metropolis (2001) Astro Boy (2003–2005) Astro Boy: Mighty Atom - Visitor of 100,000 Light Years, IGZA (2005) Astro Boy (2009) Ravex in Tezuka World (2009) Buddha (2011–present)

Characters	Astro Boy Black Jack Dr. Tenma Hosuke Sharaku Pluto Professor Ochanomizu Robita Rock

Related	Animerama Galaxy Boy Troop Osamu Tezuka's Star System Tezuka Award Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Tezuka Productions Tokiwa-sō

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