Topia

Topia is a 1981 American animated fantasy adventure film written and directed by Jack Kromen. Featuring the voices of Michael Wildshill, Lisa Maxwell, Hamilton Camp, Peter Cullen and Paul Winchell, the film tells a story of a boy who, after escaping from a horrific prison, discovers a girl with mystical powers who travel together through beautiful environments whilst being stalked by a hunter. The film was produced by Austrafilm as its first animated feature film with additional input by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Many CalArts graduates, including the original members of Gingo Animation and Universal Animation Studios, were involved with this film.

Released by Universal Pictures on June 12, 1981, the film received critical acclaim from critics who praised its animation, musical score, and plot and was a box office success, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1981, as well as the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film before An American Tail, another Universal animated film, dethroned it in 1986. In recent years, the film has garnered a cult following.

Plot
In the forests, a rabbit becomes just another meal for a hunter and his fox, who cooks it to make a rabbit stew. Meanwhile, a boy attempts to escape from the prison he is currently at and is eventually captured by prison guards, who throw him back into the prison and threaten death upon him the next time he escapes. His job in the prison revolves around mining for valuable emeralds, which the head of the prison has been finding for many generations.

Meanwhile, the hunter and his fox from earlier does some hunting and fails to catch a bird for dinner. He then returns home. A girl walks through the forest and arrives at the hunters cabin. She knocks on the door and when the hunter opens the door, the girl recognizes him and immediately runs off. The hunter and his fox chase after the girl but she eventually gets away.

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Voice cast

 * Michael Wildshill as the Boy
 * Lisa Maxwell as the Girl
 * Hamilton Camp as the Hunter
 * Peter Cullen as the Head of Prison
 * Paul Winchell as the Old Man
 * Sherry Lynn as the Guest
 * Jack Kromen as a guard
 * Don Messick, Peter Renaday and Neil Ross as prisoners
 * Frank Welker as the Fox and Animal Vocal Effects

Development
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Writing
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Animation
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Soundtrack
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Home media
Topia debuted on Super 8 film and several home video formats in 1982, including VHS, Betamax, CED Videodisc, Video8 and LaserDisc, which were distributed by MCA Videocassette, Inc. With a $80 purchase price in the US, the VHS version sold approximately 22,000 copies within the first few months. On November 17, 1989, the film was re-released on both VHS and LaserDisc in a new advertising campaign with lower retail prices. It was this new wide availability on video, as well as broadcasts on cable, that helped Topia garner a cult following long after its theatrical debut. This was followed by another VHS release under the Universal Family Features label on September 22, 1998.

The film was released on DVD for the first time on December 15, 1998, which was reprinted numerous times in the ensuing years, both as a stand-alone release or bundled with other animated movies from Universal or DreamWorks. On June 12, 2001, a 2-disc DVD set called the "20th Anniversary Edition" was released and included special features such as audio commentary from both individuals and an interview featurette. The film was also released on VHS and DVD under the Universal Animated Features Collection label on January 15, 2002, again on DVD on July 25, 2006 as a 25th Anniversary Edition, and later on Blu-ray on June 28, 2011. Both releases retained the special features of the 20th Anniversary Edition. Another Blu-ray release from Universal for the film was released on June 5, 2012, as a part of Universal's Universal 100th Anniversary releases.

Box office
The film's distributor, Universal Studios, barely did any promotion for the film, leading Austrafilm to finance the advertising campaign themselves. The financiers had expected the film to open in wide release in 1,000 venues, but Universal opted for a limited opening weekend in 100 theaters, with its widest release in only 700. Although in competition with the blockbuster Clash of the Titans and Raiders of the Lost Ark, it performed better in those theaters alone in its opening week than Friday the 13th Part 2, Dragonslayer and The Fox and the Hound. However, as a result of its release and competition with other summer fare, Topia became only a moderate success, grossing $47,934,719 in North America (making it the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film at the time), though it was more successful on home video, cable and foreign release, ultimately turning a profit.

Critical response
Topia received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. It has a 95% "Fresh" approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 7.11/10. The consensus states, "Jack Kromen's Topia may frighten younger audiences for its dark tale, but is likely enjoyable for older children and adults alike." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 92 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".

Accolades
Topia won Best Animated Film of 1981 at the 9th annual Saturn Awards, where it also received a nomination for Best Fantasy Film, losing to Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Legacy
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Main
To see the main transcript of the film, click here.

Trailers
To see the transcript for the trailers of the film, click here.