Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (1986)

The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation is a 1986 children's animated film produced by LBS Communications, Inc. and Canadian animation studio Nelvana. The third animated feature from Nelvana, it was directed by Dale Schott, written by Peter Sauder and produced by Nelvana's three founders (Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith). It starred the voices of Alyson Court, Cree Summer, Maxine Miller and Hadley Kay.

In the second film based on the Care Bears franchise, a character called The Great Wishing Star (voiced by Chris Wiggins) tells the origins of the Care Bears, and the story of their first Caring Mission. True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse lead the other Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins, as they come to the aid of Christy, a young camper who is tempted by an evil shape-shifting figure named Dark Heart. The film marked the first appearance of the Care Bear Cubs, who also had their own line of toys.

A New Generation was made over a seven-month period at Nelvana's Toronto facilities, with additional work handled by Taiwan's Wang Film Productions, and involved several crew members who had worked on the original Care Bears Movie. Patricia Cullen served as composer, and Los Angeles musicians Dean and Carol Parks worked on the film's six songs. The Samuel Goldwyn Company, a U.S. independent distributor, was originally set to release this follow-up; demands from the film's producers caused the company to give up. To the chagrin of Goldwyn's founder, the worldwide rights were then acquired by Hollywood studio Columbia Pictures.

Upon its release in March 1986, A New Generation gained mostly negative critical attention; some of its key elements received comparisons to the German legend Faust and J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan. The film grossed only US$8.5 million in North America, about a third of what the previous instalment earned, and over US$12 million worldwide. It was released on video in August 1986, and on DVD in April 2003. This was the last animated feature for Columbia until Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within in 2001. A third film starring the title characters, The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland, was released in 1987.

Synopsis

Aboard their boat, a yellow bear and a purple horse look after the baby animals known as the Care Bear Cubs and Care Bear Cousin Cubs. On the way, a red sea serpent threatens them—one of the many forms of Dark Heart, an evil spirit. They escape by following a rainbow up to the sky, while the boat transforms into the Cloud Clipper. There, the Great Wishing Star gives the group their "tummy symbols", pictures that indicate each creature's role or specialty. True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse, as the characters are named, become founders of the Kingdom of Caring, a land which comprises Care-a-Lot and the Forest of Feelings.

Actors