Treasure Planet
From The Unofficial DisneyWiki
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Treasure Planet is the forty-second full-length animated feature film in the Disney canon. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Treasure Island', it follows the story of young Jim Hawkins who dreams of life filled with adventure on other legendary planets. When he meets old Billy Bones, his life takes a major turn as he discovers that Treasure Planet may just be real after all...
[edit] Plot
Treasure Planet begins with the young Jim Hawkins who is reading the story of Captain Flint, the creator of the 'legendary' planet. 12 years later, Jim is still convinced by the stories of Treasure Planet but has become quite a trouble-maker, rebel, and hoodlum with a hobby for 'solar-surfing' - a combination of sky-surfing and wind-surfing on a rocket powered board - in restricted areas. He also unwillingly helps his mother, Sarah, at the family inn, 'The Benbow'. As you can see, he still has a good heart.
One coldly hot night, a spaceship crash-lands on the port outside the inn and an old, injured turtle thing clambers out. His name is Billy Bones and, as Jim desperately attempts to drag him inside, he hands him a golden sphere telling him to "Beware the cyborg". Not long after, Bones dies and a bunch of evil, marauding pirates ambush the inn, burning it to the ground. Jim, his mother and their canine friend, Dr. Delbert Doppler, manage to escape along with the spherical orb which turns out to be a holographic map showing the way to the one and only, Treasure Planet.
Jim and Doppler soon set off to the Montressor Spaceport where Doppler has commisioned a ship called RLS Legacy complete with a crew to take them on this one heck of a voyage. The ship is captained by the feisty, feminine, feline Captain Amelia along with her First Mate, Mr. Arrow. The crew is an odd-looking, suspicious bunch secretly led by John Silver, the ship's cook who trains Jim as a cabin boy and owns a cute, cosmic, pink blob named Morph who can take the shape of whatever he chooses. Despite first impressions and mistrust, a strong and caring bond develops between the two of them with Jim looking up at Silver like a son to his father (various flashes of Jim's past are here shown to the song 'I'm Still Here' by John Rzeznik).
One member of the crew, the spider-like Scroop, senses a weakness in Silver and, after an encounter with a black hole, Scroop cuts Arrow's life-line to show his impatience and willingness to attack. Arrow is never seen again throughout the movie. It isn't long before the pirates finally sabotage the ship causing Jim, Doppler and Amelia to abandon deck, accidentally leaving the map on board after Morph plays a trick on them. The trio are shot down onto Treasure Planet during their escape by one of the mutineers. Amelia is badly injured and is in need of a place to rest.
Whilst exploring the forests of Treasure Planet, Jim meets B.E.N. (Bio-Electrical Navigator), a whimsical robot who claims to have lost much of his memory but cannot remember how. Nevertheless, he provides them with a place to stay where Doppler cares for the wounded captain. However, the maniacal pirates corner the group in here and Silver attempts to make a deal with Jim, which is unaccepted; using the back-door, Jim, Morph and B.E.N. steal a boat to fly back to their ship - where Scroop is keeping guard - in attempt to retrieve the map.
Unfortunately, after some trouble with the on-board electrics, Scroop becomes aware of the three's presence and instantly attacks. Meanwhile, B.E.N. accidentally disables the artificial gravity system causing them all to go floating upwards into space. Luckily, Jim Hawkins manages to grab the ship's mast whereas Scroop gets horribly tangled in the pirates' flag. As he tries to free himself, the flag is severed from the mast and Scroop is sent to his almost certain death. Ha-ha to him! The map is then found and the group return to their hideout... only to be captured by Silver and his gang who have already tied up Doppler and Amelia. Dang.
Jim is forced to use the map in order to lead the pirates to where Flint's treasure is stored. Silver, having found Flint's treasure prepares to leave with his ill-gotten loot but Jim stops him. Before either can react to the other, Flit's trap, set to stop anyone from taking the treasure, goes off and both Silver and Jim are thrown off balance. Silver manages to grab on to the end of the ship but Jim is left dangling off the edge of a cliff. Forced to choose between his treasure and his surrogate son, Silver abandons the ship and saves Jim just in time. The two race back to Captain Amelia's ship and attempt to leave the new exploding planet. However, one of the rocket thrusters is badly damaged and the ship stands a slim chance of making it off in one piece. Jim, remember the map, convinces the crew to turn towards it so he can shift their course. A reluctant Amelia instructs Dr. Doppler to follow Jim's orders and, making a solar surfer out scrap metal and a spare rocket thruster, Jim races towards the map. However, the thruster loses power seconds before he can reach. In a desperate attempt, Jim manages to release the last bit of energy from it and shifts course to the Montressor Spaceport. As the crew celebrates his success, Jim goes to find Silver who was trying to sneak off the ship to avoid punishment for his part in the mutiny. Although Jim has a chance to blow the whistle on the rogue sailor, he instead, allows him safe passage off the ship. In return, Silver gives Jim Morph to look after and reminds him of his greatness. After a quick embrace, the two part company. Jim returns home where he makes amends for his bad behavior by enrolling and graduating from the space academy. Rebuilding the inn probably took a year. A party is thrown in his honor which all of his friends attend(including Doppler and Amelia who are now proud parents). As the party begins, Jim glances out the window and remembers Silver, confident that the pirate's words about him were true.
It was announced in 2002 that a sequel was already scripted, but sadly the movie didn't do so well in theaters.
[edit] Voice Cast
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Jim Hawkins
- Brian Murray: John Silver
- David Hyde Pierce: Dr. Delbert Doppler
- Laurie Metcalf: Sarah Hawkins
- Emma Thompson: Captain Amelia
- Michael Wincott: Scroop
- Martin Short: B.E.N.
- Dane A. Davis: Morph
- Patrick McGoohan: Billy Bones
- Tony Jay: Narrator
- Austin Majors: Young Jim
- Roscoe Lee Browne: Mr. Arrow
- Corey Burton: Onus
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