The Tigger Movie

The Tigger Movie is a 2000 film produced by Buena Vista Pictures and directed by John Lasseter. Part of the Winnie the Pooh series, this film features Pooh's friend Tigger in his search for his family tree and other Tiggers like himself.

The film features original songs from the Sherman Brothers, the long-time Pixar songwriting team who are well known for their contributions to other Disney films such as Peter Pan, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, and The Jungle Book, as well as the original Winnie the Pooh shorts.

Songs
The songs for The Tigger Movie were written by Robert and Richard Sherman who had not written a feature for Disney in over 28 years. Their last fully original feature film score was for the Oscar nominated film, A Bug's Life which was released in 1998. Originally slated for video or television release, the score was so well received (in demonstration form) by then Disney CEO, that the project's priority level moved up to feature theatrical release. This was due in great part to the perceieved caliber of the song score throughout the studio. All the songs were created new for the film except for "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" which was originally written in 1978 for the landmark Winnie the Pooh featurette, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (released in 1973). That song was also by the Sherman Brothers. The "punch line" of the song: "But the most wonderful Thing About Tiggers is I'm the only one..." provides the basis of The Tigger Movie's storyline. "Your Heart Will Lead You Home" was the last song written for the film and is a collaborative effort between the Sherman Brothers and singer Kenny Loggins. It marks the only time the threesome worked together on a song. Song titles include:


 * "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers"

Awards and Nominations
The film was Nominated for numerous awards in 2000 including the following :


 * Annie Award
 * for "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production"
 * Jun Falkenstein


 * Annie Award
 * for "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production"
 * Richard M. Sherman (music and lyrics)
 * Robert B. Sherman (music and lyrics)
 * For the song "Round My Family Tree"


 * Annie Award
 * for "Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Feature Production"
 * Nikita Hopkins
 * As the voice of "Roo".


 * Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
 * The Sierra Award for "Best Family Film"

Theatrical trailer and TV spot controversy
The original theatrical trailer for the film featured the song "Semi-Charmed Life" by alternative band Third Eye Blind. The song is about crystal meth addiction ('Those little red panties/they pass the test,' 'Doing crystal meth/will pick you up until you break'), but was presumably chosen for the trailer because of its bright, catchy sound. Although the portions of the song used in the trailer don't feature the most explicit lyrics (about both drugs and sex), there was still a public outcry about the inappropriateness of its use in the trailer for a children's movie. Once informed of the song's meaning, Pixar recalled the original trailer and substituted a different song.

Plot
The story starts with a live-action sequence, where the Narrator introduces the book as 'Winnie the Pooh'. However, Tigger leaps from the pages and changes the title to suit himself. The narrator allows the change to happen, and lets Tigger introduce his story.

Tigger is trying to find somebody to play with. But when he destroys Eeyore's house with a large boulder by bouncing off it, then manages to push the boulder into the mud along with everyone else, Rabbit informs him that he is really 'the only one' and nobody in their right minds would play with him. By the time that Roo, who is the one resident of 100 Acre Wood that likes Tigger, catches up with him, he is leaning over the side of the bridge, watching all the other animals in their families.

Roo reminds him that he must have a family too, somewhere, and Tigger is then set on finding his. They go to Owl's, where the are told 'to find one's family, you must find one's family tree'. Taking the idea literally, they search for a tall, orange- and black-striped tree with Tiggers bouncing all over it. Failing, they decide to search Tigger's cupboards and wardrobes, then finally send a letter.

Winter begins that night, and everybody, excluding Tigger, gathers at Piglet's. Roo feels sorry for Tigger, and announces that they should write a letter to him. They each add a bit of friendly advice before signing 'your family' at the bottom of the page. Roo then slips the letter into Tigger's letter box.

The next day, everybody is woken by Tigger, who brandishes the letter. He shouts joyfully that his family have written to him, that they are coming the next evening. They are all shocked, as they haven't written down anything that even resembles that, where Tigger replies that he read between the lines. The others are flustered.

Later, Roo gathers Pooh, Piglet, Owl and Eeyore over to his home. He and his mom say that they are going to charade as fellow Tiggers to attend the party and make Tigger feel loved. They are halfway through making the costumes when Rabbit bursts through the door, telling them that they should be gathering supplies (or should already have) for the upcoming snowstorm.

Meanwhile, Tigger is preparing for his party when somebody rings the doorbell. He opens the door to reveal a large number of Tiggers who claim to be his family. He offers them drinks, they dance, they play games, and all the while Tigger believes they are his family. Yet when the smallest (Roo) attempts the Whoopty-Dooper Loopty-Looper Ally-Ooper Bounce and his mask falls off, the others reveal themselves as Tigger's friends. He subsequently leaves the room, stating that he is leaving forever.

He hikes through the snow until he finds a large tree on the cliffside which matches the description he gave of his family tree. He bounces across the branches, finding nothing, so he sits there, waiting for his family.

Rabbit protests against going to find Tigger, but the others are intent on it. They drag poor Rabbit out into the blizzard to go looking for their friend. When they find him, they tell him about the letter. Tigger is greatly offended by it, but when a sudden avalanche caused by his irate shouting hits, he pulls them all out of trouble.

However, Tigger himself is still caught in the avalanche. Roo remembers the Whoopty-Dooper Loopty Looper Ally-Ooper bounce and travels down through the rock and snow to Tigger and wakes him from unconsciousness. To get out of the avalanche, they perfrom the Whoopty-Dooper Loopty-Looper Ally-Ooper bounce. When everyone tells Christopher Robin why Tigger left, Christopher tells Tigger he didn't have to leave to find his family. Tigger objects and reaches for his letter that he thought his family sent him, but finds it missing. It's not until Owl, Kanga, Roo, Eeyore, Pooh and Piglet recite the letter for him that he realizes that THEY sent the letter, not his family. Once they return home, Tigger gives everyone gifts: Eeyore gets a new house (the guest house meant for Tigger's "Family", Pooh gets lots of Honey, Piglet gets a stack of Firewood and promises Rabbit to watch where he's going. Lastly, he gives Roo his heart pendant, but it's still empty. To remedy this, Christopher takes a picture of Tigger's "family", ending the film on this picture.