Shrek is a 2001 American computer-animated fantasy-adventure-comedy film produced by PDI/DreamWorks, released by DreamWorks Pictures, directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow. It is loosely based on William Steig's 1990 fairy tale picture book Shrek!, and somewhat serves as a parody film, targeting other films adapted from various children’s fantasies (mainly animated Disney films). The film made notable use of popular music; the soundtrack includes music by Smash Mouth, Eels, Joan Jett, The Proclaimers, Jason Wade, Baha Men, and John Cale (covering Leonard Cohen).
The rights to the books were originally bought by Steven Spielberg in 1991, before the founding of DreamWorks, when he thought about making a traditionally animated film based on the book. However, John H. Williams convinced him to bring the film to DreamWorks in 1994, the time the studio was founded, and the film was put quickly into active development by Jeffrey Katzenberg after the rights were bought by the studio in 1995. Shrek originally cast Chris Farley to do the voice for the title character, recording about 80%–90% of his dialog. But since Farley died in 1997 before he could finish, Mike Myers was put in to work for the character, who after his first recording decided to record his voice in a Scottish accent. The film was also originally planned to be motion-captured, but after poor results, the studio decided to get PDI to help Shrek get its final computer-animated look.
Earning $484.4 million at the worldwide box office, the film was a critical and commercial success. Shrek also received promotion from food chains such as Baskin-Robbins (promoting the film's DVD release) and Burger King. It was acclaimed as an animated film worthy of adult interest, with many adult-oriented jokes and themes but a simple enough plot and humour to appeal to children. Shrek won the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was also nominated for six BAFTAs, including the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Eddie Murphy for his voice-over performance as Donkey, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film's main (and title) character was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2010.
Shrek established DreamWorks Animation as a prime competitor to Pixar in the field of feature film animation, particularly in computer animation. The film's success prompted DreamWorks to create three sequels, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After, two holiday specials, Shrek the Halls and Scared Shrekless, and a spin-off film, Puss in Boots. A fifth film, planned as the last of the series, was cancelled in 2009 with the announcement that the fourth film would conclude the series. The film's success also inspired other merchandise, such as video games, a stage musical and even a comic book by Dark Horse Comics.
Plot[]
Shrek is an anti-social and highly territorial ogre who loves the solitude of his swamp and enjoys fending off mobs and intruders. His life is interrupted after the dwarfish Lord Farquaad of Duloc exiles a vast number of fairy-tale creatures, who inadvertently end up in the swamp. Angered by the intrusion, Shrek decides to visit Farquaad and demand him to move the creatures elsewhere. Shrek reluctantly allows a talkative Donkey, whom he saved from Farquaad's guards before, to tag along and guide him to Duloc.
Meanwhile, Farquaad is presented with the Magic Mirror, who tells him that he must marry a princess in order to become king. Farquaad chooses Princess Fiona, who is imprisoned in a castle guarded by a Dragon. Unwilling to rescue Fiona himself, he organizes a tournament in which the winner will receive the "privilege" of performing the task on his behalf. When Shrek and Donkey arrive at Duloc, Farquaad announces that whoever kills Shrek will win the tournament; however, Shrek and Donkey defeat Farquaad's knights with relative ease. Amused, Farquaad proclaims them champions, and agrees to relocate the fairy-tale creatures if Shrek rescues Fiona.
Shrek and Donkey travel to the castle and are attacked by the Dragon. Shrek locates Fiona, who is appalled by his lack of romanticism; they flee the castle after rescuing Donkey from the dragon, who's revaled to be female and has fallen in love with him. When Shrek removes his helmet and reveals he is an ogre, Fiona stubbornly refuses to go to Duloc, demanding Farquaad arrive in person to save her. Shrek carries Fiona against her will. That night, after setting up camp, and with Fiona alone in a cave, Shrek admits to Donkey that he is antisocial because he grew frustrated after being constantly judged for his appearance. Fiona overhears this, and decides to be more kind to Shrek. The next day, the three are harassed by Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, but Fiona easily defeats them in physical combat. Shrek becomes impressed with Fiona, and they begin to fall in love.
When the trio nears Duloc, Fiona takes shelter in a windmill for the evening. Donkey later enters alone and discovers that Fiona has transformed into an ogre. She explains that during her childhood, she was cursed to transform into an ogre at night, but retain her human form during the day. She tells Donkey that only "true love's kiss" will break the spell and change her to "love's true form". She is now trapped as she must marry Farquad before sunset and she has no other option, Donkey gives her assurance that Shrek actually does care about her. Meanwhile, Shrek is about to confess his feelings to Fiona, when he overhears Fiona referring to herself as an "ugly beast". Believing that she is talking about him, Shrek angrily leaves and returns the next morning with Farquaad. Confused and hurt by Shrek's abrupt hostility, Fiona accepts Farquaad's marriage proposal and requests that they be married before nightfall. Eager by this, Farquaad agrees telling his captain to begin preparations right away
Shrek abandons Donkey after yelling at him leaving Donkey hurt and Shrek returns to his now-vacated swamp, but quickly realizes that he feels miserable without Fiona. Meanwhile Fiona is preparing for the wedding and Donkey reunites with Dragon. Soon Donkey appears making a wall between him and Shrek, scolding Shrek for his bad behavior and for jumping to conclusions. He even tells Shrek that Fiona was not talking about him as an "ugly beast" and encourages him to express his love to Fiona. The two reconcile, and quickly travel to Duloc by riding the Dragon, whom Donkey has befriended.
Shrek interrupts the wedding just before the ceremony ends, and tells Fiona that Farquaad is only marrying her to become king. The sun sets as Fiona transforms into an ogre in front of everyone, causing Shrek to understand Fiona's previous remarks. Outraged and disgusted, Farquaad orders Shrek killed and Fiona re-imprisoned, so that he will still be king by technicality. The two are saved when the Dragon, ridden by Donkey, breaks in and devours Farquaad. Shrek and Fiona profess their love and share a kiss. Fiona's curse is broken; she is surprised to find she has remained an ogre, though Shrek reassures her that he still finds her beautiful. They marry in the swamp with the fairy-tale creatures in attendance, then leave for their honeymoon.
Cast[]
- Mike Myers as Shrek
- Eddie Murphy as Donkey
- Cameron Diaz as Princess Fiona
- John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad
- Conrad Vernon as Gingy
- Chris Miller as Geppetto/Magic Mirror
- Cody Cameron as Pinocchio/The Three Little Pigs
- Christopher Knights, Mike Myers and Simon J. Smith as Three Blind Mice
- Christopher Knights as Thelonius
- Aron Warner as Big Bad Wolf
- Jim Cummings as Captain of the Guards
- Vincent Cassel as Monsieur Hood (a French rendition of Robin Hood)
- Kathleen Freeman as Old Woman (Donkey's ex-owner)
- Bobby Block as Baby Bear
- Frank Welker as Dragon (uncredited)
- Michael Galasso as Peter Pan
Critical Reception[]
Shrek received critical acclaim from critics with a score of 88% based on 204 reviews with an average score of 7.82/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
Trivia[]
- This movie can be featured on the Game Boy Advance Video.
- It was the first film to win the Best animated feature Oscar
Gallery[]
External links[]
| Shrek | ||
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| Shrek (2001) • Shrek 2 (2004) • Shrek the Third (2007) • Shrek Forever After (2010) | ||