Barbie as Rapunzel
Encyclopedia
Barbie as Rapunzel is a 2002 direct-to-video Barbie
film directed by Owen Hurley. It is the second in the Barbie film series
of computer animated
Barbie films, and features the voice of Kelly Sheridan
as Barbie. The story is adapted from the Brothers Grimm
fairy tale "Rapunzel
".
to her little sister Kelly, who does not have confidence in her painting
abilities.
Rapunzel lives as a servant to the witch Gothel, who resides in a manor isolated in the woods. She grows up believing that Gothel saved her from abandonment as an infant. Rapunzel finds companionship in Penelope, an outgoing dragon
, and Hobie, a worrisome rabbit
. Rapunzel spends what free time she has painting.
The story begins with Rapunzel painting a beautiful picture of a seashore where she dreams she can go to be free one day. Hobie soon alerts her of Gothel's approach and Rapunzel just manages to get things ready in time. However, Gothel notices a smear of paint on her cheek and accuses her of not appreciating everything that she has done for her.
While preparing tea for Gothel, Penelope accidentally finds a secret staircase which leads to an old room below the manor. In it they discover a gift from her parents who allegedly deserted her: a silver hairbrush engraved with the following: “Constant as the stars above, always know that you are loved. To our daughter, Rapunzel on her first birthday. With Love Forever, Mother and Father.” These words leave the young artist questioning her past for the first time. Her diversion is quickly interrupted by Gothel’s calls for tea.
After serving Gothel her meal, Rapunzel and her friends revisit the cellar where Peneolope exposes yet another secret: a tunnel leading to the nearby village. Rapunzel takes this path to the small kingdom and is able to rescue a princess named Katrina from a pitfall. Soon after, Rapunzel is introduced to Katrina’s elder brother, the handsome Prince Stefan. He explains to her that the trap Katrina managed to escape was put there by King Wilhelm, the ruler of an opposing kingdom. Enchanted by the mysterious maiden, Stefan asks to meet her again, to which she agrees, though their meeting is ended abruptly before Stefan could tell her his name when she quickly rushes back to the woods to avoid being discovered by Gothel. Unknown to Rapunzel, Gothel's pet ferret
, Otto, has witnessed the entire exchange.
Angered, Gothel demands Rapunzel tell her the boy's name. Rapunzel insists that she does not know it but Gothel does not believe her, thinking she has been lying to her despite that she knew his existence. Rapunzel tells her that she cannot keep her locked away forever to which Gothel responds: Watch me. Gothel destroys Rapunzel's paint and paintings before transforming her bedroom into a tall tower
and stations Hugo, Penelope's father, outside. Gothel refuses to let Rapunzel go until she tells her the name of the boy she met.
That night, Rapunzel has a dream that Prince Stefan found her tower. He came up by climbing her long hair. When up there, they are about to kiss, but Gothel shows up and separates them. Rapunzel then wakes up and reads the engraving on the hairbrush. She realizes that there is still hope. Going back to sleep, a shower of light turns the hairbrush into a paintbrush.
It is revealed that Gothel is the fiendish puppet-master of the whole feud and is enjoying watching the two kings attempt to destroy one another.
Rapunzel is left alone with Hobie and Penelope, who cheer her up with new paint to replace the ones taken away from by Gothel. Hobie discovers the paintbrush and Rapunzel begins to paint. It soon becomes clear that she doesn't need paint and whatever she paints becomes real. Rapunzel paints the village and then steps through, arriving at the palace garden
s and meets Stefan.
She shows him the brush and asks for help to find its maker but insists that he never tell her his name. She meets a silversmith who says his brother made it, who lives in Wilhelm's side. The silversmith has not seen his brother in years, making him very upset. Stefan realizes that the feud is hurting the villagers more than he realized.
Afterward, Stefan asks Rapunzel to a masked ball. She replies that she will meet him there. He tells that her hair is a 'beautiful give away.' Penelope soon arrives explaining that Gothel is coming and they must leave so that Hugo will not be hurt. Rapunzel leaves and paints a way out.
When back at the tower, Rapunzel uses the paintbrush to paint herself a beautiful gown. Hobie and Penelope provide a mask. Unfortunately, the paintbrushes light can be seen and Otto sneaks in. He quickly steals the invitation without their notice and presents it to Gothel.
Angered, she arrives at the tower and slices off Rapunzel's hair and breaks the paintbrush into pieces. She also manages to destroy the painting of the village. Because she thinks Rapunzel refused to tell the truth, Gothel puts a spell around her tower, which holds people who lie forever and can never be broken. Gothel then storms to King Frederick and Stefan's castle, intent on destroying them. Back at the tower, Rapunzel manages to escape with the help of Penelope and Hugo, as the spell only works if the prisoner is a liar, which Rapunzel is not. She then rushes to save Stefan.
Stefan is lured away from the part by Gothel, who is disguised as Rapunzel. Gothel reveals herself and begins her attack. King Wilhelm appears before King Frederick, hoping to end the feud by force. It is revealed that the source of the feud is that Wilhelm believes Frederick kidnapped his daughter, who has been missing since she was an infant. Frederick replies that he planned nothing of the sort and he has no idea where Wilhelm's daughter is, to which Gothel reveals that she took Rapunzel because Wilhelm "loved" her but married another woman, as he saw her only as a friend. Rapunzel arrives just in time to stop them from fighting and Wilhelm recognizes her as his daughter.
A battle ensues, and Gothel begins to attack Rapunzel with magic. As Rapunzel runs into the royal maze she remembers the magic painting of the tower and tricks Gothel into running into it. She finds herself in Rapunzel's tower, which Hugo reminds her she can't escape as she has a lying heart.
Rapunzel is reunited with her father and mother, and marries Stefan, thus their fathers reconcile to re-unite their kingdoms, with Hugo, Penelope, Hobie living in the castle with them. It is revealed that Otto now serves Gothel but it is implied that she died soon after. A shot is seen of Rapunzel and Stefan walking along a beach, which is the same one as Rapunzel painted with a castle in the distance, implying her dreams came true. The scene becomes the painting Barbie had been working on.
Kelly now feels better and begins painting with blue which turns into the credits.
's Symphony No. 9
, also known as the New World Symphony - presumably a reference to Rapunzel's venture into the 'new world' of the village.
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
film directed by Owen Hurley. It is the second in the Barbie film series
Barbie film series
Since her film debut in 1987 in Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World, Barbie has been a virtual actress starring in several feature films and short films...
of computer animated
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
Barbie films, and features the voice of Kelly Sheridan
Kelly Sheridan
Kelly Sheridan is a Canadian voice actress based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Biography:Sheridan has voiced various roles in anime and other animated cartoons, such as Barbie in the computer generated Barbie film series since 2001...
as Barbie. The story is adapted from the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
fairy tale "Rapunzel
Rapunzel
"Rapunzel" is a German fairy tale in the collection assembled by the Brothers Grimm, and first published in 1812 as part of Children's and Household Tales. The Grimm Brothers' story is an adaptation of the fairy tale Persinette by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force originally published in 1698...
".
Plot
The story is being told by BarbieBarbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
to her little sister Kelly, who does not have confidence in her painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
abilities.
Rapunzel lives as a servant to the witch Gothel, who resides in a manor isolated in the woods. She grows up believing that Gothel saved her from abandonment as an infant. Rapunzel finds companionship in Penelope, an outgoing dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
, and Hobie, a worrisome rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
. Rapunzel spends what free time she has painting.
The story begins with Rapunzel painting a beautiful picture of a seashore where she dreams she can go to be free one day. Hobie soon alerts her of Gothel's approach and Rapunzel just manages to get things ready in time. However, Gothel notices a smear of paint on her cheek and accuses her of not appreciating everything that she has done for her.
While preparing tea for Gothel, Penelope accidentally finds a secret staircase which leads to an old room below the manor. In it they discover a gift from her parents who allegedly deserted her: a silver hairbrush engraved with the following: “Constant as the stars above, always know that you are loved. To our daughter, Rapunzel on her first birthday. With Love Forever, Mother and Father.” These words leave the young artist questioning her past for the first time. Her diversion is quickly interrupted by Gothel’s calls for tea.
After serving Gothel her meal, Rapunzel and her friends revisit the cellar where Peneolope exposes yet another secret: a tunnel leading to the nearby village. Rapunzel takes this path to the small kingdom and is able to rescue a princess named Katrina from a pitfall. Soon after, Rapunzel is introduced to Katrina’s elder brother, the handsome Prince Stefan. He explains to her that the trap Katrina managed to escape was put there by King Wilhelm, the ruler of an opposing kingdom. Enchanted by the mysterious maiden, Stefan asks to meet her again, to which she agrees, though their meeting is ended abruptly before Stefan could tell her his name when she quickly rushes back to the woods to avoid being discovered by Gothel. Unknown to Rapunzel, Gothel's pet ferret
Ferret
The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
, Otto, has witnessed the entire exchange.
Angered, Gothel demands Rapunzel tell her the boy's name. Rapunzel insists that she does not know it but Gothel does not believe her, thinking she has been lying to her despite that she knew his existence. Rapunzel tells her that she cannot keep her locked away forever to which Gothel responds: Watch me. Gothel destroys Rapunzel's paint and paintings before transforming her bedroom into a tall tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
and stations Hugo, Penelope's father, outside. Gothel refuses to let Rapunzel go until she tells her the name of the boy she met.
That night, Rapunzel has a dream that Prince Stefan found her tower. He came up by climbing her long hair. When up there, they are about to kiss, but Gothel shows up and separates them. Rapunzel then wakes up and reads the engraving on the hairbrush. She realizes that there is still hope. Going back to sleep, a shower of light turns the hairbrush into a paintbrush.
It is revealed that Gothel is the fiendish puppet-master of the whole feud and is enjoying watching the two kings attempt to destroy one another.
Rapunzel is left alone with Hobie and Penelope, who cheer her up with new paint to replace the ones taken away from by Gothel. Hobie discovers the paintbrush and Rapunzel begins to paint. It soon becomes clear that she doesn't need paint and whatever she paints becomes real. Rapunzel paints the village and then steps through, arriving at the palace garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s and meets Stefan.
She shows him the brush and asks for help to find its maker but insists that he never tell her his name. She meets a silversmith who says his brother made it, who lives in Wilhelm's side. The silversmith has not seen his brother in years, making him very upset. Stefan realizes that the feud is hurting the villagers more than he realized.
Afterward, Stefan asks Rapunzel to a masked ball. She replies that she will meet him there. He tells that her hair is a 'beautiful give away.' Penelope soon arrives explaining that Gothel is coming and they must leave so that Hugo will not be hurt. Rapunzel leaves and paints a way out.
When back at the tower, Rapunzel uses the paintbrush to paint herself a beautiful gown. Hobie and Penelope provide a mask. Unfortunately, the paintbrushes light can be seen and Otto sneaks in. He quickly steals the invitation without their notice and presents it to Gothel.
Angered, she arrives at the tower and slices off Rapunzel's hair and breaks the paintbrush into pieces. She also manages to destroy the painting of the village. Because she thinks Rapunzel refused to tell the truth, Gothel puts a spell around her tower, which holds people who lie forever and can never be broken. Gothel then storms to King Frederick and Stefan's castle, intent on destroying them. Back at the tower, Rapunzel manages to escape with the help of Penelope and Hugo, as the spell only works if the prisoner is a liar, which Rapunzel is not. She then rushes to save Stefan.
Stefan is lured away from the part by Gothel, who is disguised as Rapunzel. Gothel reveals herself and begins her attack. King Wilhelm appears before King Frederick, hoping to end the feud by force. It is revealed that the source of the feud is that Wilhelm believes Frederick kidnapped his daughter, who has been missing since she was an infant. Frederick replies that he planned nothing of the sort and he has no idea where Wilhelm's daughter is, to which Gothel reveals that she took Rapunzel because Wilhelm "loved" her but married another woman, as he saw her only as a friend. Rapunzel arrives just in time to stop them from fighting and Wilhelm recognizes her as his daughter.
A battle ensues, and Gothel begins to attack Rapunzel with magic. As Rapunzel runs into the royal maze she remembers the magic painting of the tower and tricks Gothel into running into it. She finds herself in Rapunzel's tower, which Hugo reminds her she can't escape as she has a lying heart.
Rapunzel is reunited with her father and mother, and marries Stefan, thus their fathers reconcile to re-unite their kingdoms, with Hugo, Penelope, Hobie living in the castle with them. It is revealed that Otto now serves Gothel but it is implied that she died soon after. A shot is seen of Rapunzel and Stefan walking along a beach, which is the same one as Rapunzel painted with a castle in the distance, implying her dreams came true. The scene becomes the painting Barbie had been working on.
Kelly now feels better and begins painting with blue which turns into the credits.
Cast
- Kelly SheridanKelly SheridanKelly Sheridan is a Canadian voice actress based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Biography:Sheridan has voiced various roles in anime and other animated cartoons, such as Barbie in the computer generated Barbie film series since 2001...
as BarbieBarbieBarbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
/ Rapunzel - Chantal StrandChantal StrandChantal Strand is a Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for the voice role of Bijou in Hamtaro, Cassie in Dragon Tales and did the voice of Secret Bear in the Care Bears 2000's merchandise as a talking toy.-Biography:She has a twin sister Michelle Strand...
as Kelly and Princess Katrina - Anjelica HustonAnjelica HustonAnjelica Huston is an American actress. Huston became the third generation of her family to win an Academy Award, for her performance in 1985's Prizzi's Honor, joining her father, director John Huston, and grandfather, actor Walter Huston. She later was nominated in 1989 and 1990 for her acting in...
as Gothel - Mark HildrethMark Hildreth (actor)Mark Hildreth is a Canadian actor and musician, based in the U.S. He has appeared in many movie and television roles. A graduate of The National Theater School of Canada, Mark Hildreth's theater credits include Hamlet , Bertram in All's well that Ends well , Richard of Gloucester in Richard III and...
as Prince Stefan - Cree SummerCree SummerCree Summer Francks , best known as Cree Summer, is a Canadian actress, musician and voice actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as college student Winifred "Freddie" Brooks on the NBC sitcom A Different World...
as Penelope - David KayeDavid KayeDavid V. Hope , known professionally as David Kaye, is a Canadian American actor who is better recognized for his work as a voice actor...
as Hugo - Ian James CorlettIan James CorlettIan James Corlett is a Canadian animation voice artist, writer, and musician. He is the creator of Studio B Productions' animated series Being Ian and Yvon of the Yukon....
as Hobie - Peter KelamisPeter KelamisPeter Kelamis is an Australian-born Canadian actor and comedian.-Life and career:Kelamis was born in Sydney, Australia of Greek origin. In 1985, Kelamis enrolled in the University of British Columbia...
as Otto / the Skinny Swordsman - Christopher GazeChristopher Gaze-Biography:Gaze is a the founding Artistic Director of the annual Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Best known as Artistic Director of Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, Christopher Gaze has performed in England, the USA and across Canada...
as King Wilhlem - Russell Roberts as King Frederick
- Terry KlassenTerry KlassenTerry Klassen is a Canadian voice actor and voice director in Vancouver, British Columbia. He co-created Yvon of the Yukon. He is the voice director for shows including Martha Speaks, "Johnny Test", "George of the Jungle", "Ed, Edd n Eddy", several "Barbie" movies, "Transformers", "CardCaptors",...
as the Baker / the Fat Swordsman - Britt McKillipBritt McKillipBrittney "Britt" McKillip is a Canadian actress and musician best known for her role in the movie Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktakular and its sequel Scary Godmother: The Revenge of Jimmy as Hannah Marie, and for her role as Reggie Lass in the cable series Dead Like Me, the film Dead Like Me:...
as Melody - Jocelyn Loewen as Lorena
- Dale Wilson as the Silversmith
Music
The film makes heavy use of Antonín DvořákAntonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
's Symphony No. 9
Symphony No. 9 (Dvorák)
The Symphony No. 9 in E Minor "From the New World", Op. 95, B. 178 , popularly known as the New World Symphony, was composed by Antonín Dvořák in 1893 during his visit to the United States from 1892 to 1895. It is by far his most popular symphony, and one of the most popular in the modern repertoire...
, also known as the New World Symphony - presumably a reference to Rapunzel's venture into the 'new world' of the village.