Perfect your “Batty” rap flow and get ready to save the rainforest all over again when Ferngully: The Last Rainforest arrives in a special edition package just in time for its 30-year anniversary. Coming to Blu-ray and DVD on August 23, the celebrated classic is receiving a full-blown 4K restorative makeover that will give the movie an even more brilliant animation pop. The discs will also be loaded with a slew of bonus content, including opening remarks from the film’s director, Bill Kroyerwhich will also show off previously archived looks at pencil, character, and animation tests.
The 1992 film was a staple for any ’90s kid, especially if your family was environmentally conscious. Just as amazing as the storyline, the piece featured the vocal talents of some incredible actors including Robin Williams, Christian Slater, Jonathan Ward, Samantha Mathis, Tim Curry, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chongand Tone Loc,
For the younger generations out there, FernGully was ahead of its time as the world was just beginning to get its first taste of computer generated graphics. Bridging the gap between handcrafted animation (which included painting each individual piece) and electronically based compositions, by the end of production, there were 150,000 cels adding up to a whopping 38 miles of illustrations.
The story of FernGullywhich took its basis from the series of books penned by Diana Young, centered on the lives of fairies, talking animals, and other mystical beings living deep in the rainforest. Protagonist Crysta (Mathis) is one of those fairies who call the Australian rainforest home. At the start of the movie, Crysta is revealed to have never seen a human being before, but quickly gets her fill when a logging company sets up shop on the outskirts of the rainforest.
It’s here that she meets one of the workers, Zak (Ward), who Crysta accidentally shrinks down to her size. A firm believer in his industry, things begin to turn for Zak as he sees the damage being done and the lives being ruined by the logging company. Things are made even worse when an evil entity known as Hexxus (Curry) comes to claim the rainforest as his own.
As for the anniversary release’s special features, buyers can expect to enjoy audio commentary from Kroyer, art director Ralph Egglestonand coordinating art director Susan Kroyer, as well as several featurettes including a making-of titled “From Paper to Tree.” Check out those featurettes and more on your copy of the revamped 30th-anniversary edition of FernGully: The Last Rainforest when it lands on Blu-ray and DVD on August 23.
