remember Dot and the Kangaroo? i remember watching that when i was really young growing up in hawaii, and loving it. i'm afraid to watch it again as an adult for fear of it sucking real bad!
 

Thanks, yes, actually Dot and the Kangaroo is still quite good and a worthy effort. It's a Yoram Gross film, from the classic Ethel Pedley book. My children have all enjoyed it at the right age.

However, Gross and Co. did kind of cash in a bit with a long string of increasingly strained sequels - Dot and the Bunny on up to Dot in Space and Dot Goes to Hollywood. They've done plenty of other nice stuff though, including Blinky Bill and Tabaluga for TV.

Overall, quality product.

For a real Australian animated travesty, there's always The Magic Pudding (not by Yoram Gross, but a bunch of other studios). I thought for years about how to best make a film of this - I wish someone had asked me! :))
 

marco polo jr was by far and away my fave film (and book) when i was a kid...

terribly sad about the american rip-off if its true!?!
what a shame!
 

Hi;
Well, it's nice to know that Marco is still remembered! I was one of the animation directors on the original film, and for a budget of just over half a million 1970's dollars (as against Disney's then average 4-5 million), I reckon we didn't do too badly!
I've seen the American remake; it uses a lot of our original footage, but the story veers off into time travel and outer space, and is really a bit of a mish-mash.
Incidentally; I've also worked on "Dot" and "Pudding", but the most fun I ever had was on "Yellow Submarine" when I was working in the UK in the 1960's.
Regards;
 

Cam, thankyou so much for writing - lovely to hear from one of the creative forces behind Marco Polo Junior Versus the Red Dragon.

It's good to have the mystery about the two versions cleared up, though the time and space stuff sounds to me like an unecessary distraction. The original is definite proof that a huge budget isn't needed to create a work of enduring worth, but imagination and vision is!

Recently, a friend bought me a copy of the picture book from this film and it brought back fond memories - great characters, an imaginative journey tale and wonderful animation work. I think this film may have been among the inspirations for the Disney films that followed the Little Mermaid resurgence (that really began with The Black Cauldron), particularly Mulan.

Wow, Yellow Submarine is still (rightly) regarded as an all-time classic and the pinnacle of British animation!

I still think highly of Dot and the Kangaroo too - the creative decisions made there (such as using real backgrounds) work well, and my children have all enjoyed this one when they were younger.

Thanks again for writing and I'm delighted that you found this page!
 

Hello everybody,

what a delight to see that not only somebody else knows my favorite childhood-movie... but also loves it the same way I did!!!

I still remember some scenes I only saw almost 30 years ago.. isn't that amazing? It's such a pity that this movie seems to be unavailable now.... even the Australian production company said that there is too little demande to finance a restauration of the material. I would LOVE to watch this movie again!!!

Regards

Deckard
 

Thanks, Deckard! Like you, I can visualise scenes from this - some pretty psychedelic as I remember - it really had a major impact on me as a child, being amazingly atmospheric and unlike any other animated film I'd seen before. It amazed me to find that is was also made here in Australia! A lost classic.
 

Ian

I still have the "book of the film" of MPJ. I saw it when I was 10 or so and it's impact has always stayed with me.

Interestingly, Richard Jones worked on it when he was at Eric Porter's studio and he told me a little about the project when he just popped in for a cuppa.

Sounds like we could form an elite little club right here, or perhaps form one on Facebook, where Poloholics can relate their experiences with one another. It's refreshing to know I'm not the only one who was inspired by this film enough to become a cartoonist!

Well done.

Steve Panozzo
 

I always remember watching Marco Polo Junior at my cousins house and absolutely loving it! The only problem was we had to go home and I missed the end of it! I would love to see it remade. I actually found a copy of the video in a second hand shop but unfortunately it won't play as the tape seems to be stuck in one place - boo hoo!
 

When Marco Polo Junior vs. The Red Dragon was released; I was about 15 and fanatical over animation (I still love it). With a dream of a career in animation production, I researched the background to learn animation for the film was produced at the Film Academy, Milson's Point in Sydney. One day I went to the studio and met a fellow by the name of Rowl Greenlalgh who had some association with the production of the animation. I think my passion impressed him and he gave me some original cells from the feature and a pencil sheet with the Smoothy and Crunchy Bears from a Peanut Butter Commercial. I remember his name because he signed the Bear drawing and of course I possess them still. He also invited me to come back in a few days and view the feature with another production fellow, I don't recall his name. During that private screening the two discussed the good and bad of the animation and I was privileged to take part in that discussion.
I expressed my appreciation to my hosts and I've always remembered the experience as a highlight of my youth.
Unfortunately my ability to draw is poor and a career in animation production was not to be. Only five years later I found myself working at the Film Academy as a sound operator on the Channel Nine series, The Young Doctors. Later my understanding of animation served me well as an on-air promotions producer for Network Ten.
I recorded a broadcast many years ago and since then the children in my greater family and some friends, have had a chance to see this landmark in Australian film history. I would love to see a restored original cut released on DVD with commentaries and a discussion between people involved.
 

I actually have a copy the original 1973 book of the movie. The book was titled "the adventuresof Marco Polo Junior", and was released by Paul Hamlyn. It is illustrated with cells from the movie. It was given to me by my mum when I was a kid. Great movie - I still remember it well 40 years later. Good book too - I won't ever sell it and I am reading it to my daughter now.
 

Hi Unknown,

I have a copy of that book too, thanks to Steve Panozzo alerting me to it.

You might also be interested to know that the original version of Marco Polo Junior Versus the Red Dragon is available as part of the Family Fun (Advantage Collection DVD set. The films in this collection are in all their original, completely unremastered glory, but there are a number of lost classics that anyone interested in animation should see.