http://www.aintitcool.com/node/30064

[...]Hi Harry - Long time reader, first time writer. There was a screening in Atlanta today of about 20 minutes from 'Happy Feet', and I was lucky enough to see it. A rep from Warner Brothers introduced the footage, which was shown in video form, saying that it was rough in spots, and with a temp track, but that otherwise what we would be seeing would be what will be in the finished film. He mentioned that Savion Glover had done all of the tap dance sequences by motion capture, and that he was currently in a studio filming more for the end credits, which included a new song by Prince ("Heart Song").[...]

http://news.ninemsn.com.a...?id=118897

Miller's Happy Feet on a grand scale
Tuesday Aug 1 16:40 AEST
George Miller's new film is shaping as one of Australia's biggest ever movie productions, using more technological power than the Pentagon.

Selected media and industry types were treated to a 15-minute sneak peek of Miller's new animated film, Happy Feet, about a bunch of singing and dancing Emperor penguins.

The multi-million dollar film is a co-production between Village Roadshow Productions and Warner Bros Pictures and has been several years in the making.

"We are using more computer power than the Pentagon uses," Miller said of the animation which will hit screens in Australia on Boxing Day.

"We decided a long time ago to make the film as photo-real as possible. We sent two expeditions down to Antarctica to research and take photographs to capture the landscape and light."

Happy Feet boasts a strong cast of Hollywood heavyweights, including Robin Williams, Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, and Australians Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.

Other Australians voicing characters include Magda Szubanski and Hugo Weaving.

The film tells the story of a group of penguins who can all sing, except Mumble (Wood), who can't sing a note but can tap dance.

"At the heart, it is a story about belonging," said Miller, whose other film credits include Babe, Dead Calm and Mad Max.

"Happy Feet is a film unlike any other anyone has ever seen before."

Australian visual effects company Animal Logic has been working on the film at Sydney's Fox Studios.

Roadshow managing director Joel Pearlman said Happy Feet would be one of the biggest films to be released this Christmas.

"This is without a doubt one of the most important films we have ever released," said Pearlman.

Happy Feet, which also features the singing voices of Pink and KD Lang, will be released in the US in November.

Miller said pop star Prince also was penning a song for the film.

"Prince saw the film the other day and was very excited to write something for us," he said.

This movie is gonna be awesome.

Cool

people in the know on housequake are saying that
the song included in the film will be "Kiss"....

Another penguin movie!?

I saw the preview for this movie and it looks very cute...thanks for the info Papaj.

This reeks of Elton John Lion King type stuff.



I think Id rather have hin play Vegas.

Papaj said:

aussie aussie aussie oy oy oy. night all lol see u on the morrow.xx

calldapplwondery83 said:

you! will! be! moved! when the hijack crew comes to take a chunk of yo thread's ass!

soon to become a revered piece of reference material, right beside the vault:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

That's neat! Yeay Princey!

Happy Feet is some serious CGI schlock. "maybe we can money with animals in the arctic ice and snow. Well, it worked for Ice Age! let's do it based on the emperor penguin. Lackey:you da man Let's get the merchandise up and running. I will call Burger King Stat.




[Edited 9/15/06 10:33am]

Trickology said:

that trailer is too cute...i wanna see this.

I would like to know how insiders like Graycap23 didn't break this news.

Oops...forgot the quote marks around the word insiders.
[Edited 9/15/06 10:49am]

That is SO CUTE! I can't wait to hear it! Prince is the best!

how did Prince go from singing "Dirty Mind" to writing songs for tap dancing penguins?

Tom said:

Well, lets see...

Dirty Mind: 1980
Happy Feet: 2006

I would much rather not see a man near 50 prancing about in bikini briefs and thigh highs!

Tom said:

you shoud have said "how did Prince go from singing about fuclin his sister to writing songs for tap dancing penguins?"

sosgemini said:

SlamGlam said:

Everyone has to grow up sometime, even Prince!

UCantHavaDaMango said:

exactly... not to mention they are just songs!

Penguins are so cute, I liked the last penguin movie that was out.



No member of the animal kingdom nurses past maturity
(Nurses past, oh yeah)
No member of the animal kingdom ever did a thing 2 me
(Ever did a damn thing)
So I don't eat no red meat or white fish
Or funky, funky blue cheese
We're all members of the animal kingdom
Leave your brothers and sisters in the sea

For some reason that song popped into my head just now as I was reading this story.

gyro34 said:

I love Tina, she's always good for giggle!

Ohhh! that movie DOES look really cute!

I think this will be a great movie! I saw a preview at the theatre a while back and thought it looked very fun...even though my daughter is grown I planned to see this. Finding out that Prince is involved with the soundtrack just makes it that much more interesting!

newpower99 said:

That was my first thought, tooo. What's next, Prince toys in the happy meals at Micky D's?

Come on now.

People seem to be upset that he's doing stuff for kids. If you remember, back in 1996 (before the tragic death of his son), Prince had plans to put out a children's book, and an album of songs for kids. He went ahead with the Muppet Show appearance. Why is it so unbelievable that a man his age would do something for children? Many of his fans have children, and he seems to have a real heart for kids.
[Edited 9/15/06 13:26pm]

really cool! can't imagine what that song's gonna be like though...