57 reviews
I recently watched the "DuckTales" movie again, because it was a slow evening, and I still have fond memories of the series since its inception in '86.
I think that's why I watched the movie all the way through.
Don't get me wrong, the first (and only) Disney Movietoon isn't bad as far as films go. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me, namely the animation. It was a step beyond television animation and a step below feature film animation. The result was better use of shading and lighting, but wasn't nearly as fluid as say, "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" or any of Disney's other films during the early '90's. The soundtrack didn't really detract or enhance the film, but the show's theme provided a snappy, upbeat tune to end the film with.
The story itself wasn't bad, but some of the 30-minute shows seemed to have more interesting plots and faster pacing. That, and the "wacky Genie" schtick was done much better two years down the road with Robin Williams in "Aladdin". What really pulled this film through was the voice cast from the series, as they know their characters, and that's apparent. The film wisely kept its cast exclusively to the show's main characters, the genie, and the main villain and sidekick, but I got the feeling they should have all been given more to do.
As I said before, it's not a bad film, and I don't know if this film will ever be re-issued by Disney, but the main strength of this film lies in how much you like Scrooge McDuck and company. The television show was the best of any of Disney's non-feature animation, and for that reason, it kept me through the film until final credits.
I think that's why I watched the movie all the way through.
Don't get me wrong, the first (and only) Disney Movietoon isn't bad as far as films go. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me, namely the animation. It was a step beyond television animation and a step below feature film animation. The result was better use of shading and lighting, but wasn't nearly as fluid as say, "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" or any of Disney's other films during the early '90's. The soundtrack didn't really detract or enhance the film, but the show's theme provided a snappy, upbeat tune to end the film with.
The story itself wasn't bad, but some of the 30-minute shows seemed to have more interesting plots and faster pacing. That, and the "wacky Genie" schtick was done much better two years down the road with Robin Williams in "Aladdin". What really pulled this film through was the voice cast from the series, as they know their characters, and that's apparent. The film wisely kept its cast exclusively to the show's main characters, the genie, and the main villain and sidekick, but I got the feeling they should have all been given more to do.
As I said before, it's not a bad film, and I don't know if this film will ever be re-issued by Disney, but the main strength of this film lies in how much you like Scrooge McDuck and company. The television show was the best of any of Disney's non-feature animation, and for that reason, it kept me through the film until final credits.
Okay, it is true that the graphics of this movie are not as good as those of the 1990s Disney classics, but still, despite that it is a nice movie. The beginning, I mean the treasure hunt is typical of earlier Ducktale cartoons - adventures in some ancient land. The rest is a modernised adaptation of the story of Aladdin. It is quite gripping for kids, and adults are bound to like it too. The best thing about it, I think, is that the adventure starts away from home but it ends up at Duckberg. Fantasy plays a large role as with all Disney cartoons. Enjoyable.
This is a fun movie based on the Disney cartoon Ducktales, a story about Scrooge McDuck and the gang out to search for a magic lamp, with an evil wizard out to get his hands on it as well.
I remember watching Ducktales on the Disney Afternoon after I got home from elementary school, and it was one of my favorite cartoon shows. It was great seeing classic Disney characters like Huey, Duey and Louie star in a more modern show to keep up with the times, but still maintaining that special Disney charm. It's equally awesome to see the show making it to the big screen with this movie, and it brought along the show's elements: colorful animation, upbeat music, fun and daring characters and exciting adventures.
It's a little on the short side, with a running time of only 74 min. So, the movie may seemed rushed through at times. Other than that, if you love Ducktales, you would love this movie - great fun for the entire family.
Grade B+
I remember watching Ducktales on the Disney Afternoon after I got home from elementary school, and it was one of my favorite cartoon shows. It was great seeing classic Disney characters like Huey, Duey and Louie star in a more modern show to keep up with the times, but still maintaining that special Disney charm. It's equally awesome to see the show making it to the big screen with this movie, and it brought along the show's elements: colorful animation, upbeat music, fun and daring characters and exciting adventures.
It's a little on the short side, with a running time of only 74 min. So, the movie may seemed rushed through at times. Other than that, if you love Ducktales, you would love this movie - great fun for the entire family.
Grade B+
- OllieSuave-007
- Dec 21, 2013
- Permalink
I recently watched the "DuckTales" movie again, because it was a slow evening, and I still have fond memories of the series since its inception in '86.
I think that's why I watched the movie all the way through.
Don't get me wrong, the first (and only) Disney Movietoon isn't bad as far as films go. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me, namely the animation. It was a step beyond television animation and a step below feature film animation. The result was better use of shading and lighting, but wasn't nearly as fluid as say, "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" or any of Disney's other films during the early '90's. The soundtrack didn't really detract or enhance the film, but the show's theme provided a snappy, upbeat tune to end the film with.
The story itself wasn't bad, but some of the 30-minute shows seemed to have more interesting plots and faster pacing. That, and the "wacky Genie" schtick was done much better two years down the road with Robin Williams in "Aladdin". What really pulled this film through was the voice cast from the series, as they know their characters, and that's apparent. The film wisely kept its cast exclusively to the show's main characters, the genie, and the main villain and sidekick, but I got the feeling they should have all been given more to do.
As I said before, it's not a bad film, and I don't know if this film will ever be re-issued by Disney, but the main strength of this film lies in how much you like Scrooge McDuck and company. The television show was the best of any of Disney's non-feature animation, and for that reason, it kept me through the film until final credits.
I think that's why I watched the movie all the way through.
Don't get me wrong, the first (and only) Disney Movietoon isn't bad as far as films go. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me, namely the animation. It was a step beyond television animation and a step below feature film animation. The result was better use of shading and lighting, but wasn't nearly as fluid as say, "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" or any of Disney's other films during the early '90's. The soundtrack didn't really detract or enhance the film, but the show's theme provided a snappy, upbeat tune to end the film with.
The story itself wasn't bad, but some of the 30-minute shows seemed to have more interesting plots and faster pacing. That, and the "wacky Genie" schtick was done much better two years down the road with Robin Williams in "Aladdin". What really pulled this film through was the voice cast from the series, as they know their characters, and that's apparent. The film wisely kept its cast exclusively to the show's main characters, the genie, and the main villain and sidekick, but I got the feeling they should have all been given more to do.
As I said before, it's not a bad film, and I don't know if this film will ever be re-issued by Disney, but the main strength of this film lies in how much you like Scrooge McDuck and company. The television show was the best of any of Disney's non-feature animation, and for that reason, it kept me through the film until final credits.
- russell-patrick39
- Mar 16, 2012
- Permalink
I still remember seeing this at the theater with my grandparents and two younger siblings in 1990. I liked the story of the McDucks trying to find the treasure, and I really liked the genie. I think that this is a great film for the kids to watch. Who knows, maybe you'll enjoy it too!
- rockndaparadise
- Aug 28, 2004
- Permalink
- MissSimonetta
- May 1, 2017
- Permalink
After the series has come to an end, Disney found it so successful that they have made a movie version of it; it is called "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp," and it was an animated film made in 1990 from Disney MovieToons, a very short lived division of the Disney company (at least for its time; there, of course, was "Teacher's Pet: The Movie," but it is nothing as good as this!!!!!)
Here, our adventurous gang of Scrooge, Launchpad, Huey, Dewey, and Louie fly out to the desert to find a pyramid, filled with traps and treasure; one of which holds the lamp of the genie!!!!! After they reach home, Huey, Dewey, and Louie are friends with the genie and the fun begins!!!!!
I've rented this and seen this on the Old Disney Channel as a kid. Then this was released on DVD in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, and finally, in March or April of 2005, the BAD Disney Channel, for some reason, decided to show this movie. What a treat!!!!! Oh sure, it's on DVD in America now, but only if you're a member of the Disney Movie Club!!!!! Hey, at least it's in 16x9 widescreen!!!!!
"DuckTales: The Movie" is a great way to wrap up the series; much better than that "Lizzie McGuire Movie," in my opinion!!!!!
10 stars!!!!!
Here, our adventurous gang of Scrooge, Launchpad, Huey, Dewey, and Louie fly out to the desert to find a pyramid, filled with traps and treasure; one of which holds the lamp of the genie!!!!! After they reach home, Huey, Dewey, and Louie are friends with the genie and the fun begins!!!!!
I've rented this and seen this on the Old Disney Channel as a kid. Then this was released on DVD in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, and finally, in March or April of 2005, the BAD Disney Channel, for some reason, decided to show this movie. What a treat!!!!! Oh sure, it's on DVD in America now, but only if you're a member of the Disney Movie Club!!!!! Hey, at least it's in 16x9 widescreen!!!!!
"DuckTales: The Movie" is a great way to wrap up the series; much better than that "Lizzie McGuire Movie," in my opinion!!!!!
10 stars!!!!!
I know I used to watch Duck Tales as a child because I found myself humming along absentmindedly to the theme music but I cannot remember much more than that. This was not a problem though as I only watched it to act as a bit of a trip down memory lane for me. The plot is OK for this sort of thing and allows plenty of silly antics as well as just doing enough for the duration to actually give the film somewhere to go towards the end to create a certain amount of actual drive for the antics. This is not to say it is a great affair because it isn't, but under tens should enjoy it enough to distract them for just over an hour.
The animation is colourful and, even if it is uninspiring it still does the job and never feels cheap or rushed out. The voice work is pretty good but I, like many others I think, found the voices of Huey and crew to be rather annoying even if one must give Taylor his dues for doing several voices. Young does a simple job on Scrooge, Taylor is fun as the genie and Libertini is quite fun as the comic relief. Lloyd is a nice addition for adults and he has a great presence thanks to his distinctive voice work but he has little to do and, to be honest, the voice work doesn't really stand out that much.
Overall this is OK fare for under tens but I must admit that it is unlikely to draw any audience other than that. Those seeking childhood memories may enjoy it and be glad to find that it is quite well made even if it is unspectacular but it is not worth watching if you have not experienced it before now. Tape it off TV and you'll find it useful enough to keep young children happy but I doubt many adults find it useful in any ways other than a babysitter.
The animation is colourful and, even if it is uninspiring it still does the job and never feels cheap or rushed out. The voice work is pretty good but I, like many others I think, found the voices of Huey and crew to be rather annoying even if one must give Taylor his dues for doing several voices. Young does a simple job on Scrooge, Taylor is fun as the genie and Libertini is quite fun as the comic relief. Lloyd is a nice addition for adults and he has a great presence thanks to his distinctive voice work but he has little to do and, to be honest, the voice work doesn't really stand out that much.
Overall this is OK fare for under tens but I must admit that it is unlikely to draw any audience other than that. Those seeking childhood memories may enjoy it and be glad to find that it is quite well made even if it is unspectacular but it is not worth watching if you have not experienced it before now. Tape it off TV and you'll find it useful enough to keep young children happy but I doubt many adults find it useful in any ways other than a babysitter.
- m-conway50
- Feb 24, 2012
- Permalink
- jboothmillard
- Jul 12, 2005
- Permalink
In this tale, which is roughly based on Ali Baba lore, we find Scrooge McDuck and his nephews on the trail of a magic lamp. Also on the trail is Merlock the Magician (voiced by Christopher Lloyd of 'Back to the Future'.) The film has a slight resemblance to the likes of Indiana Jones and Disney's own later film series of 'Aladdin' and 'Aladdin and the King of Thieves'. Based primarily on the television series of the same name, 'DuckTales' and created by the brand new (at the time) Disney Toon Studios and released theatrically in 1990, this is a timeless film that children and adults will both enjoy. The only downfall for those who love this film is that the only DVD release (so far) has been through the Disney Movie Club. So delightful, I gave it 10/10!
- Hollywood_Yoda
- May 17, 2010
- Permalink
I don't think I've seen this movie in over 25 years but based on how well I remember so much of it, I must've watched it over 25 times. Unfortunately, that history didn't do much to help this rewatch. The genie, when not completely insufferable, is often funny. Otherwise, it's just a poorly animated TV episode that plays like an almost beat-for-beat practice for Aladdin.
- matthewssilverhammer
- Apr 13, 2020
- Permalink
This was DuckTales at its peak. Animated by Disney's tv animation departments around the world, this film draws inspiration from the more mature indiana jones movies in the 80s and makes it suitable for kids of all ages.
- justin-fencsak
- Sep 13, 2018
- Permalink
This movie is great if you are a fan of the series, as an 80's and 90's child, I grew up with "Ducktales." This movie is no exception in being great, it has an awesome sense of adventure. The beginning of the film has such great animation it looks real. Great film for all ages!!!!
- datautisticgamer-74853
- Nov 4, 2017
- Permalink
Okay to start things off, after rewatching this again after 4 years, for DuckTales:The Movie-Treasure of the Lost Lamp isn't as good as the show it derives from. The show "DuckTales" is one of my favourites, it is funny, wonderfully animated and has such an irresistibly catchy theme tune, so this movie had a lot to live up to. Really, this is a treasure, that is a lot of fun and I think it lives up to the show very well. My only complaint though is that the movie is too short, if it had been 5-10 minutes longer, I would've liked to seen more of the villain and one or two more of the secondary characters. That said, the animation is very well done, colourful and pretty fluid. And I loved hearing the irresistible and upbeat theme tune playing over the end credits and the orchestral score is nice too. The script is often hilarious, Launchpad I have always found funny but there were times when Scrooge said something that was hysterical. The characters are still their fun and engaging selves, Huey, Dewey and Louie are fun and Webby is adorable. Scrooge and Launchpad both have their inspired moments, and the genie is a nice character. I liked the villain Merlock as well, while gruff and undeniably powerful he is also pretty humorous. The plot was well constructed, reminded me of the early "DuckTales" episodes, and the voice acting is excellent, not only from Russi Taylor, Alan Young and Terence McGovern, but Christopher Lloyd stands out as well as Merlock. Overall, a hugely enjoyable film, not as good as the show, but a worthy spin off movie. 9/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Feb 3, 2010
- Permalink
Aladdin meets DuckTales.
I've always been aware of the popular television show, with its cracking theme song, but never really got into it when I was younger, so this is my first proper taste of this particular Disney world - a good one!
The animation of 'DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp' isn't the grandest, but seeing the characters of Scrooge, Huey, Dewey and Louie put into the folk tale of Aladdin is entertaining; even if it is predictable, more so if you've seen the famous exploits of Prince Ali Ababwa from two years after this was released.
Russi Taylor does a fine job voicing the well-known duck trio, while Alan Young suffices in his role as Scrooge. The others don't majorly stand out, though it's cool to hear Christopher Lloyd as Merlock.
Nothing special, but an enjoyable little adventure film - surprised it didn't do well enough for a sequel.
I've always been aware of the popular television show, with its cracking theme song, but never really got into it when I was younger, so this is my first proper taste of this particular Disney world - a good one!
The animation of 'DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp' isn't the grandest, but seeing the characters of Scrooge, Huey, Dewey and Louie put into the folk tale of Aladdin is entertaining; even if it is predictable, more so if you've seen the famous exploits of Prince Ali Ababwa from two years after this was released.
Russi Taylor does a fine job voicing the well-known duck trio, while Alan Young suffices in his role as Scrooge. The others don't majorly stand out, though it's cool to hear Christopher Lloyd as Merlock.
Nothing special, but an enjoyable little adventure film - surprised it didn't do well enough for a sequel.
- Rectangular_businessman
- Jun 18, 2012
- Permalink
When I was a kid this was one of my favorite comic-books. I think I still have it somewhere. Story is variation of Aladdin, objectively, far below Disney classics, but it doesn't make this movie any less fun. Just relax and enjoy the ride with Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby. <3
7/10
7/10
- Bored_Dragon
- Dec 4, 2017
- Permalink
- tushargupta-27286
- Nov 5, 2021
- Permalink
As a big fan of the fantastic adventures of "Duck Tales - the series", I liked the movie even more. A few of the jokes have been made in the episodes before, but generally the quality of the movie is higher. The music has more variety and so do the drawings. If you happen to own a good VCR, try to step through the single frames. Lots of very funny pictures can only be noticed that way, whereas they will disappear in the flow of the running animation. The story itself is again a mixture of a few ancient legends, which is so funnily put in the world of the McDucks that you cannot help loving it.
This is a movie based on the "DuckTales" TV series. I'm not sure if I ever saw any episodes of that show as a kid, but the show did introduce Launchpad McQuack, a character who would later appear in "Darkwing Duck" a show I remember seeing a lot of as a kid in the early 90's, so I remember him from that show. I did see this film probably about six years after its release, and I may have thought it was pretty good at the time, even if I couldn't remember very much of it afterwards. I couldn't even remember the title, even though I could remember that it featured Huey, Dewey, and Louie and their Uncle Scrooge McDuck, all characters introduced decades before this movie and the show it's based on were made. After watching this movie for the first time in probably about fifteen years, I would say it's still not bad.
Scrooge McDuck, nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and niece Webbigail Vanderquack all go to Egypt with Launchpad McQuack, the clumsy pilot. The six of them are here to find the treasure of Collie Baba and his Forty Thieves! However, what they don't realize is that during their search, the evil Merlock is searching for one treasure in particular, and he sends his not so bright assistant, Dijon, to pretend to help the six treasure hunters find what they're looking for! After they find it, Merlock takes the treasure and tries to make sure Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webbigail, and Launchpad don't make it back outside alive! The six of them manage to escape, but end up taking nothing back to Duckberg with them except for a lamp, which they think is an ordinary oil lamp. However, this is actually a magic lamp with a genie inside, and the one treasure Merlock was looking for! As this genie grants the four duck children wishes after they discover him, Merlock and Dijon are now searching for him in Duckberg!
With the six ducks flying to Egypt and Launchpad doing a clumsy job flying and landing, the film is off to a fairly amusing start. The Egypt adventure that starts the film off is pretty entertaining, with action and more humorous parts, some involving Dijon angering Merlock. Throughout the film, there's a lot more humour, and it's not usually hilarious and may rely too heavily on sight gags, but some of it certainly did make me laugh, such as some of the wishes the Genie finds himself granting the young ducks. The Genie in this movie, voiced by Rip Taylor, can be an amusing character, though he's certainly no match for the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin", voiced by Robin Williams. The plot of "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp" perhaps didn't turn out to be as consistent as I could have hoped for, and may not be as appealing to adult viewers as it is to many kids, but I definitely didn't exactly find it boring, just a BIT underwhelming. The animation here is decent as well, with some colourful backgrounds, and I have no complaints about the voice acting.
This movie based on a popular Disney TV series is certainly no classic piece of family animation, but overall, it still works as the kind of film it is. Since it came out the same year as Disney's "The Rescuers Down Under", I will say that I think it's definitely not as good as that one, but better the original "The Rescuers" from 1977, even if most would disagree. "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp" left me with the slight feeling that I should rate it six out of ten, but I think seven is more accurate to the way I feel about the film, even though I've given the same rating to certain films which I've found to be more entertaining. I can't say how this movie compares to the "DuckTales" TV series, since I don't recall ever actually seeing any episodes of it, and even if I did remember seeing any of the show as a kid, it obviously wouldn't be the same if I saw it now. Still, this 1990 animated feature is probably good entertainment for kids, and for adult fans of this type of film, it's not a must-see, but you still might enjoy it.
Scrooge McDuck, nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and niece Webbigail Vanderquack all go to Egypt with Launchpad McQuack, the clumsy pilot. The six of them are here to find the treasure of Collie Baba and his Forty Thieves! However, what they don't realize is that during their search, the evil Merlock is searching for one treasure in particular, and he sends his not so bright assistant, Dijon, to pretend to help the six treasure hunters find what they're looking for! After they find it, Merlock takes the treasure and tries to make sure Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webbigail, and Launchpad don't make it back outside alive! The six of them manage to escape, but end up taking nothing back to Duckberg with them except for a lamp, which they think is an ordinary oil lamp. However, this is actually a magic lamp with a genie inside, and the one treasure Merlock was looking for! As this genie grants the four duck children wishes after they discover him, Merlock and Dijon are now searching for him in Duckberg!
With the six ducks flying to Egypt and Launchpad doing a clumsy job flying and landing, the film is off to a fairly amusing start. The Egypt adventure that starts the film off is pretty entertaining, with action and more humorous parts, some involving Dijon angering Merlock. Throughout the film, there's a lot more humour, and it's not usually hilarious and may rely too heavily on sight gags, but some of it certainly did make me laugh, such as some of the wishes the Genie finds himself granting the young ducks. The Genie in this movie, voiced by Rip Taylor, can be an amusing character, though he's certainly no match for the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin", voiced by Robin Williams. The plot of "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp" perhaps didn't turn out to be as consistent as I could have hoped for, and may not be as appealing to adult viewers as it is to many kids, but I definitely didn't exactly find it boring, just a BIT underwhelming. The animation here is decent as well, with some colourful backgrounds, and I have no complaints about the voice acting.
This movie based on a popular Disney TV series is certainly no classic piece of family animation, but overall, it still works as the kind of film it is. Since it came out the same year as Disney's "The Rescuers Down Under", I will say that I think it's definitely not as good as that one, but better the original "The Rescuers" from 1977, even if most would disagree. "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp" left me with the slight feeling that I should rate it six out of ten, but I think seven is more accurate to the way I feel about the film, even though I've given the same rating to certain films which I've found to be more entertaining. I can't say how this movie compares to the "DuckTales" TV series, since I don't recall ever actually seeing any episodes of it, and even if I did remember seeing any of the show as a kid, it obviously wouldn't be the same if I saw it now. Still, this 1990 animated feature is probably good entertainment for kids, and for adult fans of this type of film, it's not a must-see, but you still might enjoy it.
- Beta_Gallinger
- Feb 28, 2011
- Permalink
Coming back to this as an adult, the notice in the TV versus movie production quality is noticeable. This was handled by the direct to video unit and it's noticeable right away. The story is very slight and far too reminiscent of Aladdin to be memorable. DuckTales is great but I got bored quick (especially after just being enthralled by The Little Mermaid, which absolutely deserves credit as the beginning of the Disney Renaissance). It's also a shame they couldn't work The Beagle Boys in here somewhere.
- cactusjac2000
- Aug 23, 2021
- Permalink