I just re-watched this one and the 2nd film ("New Generation") back to back, and although I used to have positive memories of the 2nd film too, I can see now that there is really no comparison - THIS film, the original one, is vastly superior in virtually every conceivable way!!!!! They really seemed to *CARE* (pun unintended) about creating a COMPREHENSIVE and all-encompassing kind of story here, that could represent the franchise in a *HIGHLY MEMORABLE AND MEANINGFUL MANNER*, whereas the 2nd film seemed to be hastily put together just to capitalize on the RESOUNDING SUCCESS of this feature!
Yes, obviously it has its very apparent flaws, but even at the age of 34, I am able to overlook the flaws in light of the SURPRISING NUMBER OF *STRENGTHS* herein. The Animation sequences of Care-a-Lot, the Forest of Feelings, the Cloud Kingdom River, the Evil Spirit/Book and even the Circus/Amusement Park are TRULY MAGICAL - totally transporting you to the world of the story, making it very easy to suspend your disbelief, and evoking both the GOOD and the EVIL "atmospheres/mise-en-scenes" here *MOST VIVIDLY*. :) Of course, the scene where the children at the magic show are fighting each other was not depicted in a credible manner, probably because they didn't want to depict actual violence, but one definitely gets the sense of what's at stake there, for the story to continue......
It really does NOT seem like all the Care Bears and their Cousins are thrown in here JUST TO SELL ALL THE TOYS, as some have asserted - rather, I think all these characters have been *SEAMLESSLY, NATURALLY AND EFFORTLESSLY* WOVEN INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF THE NARRATIVE. I definitely cannot say the same at all about the 2nd film - quite the opposite, to say the least, which is shocking because I think they both had the same writer!!!!!! This is definitely the quintessential Care Bear movie, and so it is very fittingly called just that - THE CARE BEARS MOVIE - nothing boring or unoriginal about the title, when you consider how admirably and cohesively it encapsulates both the world and the individual characters of the Care Bears (and their cousins).
The Villain here is also LEGITIMATELY SCARY AND OMINOUS from start to finish - nothing hokey about her depiction, unlike the ridiculous "Dark Heart" from the 2nd film who was about as hokey and lame and cartoony as one could get. The voice actress really transcends the genre here with her vocal performance, and this does not surprise me given her Shakespearean background. You are really left with the sense that this is an Evil Spirit that could be out there somewhere, especially if you are a spiritual or religious person. There were comparisons made between her and the Wicked Queen and Magic Mirror in Disney's 'Snow White', and I have to say, this villain is FAR SCARIER. Right from the word go, the viewer literally fears for the young magician Nicholas's soul, because they REALLY DO NOT HOLD BACK on what a BONA FIDE *THREAT* HER PRESENCE is. The animation, the voice acting, and the superb score all come together to accentuate this - to the point where it feels like a REAL LIVE-ACTION MOVIE, and not "just a cartoon" AT ALL!
The songs here are also EXCEEDINGLY SUPERIOR to the cringey, sickening tripe we get in the 2nd film!!!!! They do not talk down to children, nor do they try to FORCE-FEED the messages with the horrendous faux-fervour of the 2nd film's songs. Carole King's "Care-a-lot" perfectly straddles sensitivity to the target children demographic along with a mature sensibility that adults can tune into just as easily!! And all the FUN Care Bear/Care Bear Cousins songs also have a *GENUINENESS* that seems to flow VERY ORGANICALLY from the story itself, which cannot be said at all for the songs in the 2nd film.
The one song I found TOO ON THE NOSE was John Sebastian's "Nobody Cares Like a Bear", although it seems like he was aiming for a Vintage Disney 'Jungle Book' kind of vibe there - which I was not quite a fan of, but I can see why it was done that way, and it's certainly very valid in its own right. In fact, the film definitely evokes Disney's 'Pinocchio' as well during the Nicholas/Fettucine/Circus storyline scenes, and I think THAT nod to Vintage Disney was BRILLIANTLY HANDLED - bringing that sensibility to the 1980s REALLY ARTFULLY, and not at all in a heavy-handed manner.
The contrast between the "humdrum" world of most human beings, and the UTTERLY ENCHANTING world up in the heavens with the Care Bears and their Cousins was also masterfully depicted here. Only the most miserable cynic in the world would keep dissing a film like this - someone who has been left bereft of all their innocence AND their imagination (if they ever had any). I really do not find this feature to be CLOYING in any way, although again unfortunately the 2nd film would take the word "cloying" to disgustingly perverted proportions.
So if you are new to the vintage Care Bear franchise, watch THIS film *WITHOUT FAIL* - I can confidently recommend it because the pluses outweigh the minuses - and SKIP the 2nd film ("New Generation"). The only other film in the franchise that matches or even exceeds this one is THE CARE BEAR ADVENTURE IN WONDERLAND - which is brilliant and an all-time favourite of mine, but is ultimately not the quintessential Care Bear movie because it's as much about Wonderland and Alice (the world of Lewis Carroll), whereas THIS film is all about THE CARE BEARS and their mission on EARTH. :)
