[Smurfysmurf]

I think we talked about this before..but again with the new movie coming out soon, I thought a new discussion about them might be nice.

I was watching some of the old cartoons yesterday and even though I haven't seen the new smurfs yet in action, I have to say I already miss the old ones. Somehow the simplicity of their drawings was quite charming...and I loved those.

The smurfs underwent an evolution during the cartoon series as well..and the original smurfs were drawn very differently to the ones from the later part of ther series (especially the last season)..but I always prefered the old ones over the more evolved ones because I loved how simply, cute and cartoonish they were.

I wonder if they had made a movie with smurfs looking like the original cartoon smurfs...if people would have gone to see the movie..or would they have dismissed them as too simplistic for the 21st century?

[Tracker Smurf]

Working with puppetry I've learned that when working with live people there is a certain amount of believability you have to convey to the audience. Its a little harder these days to get kids to use their imagination sadly... but that doesn't mean you can't work on trying to make it more believable and not use that as your hook. That being said I don't think their core audience (kids) would except a live action movie with cartoony looking characters (ala Mary Poppins). Therefore by having the smurfs look more "real" they can hook todays kids a little better. I think some of the things they did could have been avoided (I really don't like the feet much) but things such as eyeballs were probably added to enhance the realism.

[Tracker Smurf]

BTW I do prefer the original simple designs too... but I understand where they're going with the movie...I just hope they keep the spirit of the smurfs... a little woried that smurf is going to be used as a substitue swear word.

[Pitufo]

IMHo the new smurfs are a bit "scary" but I will wait to see the films to say all I think. I have been reading all the old stories last few weeks and I think the first designs that appeared at those stories had a face really really funny

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

I was watching some of the old cartoons yesterday and even though I haven't seen the new smurfs yet in action, I have to say I already miss the old ones. Somehow the simplicity of their drawings was quite charming...and I loved those.

I fully agree to what you have said before, Moey. That's why I dare say, that I have never ever felt so disliked an entire series of pvc smurfs before. I hope that this movie series will be an one-of-a-kind exception only. If they continue producing any upcoming series with that ugly facial expressions (with the exception of the re-releases of some of the classic series), I would seriously shift my main interest into the elder ones, the re-release and anything that is connected with them, with the exception of Jakks, since Jakks have done a great job imho!

[lobo]

Considering how world and society have changed between 80´s cartoon and the future movie we should be glad if smurfs aren´t going to be chopping , torturing and killing our loved Gargamel and Azrael as current anime´s characters do with their enemies.
Personally, I enjoy seeing new versions of The Smurfs, more evolved and adapted to new ( not necessarily better ) times.

[Tracker Smurf]

Everything I've read makes it sound like the msurfs are going to stay true to who they are while dealing with our world. I'd love to see them approach our world with their innocence and positive attitude....I'd love to hear pappa smurf scolding them for behaving like humans

[Smurfysmurf]

One of my favorite movies of all times is Star Trek IV - Voyage Home when the crew travels from the 23rd century to San Fransisco in the 80s (20th century). They suddenly had to deal with little things that are so normal to us like crossing the street, buying the bus fare (they don't have money in the 23rd century), rude people and it was pure fun to watch.

I am hoping that things like these may also occur in the movie..maybe less with the smurfs, but more with Gargamel who is a human and won't stick out so much as the smurfs.

I know we have to go with the times and the smurfs need to look more realistic...I do hope though that enough of the old charm will be transfered into the new images...and that the things that come out will also include the old figures/cartoon images.

[Cool Smurf]

I like the designs of the Smurfs, whether tradtionally animated or CGI animated.

[Tojo]

One of my favorite movies of all times is Star Trek IV - Voyage Home when the crew travels from the 23rd century to San Fransisco in the 80s (20th century). They suddenly had to deal with little things that are so normal to us like crossing the street, buying the bus fare (they don't have money in the 23rd century), rude people and it was pure fun to watch.

I always enjoyed the old episodes when they went back in time. One of my fave quotes from Spock is, "It looks just like 20th century earth Jim", which it obviously was