Futurama: Bender's Game (2008) (V)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Dwayne Carey-Hill

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator)
Matt Groening (developer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 November 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Planet Express crew get trapped in a fantasy world. |

Plot Keywords:

Monkey | Surrealism | Crystal | Club | Soul Transference

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Billy West	...	Philip J. Fry / Frydo / Professor Hubert Farnsworth / The Great Wizard Greyfarn / Dr. Zoidberg / Monster Zoidberg / Farmer / Dwarf / Smitty / Treedledum / Additional Voices (voice)
Katey Sagal	...	Turanga Leela / Leegola (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Bender / Titanius Anglesmith / Igner / Ignus / Sal / Hood Ornament Thief / Hermaphrobot / Frydo's Reflection #1 / URL / Bellboy Robot / Additional Voices (voice) (as John DiMaggio)
Tress MacNeille	...	Mom / Momon / Turanga Munda / Nurse Ratchet / Linda / Slurm Queen / Ship's Computer / Natalie Maines / Intercom Robot / Rosie the Robot Maid / Swamp Hag / Centaurette / Additional Voices (voice)
Maurice LaMarche	...	Walt / Waltazar / The Scary Door Narrator / Dr. Perceptron / Morbo / Calculon / Mad Hatter Robot / Vending Machine Robot / Killbots / Morcs / Centaur / Additional Voices (voice)
Phil LaMarr	...	Hermes Conrad / Hermaphrodite / Dwight Conrad / Pay 'n' Chew Robot / Nibblonian #1 / Slave Robot / Peaches / Additional Voices (voice)
Lauren Tom	...	Amy Wong / Gynecaladriel / Chinese Boy / Additional Voices (voice)
David Herman	...	Larry / Larius / Turanga Morris / Scruffy / Dr. Ogden Wernstrom / Roberto / Nibblonian #2 / Cook / Redneck / Military Man / Frydo's Reflection #2 / Additional Voices (voice)
Kath Soucie	...	Cubert Farnsworth / Indian Boy / Additional Voices (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Nibbler / Trolls / Tyrannosaurus Rex / Monkey / Polar Bear / Rat / Chickens / Tunneling Horror / Additional Voices (voice)
E. Gary Gygax	...	Himself (voice) (archive footage) (as Gary Gygax)
Rich Little	...	Himself (voice)
George Takei	...	Himself (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul D. Calder	...	The Die of Power (voice) (uncredited)
David X. Cohen	...	The Die of Power (voice) (uncredited)
Danik Thomas	...	The Die of Power (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Dwayne Carey-Hill

Writing credits
Matt Groening		(creator)
Matt Groening		(developer) &
David X. Cohen		(developer)
Eric Horsted		(teleplay) (parts 1 & 2)
Michael Rowe		(teleplay) (part 3) &
Eric Kaplan		(teleplay) (part 3)
David X. Cohen		(teleplay) (part 4) &
Patric Verrone		(teleplay) (part 4) (as Patric M. Verrone)
Eric Horsted		(story) &
David X. Cohen		(story)

Produced by
David X. Cohen	....	executive producer
Matt Groening	....	executive producer
Eric Horsted	....	co-executive producer
Eric Kaplan	....	co-executive producer
Claudia Katz	....	producer
Rich Moore	....	animation executive producer
Michael Rowe	....	co-executive producer
Lee Supercinski	....	producer
Gregg Vanzo	....	animation executive producer
Patric Verrone	....	co-executive producer (as Patric M. Verrone)

Original Music by
Christopher Tyng

Film Editing by
Paul D. Calder

Casting by
Scott Muller

Art Department
Stephen Sandoval	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Travis Powers	....	sound designer
Carlos Sotolongo	....	adr mixer
Carlos Sotolongo	....	original dialogue mixer

Visual Effects by
Mark Orme	....	3D generalist
Jason Plapp	....	digital camera and composite
Chris Stover	....	3D animator
Scott Vanzo	....	director of computer graphics

Animation Department
David D. Au	....	character layout artist
Edmund Fong	....	story artist
Megan Kelly	....	character layout artist
Brian LoSchiavo	....	character layout artist
Jeff Mertz	....	background artist
Robert P. Moore	....	character layout artist
Vladi Rubizhevsky	....	background artist
T.C. Starnes Jr.	....	background layout artist

Editorial Department
Chad Woods	....	color key

Other crew
Michael Saikin	....	production assistant
Ben Sigman	....	systems administrator
Cindy Azada Whitman	....	design coordinator

Thanks
E. Gary Gygax	....	in memory of (as Gary Gygax)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• Curiosity Company, The

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Comedy Central (2008) (USA) (TV)
• FS Film Oy (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Rough Draft Korea (animation)
• Rough Draft Studios (animation)

Other Companies

• Before Noon Post-Production  post-production facility
• L.A. Studios, The  recording studio
• Travis Powers Sound Design  sound design

Also Known As:

The Futurama Movie 3 (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

UK:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-7 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:6 | Ireland:12 | South Africa:13L | New Zealand:PG

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

During the opening credits, the (only) yellow alien language sign reads "TARTY HUMAN BURGERS".

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: During Nibbler's flashback (which takes place 36 years ago, i.e. now), Mom is seen with her adult sons. However, the flashback only starts 36 years ago; by the time we see Mom with her sons time has moved ahead to be just before Leela first encounters Nibbler. This is made clear by Nibbler meeting Leela as he emerges from the bushes where he carried out the "evacuation" that Mom and sons saw, moments earlier.

Quotes:

Leegola: What else can we slay? Is that a hobbit over there?
Titanius Anglesmith: No, that's a hobo and a rabbit. But they're making a hobbit.

Movie Connections:

References The War of the Worlds (1953)

Soundtrack:

Rocket Ship

A good film but Futurama was much better on television

I have already said it on another commentary but I like repeating it : I had an enormous admiration for the TV programme Futurama because it shook sarcastic,incisive and irreverent humor with intelligent concepts of sci-fi,exotic characters and a well structured mythology.That twist resulted on one of the best comedies the TV has ever produced.Unfortunately,this series was very underrated,and after four seasons of declining ratings,Futurama was cancelled in mid-2003.But,the surprising DVD sales of the series and the success of the repetitions of the series on channels like Cartoon Network,made the executives from Fox to re-considerate their (stupid) decision and now,we can enjoy the rebirth of Futurama,not on TV,but on movies made straight-to-DVD.But,as a huge fan of Futurama,I have to say Futurama : Bender's Big Score and Futurama : The Beast with a Billion Backs,in spite of being funny and entertaining,did not leave me completely satisfied.It seems that the creators of Futurama perfectly dominated the half an hour format (22 minutes without the commercials) but they have found difficulties in telling fluid and natural stories in the format of a full-length film.That problem is still on Futurama : Bender's Game.Minute by minute,Bender's Game made me laugh pretty much and it kept me entertained.But the whole does not result totally satisfactory,because the film suffers from lack of cohesion and from a fractured narrative.At the end of the first half hour,there is a sudden change of tone and it seems a totally different movie from there...in other words,the film keeps being funny and entertaining but that sudden change makes the film a little bit forced.I think the best format for Futurama was the one for TV but I have to be grateful for back to have Futurama.As the other Futurama films,Bender's Game is entertaining but I expected more from it.Still,I can recommend it because I had a good time watching it.