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今年樂壇新希望 cute爆潮聲笑撼大銀幕

《加菲貓大電影》製作班底2007聖誕唱佳音

花鼠明星俱樂部
Alvin and the Chipmunks

二十世紀霍士影片 榮譽發行 戲院、級別、片長：待定

導演：《加菲貓2》添曉治Tim Hill

演員：積遜李Jason Lee、金馬侖妮察辛Cameron Richardson、珍蓮治Jane Lynch

聖誕鉅獻 2007.12.13 細細粒 好唱得

製作背景

由「二十世紀霍士影片」榮譽發行、本年度壓軸合家歡特技喜劇之霸──《花鼠明星俱樂部》(Alvin and the Chipmunks)，經過《加菲貓大電影》製作班底全力打造下，把蓆捲美國三世代的響負盛名卡通角色──三隻趣緻好玩花鼠仔，帶進戲院大銀幕！《花鼠明星俱樂部》根據80年代卡通影集改編而成，原創音樂帶產品熱賣超過3,400萬套，屢次榮獲「格林美」大獎，全球更出現超過40個語言版本，可謂陪著不同階段和年齡觀眾成長，難怪大家期待萬分。

講開動畫中的老鼠，香港觀眾自然對迪士尼的米奇最為熟悉，但由花仔(Alvin)、亞矇(Simon)、亞肥(Theodore) 三隻小花鼠兄弟組成的「花鼠明星俱樂部」，經典地位也不相伯仲。這班小花鼠由美國音樂家Ross Bagdasarian Sr. 於1958年所創造，是一隊虛疑動畫樂隊組合（比今日的Gorillaz走快了半個世紀！）當時Ross利用錄音變速技巧，為三隻性格各異的小花鼠創造了諧趣的高音歌聲，Ross更化身成戇男角色Dave Seville，作為牠們的人類經理人。結果「花鼠明星俱樂部」的處男歌曲〈Witch Doctor〉廣受大眾歡迎，打上Billboard流行榜冠軍，連美國前總統甘迺迪也是fans之一。及後組合的唱片一張接一張，歷年為牠們贏得共5個格林美獎，更衍生多齣出動畫及電影，半個世紀以來依然陪伴著我們。

今次《花鼠明星俱樂部》除了有《不日成名》的積遜李演出外，還有《虎膽龍威4.0》男星積士汀(Justin Long) 與人氣偶像歌手Jesse McCartney負責為花鼠配音，陣容新鮮感十足。電影公司決定安排此片於今年12月13日（星期四）聖誕第一檔 在香港隆重推出。

故事大綱

《花鼠明星俱樂部》劇情老幼咸宜，故事寓教於樂，音樂悅耳動聽，真人揉合電影特技花鼠仔，更帶來無盡止的想像空間，創意十足！

三隻超級天份的花鼠仔──包括正義勇為的兄長花仔、高大沉默的二哥亞矇、活潑可愛的弟弟亞肥，原本在一裸松樹上安居樂業，豈料某日一間聖誕樹公司竟將牠們的「豪宅」砍下，並連鼠帶樹送到洛杉磯的 Jett Records 唱片公司中擺放。恰巧懷才不遇的音樂家戴夫斯威（積遜李 飾）去到唱片公司賣歌，竟誤打誤撞將三隻小花鼠帶回家中，令戴夫出奇不意的，是這三隻懂講說話小花鼠，不單是超級拆屋屋破壞王，牠們更能歌善舞，勁過棒棒堂!

戴夫決定將三隻小花鼠打造成歌星組合，結果雙方合作的聖誕歌〈The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)〉成為流行榜大熱，令牠們一夜成名，紫醉金迷的明星生活隨之而來︰小花鼠成為派對常客，出入有靚車接送，每天被狗仔隊追訪，比 Paris Hilton 還要出位。但三隻小花鼠沒有忘本，牠們決定充當月老，一手拉攏戴夫與前度女友Claire（金馬侖妮察辛 飾）復合，但到頭來卻烏龍百出。

戴夫的成功，引來唱片公司高層Ian Hawk（大衛葛斯 飾）眼紅，他惡意離間戴夫及三隻小花鼠，並一手操控這隊新星。奈何花仔、亞矇及亞肥目睹娛樂圈的黑暗真面目後，才發現忠誠、家庭友誼才是最重要。

電影構思

自《花鼠明星俱樂部》原作者 Ross Bagdasarian Sr. 於1972年逝世後，其兒子 Ross Bagdasarian Jr. 子承父業，延續《花鼠明星俱樂部》的音樂大業，而他構想《花鼠明星俱樂部》大電影更長達十年之久︰「對我們最重要的地方，是三個世代的花鼠迷都可以享受這齣電影。每一次有關花鼠的製作，我們都以新鮮感作為大前提，所以我們決定真人揉合動畫特技的手法將牠們的故事搬上銀幕。」雖然三隻小花鼠角變成CGI，但牠們的性格始終如一，例如最年長的亞矇身兼父職會照顧其餘兩鼠，善良正直的亞肥，則會安撫頑皮的花仔，而牠們三個仍然會不斷整蠱經理人戴夫，令他家無寧人。

不過今次三隻小花鼠在外型上將會與時並進，變成「潮鼠」，曾執導《加菲貓2》的導演添曉治 (Tim Hill) 解釋︰「牠們決不是你父親那時候的小花鼠，牠們充滿現代年輕人的氣息，歌精舞勁幽默感十足，簡直是偶像巨星，只不過周身毛！」

對於編劇一職，Ross Bagdasarian Jr. 與其妻子兼監製之一Janice Karman心目中早有人選，他就是動畫《阿森一族》資深編劇Jon Vitti，他也是《阿森一族大電影》編劇隊伍的明星成員之一，儘管Jon當時有不少工作在手，Ross還是堅持等他8個月，誓必要Jon為「花鼠明星俱樂部」劇本執筆，因為他的笑料從來百發百中。至於另一個編劇組合Will McRobb & Chris Viscardi也為劇本出力，結局時三隻小花鼠在洛杉磯Orpheum Theatre對著過千觀眾獻唱的橋段，就是出自二人手筆，他們指創作時要特別認真︰「幾乎全地球的人都知道〈The Chipmunk Song〉這首歌，《花鼠明星俱樂部》的角色及音樂在流行文化中，以達神聖地位，因此我們處理時要小心翼翼。」

選角稱職

電影界有一句名言︰「千萬別跟小孩及動物拍戲！」幸好今次的真人主角跟三隻花鼠小朋友合作得非常愉快。尋找影片男主角其實並非容易，因為戴夫斯威這個角色富有喜劇感同時，又要予人一種我見猶憐的戇直感覺，今次監製找來積遜李飾演，是因為他有齊兩種獨特魅力。不過最厲害還是積遜李跟空氣演戲，竟然毫無難度，監製透露︰「眾所周知三隻小花鼠在後期製作時才會用電腦繪畫出來，但積遜在片場面對空氣講對白時，不單眼神角度精準，動作及焦點更真實到不得了，牠永遠記得每隻花鼠的位置及對白。」

飾演歹角的 David Cross，導演添曉治大讚他無論拍幾多個take，狀態依然十足，副編劇McRobb及Viscardi則指 Davi d的演繹甚有自己的一套︰「大衛葛斯表面上是一個很典型的壞鬼唱片公司公層，但他內裏是一個蠢蛋，David 演活出他虛有其表的特質，並非一般歹角般平面。」

至於三隻小花鼠的聲音，早年由Ross Bagdasarian Sr. 一人聲演，在他與世長辭後，其兒子Ross Bagdasarian Jr. 及媳婦Janice Karman則在往後30年承繼這個工作。今次二人破天荒假手於人，請來諧星積士汀朗、型男才子 Matthew Gray Gubler及人氣偶像歌手Jesse McCartney分別為花仔、亞矇、亞肥配音，Ross Bagdasarian Jr. 解釋︰「因為他們三人均十分風趣及醒目，能夠演繹三隻小花鼠的內心。」

動畫出色

將三隻小花鼠變成電腦動畫角色，最大挑戰是牠們在真人背景下顯得自然真實，同時又要保持經典小花鼠的特質。其實50年來三隻小花鼠的「look」一直不斷更新，今時今日牠們已跟當初登上美國電視綜藝節目《The Ed Sullivan Show》時截然不同︰最初三隻小花鼠的外貌比較寫實，直到1961年的動畫劇集《The Alvin Show》時，牠們的樣貌開始由簡單的漫畫線條構成。至到1983年的動畫《Alvin and the Chipmunks》時，小花鼠樣睨開始擬人化，表情多多。來到了今次《花鼠明星俱樂部》電影，牠們再次換上Hip Hop街頭打扮。

打造新版本的小花鼠是一個既漫長又複雜的過程，今次兩位監製找來行內頂級高手來參與設計過程，包括負責過《五星級大鼠》及《冰河世紀》的H. B. "Buck" Lewis及參與過《翻生侏儸館》的Chris Consani。當角色設定完成後，動畫主任Chris Bailey，以及他旗下曾負責過《翻生侏儸館》及《踢撻小企鵝》的83位 Rhythm & Hues Studios 動畫師，便開始著手繪畫。

要將這三隻家傳戶曉的小花鼠用CGI再度重現固然是一個重大挑戰，在動工之前，一班動畫師先聽取了兩位監製對小花鼠鉅細無遺的分析，例如牠們面對某種情形時會作出甚麼反應，三隻小花鼠的性格互動等。然後Chris Bailey繒畫分鏡圖，為牠們設計富娛樂性的動態。

在拍攝真人背景時，三隻小花鼠的動作會由毛公仔先綵排一次，這個過程不時會產生即興笑料橋段，例如Chris會安排牠們跟周遭的物件如水杯、書本等作出互動。另外動畫師也參考了80年代《Alvin and the Chipmunks》的動畫劇，以及真實花鼠的動態，以理解這種小動物的動作，例如牠們如何進食、用兩腿走路時的姿勢，來增添真實感。

結果兩位監製對效果非常滿意︰「三隻小花鼠能夠如此醒目有趣，全靠動畫師的功勞︰花仔不能一味頑皮，牠也要有脆弱的時候；亞肥非常為食，但天真得惹人喜愛；亞矇聰明但牠卻有豐富的幽默感。動畫師為角色注入深度，讓牠們的性格立體起來。」

hip hop 音樂

花仔、亞矇、亞肥在新片中也會一改歌路，以rock, pop、reggae及hip hop的現代曲風來揉合牠們的招牌唱腔，組合的經典如〈Funkytown〉、〈Witch Doctor〉及〈The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)〉統統都會在原聲大碟中收錄。 影片音樂總監 Ali Dee Theodore 最大的任務，是為這些經典熱作注入時代感，好使它們在MTV上播放，也能吸引各界歌迷，特別是年輕人，他說︰「我想每首歌都能成為大熱單曲，事實上三隻小花鼠的狂野特質是音樂中心，也是牠們作為流行巨星的lifestyle。」

片中不少歌曲都以hip hop為基調，例如〈Ain't No Party〉就是一首很重型的嬉哈，因此三隻小花鼠的舞步也會以hip hop為主。負責為牠們編舞的是著名排舞師Rosero McCoy，跟音樂一樣，片中的舞步也新舊合壁，例如「The Paw Up」及「The Chip Hop」等動作，均是源自現時熱爆洛杉磯的街頭舞派Krumping。三隻小花鼠的舞步先由真人舞蹈員示範拍低，再供動畫師參考，動畫主任Chris Bailey解釋︰「動畫師不單要畫出舞步，還要提升三隻小花鼠的表現及能量。牠們各有自己的招牌動作，例如花仔比較自我，而亞肥則以態度取勝。」小花鼠的勁舞連動畫師都受到感染，不時對著電腦手舞足蹈。

懷舊醉人的美術設計也是影片重要的一環，美術總監Richard Holland在設計上加入了不少歷史細節，例如積遜李寫出〈The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)〉的鋼琴，與當年Ross Bagdasarian Sr. 所用的是同一型號。至於眾主角所住的大屋門牌是1958，正是三隻小花鼠誕生的年份。

說到底，賦予《花鼠明星俱樂部》生命的是出色的故事，Ross Bagdasarian Jr.回憶︰「在60年代《The Alvin Show》的故事，從來沒有交代Dave與三隻小花鼠結識的經過，直到我跟Janice在83年所寫的劇集才有提到，想不到成為了今次電影的故事骨幹。這是我參與過最刺激的小花鼠計畫，簡直是夢想成真，也是50年前我父親創作的一次驗證。」

俱樂部檔案

「花鼠明星俱樂部」是一隊跨媒體、跨時代，總之勁誇的流行icon，牠們由作曲家兼經理人Dave Seville一手發掘，曾奪多項格美林獎，大熱包括〈The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)〉及〈Witch Doctor〉，組合的高收視劇集也榮獲艾美獎提名。在「花鼠明星俱樂部」推出新電影及唱片之際，讓我們來深入認識隊中每位成員。

花仔 (Alvin)

組合隊長，有前冇後，打死罷就，精通電腦遊戲，胸前掛永遠掛著一個「勇」字……對不起……是「A」字才對，令他比起其餘兩位兄弟成員更加搶鏡。花仔為人衝動、魅力非凡、音樂感十足，而且充滿獸性吸引力，座右銘是「向平凡挑戰」。

亞矇 (Simon)

出色的幽默感加上天才級的音樂材華，亞矇從來未令過 fans 失望，他的機智正好與花仔的洞力相輔相成，其眼鏡look令他看上去更醒目靚仔，引來全球 fans 爭相仿傚。

亞肥 (Theodore)

牠不單是隊中的可愛教主，而且熱心助人，多愁善感，十分信得過，但為人比較天真及容易受騙（簡單來說，牠與花仔完全相反！）亞肥胸襟廣闊但胃口更大，曾試過將整盒糖塞在口中。作為俱樂部最年輕的成員，牠經常向花仔、亞矇呻嬌。

「花鼠明星俱樂部」大事年表

1958
〈Witch Doctor〉及〈The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)〉推出

1959
〈The Chipmunk Song〉獲提名四項格林美獎，贏得其中三項
首張大碟 《Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks》推出
組合以布偶造型於《The Ed Sullivan Show》上演出
花鼠明星俱樂部產品推出

1960
〈Alvin's Harmonica〉贏得格林美獎
美國前總統甘迺迪寫信表揚Ross Bagdasarian Sr.

1961
動畫劇集《The Alvin Show》於CBS黃金時段播出
〈Let's Sing with the Chipmunks〉贏得格林美獎

1972
Ross Bagdasarian Sr 因心臟病逝世

1978
Ross Bagdasarian Jr.與Janice Karman計畫讓「花鼠明星俱樂部」重生

1981
《A Chipmunk Christmas》動畫特輯於NBC播出，原聲大碟賣出白金銷量

1983
動畫劇集《Alvin and the Chipmunks》於NBC首播
女性版花鼠The Chipettes登場

1985
《Alvin and the Chipmunks》獲提名艾美獎

1987
《The Chipmunk Adventure》動畫電影上映

1988
《Alvin and the Chipmunks》第三度提名艾美獎

1994
《A Very Merry Chipmunk》大碟出版，參與歌手包括Celine Dion及Kenny G

2007
《花鼠明星俱樂部》真人+電腦動畫影上映

2008
《花鼠明星俱樂部》踏入50周年

www.alvinandthechipmunksmovie.com

《花鼠明星俱樂部》聖誕鉅獻 2007.12.13 細細粒 好唱得

《花鼠明星俱樂部》

HK Releasing Information:

HK Releasing Date: December 13, 2007 (Thursday)

Running Time/ Theatre: TBC

Category: I

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, a global phenomenon to generations of fans, becomes a live action/CGI motion picture event with a contemporary comic sensibility. Songwriter Dave Seville transforms singing chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore into pop sensations -- while the out-of-control trio lays waste to Dave's home, wreaks havoc on his career, and turns Dave's once-orderly life upside-down.

The film stars Jason Lee ("My Name is Earl") as Dave Seville, David Cross ("Arrested Development"), rising star Cameron Richardson, and as the voices of Alvin, Simon and Theodore, Justin Long ("Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," "Live Free or Die Hard"), Matthew Gray Gubler ("Criminal Minds," "R.V.") and actor-pop sensation Jesse McCartney. "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties" helmer Tim Hill directs from a screenplay by "The Simpsons" veteran Jon Vitti and Will McRobb & Chris Viscardi ("The Tale of Despereaux"). The producers are Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., son of Alvin and the Chipmunks creator Ross Bagdasarian, and Janice Karman.

Alvin and the Chipmunks have been wreaking havoc for Dave Seville - and delighting audiences around the world - for nearly 50 years, in various incarnations. From the moment they sprung into being, the creative brainchild of singer/songwriter Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., the 'Munks' catchy sound has been a pop culture mainstay, for both young and old.

According to producer Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., a big-studio ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS feature film has been a longtime goal. "[Producer] Janice [Karman] and I had been thinking about making a movie with the Chipmunks for over ten years, and one of the things really important to us was to make a film that could be enjoyed by the three generations of Chipmunks fans. He explains: "Whatever we do with The Chipmunks, we always try to keep it fresh. And we thought it would be fun to put the Chipmunks into a live-action world and then reinvent the look of the characters to make them believable in that environment."

"We wanted to make sure the Chipmunks retained the essence of the characters that people grew up with," adds Karman. "So you could look at Alvin and even though he's three-dimensional now in CGI, the spirit of the original creation is still there."

Under the watchful eyes of the two producers, the "inner-'Munk" of these beloved figures -Alvin's mischievous but well-intentioned nature, Simon's brainy intellect and Theodore's adorable charm - all remain intact.

Karman elaborates: "Ross and I never treated The Chipmunks as a cartoon. They had real emotions. While Alvin was brash, it was important that he was also vulnerable. Simon is the oldest and because The Chipmunks don't have parents, Simon is the adult who looks after the baby, Theodore, and tries to temper the rash Alvin."

As director Tim Hill points out, the 'Munks have undergone some important stylistic and attitudinal upgrades for their big-screen debut. "These aren't your father's Chipmunks," Hill laughs. "They have a contemporary edge and attitude, and they look and move a lot differently than previous versions of the characters. They're feisty and funny, they sing and they dance. They're pop superstars…with fur."

Moreover, the filmmakers up the emotional stakes for Alvin, Simon, Theodore and Dave. "We wanted to tell a heartwarming story about the coming together of a new family," explains Hill. "Dave, despite his doubts about himself and his new charges, comes to love Alvin, Simon and Theodore."

THREE 'MUNKS RUN AMUCK

As the story opens, we meet the three chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, who watch as their home is chopped down by a Christmas tree company. With the boys still inside, the tree is shipped off to the lobby of the prestigious Jett Records, helmed by a slick and conniving record executive named Ian Hawk (David Cross), in downtown Los Angeles. Ian is a former college roommate of Dave Seville (Jason Lee), a down-on-his-luck musician and songwriter who has never given up hope for making a successful career out of his quirky musical sensibilities.

When Dave goes to Jett Records to pitch Ian a new song, he is rudely booted out of the offices. Taking a basket of muffins as consolation, he wanders past the Christmas tree being installed in the lobby. The Chipmunks, smelling the tasty muffins, jump in the basket unbeknownst to Dave, who unwittingly carts them back to his apartment where the Chipmunks secretly install themselves quite comfortably.

Before you can say, "Alvinnnnn!!!" the 'Munks run amuck, turning their new digs into a disaster area. The boys' home-wrecking antics include storing toaster waffles under the carpet (put aside for the winter, the 'Munks explain), and leaving some mysterious dark, round objects strewn about (Simon insists they're…raisins). Shocked at what the boys have done to his apartment, Dave is even more astounded when he discovers that not only can these rodents talk, they can sing.

Despite his misgivings about his new tenants, Dave seizes the opportunity to put together his songwriting skills with the 'Munks unique talents. Their first collaboration, "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" becomes an overnight sensation, propelling the Chipmunks to superstardom. They revel in the rock star perks that follow: album launch parties, limos, flashing cameras, fans and press interviews.

At the same time, Alvin, Simon and Theodore decide to play Cupid, frantically trying to set a romantic scene for a reunion between Dave and his former girlfriend Claire (Cameron Richardson). Much to Dave's consternation and embarrassment, the boys prove themselves to be better singers than matchmakers.

But Dave's problems extend far beyond missed opportunities for romance. Ian's greed and Dave's difficulty with commitment create a rift between Dave and his lovable rodent pals. Alvin, Simon and Theodore venture out into the world once again and land themselves squarely in Ian's corrupt landscape of global contemporary pop music. As Ian pushes them beyond the breaking point, the boys begin to understand the true meaning of loyalty, family and friendship. But is it too late for them to escape Ian's clutches and find their way back to Dave?

RE-BOOTING THE 'MUNKS: THE SCREENPLAY

The producers and studio turned to screenwriter Jon Vitti to come up with the story for ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. Bagdasarian and Karman wanted the script to be really smart and being fans of Vitti's work, waited eight months until Jon was available. Vitti, who had a lengthy stint as a writer-producer on "The Simpsons" and was one of the "all-star" writers on the blockbuster "The Simpsons Movie," relished the opportunity to help bring to life a new incarnation of the beloved characters. "I knew [writing the movie] would be a lot of fun, and that the movie's potential appeal could spread to all ages," he notes. "It's a timeless, albeit crazy premise with a lot of heart: a father figure with three talking and singing chipmunks who effectively become his kids."

Vitti took note of the reactions of those who learned he was writing the story and co-writing the script to a new, big-screen iteration of ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. "It was really fun to see how excited people would get at even the idea of a new [Chipmunks] film. The characters are fondly remembered and people love the songs."

The screenwriting team of Will McRobb & Chris Viscardi also made important contributions to the final screenplay, including a big third-act concert sequence where the Chipmunks perform on stage in front of thousands of fans, while Dave seeks to extricate them from the clutches of ruthless music producer Ian. "It's a big scene, the film's climax, and it was a lot of fun to write," notes McRobb. "But it really didn't completely fall into place until the location was set."

The location to which he is referring is Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre, one of the city's most venerable landmarks. Everyone from a young Judy Garland to a recent crop of American Idols has performed in the renowned venue - which can now add Alvin, Simon and Theodore to its roster of luminaries.

McRobb & Viscardi took seriously the responsibility of updating ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS for a new generation of fans. "Pretty much everyone on the planet knows 'The Chipmunk Song'," says Viscardi. "The characters and their music are sacred parts of our pop culture, and we wanted to be very careful how we dealt with that."

Still, that responsibility was accompanied by a lot of Chipmunk-themed fun. "When working on the script, there were moments of feeling like we were involved with something really cool; for instance, when I was actually typing the words, Oo-ee-oo-ah-ah - and trying to figure out how to spell it," McRobb laughs.

ACTING UP: A CAST GETS 'MUNKED

The old show business adage that goes, "Never work with children or animals" took on a new meaning to the film's cast - which got to work with animals [the Chipmunks] who are children! Happily for all concerned, the film's two-legged cast got on swimmingly with their four-legged (CG) counterparts.

But the casting process wasn't an easy one. Director Tim Hill notes that the character of Dave Seville requires a rare combination of comedic skills, charisma and sympathy, "all of which Jason Lee brought to the project." Ross Bagdasarian adds, "It was important to find an actor who had the kind of appeal that when he shouted [Dave's signature exhortation] 'ALVIN!!!' you would still root for him. We were lucky to get Jason because he has that kind of charm and appeal."

In addition to his comedic talents, Lee was adept at interacting with three principals who, of course, weren't really there. "It takes more than a correct eye line to make you believe Alvin, Simon and Theodore are there with Jason; what makes it real are his actions and focus," Bagdasarian continues. "And Jason's task was complicated by a factor of three because he was acting opposite a trio - who rarely are seen standing together. He always had to keep in mind which Chipmunk was speaking, and from where."

"Jason seemed unusually comfortable acting opposite nothing," agrees Tim Hill. "And David Cross had a fantastic sense of being able to roll with one take after another."

"Having to remember where the 'Munks are hopping and in what order was the biggest challenge," Lee adds. "Alvin goes this way, Simon goes that way, Theodore stays here…wait, he's up there…and now there!" Lee laughs, gesticulating to illustrate his point.

"Acting opposite nothing is sometimes difficult because of the inherent technicalities," says David Cross. "Sometimes even just a speck of dust will get my eyes all a twitter, and I'd have to do another take."

Lee and Cross were cast by the time co-screenwriters McRobb & Viscardi joined the project - much to the delight of the scribes. "It took a lot of pressure off of us when we knew Jason Lee and David Cross would be speaking our lines," says McRobb. The screenwriting duo also notes that Cross' casting as villainous record company executive Ian brought another dimension to the character. Viscardi explains: "David doesn't look like your standard villain, and we had a lot of fun with that. In earlier script drafts, Ian was more of a stereotypically slick music executive. David brought out the character's inner dork, so his Ian is a guy trying to be something he's not, taking on the mannerisms of somebody who is cool and powerful. But inside…he's still a dork."

The character of Dave's ex- and perhaps future girlfriend, Claire, provides another dimension to the beleaguered songwriter. "Dave has a comically difficult history with women; it's another aspect of his inability to keep his life in order," says Cameron Richardson. "I think their relationship gives the story added appeal to adults. Dave has to learn how to grow up, and his dealings with Claire are part of that process."

Three of today's hottest young actors - "Dodgeball's" Justin Long, "Criminal Minds'" Matthew Gray Gubler, and pop sensation/actor Jesse McCartney - joined the project in post-production to voice, respectively, Alvin, Simon and Theodore. Producers Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. and Janice Karman were delighted with the work of all three performers - no small thing given that Bagdasarian's father, Ross, Sr., voiced all three roles before his untimely passing, with Bagdasarian and Karman performing the voices the past thirty years. "Justin, Matthew and Jesse were all funny and smart, while conveying the critical heart of the characters," says an appreciative Bagdasarian.

ANIMATING THE 'MUNKS

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS sees the boys completely re-imagined for the digital age. A successful fusion of the real world and state-of-the-art digital animation was necessary to make the Chipmunks convincing in a live-action movie. Although this new look definitely has more of an edge than the cartoon Chipmunks we've known and loved for over 45 years, they still retain their essential "'Munk-ness." "The challenge was to make them believable in a live action environment, while still being recognizable as the Chipmunks we know and love," says producer Janice Karman.

The new look comes many years after Alvin, Simon and Theodore made their public debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show," as puppets performing with Bagdasarian Sr.'s Dave Seville. In the beginning, the Chipmunks looked, well, very much like chipmunks … not photo-realistic, but based more on the animal than on a plushy derivative.

Their animated series "The Alvin Show" debuted on television in the fall of 1961 and with it, a new look for Alvin, Simon and Theodore. The Chipmunks' sharp lines and feral look was replaced by a friendlier, colorfully vibrant trio. Although Karman herself supervised another redesign for the second cartoon series launched in 1983, it has remained essentially the look of the Chipmunks…until now.

The Chipmunks' digital makeover was a long, complicated process that stretched well into production and even post-production. Working closely with Bagdasarian and Karman, some of the industry's top character designers contributed to the 'Munks' new look, including H. B. "Buck" Lewis, whose impressive resume includes "Ratatouille" and "Ice Age"; and Chris Consani, who had worked on "Night at the Museum" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe."

As the characters were being finalized, animation supervisor Chris Bailey and his team at visual effects house Rhythm & Hues Studios - whose preeminence in character animation is evident in "Night at the Museum," "Happy Feet," and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" - began to work their magic in animating and virtually creating the performances of Alvin, Simon and Theodore. Taking classic characters beloved by generations of fans around the world and changing their look altogether while retaining a sense of familiarity posed quite a challenge, but one for which Bailey was up to the task. Bailey has worked in the digital realm for several years lending his talents to films such as "X2," "Garfield" and "Fat Albert."

The caretakers of the ALVIN phenomenon - Bagdasarian and Karman - were impressed with the animators' work. "The Chipmunks are only as smart and interesting as the animators move them to be," Bagdasarian points out. "The animation team really makes you feel for the Chipmunks; they make them relatable. Alvin couldn't be just Mr. Know It All and a daredevil; he had to have vulnerability. Yes, Theodore is as sweet and food-crazy as ever, but the animators also gave him a naive quality that is endearing. Simon is as smart as can be, but he also has a great sense of humor and is able to stand up to Alvin when required to do so. Chris Bailey and Rhythm & Hues provided these critical character dimensions."

But before the animation began, the animators at Rhythm and Hues video taped Karman and Bagdasarian talking about The Chipmunks, detailing the "boys'" personal idiosyncrasies and how they would react to a given situation. "Alvin and Simon might fight, Alvin and Theodore might fight, but Simon and Theodore would never fight," says Karman.

To create the Chipmunk performances, Bailey worked closely with director Tim Hill, the actors, and key department heads. Early in pre-production, Bailey and Hill storyboarded the script and effects shots, always looking for more entertaining actions for the characters in a given scene.

During principal photography, scenes with the Chipmunks were rehearsed with stuffed animals - the cast and crew called them "stuffies" - standing in for the CG 'Munks. New staging and comedic moments for the diminutive trio continued to be developed.

In post-production, Bailey oversaw the work of the animators at Rhythm & Hues responsible for the individual Chipmunk performances. "I was Alvin, Simon and Theodore rolled into one," says Bailey. "My job was to make certain that everyone understood the characters and maintained a consistency of performances."

Bailey mixed important character delineations with the high-voltage Chipmunks-run-amuck action. "I was always looking for things that the Chipmunks could interact with," he explains. "For example, when they jump from one spot to another, can they knock over a glass of water, or push a book over to the side. Do they care when they jump past a plant? I surmised that Alvin would probably jump through the plant because he knows it's not going to hurt him. Simon would be more thoughtful; he wouldn't want to damage anything belonging to Dave, so he'd walk around the plant. Theo would bump his head on the plant."

Bailey points to a sequence where the Chipmunks perform a new version of their classic hit "Witch Doctor" before their legions of fans, then enjoy a big backstage party, as being particularly satisfying. "They're stars in this scene," he enthuses. "It's big, opulent, and wonderfully designed and choreographed. And it's a great, funny song.

"Once the Chipmunks animation was added to the scene, everyone - the studio, director, producers - thought the scene should have gone on longer. That was a huge compliment to the animation team."

Rhythm & Hues animation supervisor Lyndon Barrois directed the performances of the Chipmunks through seventy-three Los Angeles-based animators and another ten in India. For Barrois, the principal challenge was one of scale. "Alvin, Simon and Theodore are small and have to interact with humans while keeping their chipmunk characteristics," he says. "We wanted audiences to believe these are talking/singing/dancing chipmunks - but they're still chipmunks!"

To obtain background on the Chipmunk phenomenon, the animation staff met with Bagdasarian and Karman, watched episodes of the original "Alvin and the Chipmunks" television series, and filmed real chipmunks for movement and anatomical references. "We really wanted to understand how chipmunks move," says Barrois. "We examined their dart-y, furtive actions, how they stuff their mouths, and how they transition from biped to quadruped, then back to biped."

Barrois notes that this research was an important tool in rendering the digital Chipmunks. "I think the boys are most appealing when they're being their natural chipmunks selves, getting up on their hind legs, and stretching back to look at something. We really tried to resist the temptation to make them too anthropomorphic."

Another key figure at Rhythm & Hues was CG supervisor Todd Shifflet - the "How-Do-We-Do-It?" filmmaker who determined lighting schemes and ways to best integrate the Chipmunks into the set and with the human actors. It was Shifflet and his team who, among other things, made sure the Chipmunks' fur was combed, their hair moved correctly, and their eyes sparkled.

'MUNK MANIA: ALVIN, SIMON AND THEODORE SING …AND BUST A MOVE!

All singing! All dancing! All Alvin! In ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, Alvin, Simon and Theodore have a brand new sound that incorporates their signature music with modern takes on rock, pop, reggae and hip hop. Included in the film's soundtrack, released by Razor & Tie, are renditions of classics such as "Funkytown," "Witch Doctor" and "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)." Stand out new songs include "Get Munk'd," "Follow Me Now," as well as a cover of the Top 40 hit "Bad Day."

Overseeing it all is the film's executive music producer, Ali Dee Theodore. Theodore's ability to deliver accessible, fun pop music has long been recognized by industry watchers, and he more than rose to the task of creating a new incarnation of the band known as ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS.

Theodore's goal was to make the boys a legitimate band - to create music that could be played today on MTV, and that would appeal to kids, teens and adults. "I wanted every song to be a hit single, and treated each track as such," he explains. "Here again, the Chipmunks-'run-amuck' theme is front and center. Their antics fit right in with their standing as emerging pop superstars," says Theodore. "Private jets, trashing hotel rooms…it's all part of that lifestyle.

"In fact, one of the tracks, 'Ain't No Party' is about …how there 'ain't no party' like a Chipmunk party. It's heavily rooted in hip-hop, and it's all about being on the road."

For Ali Dee Theodore, one of the highlights of producing a new Chipmunks sound was the completion of the soundtrack's final mix. "We cranked the mix in the studio, and everyone's heads started bopping up and down, and they'd sing the choruses. You got three little furry guys singing these songs about love, about clubbing, and about hanging out with their boys - and it all worked. Every song has a different highlight, but each one provoked the same reaction: 'Wow, this is a hot record!' Everyone was surprised to experience the Chipmunks this way; their beat was banging."

The soundtrack is complemented by composer Christopher Lennertz's music, which underscores the film's comedy, as well as the evolving relationship between Dave and the Chipmunks.

Dance is another key element of the Chipmunks' on-stage electricity. Choreographer Rosero McCoy mapped out show-stopping steps for Alvin, Simon and Theodore. Like the songs, the dancing mixes contemporary with old-school moves. "I wanted the steps to hold up a year from now, and beyond," says McCoy.

Some of the more modern moves are based on snap dance, a subcategory of hip-hop dance that started in Atlanta; the Los Angeles-based Krumping, a new form of dance characterized by free, expressive and highly energetic moves (a perfect match for the 'Munks); and a street dance that originated in Oakland. But in the end, the moves belonged to the 'Munks, who in the film give their moves names like "The Paw Up" and "The Chip Hop."

The animators' mandate was to sell the excitement and rhythm of the Chipmunk dancing. But before the Rhythm & Hues wizards went to work on the 'Munk moves, McCoy went through the steps with human stand-ins who took on the characteristics of Alvin, Simon and Theodore. This template helped the animators understand a given dance's form and moves, but translating the human dancing into a chipmunk-sized body, was a formidable challenge. Says animation supervisor Chris Bailey: "The animators not only had to translate the weight and energy of a grown man into a little chipmunk body, but push the Chipmunks' expressions and imbue the characters with individual, signature moves - creating a new energy level.

"Alvin: he's really proud; this is his moment [on-stage]. He believes he was destined to be a star. Theo - his attitude is more, 'Gosh, wow! I can't believe I'm here. And, wow, people love me!' And Simon, the 'thinker' of the trio, we're surprised to see him actually get down with the best of them."

According to Rhythm & Hues' Lyndon Barrois, the animators themselves really got into the spirit of things… by bustin' a few 'munk moves of their own. "The guys would feel the music and start dancing while they were animating. They'd bounce off each other; the rhythm just started to get into everyone."

The high-tech dancing is complemented by some nostalgic and emotionally-tinged set decoration - personal touches that Bagdasarian enlisted production designer Richard Holland to sprinkle throughout the set. For instance, the piano on which Jason Lee's Dave Seville composes "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" is the same piano on which Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. composed the perennial hit. Even the address of the movie house is significant: 1958, the year the Chipmunks were born.

"I love having this stuff in the movie," Bagdasarian, Jr. proclaims. "It brings a kind of authenticity to the film that it wouldn't otherwise have."

Ultimately, though, what makes ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS work is the story. "I remember telling [producer] Janice [Karman] that there was never an episode of [the '60s series] 'The Alvin Show,' that dealt with how the Chipmunks came to live with Dave Seville. That became one of the first episodes Janice and I wrote for the 1983 network series debut, and we're delighted that an origin story became the genesis of this movie," Bagdasarian says.

"And it's also relationship story," Karman adds. "You have to have characters that people care about and, if we do our job, that the audience is pulling for to get together by the end despite the challenges they face."

"This movie is an exciting addition to all of the projects we've done in the past with the Chipmunks," Bagdasarian, concludes. "It's a dream come true, a real testimony to what my dad created almost 50 years ago."

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: BAND BIOGRAPHY

Pop icons Alvin and the Chipmunks is nothing less than a multi-generational, multi-media phenomenon. Discovered by songwriter/manager Dave Seville, who caught the boys' act in a now-forgotten small-town venue, the Grammy winning trio is beloved around the world for its signature hits "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" and "Witch Doctor," as well as for EmmyR nominated television series and top rated prime time specials.

Never content to rest on their laurels, the 'Munks set about conquering the silver screen - and to bring their fans an album that combines classic sounds with cutting-edge musicianship. These hotly anticipated projects are now a reality: ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, from Twentieth Century Fox, is headed to movie theaters everywhere on December 14. And on November 20, Razor & Tie Entertainment releases the original motion picture soundtrack, featuring The Chipmunk's signature sound and modern takes on rock, pop, reggae and hip hop.

What's next for Alvin, Simon and Theodore? The boys aren't yet saying - but their new album and film secure their standing as pop icons with a glorious past…and a future without limits.

ALVIN - A Biography

Band frontman. Daredevil. Videogamer extraordinaire. Alvin is all that… and so much more. (Just ask him.) The letter "A" emblazoned on his signature garb - a red sweater made by manager/songwriter Dave Seville… from a sock - sets this artist apart from his siblings/band mates. The superstar 'Munk is impulsive, charming, musical, and full of animal magnetism. What others might characterize as half-baked schemes, Alvin prefers to see as "challenging the ordinary."

SIMON - A Biography

Simon's dry sense of humor, added to his prodigious musical talents, never fails to delight the band's legions of fans. His razor-sharp mind complements Alvin's "shoot-from-the-hip" antics. While Alvin sports the band's only monogrammed sweater, Simon's signature accessory -a pair of spectacles "borrowed" from a wind-up toy - gives him genuine "specs appeal," which has inspired far-sighted fans around the globe to proudly sport their 'specs.

THEODORE - A Biography

Known to his fans as "The Sweet One," Theodore is also helpful, lovable, sensitive, gullible, trusting and naive. (In short, he's everything Alvin's not.) He has a big heart and an even larger appetite, and has been known to stuff an entire box of candy into his adorably puffy cheeks. The youngest of the Chipmunks, Theodore often intercedes when Simon and Alvin disagree (which is often).

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE CHIPMUNKS

In 1958, Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. was a down-on-his-luck musician/songwriter with a family to feed. He was signed with Liberty Records, a flailing label desperate for a hit. In the spirit of a true artist, Bagdasarian, Sr. was a risk taker. He cleaned out the family's savings account and bought a state-of-the-art tape recorder, then he sat down and tried to figure out what he would do with it. Looking around his desk, he saw a copy of a book called Duel with the Witch Doctor. That was his inspiration for the number one hit song "Witch Doctor," an instant smash that everyone knows by its nonsensical refrain: "OO EE OO AH AH ting tang wal-la wal-la bing bang."

Bagdasarian employed a simple technique for the voice of the Witch Doctor. He slowed the tape recording speed down and recorded the lyrics in a meandering, low voice, then played it back at regular speed. This technique would come to define the unique voices of Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

As "Witch Doctor" surpassed the million-selling copy demarcation, Liberty Records found themselves flush with cash. But the money wasn't enough to save the label and Liberty soon needed another hit … so they called on Bagdasarian.

Tapping back into his surroundings for inspiration, Bagdasarian found himself listening to the insistent refrain of his four-year-old son begging to know when it would be Christmas - this was in the height of summer 1958 - and he penned the perennial Christmas favorite, "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" … but he didn't title it that because the Chipmunks didn't exist yet.

Bagdasarian loved the voice he created for the Witch Doctor, but he wanted to take it somewhere new, imbue it with personality, he just didn't know in what way. One day, as he drove through Yosemite National Park, a chipmunk ran in front of his car, stopped in the road, rose up on its haunches and seemed to challenge Bagdasarian to pass him. The rest is history … that little chipmunk was Alvin.

Bagdasarian created two sidekicks for the mischievous Alvin: Simon, the intellectual and practical one; Theodore, the cuddly and malleable one. Together they were Alvin and the Chipmunks, deriving their names from three of the executives at Liberty: Al Bennett, Si Waronker and Theodore Keep. It was at that time that Bagdasrian took on the stage name of David Seville.

Although it was a bit of a struggle to get "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" radio air play in the beginning, Liberty found a small station in Minneapolis willing to play it before the Christmas season officially began. The switchboards lit up, and word of mouth got the song rotation on more and more stations until it became the fastest-selling number one hit single up to that time, over four million copies in seven weeks (that milestone was eventually surpassed by The Beatles with "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in 1964), and would go on to win three Grammy Awards and be nominated for a fourth.

The Chipmunks made their network television debut - as puppets performing with "Dave Seville" (Bagdasarian) - on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Again, they were an immediate success. People were clamoring for more of the 'Munks, and a look was designed that was very different than what we have come to associate with the Chipmunks. In the beginning, the Chipmunks looked, well, very much like chipmunks … not quite photo-realistic, but based more on the animal than on a plushy derivative. A cottage industry ensued with all kinds of 'Munk toys and memorabilia, and of course, records.

The Chipmunks were huge. People couldn't get enough of them. After the 1960 release of the single "Alvin for President," Bagdasarian received a letter of support from then senator John F. Kennedy. There seemed to be no limit to their popularity. In three short years, the Chipmunks had sold sixteen million records, won several Grammys among numerous nominations, and were riding the crest of an unprecedented merchandising campaign. It was time to bring them to life in a dynamic, visual medium.

The Alvin Show debuted on television in the fall of 1961 and with it, a new look for Alvin, Simon and Theodore - and for that matter, Bagdasarian since the character of Dave Seville was now born into the world of animation.

MUNKOGRAPHY: A CHIPMUNK TIMELINE - HIGHLIGHTS

ABOUT THE CAST

JASON LEE (Dave Seville), with a flourishing career that includes an Independent Spirit Award for his performance in writer-director Kevin Smith's "Chasing Amy" and memorable roles in multiple features for such directors as Smith, Cameron Crowe and Lawrence Kasdan, is solidly establishing himself among critics, directors and peers.

Lee stars in and is a producer of the half-hour NBC comedy series, "My Name is Earl," about a hapless crook who has an epiphany after winning a small fortune in the lottery. Determined to change his karma, Earl sets out to right all the wrongs he's inflicted on people. Lee received Golden GlobeR and SAG Award? nominations for his role of Earl Hickey.

He recently lent his voice to the title character of "Underdog," Spyglass Entertainment and Walt Disney Pictures' live-action adaptation of the classic 1960s cartoon.

Lee has landed a deal to star and co-produce the feature film, "Krater." Warner Bros. has made a preemptive bid for the project, which is written by J.D. Ryznar from a story by Scott M. Martin ("Almost Famous"). Lee will play singer/songwriter/guitarist Martin 'Mutty' Stevens, frontman of a four-piece rock band called Krater, which has been struggling for years to achieve national notoriety. When a beautiful A&R woman from a major label offers to sign the band, provided they hire a real lead singer, Mutty and the band reluctantly accepts, to disastrous results.

Lee co-starred as the voice of 'Syndrome' in Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar's Award-winning animated feature "The Incredibles." The feature focused on a group of superheroes who are called into action to save the world from a nemesis from their past. He also voiced a character in Sony's motion-capture feature "Monster House" about three teenagers who discover their neighbor's house is a monster.

Born and raised in Huntington Beach, California, Lee turned a childhood pastime of skateboarding into a professional career. After moving to Los Angeles during his early twenties, he developed an interest in acting. "I met friends that were actors and thought maybe I should try it out," says Lee, who appeared in commercials and music videos. "After watching Steve Buscemi as the bellboy in 'Barton Fink,' I knew I wanted to be in movies."

Lee's big break came in 1995 with the lead role in writer-director Kevin Smith's comedy, "Mallrats," in which he deftly portrayed the inconsiderate slacker, Brodie. Lee went on to star in Smith's "Chasing Amy," for which he won an Independent Spirit Award for best supporting male for his role as Ben Affleck's insecure, outspoken roommate Banky. Lee went on to showcase his intuitive timing as the demonic Azrael in Smith's supernatural comedy, "Dogma." He reunited with Smith in the Dimension Films comedy, "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and "Clerks II."

Lee also starred in writer-director Cameron Crowe's ensemble feature, "Almost Famous," in the role of Jeff Bebe, the lead singer of a 1970s rock band called Stillwater. The film won the Golden Globe award for Best Film. He then re-teamed with Crowe on the writer-director's "Vanilla Sky," for Paramount Pictures. Lee played the best friend to Tom Cruise's character.

After working with director Lawrence Kasdan in the ensemble comedy, "Mumford," Lee reunited with Kasdan for the director's suspense thriller, "Dreamcatcher."

Other film credits include writer-director Rebecca Miller's "The Ballad of Jack and Rose" with Daniel Day-Lewis and Catherine Keener; director Barry Sonnenfeld's ensemble comedy "Big Trouble," "Enemy of the State" and "Kissing a Fool."

Lee wrote and directed the silent love story, "The White Door," starring Giovanni Ribisi and Beth Riesgraf.

Lee is a photographer as well as an avid supporter and collector of the arts. He is currently working on photography projects for such publications as Anthem and Flaunt. Lee is also actively involved with his skateboard company, Stereo Sound Agency.

In his leisure, he enjoys spending time playing guitar, writing and recording music, and listening to his classical and jazz favorites.

DAVID CROSS (Ian Hawk), who hails from Atlanta, made his way to Boston to study film at Emerson College but quickly dropped out and started doing stand-up full time. He moved to Los Angeles to write on "The Ben Stiller Show" where he shared the posthumous Emmy (it was given after the show was canceled) with the show's other writers.

Continuing in the sketch tradition, he created (along with Bob Odenkirk) the groundbreaking show for HBO, "Mr. Show with Bob & David." The show ran for four years and garnered several Emmy nominations. He has also released two comedy CD's on the Subpop label, "Shut Up You F**king Baby" and "It's Not Funny." "Shut Up…" was nominated for a Grammy Award. Both continue to sell exceptionally well and have garnered rave reviews.

Cross has appeared in the films "Men in Black," "Men in Black II," "Waiting for Guffman," "Scary Movie 2," "Ghost World," and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." He can be seen most recently in "She's the Man" for Dreamworks, "School for Scoundrels" for the Weinstein Company, and "Curious George" for Universal. Current projects include Todd Haynes' rumination on the life of Bob Dylan, "I'm Not There"; and Zack Penn's poker farce, "The Grand."

On television, Cross appeared in the Emmy-winning comedy, "Arrested Development," as Tobias Funke. Most recently, he wrote, produced and starred in the Comedy Central animated series "Freak Show," which Cross co-created with Jon Benjamin.

CAMERON RICHARDSON (Claire) stars in the upcoming HBO series "12 Miles of Bad Road," opposite Lily Tomlin and Mary Kay Place.

In the past year, Richardson completed production on three films - "Rise," opposite Lucy Liu, Hans Horn's independent thriller "Adrift" with Eric Dane, and the independent "Pretzels & Pills" opposite Nikki Reed, DJ Qualls and Shawn Hatosy.

Previously, Richardson appeared in producer Jerry Bruckheimer's television series "Skin." As a result of the series, she was offered a holding deal with Fox that led to the cult favorite "Point Pleasant" and the comedy pilot "If You Lived Here You'd be Home Now."

Richardson broke into the business with her work on the USA original series "Cover Me: The True Story of an FBI Family." Originally from Louisiana, she moved to New York to start a promising modeling career. It wasn't long before her agents recommended she try acting. She landed a role on her very first audition.

JUSTIN LONG (Voice of Alvin), as a member of Vassar College's comedy troupe, Laughingstock, and as actor in school productions, took his natural talent to starring roles in film and television.

Long tried his hand in the hit comedy "Galaxy Quest" with Sigourney Weaver and Tim Allen, and in the chilling "Jeepers Creepers" films. He then appeared in the quirky NBC series "Ed," playing the awkward high-school student Warren Chesnick.

Long starred in the blockbuster Twentieth Century Fox comedy "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story." In the wake of that film's enormous success, he starred in the film "Waiting." He went on to play roles in comedies such as "Accepted," produced by Tom Shadyac, and "The Break-Up" opposite Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. Earlier this year, Long starred as the tech-savvy sidekick to Bruce Willis in the summer blockbuster "Live Free or Die Hard," from Twentieth Century Fox.

With a full slate of animated films in the future, Long continues to break through various genres. He lends his voice to Snoot Entertainment's computer-generated animated tale, "Terra," about a human invasion on an alien planet. He recently wrapped the animated film "The Tale of Despereaux," voicing the lead opposite Dustin Hoffman and William H. Macy; Gary Ross directed from a script written by ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS co-screenwriters Chris Viscardi & Will McRobb.

Long stars in the comedy "Strange Wilderness," produced by Adam Sandler. He appears as himself in "Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland," a documentary produced by Vince Vaughn, due in theaters February 2008. Also upcoming is a romantic comedy, "He's Just Not That Into You" starring Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Connelly, Drew Barrymore, Ginnifer Goodwin and Kevin Connolly.

Millions of television viewers also know Long for his portrayal as the "Mac Guy" in the Apple, Inc. "Mac vs. PC" commercials.

MATTHEW GRAY GUBLER (Voice of Simon) appeared in the hit comedy "R.V." and in the Wes Anderson film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." Earlier this year, he co-starred in the independent feature "How to be A Serial Killer" directed by Luke Ricci.

Gubler stars in the hit CBS-TV series "Criminal Minds," as Dr. Reid.

A 2002 graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, Gubler is an accomplished filmmaker whose short films include "The Cactus That Looked Just Like a Man," "Claude: A Symphony of Horror" and "Tippi's Picnic." He also directed a series of fake documentaries on the set of "Criminal Minds" that are featured on YouTube.

JESSE McCARTNEY (Voice of Theodore), 20, began performing in community theatre at age seven. He has since excelled in a myriad of creative projects - winning two Emmy nominations for his work on the daytime drama "All My Children," on which he played JR Chandler for three years; recording two platinum-selling records, and starring on the hit series "Summerland."

Traveling the world with his band, McCartney has topped the charts in America, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, the Philippines and Taiwan and made "Jesse Mac" a household name here and overseas. The actor/singer-songwriter's numerous honors include an American Music Award nomination for Best New Artist, an MTV Award nomination for Best Pop Video for his smash hit, "Beautiful Soul" from the album of the same title, and three Teen Choice Awards (Choice Male Artist, Breakout Artist and Crossover Artist). He stars in an independent film, "Keith," which was awarded first place in the 2007 Giffoni Film Festival in Italy.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

TIM HILL (Director) began his career in New York, writing and performing in Off-Broadway musicals and doing sketch comedy with the comedy troupe "Chucklehead." Later he moved into television animation, writing and developing shows for Nickelodeon and Disney. He helped developed the hit series, "SpongeBob SquarePants," created by Steve Hillenberg, and eventually became a head writer on that show. He was also a writer and the story editor on the "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie."

Hill has worked as a writer, story editor, producer and director on a number of TV projects for Nickelodeon, Disney, Comedy Central, USA Network, ABC Family, and Discovery Kids. He wrote, directed and produced the Nickelodeon stop-motion series "Action League Now!"

Hill made his feature film directing debut with "Muppets from Space." His second feature was the Disney comedy, "Max Keeble's Big Move." Then he directed "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties" for Twentieth Century Fox. He has directed television series such as "Skeeter," and "Welcome Freshmen" for Nickelodeon, and "Exit 57" for Comedy Central with Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert.

Hill was raised in Oakland, California. He studied French literature at the University of California, Berkeley, with a minor in film.

JON VITTI (Story, Screenplay) was a writer-producer on "The Simpsons" for several years, and one of the "Simpsons all-star" screenwriters on the blockbuster "The Simpsons Movie."

Vitti was a consultant on the hit animated films "Ice Age," "Ice Age: The Meltdown" and "Robots," all from Twentieth Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios. He was a co-executive producer and writer on "The Larry Sanders Show," a writer-consulting producer on "King of the Hill," and a writer on "Saturday Night Live."

WILL McROBB & CHRIS VISCARDI (Screenplay) have collaborated on several motion picture and television comedies. For the big screen, they wrote or co-wrote the upcoming animated feature "The Tales of Despereaux," scheduled for release December 2008; the hit "Snow Day"; "We're Having a Baby"; and "Artemis Fowl."

They created, write, and executive produced the series "Interns," currently in production; the Nickelodeon series "The Adventures of Pete & Pete"; and "Kablam!" (also from Nickelodeon). They were episode writers on the series "Ed," "Brutally Normal," and "the Naked Brothers Band." In addition, they have developed television pilots for ABC, the WB, UPN, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Spike TV and The N.

Separately, McRobb was a writer and story editor on the animated series "The Ren and Stimpy Show"; a writer/story editor on "Doug" and the creator/writer/executive producer on "Radio Free Roscoe." Viscardi was a producer on R.E.M.'s music video "Shiny Happy People" for Warner Bros. Records.

ROSS BAGDASARIAN, JR. (Producer) and his wife, Janice Karman, are responsible for building the ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS franchise as it exists today. Taking the helm in the late 1970s as chief executive officer of Bagdasarian Productions, Ross and Janice built a multi-faceted company involved in animation for television, features and commercials, as well as records, home videos, live costumed characters and merchandising.

The firm's most popular personalities, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, collectively known as The Chipmunks, were created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr., in 1958. When Bagdasarian's father passed away suddenly in 1972, Bagdasarian Jr. didn't want to see The Chipmunks die prematurely with him. Ross took over the family business in 1977 and along with Karman, brought a new commitment to the characters. Together, they created all-new material for ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS, including platinum selling albums and number one rated television shows, prime time specials and an animated feature: "The Chipmunk Adventure."

Nearing their 50th anniversary, The Chipmunks have sold more than 43 million records, garnered five Grammys, twelve Gold and Platinum albums and watched merchandising sales approaching three quarters of a billion dollars.

Ross graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, later attending Southwestern School of Law and passing the California bar exam in 1975. He entered the family business of vineyards and wineries, but found himself more intrigued with the wealth of opportunities The Chipmunks afforded. No one shared his enthusiasm until he met his wife and partner-to-be, Janice Karman.

Ross is involved in the day-to-day operation of Bagdasarian Productions; which includes writing, producing and supplying the voices for the characters Alvin, Simon, and David Seville.

Ross Bagdasarian, Jr. and his wife and two children reside in Santa Barbara, CA. in a house The Chipmunks built.

JANICE KARMAN (Producer), president of Bagdasarian Productions, along with husband Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., operates the Santa Barbara-based company responsible for the phenomenal success of ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS.

Karman met Bagdasarian shortly after his father, the creator of Alvin and The Chipmunks, had passed away. They initially teamed to create the million selling albums, "Chipmunk Punk" (1980), "Urban Chipmunk" (1981) and "A Chipmunk Christmas" (1981). Karman and Bagdasarian garnered multiple Grammy nominations for these efforts and expanded to television that same year, 1981, with The Chipmunks' first prime time special, "A Chipmunk Christmas." The special, which Karman co-wrote and co-produced with Bagdasarian, has become a holiday favorite and has been seen by over a hundred million people.

The success of the Christmas special led to The Chipmunks hit TV series. "Alvin and The Chipmunks" debuted in 1983 against "Charlie Brown" and "Bugs Bunny" and instantly became the top-rated show. Over the eight year run of the hit series, the show was nominated for five Emmy Awards and was seen by more than ten million people a week. In addition to voicing the lead character of Theodore (as well as the female chipmunks, The Chipettes; Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor) and writing many of the hit network TV series episodes for The Chipmunks from 1983 to 1991, Karman also wrote the lyrics to The Chipmunks network hit theme song, "We're The Chipmunks."

By 1986, Karman was not only overseeing a cottage industry that included a hit TV series, hundreds of licensed product, million selling albums and successful live touring show, but was also the first female director of a full length feature film, The Chipmunks' first motion picture, "A Chipmunk Adventure." As if that wasn't enough, Karman also was designing a new home for her husband and herself in Santa Barbara.

To complicate matters further, she was also pregnant with her first child. Karman had read an article that mentioned how expectant mothers in a primitive society were waited on hand and foot and that this luxury was responsible for creating the most precocious children known to man. This was exactly what Karman wanted for her pregnancy. Unfortunately, a hit TV show, cottage industry, feature film and home construction were uncooperative. The day after giving birth, with her new baby in tow, Karman was back at work directing the animated motion picture. Since then, she has produced another wonderful child, Michael, born in 1990 and co-created platinum selling albums for The Chipmunks.

This year marks perhaps the most creative in an already creative life for Karman. She completed the first five episodes of a new project, "Little Alvin," which features The Chipmunks and Chipettes as pre-schoolers. This breakthrough show focuses on the emotional IQ of children and teaches them that their emotions are not only normal, but healthy. The series deals with a variety of family issues, including sibling rivalry, feeling left out, child separation, lying, stealing, learning to share and taking responsibility. In addition to playing the main character of La Lu, Karman also wrote and created the show, wrote or co-wrote all of the songs, provides the voices of Theodore and The Chipettes, and is the production designer. This show is a wonderful blending of Karman's talents and is enthusiastically endorsed by child psychologists, educators, parents and children.

Janice Karman and her family reside in the house that Alvin and The Chipmunks built in Santa Barbara, CA.

KAREN ROSENFELT (Executive Producer), following 15 years as an executive at Paramount Pictures, signed an exclusive, two-year production deal with Fox 2000 Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox.

At Fox, Rosenfelt develops and oversees films targeted to teens and family audiences, as she did at Paramount, where she oversaw live-action features like "Save the Last Dance," "Coach Carter," "Mean Girls," and "Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events."

She was instrumental in setting up Paramount's partnership with Nickelodeon Movies, overseeing the film adaptations of Nickelodeon television properties like "Rugrats" and "SpongeBob SquarePants." Other Nickelodeon films made under her purview include: "Jimmy Neutron," "Snow Day," and "Harriet the Spy."

Rosenfelt began her career at ICM, as an assistant to talent agent Sue Mengers. She went on to become a creative executive at Jerry Weintraub Productions and a senior vice president at MGM. Until she departed Paramount in April, Rosenfelt oversaw such pictures as "The First Wives Club," "Indecent Proposal," "Runaway Bride," and "The General's Daughter."

Rosenfelt most recently executive produced Fox's box-office smash "The Devil Wears Prada."

ARNON MILCHAN (Executive Producer) is widely renowned as one of the most prolific and successful independent film producers of the past 25 years, with over 100 feature films to his credit. Born in Israel, Milchan was educated at the University of Geneva. His first business venture was transforming his father's modest business into one of his country's largest agro-chemical companies. This early achievement was a harbinger of Milchan's now-legendary reputation in the international marketplace as a keen businessman.

Soon, Milchan began to underwrite projects in areas that had always held a special interest for him - film, television and theater. Early projects include Roman Polanski's theater production of "Amadeus," "Dizengoff 99," "La Menace," "The Medusa Touch" and the mini-series "Masada." By the end of the 1980s, Milchan had produced such films as Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy," Sergio Leone's "Once Upon at Time in America" and Terry Gilliam's "Brazil."

After the huge successes of "Pretty Woman" and "The War of the Roses," Milchan founded New Regency Productions and went on to produce a string of successful films including "J.F.K," "Sommersby," "A Time to Kill," "Free Willy," "The Client," "Tin Cup," "Under Siege," "L.A. Confidential," "The Devil's Advocate," "The Negotiator," "City of Angels," "Entrapment," "Fight Club," "Big Momma's House," "Don't Say a Word," "Daredevil," "Man on Fire," "Guess Who," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Big Momma's House 2" "Date Movie" and "Firehouse Dog."

Upcoming projects include: "Alvin and the Chipmunks"; "Jumper," a sci-fi action-adventure starring Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Jamie Bell, and Samuel L. Jackson, directed by Doug Liman; "Starship Dave," a fish-out-of-water comedy starring Eddie Murphy; "What Happens in Vegas," a romantic comedy toplining Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher; "Mirrors," a thriller starring Kiefer Sutherland; "Shutter," a horror-thriller directed by Masayuki Ochiai; and "Bride Wars," a comedy starring Kate Hudson (who also produces) and Anne Hathaway.

Along the way, Milchan brought on board two powerful investors and partners who share his vision: Nine Network and Twentieth Century Fox. Fox distributes Regency movies in all media worldwide (excluding an output arrangement Regency has in Germany), including on U.S. pay television, and international pay and free television.

Milchan also successfully diversified his company's activities within the sphere of entertainment, most specifically in the realm of television through Regency Television ("Malcolm in the Middle," "The Bernie Mac Show"). Regency recently acquired a stake in Channel 10, BabyFirstTV, and an Israeli TV network. In addition, Regency holds television rights to Sony Ericsson Women's Tennis Association events.

MICHELE IMPERATO STABILE (Executive Producer) moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1988, starting her career as a Production Assistant. She became a DGA member in 1991 and has worked as a unit production manager, associate producer and co-producer. Throughout her career, Stabile has worked with many top filmmakers, including Mike Nichols, Ridley Scott and Brian De Palma.

Her credits include executive producing "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties," co-producing "Garfield" and "Primary Colors," and associate producing on "Birdcage." Additionally, Stabile worked on "I.Q," "G.I. Jane," "Honeymoon in Vegas," "Postcards from the Edge," "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" and "The Untouchables."

STEVE WATERMAN (Executive Producer) was executive producer on the live action/animation hits "Stuart Little" and "Stuart Little 2." He also served in that capacity on "Jungle Book: Lost Treasure" and "Kull the Conqueror." Waterman was co-producer on the big-screen "Casper." He executive produced the 1997-98 television serious "Mike Hammer."

PETER LYONS COLLISTER, ASC (Director of Photography) has photographed such films as "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties," "The Amityville Horror," "Surviving Christmas," "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!," "The Master of Disguise," "Mr. Deeds," "Home of the Brave," "The Animal," "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo," "The Replacement Killers," "The Beautician and the Beast," "Dunston Checks In," "Higher Learning," "Poetic Justice," "Livin' Large!" and "Problem Child."

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Collister attended USC School of Cinema. He started his career as a second unit director of photography on the films "The Blue Lagoon," "Summer Lovers" and "Blame it on Rio."

RICHARD HOLLAND (Production Designer) is a highly-respected production designer for films, television and commercials. For the past twenty years, his work spans productions from inside Russia to the outer reaches of Antarctica. Holland's best work is produced when the imaginative meets the everyday - from science fiction fantasies to visions of the past, to the present. His notable credits include "Sound of Thunder," "Batman and Robin," "Last of the Mohicans," "The Russia House, "Licence to Kill," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" "The Princess Bride," "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," "Never Say Never Again" and "Superman III."

PETER E. BERGER, A.C.E (Editor) won an Academy AwardR nomination (shared with Michael Kahn) for his work on "Fatal Attraction." His numerous credits also include "Star Trek: Insurrection," "Holy Matrimony," "Star Trek: The Final Frontier," "The Good Mother," "First Monday in October," and "Oh God! Book Two."

CHRISTOPHER LENNERTZ (Music) born in a small town north of Boston, in the same area as one of his heroes, famed American composer Leonard Bernstein. He then moved to Easton, Pennsylvania, where he began his musical training at age nine. After studying composition, jazz arranging, and theory in high school, Lennertz moved to California to study at USC's Thornton School of music with film music luminaries such as Elmer Bernstein, Buddy Baker, Christopher Young, and David Raksin.

Upon graduation, Lennertz began his professional career writing a host of independent film scores spanning all musical and dramatic styles. His films have premiered and/or won awards at such film festivals as Sundance, Slamdance, HBO's Comedy Arts Festival, Toronto, and Cannes.

While scoring independent films he ventured into the world of big budget studio features contributing orchestrations, arranging, and conducting experience to such hits as "Frailty," "Free Willy 2," "The Jungle Book," and 'Disney's 101 Dalmatians." Recently, he began working in television , scoring the cult Fox TV series "Brimstone," the WB's "The Strip" (produced by Joel Silver), and currently, the CW's hit series "Supernatural" (executive produced by McG).

Lennertz' soundtrack for Clive Barker's "Saint Sinner" was one of Cinescape's top 15 releases of 2002 and was rated in top ten of the year by Film Music Review. His full-blown orchestral score for the blockbuster video game "Medal of Honor: Rising Sun," created by Steven Spielberg, won the Interactive Academy Award for best original music of 2003. His arranging work with the City of Prague orchestra on the current Ozomatli album, "Street Signs," won the Grammy for best Latin rock album of the year.

Lennertz traveled to London's Abbey Road studios to record the James Bond videogame, "From Russia with Love," with Sean Connery reprising his role as 007 for the first time in two decades. Recent releases include Myriad Pictures' "The Deal," starring Selma Blair and Christian Slater, MGM's "Soul Plane" (co-composed with The RZA from Wu-Tang Clan), and "Dr. Dolittle 3" from 20th Century Fox.

Recent film scoring projects are "The Comebacks" (for Fox Atomic), "Meet the Spartans" (from Regency Enterprises and Twentieth Century Fox), "The Perfect Christmas," an animated feature, "Sharkbait."

Lennertz has studied with some of history's finest masters in the art of film scoring and lent his music to the dramatic performances of both Emmy and Academy-Award winners. He has recently received an Emmy nomination for his work on "Supernatural."

ALI DEE THEODORE (Song Producer), early in his career, joined legendary producer Hank Shocklee's Bomb Squad production team, working on the "Juice" motion picture soundtrack; Aaron Hall's "Don't Be Afraid," which reached the top of Billboard's R&B chart; and on remixes for Public Enemy. Additionally, Theodore wrote for Big Daddy Kane, Eric B and Rakim, YBT, and Juvenile Committee.

In 1993, Theodore became an independent producer-writer, working for the next fifteen years with some of the world's premier artists, including Mary J. Blige, Natalie Imbruglia, Shakira, M.O.P, Rev Run (from RUN DMC), Fabolous, Jadakiss, Kool G Rap, Silkk The Shocker, Busta Rhymes, Natasha Bedingfield, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Keke Palmer, Baby Cham, and Mya.

More recently, Theodore produced and wrote songs for the hit motion pictures "Transformers," "Night at the Museum," "Epic Movie," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Date Movie," "Ghost Rider," "Fantastic Four" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."

JULIANNE JORDAN (Music Supervisor) was music supervisor on the box-office hits "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Italian Job" and "The Bourne Identity." Her many other feature credits include "Go," "Eve's Bayou," "Rollerball" (2002), "Agent Cody Banks" and "TMNT."

Jordan was music supervisor on hit series "The O.C."

Alvin and The Chipmunks and Characters TM & (c) 2007 Bagdasarian Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.

2007 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Property of Fox.

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