Oliver Twist is a 1974 American animated adventure musical drama film and an official animated adaptation to the movie was produced by Filmation. It is loosely based on Charles Dickens who did the original story in this film., The motion picture was released and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures Incorporated.
In the 19th century, orphan Oliver Twist was sent to a workhouse, where the children are barely fed and mistreated. He moves to the house of an undertaker, but after an unfair severe spanking, he starts a seven-day runaway to London. He arrives exhausted and starving and is welcomed by a gang of pickpockets led by old crook Fagin. When he is mistakenly taken as a thief, wealthy victim, Mr. Brownlow brings Oliver to his home and shelters him. But Fagin and the dangerous Bill Sikes decide to kidnap Oliver to burglarize Mr. Brownlow's fancy house. Oliver is wounded, while Mr. Brownlow tries to save Oliver.
Also featuring the voices of: Phil Clark, Cathleen Cordell, Michael Evans, Lola Fisher, Robert Holt, Larry D. Mann and Helene Winston
Production
The film was announced to be produced in mid-January 1972, as part of Family Classics, a series of films based on concepts in the public domain commissioned by Warner Bros. Production for the film and Treasure Island had been finished by late 1973. The film's budget amounted to $1.050.000, with the million given by Warner Bros., and the rest put in by the studio itself.
Starring the voices of (in alphabetical order): Josh Albee, Phil Clark, Cathleen Cordell, Michael Evans, Lola Fisher, Robert Holt, Davy Jones, Larry D. Mann, Dallas McKennon, Billy Simpson, Larry Storch, Les Tremayne, Jane Webb, Helene Winston
Screenplay by: Ben Starr, Alan Dinehart
Produced by: Lou Scheimer, Norm Prescott
Executive Producer for Warner Bros.: Jacqueline Smith
Directed by: Hal Sutherland
Sequence Directors: Don Towsley, Rudy Larriva, Bill Reed, Lou Zukor, Ed Solomon
Production Manager: Rock Benedetto
Animators: Roman Arambula, Robert Bentley, Jim Brummett, Bob Carlson, Rudy Cataldi, Zion Davush, Lillian Evans, Otto Feuer, Ed Friedman, Fred Grable, Dick Hall, Lee Halpern, LaVerne Harding, Lou Kachivas, Marshall Lamore, Casey Onaitis, Jack Ozark, Ambrozi Paliwoda, William Pratt, Ed Rehberg, Len Rogers, Virgil Ross, Sonja Ruta, Louise Sandoval, Don Schloat, Larry Silverman, Brad Smith, Hank Smith, Ken Southworth, Reuben Timmins, Bob Trochim, Russ Von Neida, Kaem Wong
Songs:
Composed by: Sherry Gaden, Richard Canada
Produced by: Richard Delvy, Ed Fournier
Arranged by: Dave Roberts, Richard Delvy, Ed Fournier
Orchestrated and Conducted by: Dave Roberts
Background Music: Yvette Blais, Jeff Michael
Publisher: Warner Bros. Music Co., ASCAP
Art Director: Don Christensen
Key Assistants: Mike Hazy, Bill House
Key Layout: Alberto de Mello, Kay Wright, Herb Hazelton
Layout: Wes Herschensohn, Jim Willoughby, Lorna Smith, George Wheeler, Cliff Voorhees, Ray Jacobs, Hack Ficq, Z.T. Jablecki, Virgil Raddatz, Dan Noonan, Warren Marshall, Les Kaluza
Storyboard: Sherman Labby, Dan Noonan, Mike O'Connor
Director of Color: Ervin L. Kaplan
Background Artists: Paul Xander, Maurice Harvey, Donald Peters, Bill Loudenslager, Tom O'Loughlin, Curt Perkins, Pat Keppler
Xerography and Paint Supervision: John Remmel, Betty Brooks
Camera Supervision: R.W. Pope
Camera: Thane Berti, Joseph Ponticelle, Fredrick T. Ziegler, John Aardal, Bill Kotler
Distributed by Warner Bros. - A Warner Communications Company
Music
Songs
Release
Theatrical releases
Oliver Twist was first released in theaters on July 10, 1974. According to media historian Hal Erickson, its distributor, Warner Bros., "virtually threw away the film when it performed poorly in previews."
TV broadcast
An edited version was broadcast as an NBC Special Treat special on April 14, 1981.
Variety panned the film, saying that "neither Dickens nor the youngsters watching will profit much from this one," although the animation showcasing the streets of London received praise.
