MovieChat Forums > City of Ember (2008) Discussion > Lost Title of Similiar Animated Cartoon ...

Lost Title of Similiar Animated Cartoon (Any input appreciated)

posted 16 years ago by shahmatt
13 replies | jump to latest

I remember when i was a kid, maybe around 10 years back, I watched an animated movie on TV with a similar storyline. I can't recall the title though, but it was VERY good. I am trying to recall the name so I can watch it again.

Basically its a story about the future, about a world that is uninhabitable due to wars and pollution. The last remnants of humanity live in an underground cavern. The people there have lived a long time, and have a long foretold prophecy that when the lava river rises (the river which provides heat to the people there), it would be time to approach the surface once more.

The lava river does rise, but most of the people are reluctant to move, dismissing the stories as myth. They eventually perish.

The few who do leave though undergo a perilous journey to the surface, always just ahead of the lava river that follows them... and well..after severe casualties.. reach the surface...

Does this storyline remind anyone of a movie title?

[–] RenderMeRandom 15 years ago

hmm. sounds pretty interesting

[–] lafini 15 years ago

Is it Tokyo Underground? It was a series though, not a movie..Probably not, i don't recall anything about a lava.

[–] shahmatt 15 years ago

No its not. I don't think it was of Japanese make.

The character drawings were artsy but not of typical anime style. It had a European foreign language feel to it. The English spoken seemed very slightly disconnected from the character movements. Sort of like "Cave of the Golden Rose" (if you've seen that).

The entire movie was an escape sequence. First through beautifully drawn caverns and underground rivers, and then later through long abandoned underground railways. The lava river was essential to the plot as they eventually escape through an erupting volcano onto green green fields and an open blue sky.

[–] jgpriest 15 years ago

Starchaser: The Legend of Orin

or

Dreaming of Paradise

I remember the Starchaser movie when I was a kid. Had to do with humans being slaves and trying to find their way out of the the underground world they lived in. My friend told me about the "Dreaming of Paradise" movie and seems to fit along with your memories. I'm not quite sure as I've never seen it. Hope this helps.

[–] shahmatt 15 years ago

Hi.

Actually, I think you've hit the jackpot. "Dreaming of Paradise" sounds exactly like the movie I'm searching for, but information about it on the web (especially screenshots) are horribly scarce. I only see a VHS cover on the web pages I've come across.

I shall keep looking for more information. But this looks good, and you have no idea how long I've searched for the title of this one. This is a day for celebration!

Thank you very very much!

[–] Petie3-2 15 years ago

Possibly also see 'THX1138' which was George Lucas' entry into films. Also had a hero who battled through robots and bureaucrats to get to the surface. Really a good 'lost' movie. Robert DuVal.

[–] shahmatt 15 years ago

Getting a copy of "Dreaming of Paradise" is tough.

But I found a clip of it on youtube.

Here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKv62_cLZMs

From my memory, this clip shows the start their adventure to the surface, through long abandoned subways and car parks.

[–] ms_chef_wannabe 15 years ago

I noticed they're selling some VHS copies on amazon.com. The movie is on you tube in six parts under "strit og stumme", but it is not in English. It is visually stunning and the ending is gorgeous. I only wish I knew what they were saying!

"Mmm...peanut butter!"

[–] shahmatt 15 years ago

Hi thanks. I didn't know it was posted up on youtube. Must have been recent. I shall watch it tonight... :-D Hopefully an English version will also be posted up. It's a pity that really good efforts such as this have been lost and forgotten.

I can see the VHS but I need a VCD at minimum. My VHS player can't do much right now.

[–] bussemand 15 years ago

It's a danish cartoon from 1987.
It was only released on VHS in Denmark. Apparently the copyright holders are afraid of losing money if they were to release a DVD version...

Bent Haller (author of Dreaming of paradise) has had a couple of other books made into cartoons, and they were released on DVD a couple of years ago:

- "Samson & Sally: The Song of the Whales" aka "Samson og Sally" (1984)
- "War of the Birds" aka "Fuglekrigen i Kanøfleskoven" (1990)

[–] sirmalker 14 years ago

thepirate bay. org/search/Dreaming%20of%20Paradise/0/99/0

I'm better than you.

[–] Sentraxx 15 years ago

I am so happy :D

I was thinking of that cartoon when i watched city of ember, but I simply could npt remember the name of it, thank you for finding out :D!

Strit & Stumme was really great!

It has only been shown on danish tv two times :/

[–] jbeaza 14 years ago

I thought it was the same title,or similar to it.I saw it several years ago, same basic story line. The kids were assigned work duties, this one kid was a digger. His job was to dig tunnels to find caves for the expanding population could live there.While tunneling he was always finding old things. If i remember right, he and another boy and girl, decided to find a way to the top, (outside). because the population, had to have more living space, and had no where else to go. They made it to the surface, to discover, green vegetation every where, and fresh air,and no more pollution. But the animal life, had mutated. It ended there,when it was getting good for me. I thought the title was the same or similar, but can't find it on the net. If anybody finds it let me know, I'd like to see it agian.