Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer (1985)
Movie Review by Debbie Winkler
Starring: Bettina Bush, Pat Fraley, Peter Cullen, Robbie Lee, Andre Stojka
Director: Bernard Deyriès & Kimio Yabuki
Series: a Rainbow Brite
Release Date: 15 November 1985
Language: English
Length: 85 minutes
Movie Rating: G
View Format: DVD
My Rating: 
Synopsis:
“The dark princess is up to no good! She’s snatched the Spectra -- the universe’s sole source of light. Without Spectra in its rightful place, all will be plunged into gloom and dreariness unless Rainbow Brite and her friends can defeat the princess. In an animated cosmos of enchanted worlds, spunky Rainbow Brite and her magical horse, Starlite, confront evil by using color, magic, cleverness and joy as ammunition.” — Netflix.com
Review:
I can remember loving this movie when I was a kid and was expecting to enjoy it just as much now. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I mean, I still liked it, but not as much as I remember enjoying it when I was younger. I used to watch this movie all the time -- I can’t believe that I didn’t drive my mother crazy! I loved the colors, I loved Rainbow Brite and I loved that she was the one saving the day instead of the boys! Now, I realize that this movie really doesn’t have that much of a plot. And what little plot there is (see above) doesn’t really make that much sense. Still, these random pieces of plot allowed Rainbow to save the day many, many times and that is quite satisfying as Rainbow Brite is short, though she has a big head, which should make her smarter as she has a larger brain cavity. Now, I don’t really think she was smart so much as spunky and crazy. Crazy because she never realized that she was in danger and had complete confidence that her rainbows could get her out of any situations. As we see in this movie, that is not always the case, but hey, you live and learn, right?
So, as a precursor to female heroines the world over, Rainbow Brite has her place in history. Sadly, for my part, I wish that I had left her there! I found the voices to be irritatingly perky and high-pitched, the characters short, colorful, and pretty stupid (they have no concept of making a plan ahead of time!), and a really weird, rambling story. If you used to watch Rainbow Brite as a child, you probably know what I am talking about. There is something special about movies you watch as a child and you always remember them in a positive light, even if they weren’t that good. If you have a young girl at home, this would be a fun rental to pull out of the archives to show her what you used to watch, otherwise, I would pass and let the memory stay bright and beautiful.
Content:
This movie contains stylized, cartoon violence. No one gets hurt, but there are situations of peril. There really isn’t anything scary, though, so this movie is appropriate for viewers of all ages.
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