The most notable is 'Saturday Night Live's' John Lovitz as Radio, for which he reprises his fast-talking fabricator persona.

Though the film was made in Taiwan, it has none of the assembly-line vacuity of so much overseas animation.Įach appliance has a well-defined presence that is underscored by the actors who provide the voices. Producers Thomas Wilhite and Donald Kushner and director Jerry Rees are all Disney alumni, and it shows. 'Brave Little Toaster' lacks the budget or the resources of its obvious models, but it's lovingly old-fashioned in its spirit and pace. Such adventures subtly underscore messages about cooperation, determination, perseverance, resourcefulness and sacrifice, but in the genial context of classic Disney films. Along the way they meet all sorts of obstacles and distractions: spooky forests, an electrical storm, a waterfall, quicksand, an opportunistic handyman who guts abandoned appliances, and finally, a junkyard in which a giant magnet represents ultimate doom (or as one of them says, 'I really thought I'd have to turn in my warranty that time'). They do this by attaching a wheeled desk chair to a car battery and connecting it to Kirby, who moves, and mows, through grassy fields as if they were plush carpet. When folks aren't looking, they take on human characteristics and, as the film progresses, very distinct personalities.Īfter waiting '2,000 days' for the Master to return, during which time they have been doing busywork (the cabin is spotless), they apply themselves to a new task: traveling from the isolated cabin to the big city. This is a classic quest film that recalls 'The Incredible Journey,' 'The Point' and even 'The Wizard of Oz,' except that it involves a unique cast of characters: said intrepid Toaster, or Slots to his pals, the adventurous leader sweet Blankey, the electric insecurity blanket, who desperately needs his kid grumpy Kirby, the vacuum cleaner Lampy, the desk lamp and Radio, the wise-guy chatterbox with a penchant for audio memorabilia. Disch's equally charming 1986 novella in which five household electric appliances, abandoned in a rustic family cabin, set out to find the Master, a 13-year-old boy who gave their secret lives meaning. 'The Brave Little Toaster' is a charming animated feature that looks as if it stepped out of the '40s, except that it's based on Thomas M. ‘The Brave Little Toaster’ (NR) By Richard Harrington

Brave little toaster vacuum