Quest for a Heart
Röllin sydän (Röllis hjärta)
Rolli i Ehl'f – Neverojatnye prikljuchenija (Russian title)

Available on DVD

Finland 2007 colour 78 min MPR Matila Röhr Productions, Greenlight Media AG, Kontakt Production Center, Film and Music Entertainment

****

Children, Adventure

cast: FINNISH VERSION: Allu Tuppurainen (Rölli), Saija Lentonen (Milli), Aarre Karén, Jyrki Kovaleff, Matti Ranin, Esa Saario, Pekka Lehtosaari, ENGLISH VERSION: Mackenzie Crook (Rolli), Lisa Stansfield (Milli), James Greene, Roger Hammond, Ian Thompson, Jim McManus, William Vanderpuye
credits: dir. Pekka Lehtosaari, script Pekka Lehtosaari, Brendan Donnison and Allu Tuppurainen, prod. Marko Röhr, music Tuomas Kantelinen, art direction Janne Kopu, edit. Aleksi Raij, English title sung by Lisa Stansfield

The first really big Finnish animated feature, that's what this movie is. Rölli or Rolli was created in early 1980's by actor Allu Tuppurainen. He wanted to create something nice for children, and recorded some stories on tapes playing this little funny and simple but still wise and charming creature of the woods. Soon he was playing the very same character on Finnish tv and later also in two non-animated movies. After them he said that he doesn't want to wear Rölli costume anymore. It was a sad decision for many, since Rölli is a beloved character. Okay, it was a promise – but Tuppurainen can still play Rölli in animated movies!

As the very first big (Finnish) animated feature Quest for a Heart looks and sounds great. Many thanks of this to director and script writer Pekka Lehtosaari. He had dubbed almost 50 Disney movies before this project. There's still some little flaws in the movie, also Quest for a Heart is not a 3D animation. It is however very enjoyable adventure. It's about friendship, good will and heroism. The story shows that you don't have to be a superhero to be good and able. It has that same kindness that old fairytales have.

While they made the Finnish version, Pekka Lehtosaari also directed an English version from the movie. Mackenzie Crook is no Allu Tuppurainen, he sounds less mean, which makes Rolli/Rölli more shy and nicer than the original ever was and will be. Maybe this kind of Rolli is better for non-Finnish viewers. ;)


TRIVIA: The movie line production fro the movie was made in Russia but the character design and other art direction was all Finnish.
TRIVIA#2: Pekka Lehtosaari plays the role of Big Rölli in the Finnish version. He's lines are more just grunts than real talking. Lehtosaari himself is a very tall and heavy-built man.
TRIVIA#3: The is the second movie where Rölli meets Milli for the very first time.

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