"The Wiggles Movie" is a Wiggles feature film presented by 20th Century Fox, and produced by Gladasaurus Productions in 1997. In 2003, the film was re-released in the United States under the title "The Wiggles Magical Adventure: A Wiggly Movie" on DVD released by HIT Entertainment. This is the only Wiggles video and movie to feature actors and actresses.
In The Wiggles Movie, The Wiggles embark on a journey to find Dorothy the Dinosaur since a amateur magician Wally the Great, steals Greg's magic wand in order to become a better magician. Meanwhile, Dorothy is sad because she thinks that The Wiggles and everyone have forgotten her birthday, while in fact they're all planning a surprise party for her by performing at a circus tent that night.
Prologue
The Wiggles talk about "The Wiggles Movie."
Plot
Scene 1
Wally the Great (Tony Harvey), great-grandson of Waldo the Magnificent, is an amateur magician whose dream is to win the competition at the Magic Club for Best Magician. However, he is confronted with a rival, Roland the Remarkable (Dale Burrdge), who believes Wally is a nobody.
Children's entertainers The Wiggles, consisting of lead singer Greg, guitarist Murray, drummer Anthony and pianist Jeff, are performing at a nearby school. Mrs Bingle (Joanne Samuel), the principal, had an accident with Anthony after she blew a whistle to wake Jeff up before the show, causing him to act extremely silly. The Wiggles start the show.
Songs 2-4:Dorothy (Would You Like to Dance?), Can You (Point Your Fingers and Do the Twist?), Rock-a-Bye Your Bear
Wally, watching from behind a wall, sees Dorothy herself laying Greg's (who is a magician) magic wand on a table while sulking that everyone has forgotten her birthday but really they were trying to keep the surprise party for her a secret. Wally quickly snatches it but is caught by Dorothy.
Songs 5-6:The Chase, Quack Quack
Scene 3
The 2 have a tug of war and the wand breaks in half. Meanwhile, the Wiggles decide to go out looking for Dorothy in their Big Red Car. They visit Henry the Octopus.
Song 7:Rockin' and a Rollin' SeaSong 8:Boom Boom
Then they visit Wags the Dog.
They happen upon Brrrrrrrrrr Street where they get frozen.
Scene 4
Since they have no luck finding Dorothy, they go to Wigglehouse wher they ace a test given to them by their talking door, mix up their skivvies, have a flashback of the first time they celebrated Dorothy's birthday, and do the Romp Bomp a Stomp. During the adventures that Dorothy and Wally have, their friendship grows more and more. Dorothy leaves and sits on a bench, sadly, complaining to Wally that nobody remembers her birthday. Wally then says "I didn't forget your birthday" which makes Dorothy a little bit better.
Scene 5
Wally begins to daydream about his grandfather, Waldo, saying to him to believe in himself. Wally forgets all about the Magic Competition and is almost late but thanks to Dorothy, makes it. However, Jimbo the Juggler blocks their way and say that Wally should put his vehicle in the full car park but Wally thinks quick and says "You find a spot" and tosses his helmet at him leaving Jimber pinch-faced. He then signs in and runs into Roland who clearly amuses the judges when his score is 9-9-9. Wally find his Grandfather's old chest of magic supplies and is confident in himself.
Scene 6
The Wiggles are waiting for Dorothy to come to the party but nobody shows up. After Wally does his magic act, the judges score him 10-9-9. He wins the competition which leaves Roland jealous but at the same time impressed. Wally takes Dorothy to her party when it is just about to be canceled and the party begins.
Epilogue
Dorothy is proud that she has found a new friend and that her friends remembered her birthday.
The film was produced in mid 1997, and was first shown in theatres on 18 December the same year.
Profit
The budget for the movie was estimated as AU. $31 million. Australian cinemas were concerned about the profit, as they did not charge people three and under, and that was half the audience! The movie still made a profit on video.
Video Release
main article: The Wiggles Movie (video release)
The Wiggles Movie was first released on VHS in Australia on June 20, 1998.
The movie was then released on DVD for Australia on November 12, 2003.
"The Wiggles Movie Soundtrack" is an Enhanced CD of which, according to the Sydney Morning Herald news article, "the 24th track includes a special interactive component, which can be played on most home computers." The feature, called Wiggles Interactive, includes video clips of the Wiggles and Captain Feathersword talking to the viewer about the movie. The clips have them talking with the "Wiggly Wiggly Christmas" set as background. Also included is the video clip of a girl in Wiggly clothes painting and revealing the new Wiggles logo, and a movie trailer with the "Romp Bomp a Stomp, Nya Nya Nya, Ballerina, Ballerina, Can You Point Your Fingers and Do the Twist, Let's Have a Party and Ooh It's Captain Feathersword"
Hunteriscool's fanmade Magic Competition poster ad
1/119
Trivia
Wiggles World has a different layout especially for the movie.
The Big Red Car was redesigned as a real mechanical car.
The tempo for some of the songs such as "Hey There Wally" and "Rock-A-Bye Your Bear" seems slightly faster in the movie presentation than in the soundtrack.
During the song "Rock-A-Bye Your Bear", Murray is playing his starry electric guitar but the music presented features an acoustic guitar.
When Captain Feathersword is talking to Wally, one of the pirates in the background is mouthing Captain Feathersword's words.
Greg sings "Hey There Wally" and "Ooh, It's Captain Feathersword" although he does not appear in the songs.
Wigglemix is a extra song that was only shown on the soundtrack.
"Nya Nya Nya" is presented as an instrumental song. It is based on a traditional playground song in Ireland called Don't Tell My Ma.
"Rock-A-Bye Your Bear" now has an accordion for the intro and the rest of the song as well.
"Romp Bomp A Stomp" does not have Dorothy making comments throughout the song like she did in the Wake Up Jeff version, and she doesn't even appear. It's just The Awake Wiggles doing the dance.
The theatrical release opens with Wally at the Magic Club office. Afterwards, The Wiggles thought it would be better if they appeared in the first scene, so the Australian video release includes a bonus introduction video to get the audience ready for the movie.
First time The Wiggles wear the mixed up shirts.
"Dorothy's Birthday Party" and "D.O.R.O.T.H.Y (My Favorite Dinosaur)" are the only songs not on the soundtrack and not included on any song list.
The Wiggles sing a part from "We Like to Say Hello" when they arrive home at Wigglehouse and from "Fruit Salad" when they do a test by coming in Wigglehouse.
The instrumental for the version of Quack Quack used in this movie would later be used in Quack Quack in a higher pitch.
In a flashback shown before "Romp Bomp-a-Stomp", The Wiggles are 4 and Dorothy is turning 1. Murray's starry guitar also didn't have stars until they turned 6 (shown in History)
When the Awake Wiggles do the Romp Bomp-a-Stomp, the original design of the "Big Red Car" can be seen in a picture frame between the doors to Anthony and Murray's rooms.
At one point, the Wiggles say "Christmas Day" and Jeff says "Chinese New Year" revealing that his family came from China.
The exact same hankies from "Yummy Yummy" are re-used in the movie for Greg's magic box of mystery trick.
When Captain Feathersword is talking to Wally when he says "I will be seeing you tonight." his right arm bumps the actress next to him.
The prologue was filmed while shooting the "Toot Toot, Chugga Chugga, Big Red Car" music video in 1998 because the Big Red Car is in the background.
The guitars, Yamaha (from "Wiggle Time" and "Big Red Car)", Classical guitar (from "Wiggle Time"), Fender Telecaster (from "Yummy Yummy" and "Big Red Car" and Epiphone Casino (from "Wake Up Jeff!" and "Wiggledance!" are seen in the guitar racks.
This is the only time we see Officer Beaples try to stop someone who has broken the law.
The Wagettes are seen in some shots of "Let's Have a Party".
The quote "Let's rock this place!" is used by Anthony both young and adult.
In Quack Quack when Murray wakes Jeff up his seatbelt falls down he fixes it.
When Jeff says this "Chinese New Year" that's the year of the snake.
Anthony says, is everybody ready?, well lets bring on stage The Wiggles, before they go on stage.
This is the first appearance for the Orange Starry Guitar on Murray's guitar rack it.
The instrumental version of "Let's Have a Party" has been used in The Wiggles' concerts as closing music.
This film was previewed in Belfast and Northern Ireland.
The "Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle!" phone call is the sped-version of the children saying the line.
Goofs
The pool moves a bit every time after or before a Wiggle goes in.
The Australian DVD release uses the U.S. version because the "Magical Adventure: A Wiggly Adventure" title card is shown instead of the original one.
In the opening credits, instead of The Wiggles Movie, it says the title of the film is The Wiggles.
The camera wobbles just before Jeff comes out of his room wearing a red shirt and says "Nope, no Dorothy".
In the theatrical trailer, a rope is seen pulling the Big Red Car when the Wiggles leave Sandlot backwards and then forwards.
