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Barnyard (also known as Barnyard: The Original Party Animals) is a 2006 American computer-animated comedy film, directed by Steve Oedekerk, produced by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, that was released to theaters in the United States and Canada on August 4, 2006. It also released in Germany in October 5, 2006.
The film is produced, written in part and directed by Steve Oedekerk, and stars the voices of Kevin James, Courteney Cox, Wanda Sykes, David Koechner, Sam Elliot, Andie MacDowell and Danny Glover. This movie also stars veteran voice actors such as Jeff Garcia, Tino Insana, Rob Paulsen, Cam Clarke, and Dom Irrera. Oedekerk also provided some voice acting work to the film as well.
Most of the production was carried out in San Clemente, California. It was distributed in Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands by Universal Pictures.
The film is the second Nickelodeon film to be spun-off into a television series, the first being Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Coincidentally, both are computer-animated and were produced by O Entertainment.
Plot
When a local farmer (Fred Tatasciore) is away from his barnyard to work, the animals that live there walk and talk without him knowing. The animals are led by Ben (Sam Elliott), a stern and uptight cow. Otis (Kevin James), Ben's adoptive, carefree son, meanwhile, is away from the barn, goofing off with his best friends Pip the Mouse (Jeff Garcia), Pig the Pig (Tino Insana), Peck the Rooster (Rob Paulsen), and Freddy the Ferret (Cam Clarke). After Otis interrupts a barnyard meeting with his wild antics, Ben scolds Otis for his lack of responsibility, telling him that he will never be happy if he just goofs off, and that he should grow up, because Ben wants Otis to lead the barnyard after him. Otis ignores his advice, being disinterested in becoming the future leader, and leaves to continue his shenanigans. Later on, Otis meets a new, pregnant cow, Daisy (Courteney Cox), who was transferred from another herd. Otis talks to, and falls in love with Daisy, despite meeting disapproval from her best friend Bessy (Wanda Sykes).
That night, the animals throw a massive party in the barn; all the animals are there except Ben, who watches over the fence, which marks their space, to protect the animals from coyotes. Otis is assigned to watch along with him, but he would rather go to the party, saying he is needed for a certain role in it. Ben talks with Otis and says the day he found him alone in the meadow, he could see the stars dancing. Otis, still wanting to go to the party, is given the privilege to party out, with Ben covering his shift. Later on, Ben has to take on a pack of coyotes led by Dag (David Koechner), who are raiding the chicken coop. Ben manages to fight off the pack until they overpower him. He scares them off, but suffers fatal wounds from the fight. The hens' leader Etta runs into the barn and warns Otis, who rushes out to find Ben, who dies in his arms.
After Ben's death, Otis is left distraught, and all the animals wonder who is going to be their new leader. Duke (Dom Irrera), the farmer's sheepdog, argues that he should be the leader, but Ben's old friend, named Miles the Mule (Danny Glover) points out how he would be unfit to be leader. He then reminds everyone that Ben had wanted Otis to become the new leader, so the animals unanimously elect Otis as their new leader. Otis returns to see a wild party being thrown to celebrate his new role. Otis is afraid of the farmer returning to see the party, but is convinced to party with them when they bring out Wild Mike. However, the farmer does return and witness the animals partying, and Miles knocks him unconscious, forcing Otis to come up with a solution. He struggles with his new position and duties, but ultimately manages to make the farmer think what he saw was a dream.
He shirks his duties by leaving Freddy and Peck in charge of the coop, and joins the Jersey Cows (Eddy, Igg and Bud), a trio of troublemaking cows when they see a Snotty Boy cow tipping. They manage to steal a car belonging to the farmer's neighbor Mrs. Beady, and drives to Snotty Boy's house to knock him out of his bed when he's asleep, calling it "Boy tipping." After they narrowly avoid the police, Otis returns to the barnyard for his night watch and shares a tender moment with Daisy, who says her previous mate and former herd were wiped out by a storm. Afterwards, he overhears the coyotes chasing a hare. Otis attempts to attack Dag but is outsmarted. Dag notices Otis’ weakness as a leader and taunts him over Ben's death. Dag arranges a deal to periodically steal animals from the farm, or else his pack will slaughter them all if Otis attempts to stop them. Otis decides to leave the barnyard, realizing that he has no chance.
The next morning, the other animals try to convince Otis not to leave, but are unable to change his mind. Just then, Otis is informed that Dag's pack has taken several hens including Etta and her young daughter Maddy during the day behind his back. Angered by this, and encouraged by Miles, Otis sets out to confront Dag alone. Otis confronts the pack in their junkyard den, but is easily overpowered; however, Pip, Pig, Freddy, and Peck along with Miles arrive to help him, along with a pack of gophers (who Otis had previously purchased items from), the Jersey Cows, and Wild Mike who fight alongside him. Together, they rescue the hens along with Maddy and drive off the coyote pack, while Otis warns Dag to never threaten the farm again, before he is is swung out of the junkyard by Otis's golf skills.
After defeating the coyotes, Pip informs Otis that Daisy went into labor after he left. Speechless and desperate, Otis and the gang hijack motorcycles from a nearby diner to drive all the way back to the barnyard, just in time to help Daisy. She gives birth to a calf whom she names Lil' Ben. Otis vows to protect the farm as his father did before watching the stars form images of him, Daisy, and young Ben dancing together.
Voice cast
- Kevin James as Otis (main protagonist)
- David Koechner as Dag (main antagonist)
- Danny Glover as Miles
- Sam Elliott as Ben
- Jeff Garcia as Pip (deuteragonist)
- Cam Clarke as Freddy (one of the two tritagonists)
- Rob Paulsen as Peck (a major character)/Gophers
- Tino Insana as Pig (a major character)
- Dom Irrera as Duke
- Courteney Cox as Daisy (one of the two tritagonists)
- Wanda Sykes as Bessy (a major character)
- Maria Bamford as Nora Beady (tertiary antagonist)
- Steve Oedekerk as Nathan Beady (quaternary antagonist)/Eugene Beady/Eugene's Father
- S. Scott Bullock as Eddy
- Maurice LaMarche as Igg
- John DiMaggio as Bud/Officer O'Hanlon/Dr. Filly (Deleted scene)
- Andie MacDowell as Etta
- Madeline Lovejoy as Maddy
- Nathaniel Stroman as Root
- Jill Talley as Eugene's Mother
- Paul Greenberg and Laraine Newman as Eugene's friends
- Fred Tatasciore as Farmer
- Reese Witherspoon as Female Coyote
Reception
The film received rather negative reviews from critics and currently sports a rating of 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the negative reception, the film was a success at the box office.
The movie also has gained a following among many Nickelodeon fans and they consider it to be an underrated film, like most Nickelodeon Movies' productions. Dag has also gained a strong fanbase due to his evil and sadistic nature.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released on August 9, 2006 from Paramount. It includes an original song by the Starlight Mints, "You Gotta Move" by Aerosmith and many new songs by North Mississippi All-Stars.
Track Listing
- Mud - North Mississippi All-Stars
- Hittin' the Hay (feat. Les Claypool) - North Mississippi All-Stars
- Down on the Farm (They All Ask for You) - Kevin James
- I Won't Back Down - Sam Elliot
- 2StepN - North Mississippi All-Stars
- Hillbilly Holla - North Mississippi All Stars
- Kick It - The Bo Keys
- Father, Son - Peter Gabriel
- Freedom is a Voice - Bobby McFerrin
- Popsickle - Starlight Mints
- Wild and Free - Rednex
- Mr. Boombastic - Shaggy
Video game
- Main article: Barnyard: The Video Game
A video game of the same name by THQ and Blue Tongue Entertainment was created, based on the film. It is an adventure game in which the player(s) name their own male / female cow and walk around the Barnyard and play mini-games, pull pranks on humans, ride bikes, and party with the other animals.
The video game is for PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, PC, and Game Boy Advance.
Television series
- Main article: Back at the Barnyard
In September 2007, a television series based on the film was released called Back at the Barnyard. While the other voice actors reprised their roles from the film, Chris Hardwick replaces Kevin James as the voice of Otis and Daisy is replaced by Abby, voiced by Leigh-Allyn Baker. Other characters from the film absent in this series include Miles, Dag and Maddy.
Gallery
Trivia
- In Spain, the film is title El Corral: Una Fiesta Muy Bestia, which translates to "The Barn: A Very Great Party".
- The book that Otis puts in the Farmer's hand is Charlotte's Web, which became Nickelodeon Movies' next film.
- Ben is one of the very few Nicktoon characters to be shown dying onscreen.
- This is one of the very few animated films to mainly consist of veteran voice actors.
- The film is notably more emotional and serious than the TV series.
- This also an evident with Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (O Entertainment's other Nicktoon produced movie) which was also more emotional and serious than it's spin-off TV series.
- Colonel Sanders, the mascot of KFC is on a poster in one part. But, in the movie's commentary they said that in some places he is not the mascot of KFC.
- One of the reasons of the film's negative reception, when it aired on TV it received a TV-PG rating unlike what the television series received which was a TV-Y7 rating, meaning that the film was not supposed to be made kid-friendly for TV.
- This is Tino Insana final film role before his passing in 2017.