The Dreamstone
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- For the C. J. Cherryh works of fantasy, see link to The Dreamstone (story) and The Dreamstone (novel).
The Dreamstone was a British animated television series that ran for four series of 13 episodes between 1990 and 1995 as a Central production for ITV (also Cookie Jar on the DVD), created by Michael Jupp. It was set in a fantasy alternative world, much like the Discworld or Middle-earth, and concerned itself principally with the struggle between good (personified by The Dreammaker, a Gandalf-esque white magician), and evil (personified by Zordrak, Lord of Nightmares).
Each episode had basically the same plot - Zordrak would instruct his henchmen to steal the Dreamstone, which he planned to destroy, so that nightmares would plague the sleeping world. The plan usually involved Urpgor, his right hand man and scientist inventing some means with which the Urpneys - led by Sergeant Blob, an archetypal Sergeant Major type - would cross the Sea Of Destruction (a vast bottomless ocean) to get to the Land Of Dreams. The plan would invariably fail, the main problem being the cowardice and incompetence of the Urpneys, who often wanted no more than to 'go home' and get some sandwiches.
Unlike most other similar animated series, The Dreamstone did not shy away from killing characters. While no main characters were ever killed off, the prospect of death was always there, and it was genuinely felt that characters were in mortal danger when they faced their enemy. In the first scene of the pilot, Zordrak is shown throwing one of the Urpneys into a pit, where he is killed and devoured.
The show was also notable for its musical score, which is pratically unique among cartoons in that it was performed by a full-size professional orchestra, namely the London Philharmonic.
Contents
Principal characters
The Land Of Dreams
The Land Of Dreams is also known as the light side of the planet, and is peopled by Noops (who lived and worked like humans) and Wuts (the defenders of the land, who flew around on leaves and warded off Zordrak's evil forces with globes of light).
- The Dream Maker - Head of the Council of Dreammakers, also known as Lord Highest, he is responsible for mixing dream bubbles and sending them out to the sleeping world through the Dreamstone. Was responsible for ejecting Zordrak from the council, and the two have been mortal enemies ever since. The relationship is possibly based on that of Gandalf and Saruman in the Lord of the Rings mythology. The Dream Maker is quite a laid back character though can be quite fearsome when facing off against Zordrak and his henchmen.
- Albert - The Dreammaker's pet dogfish (literally). The story goes that the Dreammaker saw Albert in a dream, and liked him so much he decided to make him real. Albert swims in air rather than water and his personality is that of a loyal dog.
- Rufus - A Noop who enjoys dreaming so much that he has vivid daydream. Sadly because of his over-active imagination, Rufus has trouble holding a job. After being fired from the waxworks in the first episode, Amberley suggests Rufus applies to be the Dream Maker's assistant, as he is perfectly qualified for it because of his constant daydreaming. Though Rufus can let his mind wander sometimes he's a brave character and believes strongly in the friends he has. Rufus is the main protagonist of the series, and more often than not saves the day.
- Amberley - A female Noop who is Rufus's best friend. Amberley was the one who suggested that Rufus work for the Dreammaker. For a while she worked at the bakers but it was later assumed that she, too, started working for the Dreammaker. Amberely is quite a brave character although she does have a temper. She understands Rufus's daydreaming habit and tends to stick by him in most episodes. Although never stated in the show, some fans believe that Rufus and Amberley's relationship was romantic.
- Pildit - the leader of the Wuts and The Dreammaker's most trusted ally, he is often called upon to defend the Land of Dreams from Zordrak's forces. He and the Dreammaker are old friends and often help support each other. It is Pildit that teaches Rufus and Amberley how to use the special leaves the Wuts use to fly.
- Wildit - Pildit's Grandmother. Well-meaning, and as handy in a fight as her grandson. She has something of a crush on the Dream Maker. She's quite an eccentric character and tends to act younger than her years. Though when trouble comes shes just as good at planning as she is at having fun.
- Spildit - Pildit's Niece. A little girl Wut that is prone to getting herself in trouble. Spildit is very confident in her abilities - sometimes a little too confident.
- Mr. Blossom - The Dreammaker's gardener, a wizened old Wut who constantly seems to have something to complain about.
The Land Of Nightmares
The Land Of Nightmares, also known as the dark side of the planet, is populated mostly by Urpneys, who basically resemble human beings except for the large bulbous nose and tails. They live in Viltheed, a tall black mountain in which resides the almost immobile Zordrak.
- Zordrak - The Lord of Nightmares and the principal antagonist of the series. Characterised by a deep, demonic voice (provided by Gary Martin), he stands at least twenty feet high, and spends much of his time sat on his throne dispensing punishment to wayward Urpneys. He was once a Dreammaker himself, but was ejected from the council. Enraged, he transformed himself into a monster, and vowed vengeance. His fearsome appearance is a sharp contrast with the simple cartoon-like style of his Urpney henchmen.
- Urpgor - The chief (and, it seems only) Urpney scientist. For reasons that are never explained, he has green skin, pink mohican-style hair and orange eyebrows. He habitually wears a white lab coat and 3 pairs of glasses on the end of his nose. In the fine tradition of cartoon scientists he is also completely mad and is often seen insanely bounding around, having fallen in love with his latest invention. Publicly hates the other Urpneys, and secretly covets Zordrak's throne. He is prone to make weird noises and expressions as he talks. On the whole his inventions always work but are often let down by their extreme Heath Robinson complexity and reliance on Urpney muscle power to operate them.
- Corporal Frizz - An Urpney whose cowardice knows no bounds. Finds himself in a position of responsibility simply because he couldn't run away as fast as the others. Would much rather be at home with some sandwiches than fighting deadly Noops. He was voiced by Melvyn Hayes, who played something of a similar character in the sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum. Frizz seems to be an Urpney that appreciates the arts.
- Corporal Nug - Another Urpney who, while not as cowardly as Frizz, certainly has his moments. Seems to be far cleverer than the other Urpneys, and speaks with a thick Brummie accent. Nug sometimes provides good ideas, which are usually adopted by Blob and passed off as his own.
- Argorribles - Ghostly purple clouds which Zordrak sends out each night to deliver nightmares to the sleeping world. The power of the Dreamstone is often far too much for them and so only occasionally do they slip through. However with the power of the Nightmare stone the Argorribles are powered up and are more likely to bypass the Dreamstone's defences. They are incorporeal, although one was briefly made solid in the episode 'Horrible Argorrible'.
- Zarag - Zordrak's sister, who was once romantically involved with the Dream Maker. Also wants the Dreamstone, but to wear in her hair rather than to unleash nightmares on the unsuspecting world.
- Frazznats - Creatures that live in the Pit of No Return and feed on Urpneys. They resemble a cross between a shark and a Venus Flytrap, with lobster-like pincers.
List of Episodes
The Dreamstone aired between 1990 and 1995 with a total of 52 episodes.
Season 1 (1990)
| # | Episode Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Dreamstone | Zordrak sets Operation Dreamstone in motion, and the Urpneys succeed in stealing it after Rufus shows it off to Amberley. |
| 2 | Into Viltheed | Rufus resolves to redeem himself by getting the Dreamstone back from Zordrak and rescuing Amberley |
| 3 | The Knitted Balloon | Zordrak decides to leave his body as a mist and travels to the Land of Dreams himself. There, he possesses Amberley and steals the Dreamstone. Meanwhile, Urpgor realises that, should Zordrak fail to return in time, his body will crumble and he would be in charge; an idea he loves. |
| 4 | The Invisible Blob | Urpgor invents a potion to turn the Urpneys invisible so they can enter the Dreammaker's house undetected and steal the Dreamstone. |
| 5 | The Voice Of Zordrak | The urpneys hypnotize Rufus using a medallion that plays Zordrak's controlling voice. |
| 6 | Albert Is Fishnapped | Having decided that the Dreammaker's watchdog fish Albert is the main reason their attempts to steal the Dreamstone fail, Zordrak has Blob, Frizz and Nug capture him during a festival in the Noop village. |
| 7 | The Shrinking Stone | Urpgor invents a 'shrink-ray' and shrinks the Urpneys so they can sneak into the Dreammaker's house, shrink the Dreamstone and escape without being noticed. |
| 8 | Blob's Incredible Plan | Blob, Frizz and Nug steal Urpgor's latest invention, the Molemobile, and travel to the Land of Dreams, in an effort to steal the Dreamstone and win Zordrak's favour over the hated Urpgor. Rufus creates a fake Dreamstone to fool the Urpneys, and allows them to escape with it. |
| 9 | Too Hot To Handle | A heatwave engulfs the Land of Nightmares, making the ground lush and verdant. Urpgor invents some exploding candles which the Urpneys switch the real Dreammaker's candles for, in an effort to distract him as they steal the Dreamstone. |
| 10 | The Daydream Bubble | As a reward for their hard work, the Dreammaker sends Rufus and Amberley into a daydream bubble, where anything they imagine can actually happen. Meanwhile, fed up with their incomptence, Zordrak punishes Blob, Frizz and Nug by firing them from a large cannon. The Urpneys land in the bubble and are carried wherever the Noops' imagination takes them. This episode is notable for showing the origin of Zordrak. |
| 11 | The Statue Collection | Zordrak decides he wants to add Pildit, the leader of the Wuts, to his statue collection, and sends the Urpneys to capture him. |
| 12 | Argorrible Attack | Urpgor has invented a machine to store Argorribles, and Zordrak has the Urpneys take them to the Land of Dreams and unleash them before the Dreamstone can be used against them. |
| 13 | Megattack | Zordrak unleashes the full force of his Urpney hordes and Argorribles on the Land of Dreams in a last attempt to steal the Dreamstone. Urpgor converts Zordrak's throne into a flying machine so that Zordrak can also travel to the Land of Dreams. |
The first 2 episodes were originally combined to form the Opening Special parts 1 and 2 which contained extra footage. The first three episodes of this season have been released on DVD in the UK.
Season 2 (1992)
- The Nightmare Stone
- Zarag
- Urpgor's Island
- RoboBird
- The Dark Side
- Albert's Ailement
- The Monster
- Spildit
- Wildit's Whistle
- Sport's Day
- Frozen Assets
- Bottle Harvest
- Return of the Nightmare Stone
- The Return
- Electric Eggs
- The Moon of Doom
- Zarag Rules
- The Dream Beam Invasion
- Urpgor's Auntie
- Wottles
- The Mirror
- Spildit's Birthday
- A Day Out
- Urpgor's Great Adventure
- The Neemod
- Mr Blossom's Present
- Auntie Again
- The Substitute
- The Stowaways
- Trouble With The Miners
- The Basilic
- Dreambubble Mixture
- Little Urpip
- Horrible Argorrible
- Hod
- The Jolly Bird
- Planet Prunus
- The Spider-Mobile
- Urpjaws
Quotes
Urpgor: Why must I always deliver my creations into the hands of halfwits who can hardly remember their own names?
Credits
- Voices Directed by: Martin Gates
- Art Director: Michael Jupp
- Character Creation and Design: Michael Jupp
- Key Backgrounds: Michael Jupp
- Background Supervisor: Pol Barona
- Paint Supervisor: Stella Reyes
- Background Artist: Ruben Romanban
- Storyboard Design: Gordon Harrison, Vince James, John Stevenson, Wayne Thomas, Harold Whitaker, Marty Martin, Milt Schaeffer
- Color Models: Carol A. Hughes
- Special Effects: Sonny Lagonera, Tobee Barretto
- Layout Director: John Stevenson
- Key Layout: Tom Bailey, Butch Datuin, Neil Graham, Gordon Harrison, Trevor Ricketts, John Riley-Cooper, Wayne Thomas, Ross De Vega
- Layout Supervisor: Kinjo Estioko
- Heads of Inbetweening Department: Zaldy Zuno, Nory Jamling
- Animation Supervisor: Ralph Fernan
- Key Animators: Dino Athamassiou, Chris Fenna, Laurent Grisel, Gary Hearst, Willard Kitchen, Alain Maindrou, Les Orton, Lloyd Sutton, Richard Villeneuve
- Head of Animation Department: Nelson Undando
- Key Animators: Alexis Que, William Sy, Marco Plantilla, Jun Libunao, Wincat Aleala, Phat Ejercitado, Jess Espanola, Manny Pascual, Vic Santiago, Noriel Israel
- Key Production Staff: Jo Harn, Cathy Peza, Rosanne Bunang
- Dialogue Editor: Sue Radley
- Timing Directors: John Armstrong, Chris Cuddington
- Director of Animation: Phil Robinson
- Camera Supervisor: Raul Salgado
- Film Editor: Louie Jhocson
- Story and Script Editors: James Costello, Martin Gates
- Production Manager: Kay Robinson
- General Manager for Fil-Cartoons: Jerry Smith
- Post Production Coordinator: Rob Dunbar
- Production Assistant: Jacqueline Wynter
- Production Secretaries: Susan Sabarra, Jeanette Watson
- Dubbing Editor: David Hillier
- Assistant Dubbing Editor: Lorna Hardy
- Dialogue Recording Engineer: David Hodge
- Dubbing Mixer: David Humphries
- Production Associate: Nick Neubauer
- Associate Producer: James Costello
- Music: Mike Batt
- Better Than a Dream Written and Sung by: Mike Batt
- Performed by: The London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Executive Producers: Bengt Odner, Graham Clutterbuck, David Yates
- Produced by: Martin Gates
- Directed by: Joan M. Bentley
External links
- [The Ultimate Dreamstone Guide]
- [Nyanko's Dreamstone site]
- [The official website of Mike Jupp, creator of The Dreamstone]
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