Jan 8, 2014

The Ultimate Guide to Animated Mock Buster

Disney's recent trademark lawsuit against Phase 4 Films and their movie Frozen Land has reignited discussion about 'mockbusters,' the portmanteau used to describe a genre of home video that is dedicated to tricking customers into mistakenly purchasing a low-budget imitation of a popular movie. As certain as the dawn, animation companies release these knock-offs to capitalize on the popularity of major studio releases. Mockbusters typically favor public domain content (like fairy tales), but also include questionable copies of another studio's original characters, or deceptively repackaging an existing animated film with a trendy new cover and title.

Need some examples- No problem, because we've compiled the most comprehensive list of animation mockbusters the Internet has to offer. There might be others.

Company: Golden Films Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1992 Inspiration: Beauty and The Beast (Disney, 1991)

Company: Golden Films Distributor: Trimark/GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1992 Inspiration: The Little Mermaid (Disney, 1989)

Company: Golden Films Distributor: Trimark/GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1992 Inspiration: Pinocchio (Disney, 1940)

Company: Golden Films Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1993 Inspiration: Aladdin (Disney, 1992)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1994 Inspiration: Cinderella (Disney, 1950)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1994 Inspiration: The Lion King (Disney, 1994)

Company: JetLag Productions Distibutor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1994 Inspiration: Pocahontas (Disney, 1995)

Company: Allumination Filmworks Distributor: UAV Corporation Year: 1994 Inspiration: Pocahontas (Disney, 1995)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1995 Inspiration: Alice in Wonderland (Disney, 1951)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1995 Inspiration: The Jungle Book (Disney, 1967)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1995 Inspiration: Sleeping Beauty (Disney, 1959)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1995 Inspiration: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Disney, 1937)

Company: JetLag Productions Distributor: GoodTimes Entertainment Year: 1996 Inspiration: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney, 1996)

Company: UAV Corporation Distributor: Allumination Filmworks Year: 1996 Inspiration: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney, 1996)

Company: UAV Corporation Distributor: Allumination Filmworks Year: 1997 Inspiration: Anastasia (20th Century Fox/Don Bluth, 1997)

Company: UAV Corporation Distributor: Allumination Filmworks Year: 1998 Inspiration: The Prince of Egypt (Dreamworks, 1998)

Company: UAV Corporation Distributor: Allumination Filmworks Year: 1998 Inspiration: Mulan (Disney, 1998)

Company: UAV Corporation Distributor: Allumination Filmworks Year: 2006 Inspiration: A Bug's Life (Pixar, 1998) and Antz (Dreamworks, 1998)

Company: UAV Corporation Distributor: Allumination Filmworks Year: 2006-2012 Inspiration: Cars 1-2 (Pixar, 2006 and 2011)

Company: Vídeo Brinquedo Distributor: Branscome International Year: 2006-2011 Inspiration: Cars 1-2 (Pixar, 2006 and 2011)

Company: Vídeo Brinquedo Distributor: Branscome International Year: 2007 Inspiration: Flushed Away (Aardman/DreamWorks, 2006) and Ratatouille (Pixar, 2007)

Company: Video Brinquedo Distributor: Morningstar Entertainment Year: 2008 Inspiration: Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks, 2008)

Company: Video Brinquedo Distributor: Morningstar Entertainment Year: 2008 Inspiration: The Disney Princess franchise

Company: Video Brinquedo Distributor: Morningstar Entertainment Year: 2008 Inspiration: Robots (Blue Sky, 2005) and WALL-E (Pixar, 2008)

Company: Video Brinquedo Distributor: Morningstar Entertainment Year: 2009 Inspiration: Princess and The Frog (Disney, 2009)

Company: Video Brinquedo Distributor: Morningstar Entertainment Year: 2009 Inspiration: Monsters Vs. Aliens (Dreamworks, 2009)

Company: Video Brinquedo Distributor: Gaiam Year: 2009 Inspiration: Bee Movie (Dreamworks, 2007)

Company: Video Brinquedo Year: 2009 Inspiration: Up (Pixar, 2009)

Company: Brightspark Productions Inspiration: Tangled (Disney, 2010)

Company: Gaiam/Renegade Animation Year: 2011 Inspiration: Kung Fu Panda (Dreamworks, 2008)

Company: Brightspark Productions Inspiration: The Princess and The Frog (Disney, 2009)

Orignally Titled: Super K Company: Shemaroo Entertainment Distributor: Phase 4 Films Year: 2011 Inspiration: Brave (Pixar, 2012)

Company: Gaiam Year: 2011 Inspiration: Puss in Boots (Dreamworks, 2011)

Company: Gaiam Year: 2011 Inspiration: Happy Feet (Warner Bros., 2006)

Company: Phase 4 Films Year: 2012 Inspiration: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (Dreamworks, 2012)

Company: Brightspark Productions Inspiration: Brave (Pixar, 2012)

Company: Simka Entertainment Distributor: Grindstone Entertainment/Lionsgate Year: 2012 Inspiration: Planes (Disney, 2013)

Originally Titled: The Legend of Sarila Company: Phase 4 Films Year: 2013 Inspiration: Frozen (Disney, 2013)