Major players from earlier Anne films are back this month. No word on casting for the cartoon series.

Calling kindred spirits!
An animated 'Anne of Green Gables' is coming

Originally published in Current, July 17, 2000

By Stephanie Lash

It may have been 15 years since audiences were first introduced to the fictional Anne Shirley through a WonderWorks miniseries on PBS, but time hasn't erased her appeal. Enchanted by her depiction in the original Anne of Green Gables books of Lucy Maud Montgomery and later in Kevin Sullivan's film adaptations, an intensely devoted fanhood has been breeding for years. Ardent adherents have developed clubs, magazines, web sites and memorabilia based on the plucky red-headed orphan's adventures at the Green Gables estate on Prince Edward Island. They flock to the national park on the site, e-mail each other about developments with the cast and organize "Kindred Spirit" get-togethers, named in honor of Anne's nomenclature for a true friend. And now, their wish is coming true.

On PBS stations nationwide, the third in the series, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story, is premiering next week, but that's not all. Sullivan is finishing production on a 26-episode animated series, based on the original Montgomery stories and destined for PBS. Sullivan is also working with Harper Collins to produce eight books — one coffee-table storybook, four books for younger readers and two easy-readers. And there's even talk of an animated feature film for home video or theatrical release.

It's all-Anne, all the time, which will please her fans — many of them drawn to the series by her determination, imagination and feminism. The films' authenticity, mirroring Montgomery's characters and settings, added to their success. The first film was the highest-rated televised dramatic event in Canadian history, netting 5.5 million viewers and picking up a slew of awards. The second came along in 1987 and the two have been broadcast in more than 200 countries. Fans' unceasing requests for a third installment finally paid off.

Set during World War I and using many of Montgomery's Avonlea tales as inspiration, the newest film develops Anne's character as a writer and mother and tells the story of her relationship with boyhood-beau Gilbert, now her fiance. Sullivan cast many of the actors who appeared in the original series, including Megan Follows as Anne, Schuyler Grant as her best friend Diana, and Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert.

Doug Heaney, manager of client services for Parks Canada at Green Gables, says he still hears comments about the earlier films from visitors to the home. He said he found the new film drew inspiration from other books in Montgomery's series. "But it was very different," he said of the latest film. "The characters will probably be recognizable, but the story takes some different and unexpected turns."

The film was well received in Canada during its March premiere, with many Anne-devotees lauding the treatment of their favorite characters.

"One of the things that made it so successful was it worked across a very broad audience," said John Wilson, PBS's head of programming. "Anne did well in attracting young people and adults. Everyone enjoys good storytelling and strong characters, and that's what Anne is about."

Anne is also about universal themes that have withstood the films' translation into a handful of languages, and Sullivan notes that Japan has turned the character into an "icon." There, the miniseries has been broadcast twice and released as feature films four times.

"I think the Japanese regard Anne as someone whom they'd love to emulate but can't because their society is very reserved, very akin to the world Anne lives in in Avonlea," Sullivan said. "She's an intelligent woman who uses her imagination, and she's outspoken and butts up against tradition."

Her worldwide appeal is one reason Anne is being transformed into an animated character, Wilson said. An animated series is more easily translated into other languages than a live-action film and can fare better on the international market. Stateside, the weekly animated series is expected to premiere next spring. Sullivan stressed that the series will be aimed at children ages six to 10, who may not have the attention span for the live-action drama. Her adventures will carry social and educational lessons, as Anne frequently causes her own disasters but then solves them using her imagination, he said.

And while the cartoons aren't aimed at Anne's current fan base, Sullivan predicts that many parents will watch the show with their children. "She's a cultural icon," Sullivan says. "She's a myth. She's passed from the literary world into the world of mythology."

	.	To Current's home page
	.	Outside link: Sullivan Entertainment's Anne site and the unofficial fan site Avonlea.net.

Web page posted July 26, 2000
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