Unfinished Munk-ey Business

With every conceivable nostalgic pop cultural barrel being scraped in recent months, the inevitable news comes that Alvin And The Chipmunks are set for the big screen in a live action/CGI motion picture. Normally, Empire views movie news with equanimity - but on hearing this news we promptly shot the messenger and hung him by his own lapels in the town square as a warning to anyone thinking about translating even one more old TV show to the big screen. In the Sixties (remember, when everyone was high), the Chipmunks were a cultural phenomenon; recording on every possible format, releasing multi-million selling albums, and starring in primetime TV shows, high-rated Saturday specials and breakfast cereals. Possibly. As squeaky-voiced rodents go, The Chipmunks were unrivalled, not just because Simon, Alvin and Theodore were, well, chipmunks, with a human dad (something dodgy going on there); but because their high-pitched, helium voices managed to sell 40 million records (take that, Take That!). Twentieth Century Fox secured the rights from Ross Bagdasarian Jr., son of the Chipmunks' creator. Legend has it that the record breaking 'munks were an overnight success in 1958 after Bagdasarian Sr. created them when down to his last $200 in all the world. After being televised in over 100 countries in 40 languages, it's hard to not respect the critters' success. And admit it, everyone has attempted the theme tune after a night out with a helium balloon. Details so far are sketchy - as you would expect of a cartoon (haha!)- but Fox hopes to revitalise the Chipmunks' 40 year recording career with the same sort of live action/CGI cross that they used for this year's Garfield. Currently, the project is unhelmed and unscripted, with comedy writers across the land being scouted to deliver a script with the necessary cultural quips, in-jokes and heart-warming message of 'being yourself' or 'the value of friendship' or some such. Meanwhile, the chosen director will need plenty of experience working with animals and children since Alvin, Simon and Theodore, are, well, both. A-list actors are allegedly lining up to play Dave Seville, the Chipmunks human dad, but we'd be amazed to actually see someone big in the role. But with those crafty chipmunks getting into all sorts of mayhem, we can expect high-octane, high-voiced cheeky chipmunk fun. Though it's probably too much to hope that they won't sing...