Jane Hoop Elementary: The First (film)

Jane Hoop Elementary: The First is a 2000 superhero film directed by  Steven Spielberg and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is based on the novel with the same name by Rita Christensen. The film, which is the first installment in the Jane Hoop Elementary film franchise, is written by Brian Clark and produced by Spielberg, Derek Todd and Drake Jones. The story follows five young heroes (Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille) in their first year as superheroes saving the world for the first time from evil.

The film stars Blake Brown, Ben Linkin, Amy Tammie, Brandon Simpson and Bloom Dee as young children, who has mysterious superpowers, becoming superheroes for the first time. It was followed by eight sequels with the first being The Cyber Escape.

Christensen insisted that the entire cast be American, in keeping with the cultural integrity of the book and the film. Christensen also approved the screenplay, written by Brian Clark. It has been shoot between a year shooting, announced for them to released in the countries from Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment, brought the film rights of the book in 1999. The film marked as the acting debut of country singer George Jones.

The film, which was released on November 10, 2000, were praised positively and breaking box office records with ticket sales are over $972 million worldwide, making it the 25th highest-grossing film worldwide and second highest-grossing Jane Hoop Elementary installment to date behind concluding film, The Final Rush - Part 2, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Also, it was nominated for many awards including the 2001 Kids' Choice Awards and won only one, which is for "Favorite Movie".

Plot
A red stone called The First fell to the ground from Earth. It's light reflects inside the five young children's skin by giving them mysterious super abilities. However, the married couple Mayor James Watson and Miss. Bella Watson keep it for safety.

Six years later, 5-year-old Danny begins his first day at elementary school with his friends Cory, Jaquille, their enemy Alec and Rebecca, which who has a crush on. As their city is under attack, Mayor and Mrs. Watson transported the kids to the mysterious place, called Jane Hoop Elementary Base, and has chosen them to become superheroes. Danny, Rebecca and Alec are chosen to be head captains, while Cory and Jaquille are their backup. SWAT Team, David, Maria and Michael and other teams helping along the gang.

The group of five chosen kids refused and immedately left, but are being attacked by some thugs. They are being rescued by a mysterious woman, named Salma. While they thank her, she has left them, in which they tried to let her help them try to get her. However, when the storm arrives, they head back to the Base for shelter, until they found out that they are being captured and tied up by a group of aliens. The gang than use their powers to fight against them, rescuing them.

Danny, Alec and Rebecca talked about The First of how it involves to have to gain powers, and realized that they were diagnosed with super telekinesis, when make a point to became superheroes. Although, they learned that the evil aliens are invading earth using it to conquer the world. Catwoman plans on blaming the kids on doing bad things, for what is doing good. As the kids helped Catwoman, they attempt to do something good for the world, but gets worst when they were attacked by aliens and monsters, making the world no longer loving them. Their teammates also do not believe them as well, leaving the heroes flying away to space and decides never to go back to earth again, because everyone hates them now.

As the gang went away to space, Catwoman steals the First. Meanwhile, Danny envisions that his cousin Naudia is in trouble, causing the gang to return back to earth saving Naudia from getting crushed by a large object. As they return to Cincinnati, they decided that it's time to stop Catwoman's evil plans for the first time.

The gang arrived to Catwoman's Base, but Catwoman trapes them into her maze, must come through to save the world of alien invaders attacking Cincinnati, Ohio and before a bomb could destroy Cincinnati and Catwoman whom plans also to help with aliens, and the aliens are taking away "The First" begins to destroy it, and taken away the gangs powers forever. The kids than used their ultimate power and to let the aliens to disappear and the world is saved.

Danny thinks that they should give up their powers for good, but the world eventually is forcing love and are thankful to the kids saving the world. Back in school, Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille have gotten positive feedbacks by their teachers and classmates as they thank them for saving the world for the first time. Their principal told them they can spend time off of school anytime they want only to keep the world safe.

Cast

 * See also: List of Jane Hoop Elementary cast members

Christensen wants to choose only American cast for the film in 1996. She worked with director Calvin, screenplayer Brian Clark and producers Derek Todd and Drake Jones, and they spend over two years searching for young actors to play as the main characters, and it was a tough scheduled to search for them. In July 1999, it was confirmed that newcomers Blake Brown, Ben Linkin and Amy Tammie, Brandon Simpson and Bloom Dee were choosen for the role as Danny, Alec, Rebecca, Cory and Jaquille.


 * Blake Brown as Danny Gorden: the main protagonist and leader of the heroes. Producers Jones and Todd spend months searching for a young male African American child actor to play as the role as Danny. Brown was confirmed by Spielberg that he would be playing as the role as Danny, as Christensen says "Blake could be the perfect Danny." Brown begin audition for the role in August 1999.
 * Ben Linkin as Alec Gutzwiller: Danny's enemy, later best friend, and sidekick of the heroes. However, after he, Danny and others were signed up to become superheroes, Alec apperently become his best friend, and apologies for picking on him. He does have a huge crush on his cousin, Naudia. Linkin was cast as the role as Alec in June 1999. He begin auditioning for the role in August 1999.
 * Amy Tammie as Rebecca Henry: Danny's crush, sidekick and only female of the heroes. She was signed up by Mayor and Mrs. Watson to become a superhero, called Jane Hoop Elementary. Tammie was cast as Rebecca in July 1999. She begin auditioning for the role in August 1999.
 * Brandon Simpson as Cory Berning: Danny's close friend and backup of the heroes. Simpson was cast as Cory in July 1999. He begin auditioning for the role in August 1999.
 * Bloom Dee as Jaquille Short: Danny's other close friend and backup of the heroes. Dee was cast as Jaquille in June 1999. He begin auditioning for the role in August 1999.
 * Barbara Blue as Naudia Gorden: Danny's cousin very improve cousin who lives with him and the others at the Jane Hoop Elementary base.
 * Natasha Richardson as Miss. Bella Watson: The wife of Mayor and mentor Jane Hoop Elementary Base. Richardson says she would be enjoying as sub person living into the office where she lived. Richardson was casts as Miss. Watson in December 1999.[3]
 * George Jones as Mayor: Real name [is], James Watson. The president's officer of Cincinnati, Ohio lived at the Jane Hoop Elementary Base. Jones continues stop smoking and to contain working onto film series for Children. Jones was casts on December 1999 as Mayor.[3] The film marks as the acting debut of country singer George Jones.


 * Brooke Timer as Dr. Catwoman: A Evil cat and a queen born from Catland. She decides to make Rebecca joining with her at Catwoman's Base, as Catwoman uses to live. Catwoman's only family does not appears were Catman and Catgirl.
 * Rebecca Dee as Shego Dalma: One of Catwoman's friend. Dee was cast[ed] on December 1999 as Shego.[3]
 * Stephen Johnson as Shadow the Monkeyman: One of Catwoman's friend who helped with her defends working with Goldenman of evil. Johnson casts as Monkeyman on December 1999.[3]
 * Charlie Anderson as Jack Rowe: A Best pal of McKenzie Bradford as a unknown bully. Anderson casts as Jack in December 1999.[3]
 * Dan Williams as McKenzie Bradford: A Best pal of Jack Rowe as a unknown bully. Williams casts as McKenzie in December 1999.[3]
 * Nick Richards as David Johnson: A SWAT Teammate and a leader. Richards casts as in December 1999.[3]
 * Jessica Alder as Maria Dawns: A female SWAT Teammate and a second [fair] leader. Alder casts as in December 1999.[3]
 * Elliot Martinson as Michael Walker: A SWAT Teammate and a third [fair] leader. Martinson casts as in December 1999.[3]

Development
In 1996, right after the book was released, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner_Bros. Warner Bros.] has rights to put up plans onto developing a film adaptation and said that it'll take 10 years to developed it into a film.[1] In 1997, while setting the film to release in fall 1998, but there were no search of young actors who are playing the children heroes in the film, as they decided to cancel the search, so Warner Bros. canceled the deal and Christensen became disappointed about the report. Meanwhile, Christensen has been working on her project for two years, and told Paramount Pictures to develop the book to become a film. The film was now officially research and begins searching for child actors to play as Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille, and they found them,[1] Blake Brown, Ben Linkin and Amy Tammie. Linkin and Tammie both made their acting debuts.

In January 1999, writer Brian Clark has the rights to put the film adaptations into works. He admits that he is very nervous about making a very successful book into a movie, because he has never been a film writer before, and has spend most of his life writing small films. Christensen praises that Clark will do good becoming a film writer, and Clark express his interest saying: "I'll do it! I know I can!" Christensen joins Clark by writing the film, as Christensen is wanting the film to be very loveable and childlike for her fans, since they read the books. She also hopes that this film will feel like that the book itself has become to life, so that young children could feel like that they want to become superheroes like the characters from Jane Hoop Elementary were. Two producers, Derek Todd and Drake Jones, have interested in producing the film, and Christensen express their interest stating: "these two handsome guys are a match! And I love them." Todd, Jones, Christensen and Clark had a meeting with the studio Paramount Pictures for over 2 hours about wanting to make a big budget movie. Christensen was very nervous about it.

Meanwhile, James Cameron has previously been chosen to become film director for the first film. However, his place has been turned down as he is in the works of director another film, due to schedule conflicts. Other films that are included in the list for Christensen are Bryan Singer, Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan, Gore Verbinski, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, J. J. Abrams, Peter Jackson, Tim Burton, Brett Ratner and Michael Bay. Christen has chosen Singer, Nolan, Abrams, Spielberg and Lucas as her top five for being a film director. In July 1999, it was announced that Spielberg will be directing the film, and Christensen also has chosen him as her number one choose, after seeing his name when he directed films like Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Back to the Future (1985) and Jurassic Park (1993).

Before Spielberg was chosen, he read the Jane Hoop Elementary books to his children, who wants Spielberg to read them a bedtime story. Afterwards, he gained expression and finishes up reading the book to himself, and told his wife that "this is the most perfect book I have ever read to the kids. I heard that they are making a movie, and I hope that I should be the lucky one to be a director." Indeed, Calvin is very excited to meet up with Christensen, after she chosen Spielberg as film director. He told Christensen: "You make my kids feel like that they also want to be superheroes like them, and I feel like, when I was a kid, I always want to be a superhero and make the world safe from evil." Christenen got the gooesbumps what Spielberg told her about it, and she is looking forward to have him as director.

After three more books were released, Spielberg told Christensen: "If we are making two more films, I will be directing all three of them, and I will let make my kids to go to the movies and see them. They loved the books, so they also should love the movies." Spielberg wants each films to be much darker and edgier than the first film, because the characters are getting older, same thing for Christensen, stating: "If I keep making books in years, I will be making the characters older. If I was making movies, I will do the same things, because I can't see characters staying as young kids forever, and I don't want anyone else playing the characters, because I have a feeling that I could have critisms about different actors playing characters."

After Spielberg is chosen as direct, he also joined alongside Todd and Jones as film producers. Jones and Todd praises him as a "wonderful film director".

Filming
Jane Hoop Elementary: The First took six months to complete filming. Pre-production began on August 1999. Three months later, filming began on November 1999 and concluded on May 2000, with reshoots taking place in July 2000. Most scenes from the film took place in Cincinnati, OH, the main location where the book, for a film being adopt, took place at. The background scene for mostly action packed sequences were filmed from a green screen. The green screen scenes were all taken in Cleveland, Oh. It is used for action sequences such as the actors are playing characters that are in a battle scene. Other scenes for the film are included. The school where Danny, Rebecca, Alec, Cory and Jaquille attend took place at Jane Hoop Elementary school in Mt. Healthy city school district, in Hamilton County, Ohio. It took place on December 15, 1999. Also, the fight scene between Danny and Alec, which the two were enemies by the time, took place at the elementary school Cafeteria. Although, the fighting scene background could be used from the green screen besides taking place at the actual school, but Spielberg feels like that they don't need to use a green screen for that because he wants it to look more reality than taking place on green screen, which he calls is "dull". The fight scene took over 4 hours to complete.

Meanwhile, the hospital scene where the characters were born took place at Cincinnati's Children's Hospital, located at 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. The Children's Hospital scene recently took place in the night time where red diamond called The First reflects the light onto Danny's skin, which causes him to gain mysterious telekinesis. It also does the same thing to Alec, Rebecca, Cory and Jaquille when five young children has got them when they were toddlers. It was shot in late November 1999, and was used at the beginning of the film, and it starts before the film's title logo appears.

While filming in Cincinnati, Ohio, director Steven Spielberg has felt relieved that he has been back at his hometown ever since he was born. He states that it is his first time that he would be directing a movie that would be taking place at his hometown because he has been living there before his parents were divorced. He also would praises that Jane Hoop Elementary: The First would be his best work he has ever done, and admits he missed visiting Cincinnati.

Design, Efforts and Music
The leader was designer by Kevin Matthews.[3] He make Brown designs as a red sweater-t-shirt, while Ben in blue t-shirt, Simpson, Dee and Blue in white t-shirt, black t-shirt and yellow t-shirt within blue jean pants.[3] Tammie designs as in pink t-shirt including pink jean skirt, also designs in a pink dress [3]Matthews also designs of Timer in Catwoman's black-suit, costume "half-parody of Comic's Catwoman".

German composer Hans Zimmer announces that he will be composing the songs for the first film of the popular Jane Hoop Elementary film series. He also composed two more films; The Cyber Escape and Goldenman's Revenge. The soundtrack was released three days before the film was released in theaters, on November 7, 2000.

Marketing
The film's teaser trailer was released on December 1999. A teaser poster debuts in the United States on February 15, 2000. On May 5, 2000, the film's full length trailer was released in theaters in front of the premiere of Mission: Impossible II on May 25, 2000. The full length trailer was released online the following day.

Theatrical release
The North American world premiere for the film was held in Los Angeles, California on October 29, 2000, two weeks ahead of the film's release. In the United Kingdom, it premiered on November 6, 2000, a week before the film's premiere on November 9, 2000. The film opened in theaters worldwide on November 8, 2000. In North America, the film's release date was set to November 10, 2000. Nationwide, it was released over 60 foreign countries.

Home media
Jane Hoop Elementary: The First was released on both VHS and two disc DVD on April 27, 2001. On December 24, 2007, the film was released on Blu Ray for the first time alongside the following films. Alongside its sequel, Jane Hoop Elementary: The Cyber Escape, both films were released on Ultimate Edition DVDs on June 29, 2010.

Difference from the book
At the start of the novel, The First novel was 17 chapters long, and 290 pages long,[3] which it was the shortest book in the Jane Hoop Elementary series. Miss. Bella Watson in her animagus form had been observing Mayor prior to her meeting with David, Maria and Michael.[3] While this scene was omitted from the film, it was referenced when Miss. Watson voiced her objections in leaving Danny.[3] Mayor tells Danny about the death of his parents on the island in the sea.[3] However in the film, Danny asks about this at the Leaky Cauldron. Naudia was born by 1995 in the book, first seen, but in the film, she was cut in the scene, within the character was first seen in the city of Cincinnati. Mayor calls Miss. Watson by Bella but in the film, he calls her by Last name, Miss. Watson, with the gang calls her Bella in book, but in the film, calls her Miss. Watson.[3] In the book Danny first met Alec Gutzwiller in Hospital while first born.[3] In the film, he meets Alec before the Sorting which he became friends with him since he was 5 while he has powers with him, both became superheroes.[3] In the film, Danny, Alec, Naudia and Rebecca make a laugh at SWAT house, but originally in the film, Rebecca and Naudia laughs at Alec while misses training.[3] The scene where Danny challenged Alec into a duel, but had actually tricked him by tipping off Catwoman was omitted. When Alec has saves Rebecca from monster attacking the City which she has destroy.[3] In the book, The First is first seen in Sun, but in The First, it was first seen in the garden, Aliens searching for it which it was the crystal diamond, alien takes it to steal to destroy earth.[3] The aliens first taken Rebecca a potion, but in the film, has been cut.[3][3]

Critical reception
Jane Hoop Elementary: The First were praised positively by critics, garnering a fresh 78% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.[3] It ranked as one of 2000's best reviewed films ever. This also includes a score of 77 out of 100 at Metacritic representing "generally favorable reviews". Since this is the beginning of the film franchise, it was the lowest-rated film from Rotten Tomatoes in the franchise yet, making the sequels as much popular from critics despite their excitement for seeing the sequels. It also scored 82% from Metacritics, and received an A- score from Yahoo! Movies grade, making it a very popular rated film in the franchise by far up until Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush - Part 2 scored the best rating giving it an A+, after being named as the most anticipated Jane Hoop Elementary film and series finale yet.

Roger Ebert called The First "a classic," particularly praising the visual effects used for the Battling scenes. Praise which was shared by both The Telegraph and Empire reviewers,[3] with Alan Morrison naming it the "stand-out sequence" of the film.[3] The sets, design, cinematography, effects and principal cast were all given praise from Robert Hensley. He also praises seeing little kids becoming actors is indeed the most cutest thing Hollywood would ever have, and than we have young children interested in seen their favorite characters kicking bad guy's butt onto the big screen.[3] Jane Hoop Elementary: The First also ranked #1 for being 2000's most anticipated films of 2000, and was named as one of the world's most beloved films ever praising on the child actor's performances despite that young children can be superheroes at only 5 years old, and is not comparing the young superheroes to the Powerpuff Girls.

Director of the film Steven Spielberg calls Jane Hoop Elementary: The First as his most phenominal film he has ever directed. He admits that he loved reading the books, and he states that this film should be the next Star Wars and Indiana Jones, also directed by Spielberg. Amanda Allen of Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review stating praising on young children's performances in the film: "It's an expression for many children have thoughts that they love the fact that the kids are around their ages and beating bad guy's butts. "

Box office
Upon it's release, and despite successful critics, the film enormously sets box office records. It made $31 million during it's opening day, breaking a single day record beating Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace ($28 million). In it's second day of release, it increased to $32.2 million, breaking the biggest single day again. In total, the film earned $85.2 million during its first weekend, which made it the biggest opening weekend of all-time previously held by The Lost World: Jurassic Park ($72.1 million). It hold the record for a year when Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone made $90.2 million in it's opening weekend.[3] The film also ranked first place, and remained in that position for two weeks. Similar results were also achieved across the world. In Australia, it set a new opening weekend record earning $12.1 million in it's opening weekend, and in the United Kingdom, it also set a new opening weekend record earned £14.52 million (US$21.52 million).

In total, it earned $972.8 million worldwide, $311.8 million of that in the U.S. and $661.4 million elsewhere, which made it the second highest-grosser in history at that time, as well as the year's highest-grossing film. As of 2013, it currently stand as the 25th highest-grossing film worldwide, and the second highest-grossing Jane Hoop Elementary installment to date after Final Rush - Part 2, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

Accolades
The film has been received three Academy Award nominations: "Best Art Direction", "Best Costume Design", and "Best Original Score" for Kim Dawson although it did not win in any category.[3] The film was also nominated for seven BAFTA Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for George Jones. The film nominated a Saturn Award for its costumes and was nominated for eight more. It won other awards from the Casting Society of America and the Costume Designers Guild. It was won for the AFI Film Award for its special effects and the Art Directors Guild Award for its production design.[3] It held in 2001 of 3 Oscars with Another 13 wins & 46 nominations.[3] The film was also nominated at the 2001 Kids' Choice Awards, and won for "Favorite Movie".[1]