May 24, 2002
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (also known as Spirit) is a 2002 American animated Western film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by DreamWorks Pictures. The film was directed by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook (in their feature directorial debuts) from a screenplay by John Fusco, based on an idea by Jeffrey Katzenberg, who produced the film alongside Mireille Soria.The film combines traditional animation and computer animation.
Set in the Old West in the late 19th century, the film follows Spirit, a Kiger mustang stallion (voiced by Matt Damon as a narrator), who is captured during the American Indian Wars by the United States Cavalry; he is eventually freed by a Lakota man named Little Creek with whom he bonds, as well as a mare named Rain. In contrast to the anthropomorphic style of animal characters in other animated features, Spirit and his fellow horses communicate with each other through non-linguistic sounds and body language (albeit with many human facial expressions and reactions).
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was released in theaters on May 24, 2002, and was a box office disappointment, earning only $122 million on an $80 million budget, but received positive reviews. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film also launched a media franchise completely using computer animation, with a Netflix spin-off television series Spirit Riding Free premiering on May 5, 2017, followed by a spin-off of the original film, titled Spirit Untamed, released on June 4, 2021.
Storyline[]
In the late 19th-century American West, a Kiger mustang colt, Spirit, is born to a herd of wild horses; he grows into a stallion, and assumes the leadership of the herd. One night, upon following a strange light near his herd, Spirit finds horses tied to a log and their wranglers sleeping around a campfire. The men awaken, and, after a chase, capture Spirit and take him to a US cavalry fort.
The senior officer of the fort, the Colonel, orders Spirit to be broken; however, Spirit defies all attempts. The Colonel retaliates by having him tied to a post for three days without food or water. Meanwhile, an Indian named Little Creek is also brought into the fort and held captive; his friends toss a knife over the wall for him, which he uses to secretly cut his bonds.
After three days, Spirit is weak enough that the Colonel temporarily subdues him, boasting that any wild horse can eventually be tamed. Seeing the other captive horses' disappointment, Spirit gets a first wind and throws the Colonel off. Angered, the humiliated Colonel attempts to shoot Spirit in the head; however, Little Creek saves the horse, and the two escape, setting the other captive horses free in the process.
Little Creek and his fellow Lakotas lasso Spirit and return to their village; there, Little Creek unsuccessfully attempts to tame Spirit with kindness. Little Creek ties the other end of Spirit's lead rope to his own pet mare, Rain, hoping she can discipline him. Spirit eventually falls in love with Rain, despite not understanding her attachment to humans. He and Little Creek gradually come to respect each other; realizing that Spirit is not meant to be domesticated, Little Creek sets him free.
Spirit starts back towards his herd, and tries to convince Rain to come with him. They notice the Colonel and his men charging to attack the Lakota village in retaliation for their stolen horses, and return to help. During the confrontation, the Colonel shoots Rain and she falls into a river; he is about to shoot Little Creek, but Spirit knocks the Colonel off his horse, deflecting the shot and saving Little Creek's life. Trying to rescue Rain, Spirit leaps into the river, but they both plummet over a waterfall. Once out of the water, Spirit stays by Rain's side, only for the cavalry to recapture him and leave her for dead. Little Creek tends to Rain; realizing that Spirit saved his life, he sets out in pursuit of the cavalry.
Spirit is put in a train with other captured horses from the village, and becomes disheartened; however, he has a vision of his herd running free across their homeland, strengthening him again. Spirit and many other horses are then forced to work on the transcontinental railroad, sledging a steam locomotive through the woods. After noticing that the railroad will pass right through his homeland, Spirit tricks the men into releasing him, then frees the other horses. The unattached locomotive tumbles backwards down a hill, crashes into another locomotive in a station below, and starts a fire which sets the surrounding forest ablaze. Spirit is trapped when a loose chain around his neck snags on a fallen tree, but Little Creek arrives and cuts him free; together, they escape by jumping into a ravine.
The next morning, the Colonel and his cavalry find Spirit and Little Creek. A chase ensues through the Grand Canyon; eventually, though seemingly trapped at the edge of a wide gorge, Spirit makes a tremendous leap to the other side, with Little Creek on his back. Impressed, the Colonel stops his men from shooting at Spirit and Little Creek, gives the stallion a nod of respect, and calls off the pursuit. After celebrating their freedom, Spirit and Little Creek return to the Lakotas, meeting up with Rain, who has recovered. Little Creek sets the two horses free, and they return to Spirit's herd and run free across the plains.
Also See[]
- Spirit Riding Free
- Spirit Riding Free (Shorts)
- Spirit Riding Free: Pony Tales
- Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy
- Spirit Riding Free: Spirit of Christmas (2019)
- Spirit Untamed (2021)
Sound Effects Used[]
- Hollywoodedge, Crowd Med Shock PE961301/Hollywoodedge, Crowd Reaction Shock PE142501 (Heard once during the song "Get Off My Back" nearly at the end.)
- Hollywoodedge, Gusts Heavy Cold Wind PE031601/Hollywoodedge, Whistling Wind Stead PE033301
- Hollywoodedge, Hawk Redtailed Scree AT082801
- Hollywoodedge, Horse Breathing Very AZ135501
- Hollywoodedge, Horses High Pitched W TE016303
- Hollywoodedge, Horse Whinnies Blows SS025501 (Heard once in a high pitch.)
- Hollywoodedge, Horse Whinnies Blows SS025504 (Heard once in a high pitch.)
- Hollywoodedge, Horses 1 High Pitched TE016301/Hollywoodedge, Horses Several Whinn PE025201/Hollywoodedge, Horse Whinnies Group AT045501
- Hollywoodedge, Morning Park Birds Me PE010501
- Hollywoodedge, Puma Cougar Growls Gr AT017501
- Hollywoodedge, Puma Cougar Roar Clas AT016701
- Hollywoodedge, Puma Cougar Roar Clas AT016702
- Reveille Bugle Call
- Sound Ideas, CAMEL - VOCALIZATIONS, ANIMAL
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - 3 WHINNIES, 3 SNORTS, C.U, ANIMAL
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - BREATHING & LICK, C.U., ANIMAL
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - EXTERIOR: WHINNY, ANIMAL 01
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - EXTERIOR: WHINNY, ANIMAL 03
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - EXTERIOR: WHINNY, ANIMAL 05 (Heard once in a high pitch.)
- Sound Ideas, HORSE - EXTERIOR: WHINNY, ANIMAL 06 (Heard once in a high pitch.)
- Sound Ideas, WOLF - HOWLING: RECEIVES ANSWER FROM OTHER WOLVES IN B/G, ANIMAL, WOLVES (2nd howl; can be heard twice while Spirit is trapped in the cavalry corral while Little Creek makes howling sounds while trapped and tied to the post.)