The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (French: La Flûte à six schtroumpfs, lit. The Flute of Six Smurfs) is a 1976 Belgian animated film starring the Smurfs, directed by their creator, Peyo. Though the film premiered in 1976 in Belgium, and 1979 in the United Kingdom, an English language version was not released in the United States until 1983, in the wake of the characters' newfound popularity.
Although the Smurfs play a major part in the film, they do not appear until 20 minutes into the film. The film, set in the Middle Ages, mainly surrounds Johan and Peewit, a young squire and his jester sidekick. Johan and Peewit had also been created by Peyo in 1952 and it was in their adventures that the Smurfs were first introduced in 1958.
The film was not produced by Hanna-Barbera, the creators of the Smurfs television series, but by Brussels' Belvision Studios. The voice talent from that show was not present in the English version either; instead, the work was handled by a non-union crew whose members had previously appeared in anime dubs for U.S. television.
A presentation of independent film company Atlantic Releasing in the United States, The Smurfs and the Magic Flute grossed over US$11 million, the highest for a non-Disney animated release until 1985's The Care Bears Movie. The film's success led to the creation of Clubhouse Pictures, Atlantic's children's film division.
The English language version of the film was presented in Dolby Stereo sound.
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