Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World

Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World
VHS cover
Genre
Written by
Directed byBernard Deyriès
StarringSharon Lewis
Music by
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Producers
Editors
  • John Carnochan
  • Derek Iversen
Running time30 minutes[1]
Production companies
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseSeptember 27, 1987 (1987-09-27)[2]

Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World is a 1987 American animated television special created by DIC Animation City with Saban Productions featuring popular Mattel character Barbie. The story was based on the Barbie and the Rockers line of dolls, which featured Barbie as the leader of a rock band. The special originally aired in syndication.[3] It was later released as a single tape (on VHS, or an exceedingly rare Betamax tape) by Hi-Tops Video.[4][5] Foreign rights were assumed by Channel 5 Video, a joint-venture of Heron Communications (owners of Hi-Tops) and PolyGram.[6]

Mattel had largely avoided media centered around the Barbie character prior to this special's release, in large part because of their reluctance to provide personality to a doll long seen as a "blank slate" for girls to use their imaginations with. However, competition from Hasbro's Jem line—which had a daily cartoon in syndication at the time—prompted Mattel to begin multimedia expansion.[7]

The miniseries was allegedly supposed to have been the pilot for a daily Barbie cartoon series. However, negotiations between DIC and Mattel fell through, and the project eventually emerged with a whole new set of characters—and the sponsorship of Mattel rival Hasbro—as Maxie's World in 1988.[8] (These plans, if they existed, were likely unrelated to a planned live-action/animated hybrid newsmagazine under the Barbie name that Mattel had planned for 1987; this show never made it to air.)[9][10]

Plot

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Barbie's rock band completes a successful world tour and decides to perform one last concert in space to promote world peace.

Songs

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This is a list of the songs featured in Barbie & Rockers: Out of This World, in order of appearance:

Cast

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  • Sharon Lewis as Barbie
  • Michael Benyaer as Ken
  • Mary Adams as Dana Yeosan
  • Sarah Jayson as Ophelia "Diva" Butler
  • Joanne Wilson as Dee Dee Schwitzerson

Additional voices

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References

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  1. ^ Hal Erickson (2012). "Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World (1987)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  2. ^ "Barbie and the Rockers: Out of this World". Metacafe. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  3. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (2009). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons (3rd ed.). New York: Checkmark Books. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-8160-6600-1.
  4. ^ Melanson, James (May 13, 1987). "Hi-Tops Woos Barbie To Homevid; Lands Rights To 'Power' TV Skein". Variety. p. 85.
  5. ^ Stewart, Al (May 23, 1987). "Newsline" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  6. ^ "Channel Five Moves Into Music & Kid Vid" (PDF). World Radio History. July 11, 1987. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Lapin, Lisa a (October 6, 1986). "Barbie Takes Up Rock 'n' Roll to Match Rival Jem". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World (1987)". AllMovie. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  9. ^ "Syndication Marketplace" (PDF). World Radio History. November 10, 1986. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  10. ^ "NATPE 87 -- Bleak days for animation" (PDF). World Radio History. January 19, 1987. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
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