Les aventuriers du timbre perdu

You can usually pick out the work of Rock Demers/Michael Rubbo and the French-Canadian Disney of the North (I meant that in a complimentary way). First, there are no loud, screaming car-chases or machine guns; next, the pace is slow, and the audience has to think along with the cast; third, the kids treat the adults and each other with politeness and respect.....what a novel thought!!! Probably his best effort, 6/10+.

I have a few vague memories of watching this on cable years and years ago, laughing at it with my brothers and sister the first time through, then, later, grudgingly admitting that I'd enjoyed it. I can recall only bits and pieces of the actual film, though: some of the characters shrinking themselves onto stamps (was there a dance or a chant involved?), a chase through a bus station (or was it an airport?), and, finally, a scene with a dragon kite in China. I always meant to catch the sequel, but, alas, I kept missing it. The original, anyway, was very imaginative, very fun, and I would love to see it put out on DVD - or at least show up on cable again.

My review was written in May 1988 after a Cannes Film Festival Market screening.

"Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller" is a delightful children's fantasy which tackles the unusual screen topic of stamp collecting. The seventh entry in producer Rock Demers' "Tales for All" film series will entertain and edify smallfry and have some interest for older philatelists as well.

Writer-director Michael Rubbo has peppered the feature with concise and accurate descriptions of stamp terminology as well as collecting methods and interests. This educational material is interwoven painlessly with the fictional story.

Tommy Tricker (nicely essayed by Anthony Rogers) is a young prankster who finagles a rare stamp variety worth several hundred dollars from his friend Ralph, taken from Ralph's dad's collection. Ralph (Lucas Evans) and his sister Nancy (Jill Stanley) try to get it back from the local stamp store where Tommy sold it, but end up with a 1928 collection instead.

Inside the 1928 album they find a little boy's letter and magical rhymes to be chanted that will reduce the sende to miniature size, in order to travel around the world on the stamps on letters. A rare collection is said to await the sender at an address in Australia.

Ralph undertakes the mission and has colorful and atmospheric adventures shot on location in China and Sydney. Pic carefully demonstrates the romance of philately by using fantasy to concretely depict the sublimated travel to faraway lands.

The kids are cute and tech credits first-rate. Rubbo stages a novel and amusing foot chase in a mall midway through the film and keeps the action moving. Animated effects and rotoscoping for the process of miniaturization and return to normal size are nicely done.

This family adventure movie, produced in Canada, was released when I was two years old, before any of my earliest memories (I think). I obviously didn't see it when it was brand new, but remember seeing a lot of it several times in the 90's. However, I don't recall ever watching it right to the end in my childhood, as I could never remember how it ended. At 23 years old, I've finally gotten around to seeing "Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller", the whole film, from start to finish, after not seeing any part of it for maybe around fifteen years. This probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't remembered it from my childhood. I thought much of the movie was reasonable, thanks to the humour, but eventually, it got a little tiring.

Ralph James and his con artist friend, Tommy Tricker, are both elementary school kids who collect stamps. Tommy likes to use stamps as a way to swindle his peers, and even does this at school, until Albert, the leader of the stamp club, stops him. Unfortunately, when Tommy comes over to Ralph's house one day, Ralph becomes another one of his victims. Tommy tricks him into trading one of his dad's rare stamps, and Ralph doesn't realize he's been tricked until the young schemer is on his way, and it's too late! Ralph knows he will be in trouble when his dad finds out, and his sister, Nancy, decides to help him try and get it back or find a replacement. After failed attempts, the siblings discover how to magically shrink and travel inside a stamp, and Ralph decides to do just that, in a search to find Charles Merriweather, a stamp traveler who has been missing for 75 years!

This movie is not billed as a comedy, but I probably wouldn't be able to give it an above average rating if it weren't for the times I laughed. I think many people would agree that the film clearly has more for kids than adults, with a storyline that could easily bore adults. I can't forget such comedic highlights as the way Albert tells Tommy to stop swindling other students with stamps, Ralph locking himself up while his dad tries to get him to come out, and the chase through the mall (featuring an early appearance from Rufus Wainwright, years before his music career took off). I did not care much for Tommy as a character, with some of the things he does, such as the prank he pulls on Albert early in the film. Mind you, even that character can be funny at times. Unfortunately, in the end, the humour is not consistent enough to carry the film, and to me, the film seemed a little overlong. If it were shorter, I might be able to rate it 7/10, instead of 6, but as it is, I can't say I highly recommend it for adults.

well this has to be one of my favourite movies, its such a fun and enjoyable movie for all. I really love Tommys persona. The movie is about a 3 friends Ralph, Tommy, and the lovable Nancy (who Tommy falls for in the return of Tommy Tricker). Its starts of with Tommy stealing Ralphs grandparents stamps, then the gang realise that the old tale of the stamp is true and Tommy and Ralph travel the world for certain stamps. This movie is great for younger children, but the whole family could easily enjoy it. If you like kiddy adventures this movie probably is with the Goonies and the sandlotkids. This movie is one of my favourites.