The Magic Store

The Magic Store is a 1991 British animated made-for-television film produced by Charles Hill Films and Michael Shires Pictures and distributed by The Cannon Group and Pentagon Pictures and based on the 1984 novel of the same name by Ronald Davis. It was directed by Chris Randall and written by James Herbert. The film first premiered in Cannon Cinemas across the UK on November 3, 1989. The film was first shown on December 25, 1991 on ITV in the UK.

Cast

 * Amanda Root as Major Doctor Joanna
 * Martin Jarvis as General Scar
 * Robby Benson as Dagon
 * Paige O'Hara as Princess Matilda
 * Michael Hordern as Mr. Tyke
 * Gregg Berger as Henry Corn Collector
 * Cathy Cavadini as Nurse Kathryn (uncredited)
 * Martin Short as Stomach the Mouse
 * Frank Welker as Card Commando
 * Frank Oz as Beast the Bear
 * Angela Lansbury as Madeline
 * Tress MacNeille as Mrs. Clonkers
 * Alan Oppenheimer as Achibald Archimedes
 * John Stephenson as Inspector Crane
 * Nigel Cross, Bruce Thompson and James Herbert as Check Commandos
 * David Jason, Brian Trueman and Jimmy Hibbert as Soliders
 * Edward Kelsey as Magnum the Mysterons and Captain Colonel (uncredited)
 * Barry Clayton as Narrator (uncredited)
 * Ruby Wax as Prunella (uncredited)

Production

 * According to Chris Randall, the director of the film, Ronald Davis was very supportive to the studio in production. The film was completed in 1989, and premiered in the same year in Cannon Cinemas across the UK.

Soundtrack

 * Robert J. Walsh's and Spencer Nilsen's original score to The Magic Store was completed by Screenmusic Records in 1989 and released in 2011 by Atlantic Records and ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
 * The score production was an intentional mix of very orchestral pieces, and large synthesized sections.

Initial release

 * The Magic Store was originally released by The Cannon Group at their Cannon Cinemas on November 3, 1989, including the one in Soho where the film premiered. The Magic Store was a box office success.
 * The theatrical run ran from November 1989 to April 1990.

Media releases

 * The film was first released on VHS by Video Collection International in 1992 (with Thorn EMI's Thames Video), and again in 1996 and 1998 in the United Kingdom.
 * Roadshow Home Video and ABC Video released the film on VHS in Australia in 1994, while its first video release in the United States was by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 1997.
 * In 2003, FremantleMedia released the film on DVD and VHS the same releases, followed by the Daily Mirror DVD.
 * Other releases followed in 2008 by FremantleMedia's release. The American DVD release was distributed by DreamWorks Home Entertainment in 1999 and DreamWorks Animation SKG Home Entertainment in 2006.
 * In 2010, Michael Shires Studios Home Entertainment released a digitally restored DVD and Blu-ray Disc in widescreen; although premiering in 1.33:1 format on television, the film was originally made in 1.85:1. It was also released in NTSC and the runtime was 101 minutes.
 * In 2015, ITV DVD UK released the film on DVD and Blu-ray Disc.