Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's bid to translate a global phenomenon into theatrical event cinema. Riding the peak of Pokémania in the West, it introduced Mewtwo's origin story to American audiences and became one of the highest-grossing anime releases in US history. For a generation of young collectors, this was their first encounter with Pokémon on the big screen, making the film a foundational artifact of late-90s pop culture and a frequent touchstone in animation and merchandise history alike.
This cell carries the Team Rocket name, the trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth whose comic relief and recurring schemes made them fan favorites throughout the franchise. Their presence in a film cell suggests a moment of their signature antics woven into the larger Mewtwo narrative, a bit of levity collectors prize alongside the movie's darker themes. As a piece of 35mm film history, it represents a physical fragment of the actual theatrical presentation audiences watched in 1999, a tangible link to the movie's original run.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999/1999).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds one frame in the main image area.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly formed with no torn or deformed edges visible.
Soundtrack
A band of fine horizontal dashes runs below the picture area consistent with a Dolby Digital data-block strip between the perforations; a variable-area optical track region also appears present along the lower edge band, though fine detail is limited at this size.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base appears neutral to very slightly warm; dye image shows saturated blues, reds and warm skin tones with no visible fading or colour shift.
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; the single frame shows animated characters consistent with the art style of the film on record.
Era check
The combination of a positive colour print, Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations, and optical track alongside is consistent with a 1999-1999 theatrical release print of this title.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
