Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in the fall of 1999 as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's bid to bring the phenomenon to American theaters in full animated form. Adapted and expanded from the Japanese original, it introduced Mewtwo's origin story to millions of kids and parents who had only known the franchise through cards and Saturday morning television. Its box office success proved that the Pokémon craze could translate into feature film numbers, and it remains a touchstone for a generation that grew up alongside the series during its most explosive period of popularity.
This cell preserves Jessie, James, and Meowth, the trio whose comic misadventures became as beloved as the main quest itself. Team Rocket's presence in a 35mm cell speaks to their enduring fan following, often rivaling the show's heroes for collector attention. Grouped together as a unit, the three represent the show's balance of slapstick and scheme, a dynamic that carried through from television into this theatrical debut. For collectors, a cell bearing all three names together is a compact record of the group's identity as a comic ensemble within the film's broader story.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie.
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area, consistent with a mono or stereo optical print; Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks also appear present in the gaps between perforations on that same edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base appears neutral to slightly cool; the dye image shows saturated blues, golds and reds with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Fine longitudinal lines consistent with projection are faintly visible across the frame area; no splices or cue marks are seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with animated content from the film on record.
Era check
The combination of a variable-area optical track with apparent Dolby Digital inter-perforation encoding is consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1990s, matching the 1999/1999 release window of the film on record.
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
