Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in the United States in November 1999 from Warner Bros., following the anime's explosive debut on American television that same year. Produced by OLM under Nintendo's Pokémon franchise umbrella, the film capitalized on a cultural wave few properties have matched, introducing Mewtwo and cementing the series' theatrical ambitions. It remains a touchstone for collectors of nineties animation and franchise ephemera, marking the moment Pokémon crossed from broadcast phenomenon into feature filmmaking.
This cell brings together Charizard, Clone Charizard, Clone Blastoise, and Blastoise, pairing each original with its cloned counterpart. That doubling sits at the heart of the film's central conflict, where Mewtwo's replicas confront their genetic sources. Collectors prize Charizard and Blastoise material for their standing as flagship Pokémon, and the presence of both clones alongside them makes this piece a direct artifact of the movie's signature battle sequence, the visual argument between original and copy that the story turns on.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999/1999)
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges, strip holds four frames
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, cleanly punched with no visible torn or deformed holes
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible on the lower edge alongside what appears to be a Dolby Digital data block strip between the perforations on the lower edge, consistent with a dual-format optical release print
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight cool-neutral tint; dye image shows strong saturated blues and warm oranges with no visible fading or red shift
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks seen
Picture
Positive image; all four frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, consistent with animated content from the film on record
Era check
The combination of variable-area optical track, apparent Dolby Digital data blocks, and saturated dye image on a safety base is consistent with a 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
