Sources: Wikidata. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The Movie 2000 arrived as Warner Bros. and Nintendo's follow-up to the franchise's blockbuster 1999 theatrical debut, riding the peak of Pokémania in the West. Built around the legendary birds and the balance of the elements, the film pulled younger audiences into theaters in massive numbers and cemented Pokémon as a fixture of American pop culture beyond the games and trading cards. It stands as one of the defining artifacts of that early boom, a snapshot of the franchise at its commercial and cultural height.
This cell preserves Moltres, one of the three legendary birds central to the film's plot and among the most sought-after figures from the era's merchandise and collector market. As a fire and flying type tied to the story's ecological crisis, Moltres carries weight beyond a simple cameo, representing the natural forces the film's narrative turns on. A 35mm cell bearing this figure alone offers a clean, singular focus for collectors, isolating one of the movie's most iconic legendary creatures from the wider ensemble.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital theatrical release print of Pokémon: The Movie 2000.
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 deformed holes visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along the bottom edge, appearing as a dual bilateral variable-area pattern, with a blue Dolby Digital data-block strip also visible between the perforations on the bottom edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a slight cyan-blue tint consistent with a modern safety stock; the dye image reads with warm amber and deep blue-purple tones, appearing fully saturated with no visible fading.
Projection history
No visible scratches, splice marks, or cue marks are apparent in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single animated shot, consistent with the animated feature on record.
Era check
The combination of a dual bilateral variable-area optical track, Dolby Digital data blocks between the perforations, cyan-tinted polyester safety base, and fully saturated dye image is consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1990s to early 2000s.
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
