Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
FILM NOTES
Pokémon: The First Movie arrived in 1999 as the franchise's theatrical debut, brought to American audiences by Warner Bros. and Nintendo's rapidly expanding media empire. Riding the peak of Pokémania, it introduced Mewtwo's origin story to a generation raised on the games and television series, pairing that darker narrative with the lighter "Pikachu's Vacation" short. The film's box office success cemented Pokémon as a lasting cinematic property rather than a passing craze, and it remains a touchstone for collectors tracing the brand's earliest crossover into film.
This cell pairs Psyduck with its cloned counterpart, a doubling that speaks directly to the film's central conceit of original creatures confronted by Mewtwo's genetically duplicated versions. Psyduck has long held a place among fan favorites for its perpetually addled reputation, making any appearance a draw for character collectors. Placing the clone alongside the original invites reflection on the movie's themes of identity and duplication. As a 35mm frame from the era's animation, it offers a tangible artifact of that formative chapter in Pokémon's screen history.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Pokémon: The First Movie (1999).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no torn or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track runs along one edge, with a second parallel stripe visible, consistent with a dual bilateral or stereo variable-area configuration; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are not clearly distinguishable at this size.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base appears warm amber-brown in the unexposed margins; dye image reads as a positive with strong yellow and dark tones, no obvious fading or red shift.
Projection history
Vertical linear marks and surface abrasions are visible across the frame area, consistent with a projected print.
Picture
Positive image; three consecutive frames appear to be from the same continuous shot, and the animated character depicted is consistent with the Pokémon franchise as recorded.
Era check
The dual variable-area optical soundtrack, warm polyester-base stock, and positive release-print format are all consistent with a 1999 theatrical release print.
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
