While Pixar might be considered the premier hit-maker among Hollywood’s animation studios, DreamWorks has impressively narrowed the gap in recent years, helped by its hugely acclaimed Kung Fu Panda series. For fans of which, there’s a great – and free – little treat right now in the iTunes Store…
We’re referring to Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll. A short film previously bundled with the Kung Fu Panda: Ultimate Edition of Awesomeness Blu-ray and DVD packs in January, it’s a prequel that reveals how the Furious Five originally got together and took on their first common enemy.
While many of the franchise’s lead voice actors – including Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen and Lucy Liu – reprise their roles, the bulk of the tale is told in a vintage animation style, shorn of the main instalments’ obviously computer-generated sheen. This lends a charmingly – and, with this being a prequel, suitably – retro feel which provides the metaphorical icing on the delicious cake of the story.
The entire thing runs for just shy of 24 minutes – but, if you like the feature-length Kung Fu Panda adventures, only the comparatively brief story and running time might hinder your enjoyment of this one. Just tap ‘GET’ in its iTunes Store listing to download it for free.