Magic Flute Diaries concept for a film inspired by Mozart’s "The Magic Flute" emerged from a number of sources. Director, writer and producer of the film, Kevin Sullivan, became interested in the city of Salzburg after his daughter travelled there with her school orchestra to attend Mozart’s 250th birthday celebrations. Sullivan was also inspired by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stage musical, "The Woman in White", which used three-dimensional backdrops in its London production. Though Sullivan claims not to be an opera buff, he had always had a love for Mozart’s "The Magic Flute". Due to the impossibility (budget and time constraints) of filming on-location
The Smurfs and the Magic Flute more animated features, many of which were distributed by their short-lived children's subsidiary, Clubhouse Pictures. The theatrical poster for the film boasted, "It's the Smurfs' ONE and ONLY full-length motion picture...ever!" Prior to "Flute", however, a black-and-white compilation feature, "Les Aventures des Schtroumpfs", was released in Belgium in the mid-1960s, and had been forgotten by the time this film debuted in the US in 1983. The film features Papa Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, Hefty Smurf (named "Strong-man Smurf" in the UK dub) Handy Smurf, Clumsy Smurf, Greedy Smurf (named "Sweetie" in the American dub), Poet Smurf, Farmer Smurf, and