Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The cartoons on this "Animaniacs" compilation all come from the first and best year on Fox, when the gang at Warner Bros. TV Animation were at their peak in terms of writing and visual invention. These particular cartoons were all written by John P. McCann, a specialist in finding the fun in "spooky" subject matter (and like most of the best Animaniacs writers, a gifted sketch comic). Within the general theme, this collection has a lot of variety, including two welcome contributions from the cat-dog team of Rita and Runt. Here's a cartoon-by-cartoon evaluation: "Draculee Draculaa" - one of the first Animaniacs cartoons to be recorded and animated, this cartoon shows just how quickly the show hit its stride; the TMS animation isn't as slick as it would later become, but the Warner sibs' trademark combination of innocence and knowingness is here, as are plenty of good one-liners and visual flourishes. Dan Castellanetta guest-stars as Dracula. "Phranken-Runt" - perhaps the best Rita and Runt cartoon; it's very funny, beautifully animated by TMS, and the Rocky Horror-esque songs contribute to the story rather than slowing it down. Mr. Squeak, the large but uncoordinated mouse, is the scene-stealer here. The late Richard Stone comes through with one of his finest background scores. "Meatballs Or Consequences" - One of McCann's best and most quotable scripts, replete with satirical knocks at Ingmar Bergman movies, bureaucratic red tape, and (ahem) Steven Spielberg. "Scare Happy Slappy" - a good, standard Slappy Squirrel cartoon, with plenty of pointless violence and meta-humor. The sadly defunct StarToons provides excellent animation, particularly on the hapless Walter Wolf. "Witch One" - a short Rita and Runt, nothing spectacular but with some funny "Beauty and the Beast" song parodies. "Hot, Bothered and Bedeviled" - The Warners meet Satan. Animaniacs at its best and least kid-friendly, with many unforgettable moments -- inlcuding Satan's idea of an agony that is worse than all others. No bonus material here, and some of the closing credits are inaccurate, but for 50+ minutes of pure "Animaniacs" entertainment, this tape is a sound investment.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Animaniacs - Spooky Stuff (1993)
Get 6% OFF
Click here for more information about Animaniacs - Spooky Stuff (1993)
No comments:
Post a Comment