I went to see Happy Feet with another middle-aged friend. We both loved it, subversive overeducated liberals that we are.

We had been forewarned that the film was not all light and happy as the trailers would have you believe. False advertising of children’s films, that’s a big issue with me. And I don’t even have any kids of my own. I’m still haunted by the trauma of taking my niece to see a falsely advertised Disney film, ages ago.

Just one nitpick: It’s Elijah Wood. Without an ’s’.

If I recall correctly, it offended a lot of indigenous people in Japan, since Miyazaki simply made up the underlying mythology. (I was told that since there isn’t any consensus on the details of Ainu myth, he was afraid to go with one or the other version, and took the easy way out.) It’s pretty, but on the cigar-store Indian level in many ways. I much prefer Spirited Away.

How funny is that?!

ASIFA

WHY FUSS ABOUT A J. WARD SHOW MADE OVER FORTY YEARS AGO? by Karl Cohen
If you have never seen Rocky and Bullwinkle you may be in for a wonderful treat. The show is unlike any other animated series made for TV as the comedy was based on parodies of our world. J. Ward and Bill Scott lampooned everything from politicians to TV advertisers. They dared to make jokes about our government and their parody of Uncle Walt as the Prince in Sleeping Beauty is still a delightful irreverent comedy.
Ward and Scott were sometimes wickedly funny. (An in-joke in Sleeping Beauty has the prince, who looks somewhat like Walt, saying “I never joined the union.”) It seems like they didn’t simplify things for kids as a rule. While the show did appeal to many kids, it was really designed to entertain Ward and Scott.
The writers sometimes got in trouble with censors and/or the sponsors. The first season story about Boris and Natasha making counterfeit box tops (they wanted to corner the world’s market in cereal company premiums) was made without General Mills’ approval. When the sponsor found out that the scripts were poking fun at their business, they freaked out. They made Ward terminate the story at once. (Keith Scott’s excellent, well-researched book The Moose That Roared is full of information about the show’s history including censorship problems and troubles with sponsors and networks.)
Children’s TV could have been wonderful if it had developed in the tradition of Ward and Scott. Unfortunately sponsors didn’t want to risk their reputations by backing irreverent programs. Instead the cute safe stories and humor of Hanna-Barbera became the norm. While a few H-B shows were great, most of their series have been forgotten for good reasons. It wasn’t until The Simpsons came along that TV animation once again became interesting for adults…..

The film was directed by George Miller, who directed Mel “I never met a Jew I didn’t hate” Gibson in the Mad Max series. In other words, it’s a dirty foreigner (this time an Aussie) directing a liberal, Jew-loving, Hollywood propaganda film about keeping the Earth safe for all living creatures to be able to exist.

p.s. With subtitles.

Margot @ 83

Siun @
72
OK Kiddo!!!!!

You are the first person I have ever met who also remembers Crusader Rabbit and Rags!!!

wow!

I remember it – up ’til now, I’ve only met one other person who remembered it.

I loved it.

BTW, Producer Jay Ward later did Rocky and Bullwinkle

Margot @ 83

Siun @
72

OK Kiddo!!!!!

You are the first person I have ever met who also remembers Crusader Rabbit and Rags!!!

wow!

http://theimaginaryworld.com/pic463.jpg
I’m old enough but I don’t remember this. I do remember the Froggy with the magic twanger, though…

(((Froggy Crusader Rabbit Rags)))

Siun @
72
OK Kiddo!!!!!

You are the first person I have ever met who also remembers Crusader Rabbit and Rags!!!

wow!

I remember it – up ’til now, I’ve only met one other person who remembered it.

I loved it.

BTW, Producer Jay Ward later did Rocky and Bullwinkle