If you like this review and want to stay updated for what else I have in store, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter. Now on with today's review:
Episode 49
A Christmas
Plotz
Personally, I think it’s a wonderful circumstance that the
last two episodes on this DVD are all about Christmas. In a show like this, one would expect
exceptional material for such a popular holiday. Well, everything in these two episodes includes
some of the most exciting Christmas works ever.
This episode opens with the show’s attempt at adapting A Christmas Carol. Once before, I brought up that adaptations of
this story are very commonplace to media.
The thing is that when it comes to the general story, the adaptations
feel similar in setup. For that, it’s
great that this adaptation puts its own spin on the familiar story becoming
a thrilling, hilarious, yuletide experience.
Now, Thaddeus Plotz has always been a greedy and unpleasant CEO, so he’s
the perfect Ebenezer Scrooge. Likewise,
Ralph being loyal to his guard job fits him into the role of Bob Cratchet. Even if Ralph does frequently try to catch
the stars of the show, there’s awareness that he’s still a good character
worthy of a sympathetic role. His
sympathy really shows when Plotz harshly fires him for being unable to control
the Warners all year.
It’s after this
when the cartoon truly impresses as a Christmas
Carol adaptation mostly through the ghosts.
The Marley ghost, played by Slappy Squirrel, briefly tells Plotz of the
three ghosts coming and leaves demanding money.
As for the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, they’re each
portrayed by a Warner sibling who bring incredibly entertaining versatile
approaches to the roles. Wakko
represents Christmas Past and presents a home movie of how Plotz has been
greedy for life. The Ghost of Christmas
Present is represented by Dot who comes out of an actual present and firmly
shows him what his greed is doing to others.
This brings an interesting look at Ralph’s home life. Even after getting fired, he’s still a happy
loving family man living in a trailer with his equally dumb wife and self-aware
son.
These ghost moments are great, but
the third one is the most impactful with the biggest spins on expectations. The Ghost of Christmas Future first appears as
he would in most adaptations as a dark, threatening, Grim Reaper-like
character. Then all horror is dashed as
the ghost reveals himself as Yakko who extravagantly leads Plotz into his
future. It comes with an elaborate
musical number with a little hitting on chorus girls before Plotz sees what
will happen if he doesn’t do something about his greed.
It also spins expectations by seeming grim
through a shot of a cemetery like in the original story. The actual future here isn’t nearly as
drastic, but it is very much a nightmare for Plotz. He now has to catch the
Warners while Ralph’s son, who vowed to get even with him, runs the
studio. It’s pretty emotional through
how it suggests that maybe Plotz is the way he is to make a good living for
himself and not be stuck doing work he dreads the most. It says a lot about his attitude and makes
him relatable.
Nevertheless, in keeping
with the spirit of A Christmas Carol,
Plotz grows from his ghostly visits and brings a festive holiday to Ralph’s
family and gives Ralph his job back. However,
since a part of his acts are also to not have Ralph’s son ever take over the
studio, it’s fitting that the cartoon ends with Plotz crushed by a giant fruitcake. He’ll apparently be out by Easter
though.
As a Christmas Carol adaptation, this is ingeniously staged with clever
twists to the usual events. On its own,
it’s incredibly impressive with top-notch music, comedy, and
characterization. It’s a top-tier work
that gives strong positive first impressions to this show’s take on Christmas.
A++
Little
Drummer Warners
With how commercial Christmas has become, you don’t see much
mainstream attention to the holiday’s origins.
This involves media where most Christmas movies and specials are very
secular. You’d be really hard pressed to
find a special devoted to the religious side of Christmas. To be fair, it’s somewhat understandable as
to why this is the case since not all audience members follow those specific
religious beliefs. Still, any work
devoted to how Christmas came to be is welcome.
This is why it’s great that this show has this cartoon to cover this
topic.
Many key religious elements are
on display. There’s Baby Jesus in a manger tended to by the Virgin Mary and
Joseph, three kings of the Orient bearing gifts while being guided to him by a
star. All these aspects suggest that a
lot of care and respect has gone into showing what Christmas is built
upon. However, the respect is fully
proven through how the story is told.
Actual dialog is at a huge minimum and is instead told through the
playing of religious carols. Not only
does the general song selection fit the atmosphere, but mostly being sung by
children brings a purity and warmth to the tone. It’s very fitting for the birth of the son of
God, a leading cause of faith for many, at least for those following this
particular religion.
Now, amid the
genuine effort to be respectful to the religious setup, the Warners are
featured. You might think that these
comedy-driven characters would disrupt the sentimental tone of what’s being
told. While they do stick to their usual
light-heartedness, it’s quite subdued and they fit in. It’s impressive that they follow the star to
the manger and look over Baby Jesus perfectly in time with the gentle performance
of the carols. This shows that even wild
ones can be won over by the grace of God.
Speaking of which, the Warners presence brings an interesting way of
showing Christmas’ message of generosity.
It comes with an ensemble performance with the three kings
presenting their gifts of one last carol, “Little Drummer Boy.” If you’re familiar with the song, it’s not
hard to figure out that the Warners become moved by the kings’ gestures to
offer Jesus a gift, but all they have is song on a drum.
Now, this is the moment that reminds us for
all the respect to Christmas’ religious side, this cartoon is still of the
Warners in this major story. When
permitted to play for Jesus, they shift the carol’s moving somber tone into an
all-out jazz cover which tends to get pretty wild. Some might not find it appropriate for the
story or the established atmosphere. For
me, considering that there have been plenty jazz and rock covers of religious
Christmas songs over the years, there isn’t much wrong with this. The Warners even keep to the meaning of the
actual song without making the lyrics ridiculous. It’s clear that their performance is all in
the name of fun only zany cartoon characters like them can bring, but it feels
as generous as ever. Baby Jesus smiling
at them as the last part of the song becomes gentle and moving again proves the
endearment of their gesture.
This
religious Christmas work is an impressive achievement of this show with clear
respect to the holiday’s origins while making the Warners’ chief cartoonish
nature work. For how rarely this topic is
used as the main focus of a Christmas special, I applaud this show for pulling it off
so well.
A+
Cartoon Ranking
- Chairman of the Bored
- A Christmas Plotz
- Hot Bothered and Bedeviled
- Bubba Bo Bob Brain
- Baghdad Café
- In the Garden of Mindy
- Video Review
- Critical Condition
- O Silly Mio
- Phranken-Runt
- Puppet Rulers
- The Three Muska-Warners
- Clown and Out
- Mobster Mash
- Little Drummer Warners
- …And Justice for Slappy
- Jockey For Position
- Sir Yaksalot
- Potty Emergency
- Turkey Jerky
- Survey Ladies
- General Boo-Regard
- Puttin’ on the Blitz
- Raging Bird
- Windsor Hassle
- Of Nice and Men
- Wild Blue Yonder
- Dough Dough Boys
- The Big Kiss
- Draculee Draculaa
- Babblin’ Bijou
- Fair Game
- When Mice Ruled the Earth
- No Place Like Homeless
- I Got Yer Can
- Spell-bound
- Smitten With Kittens
- Astro-Buttons
- Boot Camping
- Moby or Not Moby
- The World Can Wait
- Noah’s Lark
- Skullhead Boneyhands
- The Good, the Boo, and the Ugly
- Hiccup
- Icebreakers
- Moon Over Minerva
- Broadcast Nuisance
- White Gloves
- Katie Ka-Boo
- Mesozoic Mindy
- Hollywoodchuck
- Kiki’s Kitten
- Can’t Buy a Thrill
- What a Dump
Miscellaneous Ranking
- Animaniacs Stew
- Testimonials
- Buttermilk It Makes a Body Bitter
- Alas Poor Skullhead
- Cartoons in Wakko’s Body
- You Risk Your Life
- Casablanca Opening
- Carol Burnett Show Parody
- Mary Tyler Dot
- The Slapper
- The Great Wakkorotti: The Summer Concert
- Animator’s Alley
- Useless Facts
Song Ranking
- The Senses Song
- Lake Titicaca
- The Planets
The last Animaniacs review for this set is of another Christmas episode. We got an ensemble cartoon in a take on 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Chicken Boo as a department store Santa, a Great Wakkorotti holiday concert, and a fun cartoon of the Warners in a toy store. There's even the return of a favorite song.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews, OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes serves "The Perfect Meal."
No comments:
Post a Comment