Just finished the DVD. Since I'm not an animation buff, just more of a Ren
& Stimpy fan, this is my take on the entertainment value of the shows and
not the technical quality (though they all looked superb in my opinion):
SPOILER SPACE
****D BEACH FRENZY
Fun... but not as good as I'd hoped. A lot of early scenes really
dragged,
especially Stimpy at the souvenir stand. Once they're in the showers it
became interesting, but still a little off. I laughed out loud at Ren
holding the towels with his erection. Stimpy as Shampoo Master was
interesting but was off-putting considering he had no interest in the
women
up to that point. I didn't think the hairy life guard gags really
clicked.
STIMPY'S PREGNANT
One of the best, if only for the delivery room scene. But man, did those
early scenes drag. Especially the kitchen scene. I laughed out loud at
"Sorceress!" That was hysterical. Also, the "make way for new life!"
sequence was brilliant. The delivery room sequence is classic, but needed
tightening.
ALTRUISTS
Probably my least favorite. Only one good scene, and I refer to the log
sawing. After watching the bonus interviews, I had high hopes for the "3
Things" gag, but it fell flat for me. Man, this was a chore to sit
through.
It kept lapsing into tangents and I just wanted it to end.
REN SEEKS HELP
Extremely overrated. I might catch hell for this, especially knowing how
revered it is by the Spumco staff, and one in particular talks it up as
the
holiest cartoon ever. What's good: The Fini****ng Tree, Ren's folks
making
out while Ren "finishes" the frog, Ren going psycho and killing Mr. Horse.
All brilliant. What's bad: Pretty much everything else. The comic
timing
feels really off, more so than ever in the opening scene with Stimpy.
Eric
Bauza/Stimpy is too too too over-the-top. What this cartoon needed was a
more subtle approach. It tries too hard to make us laugh. Sorry, but
it's
mostly lame.
FIRE DOGS 2
The best of the APC run. This is absolutely hysterical. The fire
chief/Ralph Bak**** character is insane and you can't take your eyes off
him.
But where are the live action Honeymooners segments from the Spike TV
broadcast? I loved those.
ONWARD & UPWARD
How can you go wrong with R&S leaving a bum's mouth for the "high life" in
a
bar spitoon? Well, spend a lifetime showing a uvula tickling Ren's
behind,
spend an eternity on a Nickelodeon-esque gross-out dining sequence, etc.
For the record, I enjoyed the globular booger gag. This is a mostly slow,
disappointing cartoon that seems to have the lackluster ambition of a
Games
episode.
Best to worst:
FIRE DOGS 2
STIMPY'S PREGNANT
****D BEACH FRENZY
REN SEEKS HELP
ONWARD & UPWARD
ALTRUISTS
Despite my disappointment with most of the shows, I still feel John K. and
Spumco are among the boldest, most cutting edge storytellers/artists
working
today, and I sincerely hope that sales of The Lost Episodes opens the door
for more R&S productions.
Aphelion
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