Ken-120 Reviews

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020)

This series is a triumphant revival!

[10/10 · 17 November 2018]

Watching this series is to experience a TV joy in western animation I have not experienced since He-Man's 2002 revival. Like that series, this series is a masterful re-imagining of a Filmation property with vastly improved animation guided with inspired storytelling that takes the best of the original series' concept and updates it to unlock its true dramatic potential.

For instance, Adora/She-Ra is finally given full agency as her own character. Rather than have an outsider come to tell her about her destiny and being controlled by magic to make her snap out of it, Adora is simply sheltered in a life that was all she's ever known and must come to reassess her life and change on her own in the face of the truth. Just that journey in the first story is a keeper that gets the series going. This is exactly the kind of rework I have been looking for that corrects the original's sexism as we see our heroine earn her own spurs even as she pays the price.

However, the primary conflict with the series' most direct villain, Catra, is where the series truly takes flight. Rarely have I savored a villain in TV animation with such finely crafted nuance whose love for her lost friend is in a losing struggle against her jealousy and dark ambitions as Etheria pays the price. Even her leader, Lord Hordak, is revamped majestically as a dark lord with an pragmatically benevolent streak that makes feel him even more menacing like Gargoyles' David Xanatos; a villain not prone to the cliched flaws of cartoon villains and thus is more formidable for that. That is worthy material for a true epic that goes beyond anything Filmation could have done or even conceived of, with apologies to She-Ra co-creator, J. Michael Straczynski, who would create his classic TV saga, Babylon 5, a decade later.

With those characters providing a framework, there is a delightful mix of supporting characters of all varieties like the endearingly insecure Glimmer or the hilariously eccentric Entrapta. Even Swift Wind is changed from an animal cliche to a fun sidekick with his own agenda and sardonic attitude.

In short, this series is a joy on par with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that also took a series trapped in sexist stereotypes and hackwork and re-imagined it with inspired creativity and ideals to create a new classic.

The Great War (2014– )

A Fascinating Look at the 20th Century's Worst Disaster.

[10/10 · 1 April 2017]

Given the fact that World War I is now 100+ years in the past, it can be hard for modern minds to wrap their heads around that war's grand scale and horror. This YouTube channel neatly resolves that disconnect with a sweeping and intricately detailed account of the conflict that delves into every possible aspect.

With a real-time weekly scheduling of the retrospective over four years, the producers have every incentive for such comprehensiveness and you will learn so much about a tragedy that still reverberates today.

Brother Bear (2003)

Derivative perhaps, but glorious nevertheless!

[9/10 · 4 November 2003]

Hearing all the critics with their mixed reactions to this certainly did their job to lower expectations of this film. However, as a furry and a Canadian, I could not resist going to see this film in a first run theatre instead of the discount theatre I have nearby. Boy, am I glad I took the time to see this wonder film!

This film is a wonderful tale about empathy, vengence, redemption and love. Yes, many elements can be seen as reflections of The Lion King, but the film uses them to explore a different take on the same theme.

Spoilers!

The keeper is that critical moment when Kenai realizes that Koda's story at the salmon run is about how his mother was attacked by Kenai and his brothers. This leads to the awful realization that Kenai killed Koda's mother which was the culmination of a series of tragic events that Kenai set off because of his foolishness. It is similar to Simba's belief that he killed his father, but here Kenai cannot be simply let off the hook, but instead must face the enormity of his deeds. Instead, Kenai must take responsibility for them and tell Koda the difficult truth, even though it could very well mean that the cub would hate him. Just the fact that we know Kenai is responsible for the tragedy makes for powerful drama in Disney animation unmatched since TLK itself.

Finally, I loved the ending with Kenai choosing to remain a bear. That is the way I wished Beauty and the Beast could have ended, with the hero accepting his state and living with it. Just that scene of Bear Kenai making mark on the wall and realizing that he fulfilled his totem's promise in a powerful way he never expected made me tear for its joy and beauty.

This film may be follow a formula, but you could see it as a variation of TLK's theme to create its own tale with equal emotional and spiritual resonance. Sprinkle in the welcome Bob and Doug McKenzie humour of Tuke and Rutt and you have a film that match most of what Disney and animation have to offer!

Hulk (2003)

Suspenseful, Thoughtful and above all, Smashing!

[8/10 · 20 June 2003]

Remembering the debacle of the Schumacher Batman and Robin, it is wonderful to see that the superhero film genre has come a long way.

Ang Lee has taken one of Marvel's most iconic character and successfully made the best kind of cross between the action of Spider-Man and the sheer intelligence of Unbreakable with the faithfulness to the spirit of the comic as the X-Men series.

Ang Lee made the perfect choice with Eric Bana with his haunted nature darkening even his happy moments with what lies just below his surface. Jennifer Connelly is ideal as Betty Ross, the steadfast love shows such courage and commitment for her love who carries such a bizarrely dangerous curse. Nick Nolte is the perfect villian, expanding on the original comic idea of Bruce's abused childhood and wow, Sam Elliot is the perfect actor for General "Thunderbolt" Ross!

People complain about the dialouge, but for me, the enhanced the film wtih the resulting suspense, first for the gamma rad accident that would curse Bruce and after waiting to see if the next minute will be the one that pushes him over the edge and unleashes the Hulk. The suspense is so strong, it is a relief for the change to occur. Once it happens, the Hulk is incredibly expressive with only his face! He is a child cut off from the rest of the world and can barely understand it as it is, especially with the baddies he has to smash.

Speaking about the smashing, each Hulk sequence is wonderful. The 1st time is heartrending as the Hulk wrecks the lab and Bruce's life's work in an analogy of his life. By the far the best is Hulk's battle with Ross' forces in the most classic kind with Ross throwing everything he has to stop the creature while Hulk gives as good as he gets.

And for all the mayhem, nothing is more traumatic to Banner than the recovery of his painful past which contributed to his difficult present and facing the horrible man who caused it. That is the heart of this drama and the film is better for it.

True, it could be cut for time, but on the whole, a wonderful film about a man who we like when he's angry.

8/10

Emergency! (1972–1979)

An classic series that has aged unevenly .

[8/10 · 1 May 2003]

When I was a kid, this series was a blast to watch with its action and fire trucks. However, watching this series again after so many years tends to bring its flaws to light.

For instance, the show generally worked on a strict formula. The typical episode generally had some expository action at the fire station to set up the humour subplot just before the station is called up for a dispatch. After that, the episode generally alternates the action with the paramedics responding to calls which themselves alternate with the serious and trivial while the staff of Rampart Hospital follow up. At the end, the fire crew typically responds to a major emergency, typically a big fire with explosions. In between the calls, there is the humour subplot at the station with is typically a bunch of comedic piffle which often involves the paramedic crew trying out a scheme to find another career outside the service. I typically mute those scenes which unfortunately often means missing their cool dispatch klaxon.

With that being said, the show still is a thrill when the characters focus on their jobs, The rescue sequences are exciting affairs that show excellent production values in a time when American network TV could pull in the audience numbers to justify the budgets for those spectacular scenes.

In short, this series is still wonderful viewing on a late saturday night, but more frequent viewings would wear it out for the viewer. However on a weekly basis, its a fun view.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002–2004)

A Vast Improvement on The Original

[10/10 · 30 April 2003]

I used to watch the original He-Man series, but eventually I grew out of it after realizing just how poorly budgeted and written it was, albeit with with notable exceptional episodes.

However, this series is a perfect example of the best kind of remake. The producers obviously examined the original series thoroughly and set out to play up the best elements of the series and rectify the weaknesses. As a result, the series boasts vastly superior animation that avoids the constant cycles and other crudities of Filmation's work. There is also wonderful writing with stories that are so well paced that each episode has the feel of a feature film with the amount of content they manage to pack in. The characters are formed with intricate detail and it allows for a truly compelling viewing experience.

It is a pleasure to see a remake finally be everything that it should be.

Bury the Lead (2002–2005)

An Insightful Series into the nature of Canadian TV Journalism

[25 April 2003]

As short lived as this series appears to be due to government fund budget cuts, it has still been pleasure seeing this wonderful series.

This series is the best qualities of the feature film, The Insider, put to TV. In seeing the struggles of a crusading TV newsmagazine, we see the dramatic presentation of the same kind of battle of journalist integrity of the reporters vs. financial expediency on the part of management. Put into a Canadian context, this series gives me, a Canadian, a perspective into our nation's media reality even if it is through the prism of fiction.

This series has real value in Canadian TV and its loss will be grevious.

The Prince and the Pauper (1990)

A wonderfully condensed adoption of a classic.

[13 April 2001]

Maybe this film is not the best that Disney's has produced, but it has many merits of its own. For one thing, the artists have managed to have at least have an element of the satire of the Twain book as with the Prince's lesson about the only two lines you need to learn as a king.

Furthermore, while the humour is excellent, the film allows for at least a few moments of legitimate drama. Nowhere is this more evident than when the Prince learns that his father has died. You see Mickey in mourning and then soulfully rise to his new responsibility as the true heir to the throne who must end the tyranny he has seen among his people. It's an inspiring moment to see the boy realize the weight of his duties and face them with a new maturity.

This film is a stellar effort from Disney's second golden age.

Canada Vignettes: Crossing Guards (1978)

The most charming live-action Canada Vignette

[10/10 · 3 April 2001]

For years, the Canada Vignettes were a welcome part of Canadian TV and none of the live action ones had more charm and love than this particular one.

It's a wonderful snapshot of Canadian urban life in the 1970's at its best. There is something special to see this film paying tribute and giving voice to these volunteers who gave their time to ensure the safety of school children, set to a gentle Arlo Guthrie like ballad. Combine this with the footage of children of that era with charming antics of their own and it brings back fond memories of a time of a more compassionate Canada that is sorely missed today.

The Cider House Rules (1999)

A blatantly manipulative and ideologically wimpy film

[8/10 · 25 March 2001]

Mr. Irving might pride himself on his oscar for this film and enjoy the money he gained from it, but it does not hide the fact that this film takes the easy ways out, both artisticly and philosophically.

First, the film bends over backwards to mine as much sympathy for the orphans as possible. The worst offender is the feature secondary orphan character who is perpetually shown to be at death doors with oxygen tents and all. The film throws almost all its emotional weight on him and it comes off as subtle as the proverbial brick through the window.

The more serious concern is that the film tries to argue for reproductive control, including the right to chose abortion as an option. However, for all the eloquence of Michael Caine's character, the film wimps out and goes for a mushy compromise. I am refering to the fact the Caine character dies as a ether addict, which one reviewer saw as a punishment for his activities, while the Tobey Maguire character, who is pro life in stance, agrees to perform an abortion for a woman who was a victim of incest. Only the most rigidly fanatically pro lifers oppose abortions under that kind of circumstance and the film comes off as too cowardly to cowardly to take a real stand for a woman's right to chose.

That kind of film may satisfy the studio bean counters, but I want films with the backbone to take a stand on a difficult topic such as this.

Redwall (1999–2002)

A Worthy Sequel

[14 January 2001]

The original Redwall animated series distinguished itself as one of Nelvana's finest series with a magnificent adaption of Brian Jacques' first book.

Now this series does Jacques' third book even more justice. If anything, this series depicts more drama, starker perils, and a higher standard of artistic excellence for the company to follow. Correspondingly, the series has more violence which is handled with a care which enhances the story rather than distracting from it.

If you get an opportunity to see this series, don't pass up the chance to see just how good Canadian television cell animation can be!

Action Man (2000–2002)

Television animation does not get wilder.

[14 January 2001]

This series is another feather in the cap for Mainframe Entertainment. This series may not have been the first regular computer animation series to set in the present day world, but it has carved out a niche that distinguishes from worthy competitors like Max Steel.

Where as Max Steel focuses on the writing of each individual story with a loose continuity; Action Man stresses sheer kinetic action with a stricter story arc in the episodes. In doing so, you see an thrilling saga of our heroes in their war with the antagonists of the series chock full of stunning animation that is almost worthy of feature films.

Mainframe's reputation for animation excellence continues.

Undercurrents (1996–2001)

Canada's most daringly insightful TV newsmagazine.

[14 January 2001]

While there are other TV news magazines on Canadian television, there are none like Undercurrents.

This series has a fine habit on zeroing in on the big media and business with lazer like precision insight as it probes the implications of media and technology issues. Even though it is on a public broadcasting network, the government is just as prone to take it on the chin when they deserve it whether it be for racist ads or the practices of their institutions like Statistics Canada. Always, this series endeavors maintain a sense of humour whenever possible with secondary stories being basically satiric jabs at various tech & media problems that would make Michael Moore proud.

Only public broadcasting seems willing to support this kind of show and I am glad that they have the courage to do so.

Howard the Duck (1986)

A Terribly Misused Concept

[4 December 2000]

No question, this film was a disappointment when it first came out. However, the worse thing about this film that it could have worked. In fact, there was a short scene in the film with Howard's interview with a really earnest employment counsellor when for all too few brief minutes, the film nailed the essential Steve Gerber satiric wit that made the original comic so great. The real problem with this film is that the producers should have thought on a smaller scale and forgotten about the alien invasion story. Instead, they should have focused on a simple story about this grouchy wisecracking duck trying to cope with this world he never made and how he saw the silly things we hairless ape do. In short, the writers should have studied the comics more closely and truly saw what made the character so unique and avoided the bloated wasted oppurtunity it became.

Goldfinger (1964)

A film that is superior to the original book

[9/10 · 7 June 2000]

Most people complain on how filmed adaptions are never as good as the original books for the changes they make. Well, this film is a big exception to that.

In the book, Goldfinger is out to actually steal the gold, which the movie James Bond points out is a kind of operation that cannot be done profitably in the short amount of time he would have before the US military moves to stop him. Even more absurd, Goldfinger plans to gain access to the vault using a small nuclear bomb to blow open a door with everyone less than a kilometer away.

Compare this to the movie, which has Goldfinger planning to contaminate the gold in Fort Knox which can be done within the expected 2 hours he would have after he gasses the personel of the fort. Furthermore, he gains entry using the powerful industrial laser he has to cut through the door.

In short, the plot of the film is much more believable and reasonable. Combine this with the other good elements, like the actors, characters and gadgets that have aged so well, then you have a film is definately one of the best action films of all time.

Toys (1967)

You will never look at war toys the same way again.

[10/10 · 22 May 2000]

Before there was Small Soldiers, there was this film that took something of same subject matter, but in a superior fashion.

When the kids in the film see the toy soldiers in the display, the film presents them as a glamourous bunch with light music highlight how cool they are. However, when these toys come to life, the music suddenly stops and the whole atmosphere becomes foreboding as these soldiers go through the motions of their roles.

When the fighting erupts, the violence displayed is horrific as it is run with rapid cuts and stark lighting. Nothing is untouched, there are scenes of explosions, hurled bodies, death spasms, soldiers being bayoneted and incessant gunfire. All of it is contributing to a terrifying mess of imagery and sound that is all carefully calculated to deglamorize war.

All of this culminates with the sequence of one surviving soldier inspecting the area with all its sickening plastic carnage that seems so authentic in an abstract manner. Then the soldier is discovered and is hit with a flame throwing with a death scream. You will be chilled to the bone, even if they are dolls.

To this day, I cannot see 12" inch figures without those lingering images, which is the precise point of the filmmakers who intended to show what the real purpose of soldiers and war.

Daria (1997–2002)

An extraordinary show I identify with.

[9/10 · 21 March 2000]

I heard a few things about this show and I finally took advantage to see it. I'm one of those viewers who watched "The Simpsons' for Lisa, and I thought that this would be a show that focused of a similar character.

Well, this show goes beyond that. Daria is a character that feels more like me than any other I have ever encountered. I went through three high schools and the first two were a hell with morons who thought it was the height of entertainment to harass a bookish outsider like me. Well, Daria is the same kind of person, but with a difference. She usually has an way of responding to abuse with her wit and intelligence in ways I could not pull off. And yet, she has her flaws that make her so human like her hidden insecurities and her softer side that she submerges. She is facing her own life and its troubles in much the same way I did and I cannnot turn away from seeing her fight to achieve the happiness she secretly wants.

Best of all, this show has the courage to show her story in a subtle continuity minded show that allows her to grow. You can see the whole series as one story, and yet you can still jump in part way to her development.

In short, this series is about a person I wish I could have been as a teen and a girl who I wish I could have met as one myself. If I could have earned her respect, then teenage life would have passed easier with her company.

Space: 1999 (1975–1977)

A disturbing space series to see when you're a kid

[17 March 2000]

When I saw this show in the 1970's, this show gave me the royal creeps. It wasn't the monsters or the violence that did it, but the premise itself.

To understand, you have to compare this show with the original Star Trek. In that series, the crew was exploring space by choice and they were trained, equipped and ready for that mission. So you knew that whatever threat they faced, they had what it took to come through at the end. Furthermore, they also had the support of a military infrastructure that supported them so when they lost crew or equipment they could simply to the near Starbase for replacements. So whatever happened, you knew they could undo their losses.

This is not the case with Moonbase Alpha since they are completely isolated from Earth when the Moon was blown out of orbit. They might be able to manufacture at least some of the materials they needed, but crew was another matter. Every death is essentially a disaster for the base compounding each irreplaceable loss and that made each loss horrible to me. Furthermore, the crew was never trained for this kind of journey and they have to muddle through and improvise in a situation that they simply were not prepared for.

It is that sense of helplessness and acknowledge of acute scarcity of resource that made this show so distinctive for its mood

Duck Amuck (1953)

A Chuck Jones Masterpiece of the Surreal.

[10/10 · 21 January 2000]

Of course, Chuck Jones is the undisputed leading talent of the golden age of Warner Brother's animation. However, there is some debate as what his finest WB work is.

Personally, I vote for this film. It represents the pinnacle on the emphasis on character that made the WB cartoons one of the finest collection of Hollywood animated shorts in film history. Another writer noted that there are precursors of this like the "Out of the Inkwell" series by Max and Dave Fleischer and Porky in Wacky Land. However, they do not depend as heavily on character as this film. The point being that while the mischief the animated inflicts on the Daffy is amusing, the real humour lies in Daffy's increasing frustration in trying to maintain some control over the chaos until he explodes in fruitless rage. This film could not work for any other character, and the latter knock off, Rabbit Rampage served to prove that. Furthermore, most of this film takes place with a completely blank setting and the film depends entirely on Daffy's character to illustrate the real nature of the film. Chuck Jones said he wanted to see if the concept of character as the focus of animation comedy was strong and sophisticated enough for a character like Daffy to carry a film in such a minimalist setting. As it turns out, his hunch was absolutely on the money.

That is a sign of superior artist who takes an artist gamble and we, the audience, get the payoff of enjoying one of the finest example of animation as art in film history.

Silverhawks (1986)

Utter Garbage

[1/10 · 16 January 2000]

Flush from the success of Thundercats, Rankin-Bass thought that lightning could strike again with this show. Well, lightning does often strike high points more than once, but it didn't happen here in the creative sense. In short, this show is terrible.

First thing, the villain is a copy of Thundercats' Mum-Ra and the heroes are worse. They barely display anything resembling a personality and show only the threadbare cliches of what proper heroes should be. The dialogue is stilted and written with obviously no creativity in any sense of the word. The setting is ludicrous with it being set in outer space, but characters seem to be able to operate without any protection as if it all had the equivalent ground level Earth atmosphere. I've heard of children who scoffed at this insult to their intelligence and they had every right to be offended.

It was truly the nadir of the 1980's toy cartoon craze that makes you value what quality shows we do have today.

Comic Book Confidential (1988)

The best overview of the medium so far, but it needs refining.

[8/10 · 8 January 2000]

When this film came out, it was a refreshing and enjoyable movie. It treats comics with some real respect and takes the time to explore the medium in some detail.

However, there are some flaws. Some of the talents interviewed do not work in comic books per se, but in comic STRIPS, a variant of the medium that has gotten much more respect over the years than comic books. However, that variant has it's own history and dicipline that is distinct from comic books and should not have been included. This is meaning no disrespect talents like Bill Griffith, but it's like having a film discussing the art and history of movies and having TV series producers interviewed. They are part of a related medium, but are really not relevant to the main subject of the film.

Otherwise, it does cover a fairly complete view of the form with giants like Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Robert Crumb, although I would have liked to have seen talents like Alan Moore (Swamp Thing, Watchmen) or the Pini's (Elfquest) being interviewed. The animated sequences were a neat way to get the atmosphere of the comics in their different eras as well as the major characters. The footage of the pages from "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" was particularly effective.

In short, if you need a quick overview of the comic book as a form of art, then this film is well worth your time.

Man on the Moon (1999)

A tale of an artist too dedicated to his art.

[7/10 · 29 December 1999]

Coming in to see this film, I had watched a Biography episode on him and thought that Andy Kaufman was a real example of a pure artist who put his art ahead of commercial success. According to this film, that would seem to be the case, but also that that kind of stance is not always a good idea.

This film seems to show Andy as a performer with the soul of an artist, but lacked the instincts of a showman. In other words, he and Zmuda were boldly original in their humour, but they too often failed to convey the humour to the audience. For instance, when Andy orders the verticle hold on the footage of his special put deliberately monkeyed with, there is no effort to let the audience in on the joke, not even a knowing wink to the camera. Compare this with Monty Python, who put out equally crazed and original comedy of their own, but they had the essential performing skill to include the audience in the humour and let them enjoy it.

In short, this film is an intriguing testament of the need for the balance of artistic challenge for the artist and the need for the audience to entertained at the same time. This movie showed that Andy, however stunningly original he was, could not achieve that balance and paid the price.

Bicentennial Man (1999)

A case where the rip off is superior to the adaption

[28 December 1999]

Recognizing that the basic story for this film predates Star Trek: The Next Generation, which seems to have stolen the concept, probably by decades, it does not take away from the fact that the latter is still the superior treatment.

Brent Spiner as Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, by infinite degree, has handled this basic story idea of this film with more heart, intelligence, and humor than this film does. Sure, the initial scenes were good with much of Williams' trademark humour, but this eventually collapses into that intolerably frequent sentimentality that Williams all too often has indulged in in recent years.

Of course, Spiner has had the opportunity to spread this story out for a period of 9 years in various episodes, culminating in Star Trek: First Contact. Bicentennial Man, on the other hand, must complete its tale in less than 2 and a half hours. That seems to be too much, especially for trodden ground like this. Perhaps, it is a testament to the success of ST's treatment that it is hard to find other professional reviewers that have done this comparison. A friend conjectured that the reason, is that viewers of ST have come to identify Data as a character that the fact he is a machine is viewed only as a relatively incidental quirk.

If Bicentennial Man could have achieved this, then perhaps this film could have been something better than it is.

The Insider (1999)

A dramatic illustration of the Manufacturing of Consent

[8/10 · 6 November 1999]

This is one of the finest films I've ever seen, and one of the most important of the year. It illustrates the cold bloodedly greedy ruthlessness of the tobacco industry and the dire implications of big media taking money as a priority over the truth.

It's almost surreal, but all too creditble, to see a big corporation act like a thug, openly threatening people, using their own families as de facto hostages to get their silence. However, that didn't surprise me considering I have read about these hoodlums' antics in at least one book called "Merchants of Death" which also illustrated the underhanded tactics of these jokers. Also see them threatening to sue CBS for broadcasting the truth and the truth itself only makes the case worse is a bizarre echo of the famous Peter Zenger case. In the 17th century American colonies in which truth for a supposed libel printed by a newspaper publisher was not considered a defense back then and it took a brilliant lawyer representing Zenger to change that. There are many things we have to deal with in our times, but refighting the Zenger case in the civil law sphere should not be one of them.

However, what was even more ominous was the waffling of CBS News as they buckle to corporate pressure. What you see in this film illustrate the very same tactics that major media critics like Noam Chomsky have noted that big media is prone to do. For instance, the censoring of Mike Wallace's interview about being censored was excused on the basis on time constraints. This is what Chomsky has noted as the tactic of "concision" where time constraints are use to limit debate and discussion to make you have to speak only pat & bland statements because to say something really unexpected and new would simply too much time to explain between commercials. In short, this film is an excellent companion to the film Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992).

This film is a real eye opener and an absolute must to anyone who wants to know was both big business and big media are capable of doing.

The AristoCats (1970)

Disney's Weakest Animated Feature

[9 October 1999]

There could be some debate as to which of the Walt Disney Company's weakest animated films, Robin Hood and Aristocats is the worst. For me, I vote for this film, The Aristocats. At least Robin Hood had a few moments of fine verbal wit, at least one good song and wonderful character designs that has inspired a generation of furry fans to their own creations.

The Aristocats, however offers nothing like that. Its plot is a feline mishmash rip-off of One Hundred and One Dalmations and Lady and The Tramp, both infinitely superior films to this effort. The main villian, Edgar the Butler, has none of the suave and menace of Cruella De Vil. As with the film, he continually pulls his punches as to the harm he intends to his victims and comes off as a wimp and a one note character. As John Grant notes in "The Encyclopedia of Walt Disney Animated Characters", unlike Cruella De Vil, whose goals are relatively reasonable in a twisted fashion; Edgar is simply too stupid and short sighted to realize that he would be sure to have guaranteed job security as the cats' caretaker before he inevitably inherits the fortune himself. Thus his whole rationale comes off as greedy stupidity to gain something that will be effectively his, albeit

with some responsiblities, sooner than the will would suggest. If a good film often needs a good antagonist, then this films fails to deliver on that requirement. Instead, he comes as if played by a respected actor stumbling about desperately trying to make the best of a bad role in a pathetic script.

Also damaging the film is the clear artistic laziness. Phil Harris' character is simply Baloo of the Jungle Book transplanted as a cat and numerous animation cycles (reused animation sequences) are prevalent in the film from 101 Dalmations to name at least one. That is far below the artist standards Walt Disney demanded and the story is not strong enough to compensate for the cheapened animation as in 101 with its cycles.

In short, while this film may be entertaining for kids; adult fans of animation shouldn't waste their time.