Amazon.com Customer Reviews
Too Much Garfield is Never Enough - Review written on January 27, 2005
Rating: 5 out of 5
9 customers found this review helpful, 3 did not.
The early 'eighties were arguably an all-time low for cartoons. Then in 1983, four stars appeared to light the way. Alvin and the Chipmunks marked the recording rodents' return to TV, (absent since The Alvin Show in the 'sixties). Mickey Mouse, last seen in 1953's "The Simple Things," re-entered the spotlight in Mickey's Christmas Carol. The Peanuts Gang got their own weekly slot on "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show." And Jim Davis' fat cat made his first TV appearance in Here Comes Garfield. These four classic characters were in the vanguard of an animation revolution.
The undebated high point came five years later when Fox syndicated the wonderful weekly series, Garfield and Friends. It was everything other cartoon fare wasn't. Like Peanuts, it was paced to the comic. Long before Animaniacs, there were subtle send-ups of the state of the tube: the Buddy Bears parodying early attempts at "educational" cartoons, prompting Joe Barbara to proclaim he was in favor of cartoons that were "mindlessly funny" instead of "mindlessly preachy." It stands up now as a cartoon with high production values, and the series compares favorably with Film Roman's Garfield specials. Disney would bring the same high standard with its re-entry into weekday cartoons, beginning with Ducktales.
Then there was Lorenzo Music's inimitable voicing of Garfield. Characters frequently broke into song and dance numbers, but always stopping to wink at the audience, "hey, you know it's a cartoon." Running through the endlessly repeating set of a haunted house, Garfield would note that either monsters were afoot or the producers had been buying old Scooby Doo scripts. Orson Pig would read books, not to be educational, but always with pratfalls, slapstick and pure imagination. As other reviewers have noted, the early theme song is annoying. The better-known and far wittier "We're ready to party, we're ready" with "surprises and pies of all sizes" takes over two thirds of the way into the second season. It's almost too great to watch an episode a day instead of once a week, as they originally aired, but as any fan of the lasagna-loving feline knows, too much Garfield is never enough.
The most anticipated G&F Volume yet, and for good reason. - Review written on December 10, 2004
Rating: 4 out of 5
9 customers found this review helpful, 3 did not.
This volume has "Video Airlines," possibly the best ep of Garfield and Friends ever - most people probably know it as the one with the Kung Fu Creatures on the Rampage, TWO.
"Tu! Tu no eres Sylvia! Tu eres una de las criaturas de Kung Fu en rampaje - DOS!"
I never get tired of that. But you should buy this because G&F is the last of a dead breed - quality Saturday Morning animation that anyone can enjoy, because the writing is well done, even though the animation is definitely on the cheap side.
I did wish that this set had some more extra features than just the Garfield movie trailer (Don't watch that movie, by the way). Writer's commentary by Mark Evanier would have been nice, but I wasn't holding my breath. That's the only real criticism I can levy against this, though. If you love cartoons, or just like to laugh, this is a set to buy.
The one I've been waiting for. - Review written on November 29, 2004
Rating: 5 out of 5
19 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
I could type up the usual raves about Garfield here, but the main thing to note about this DVD is that it has the Abu Dhabi song on it. The same tune that's been stuck in my head for ten years even though I only knew the first two lines:
Abu Dhabi, it's far away
Abu Dhabi, that's where you'll stay
Abu Dhabi, the place to be
For any kitten who's annoying me
Yeah!
Abu Dhabi, it's off the track
Abu Dhabi, now don't come back
Abu Dhabi, it's quite a thrill
For any kitten who can make me ill
Now some take a train
And some take a plane
But I am sending you
Not on a boat
Or even by goat
But in a box marked "Postage Due"
Abu Dhabi, you're what they lack
Abu Dhabi, now you're all packed
Abu Dhabi, a far commute
For any kitten who is TOO DARN CUTE!