Hello everybody, I'm Keen Hacksaw...
With the Olympics just around the corner, I thought I would give you a review of one of my favourite childhood movies that WASN'T a Disney movie - Animalympics. Featuring music from 10cc's Graham Gouldman and voice talent from Billy Crystal, Gilda Ratner and The Simpson's stalwart Harry Shearer, Animalympics is an animation like no other. It's the late 1970's or possibly 1980 dependent on whether you look at when it was made or released, and it's the first ever Olympics for animals. Featuring all the sports you could shake a stick at, Animalympics is broadcast just like a sports channel, resplendent with the accompanying interviews, music, stings and presenters - and the sports themselves of course!
Whether it's Japanese gymnast Bruce Kwakimoto or whale swimmer Ohno No No, the animal characters are humorous and ironic - and sometimes bordering on distasteful - however, this is an example of it's time and some sequences are a bit dated in todays world of equal rights and political correctness.
There's plenty of music to listen to in this movie too - and some are rather catchy - I remember watching this as a kid and loved the musical number that correlated to crocodile sprinter, Bolt Jenkins. The commentary is humorous - much like the style done by Alan Partridge in the 90's satirical TV show The Day Today. Throughout the movie there are multiple stories to follow - not least the marathon that has favourites Rene Fromage and Kit Mambo fall in love as they are running.
The movie is great for kids and everyone will have their favourite entrant and is fun and funny - and works for adults too. If you cannot get enough of this summer of sport, why not go back to the 80's and check out the original Olympics for animals. They really should make a more modern version, but as they haven't this is a unique animal-ation (animation) that is a little different to the Disney and DreamWorks movies we are used to. Worth a watch.
With the Olympics just around the corner, I thought I would give you a review of one of my favourite childhood movies that WASN'T a Disney movie - Animalympics. Featuring music from 10cc's Graham Gouldman and voice talent from Billy Crystal, Gilda Ratner and The Simpson's stalwart Harry Shearer, Animalympics is an animation like no other. It's the late 1970's or possibly 1980 dependent on whether you look at when it was made or released, and it's the first ever Olympics for animals. Featuring all the sports you could shake a stick at, Animalympics is broadcast just like a sports channel, resplendent with the accompanying interviews, music, stings and presenters - and the sports themselves of course!
Whether it's Japanese gymnast Bruce Kwakimoto or whale swimmer Ohno No No, the animal characters are humorous and ironic - and sometimes bordering on distasteful - however, this is an example of it's time and some sequences are a bit dated in todays world of equal rights and political correctness.
There's plenty of music to listen to in this movie too - and some are rather catchy - I remember watching this as a kid and loved the musical number that correlated to crocodile sprinter, Bolt Jenkins. The commentary is humorous - much like the style done by Alan Partridge in the 90's satirical TV show The Day Today. Throughout the movie there are multiple stories to follow - not least the marathon that has favourites Rene Fromage and Kit Mambo fall in love as they are running.
The movie is great for kids and everyone will have their favourite entrant and is fun and funny - and works for adults too. If you cannot get enough of this summer of sport, why not go back to the 80's and check out the original Olympics for animals. They really should make a more modern version, but as they haven't this is a unique animal-ation (animation) that is a little different to the Disney and DreamWorks movies we are used to. Worth a watch.
POPSCORE: 8/10
What am I talking about? Animalympics movie
Where can I find out more? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animalympics
If you liked this try: Oh this is difficult - closest I can think is TV series The Day Today (mainly the Alan Partridge sequences - though this may not be suitable for children) and a programme commissioned by the BBC called Animal Games (which I've also seen and is really quite good and educational)
Where can I find out more? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animalympics
If you liked this try: Oh this is difficult - closest I can think is TV series The Day Today (mainly the Alan Partridge sequences - though this may not be suitable for children) and a programme commissioned by the BBC called Animal Games (which I've also seen and is really quite good and educational)
Anything else?
The music is by Graham Gouldman - the bassist in chart topping 70's band, 10cc. They were famous for songs such as Dreadlock Holiday and Rubber Bullets.
The movie only features the voice acting of four people - three men and one lady.
The movie only features the voice acting of four people - three men and one lady.
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