Month: April 2020

Here we are again for yet another entry in the saga that is “Drawn Apart,” the fancy and academic study of movies that have both live-action and animated characters sharing the screen and interacting with one another.  Should be getting that grant from Wottsamatta U any day now.  This week we tackle that deepest and most profound question: who, in matter of fact, does live in a pineapple under the sea? Who indeed, my friends, who indeed . . .
Yes, we’re focusing our unfocussed brains on that 20 year phenomenon of animation, following a sentient sponge who lives in the aforementioned citrus fruit with many wacky friends, going on many a whacky adventure together.  This little fellow teaches us that we can all be a bit more yellow, absorbent and porous.  And yes, this is technically the second example of the SpongeBob oeuvre but we were informed that this one has more live-action/animation interaction than the first movie.  Were we right? Did it matter? Why does a sponge need to wear pants? Give a listen and maybe, just maybe, you might learn a thing or two (spoiler: you won’t).

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Back for more, huh? Well, strap in for another episode of “Drawn Apart,” the series that dares to address the controversial issue of live-action and animated characters living and working together. Yes, I said it! We’re asking if Mixed Movies can work, and this week’s example of the question if the cinematic version of the classic Jay Ward cartoon “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.” Laurel and Hardy. Martin and Lewis. Tracy and Hepburn. Moose and Squirrel.  Sometimes an on-screen couple comes along that changes the game.  But how would Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel deal with life in the Land of Three Dimensions? This movie attempts to answer this question.  Along with our titular stars, this flick boasts the presence of Rene Russo, Jason Alexander, and  . . . Robert Deniro? Wait, I must have read that wrong . . . no . . . no I didn’t. Robert Deniro is in the Rocky and Bullwinkle movie.  Because sure, why not? Wait, he was one of the producers, too? Wow. Well, I guess the progression makes sense: “Taxi Driver,” “Godfather II,” “Raging Bull,” “Rocky and Bullwinkle.” Hey, those last two both have the word “bull” in them! Sort of! Well, listen in and find out if this makes a lick o’ sense, and how many of those licks it takes to get to the chewy center of this movie. Watch us pull a rabbit out of a hat! Again!

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Howdy howdy, folks; glad you could join us for another episode of “Drawn Apart,” where we spew forth on movies that combine animation and live action, woven together into the seamless fabric that is movie magic. Bugs Bunny.  Daffy Duck.  Wile E. Coyote.  If you’re like me, when you hear those names the first thing you think of is: basketball.
No, huh? Yeah, me neither, but someone did! Or rather someone looked at the early 90’s sneaker commercials with Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny together and said “You know, I must make it my mission in life to bring this to the big screen!” Yes, this is a thing that happened.  So, what do you get when you take classic Warner Brothers animated characters and mash them together with Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, and a collection of famous (in the 90’s) basketball stars? Oh, wait, and there’s aliens.  And Wayne Night as a bumbling assistant.  And a female version of Bugs Bunny named Lola, but she wears clothes, and her character is basically . . . um . . .  uhhh . . . what was the question again? Oh yes, you get all this jammed into one cinematic space, hence the title: “Space Jam.” Yes, I’m certain that’s what the title refers to.  So how do real-world sports stars and legendary cartoon characters work together? Do they, in fact, work together? Tune in and see! Sufferin’ Succotash!

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So our last series has come to an end. What to do now . . . what to do . . . what’s that, Mike? Start a new series? Y’know . . . it’s crazy but it. Just. Might. Work.

So yes, here’s the start of a brand new series: “Drawn Apart,” a collection of movies that blend live-action with animation as part of the central plot. Not just movies that have brief animated sequences in them, like Gene Kelly dancing with the animated mouse Jerry, or even “Phantom Tollbooth”, but rather movies that have both “real” actors and animated characters together for the majority of the movie.  Yes, yes, like “Roger Rabbit.” We’ll get to that one, but we’re starting out with the final film made by legendary (for better or worse) animator, Ralph Bakshi: 1992’s “Cool World.” This flick was built up as a sort of “Roger Rabbit For Adults” and tries to answer the question “what happens if a human and a cartoon . . . um . . . y’know . . . wink wink nudge nudge say n’more? With some wild animation and a cast that includes Gabriel Byrne, Kim Bassinger, and some kid named Brad Pratt? No, wait, it’s Brad Pitt. Pretty sure that’s right.  We’ll be talking about the movie as a whole, as well as how well it blends animation and live-action. So, Noids and Doodles alike, let’s dive right in and hope no one drops an anvil on us!

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