Review(s): DVD Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends - The Complete Third Season
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How did they do it? How did Jay Ward and his crew create the perfect combination of self-conscious silliness, Cold War parody, bad puns, and iconic artwork?
And why has no one since been able to rise to that level of literate goofiness?
Bullwinkle's corner, Aesop and son, the fractured fairy tales, and Mr. Peabody's insane rewriting of history are still huge fun. Half the fun, though, is in knowing the original stories and seeing how they got twisted into these bits of amusement. Yes, I admit to nostaligic favoritism towards these relics of my childhood. Despite that, there really is a lot here for an adult willing to be amused.
Go ahead - be amused!
//wiredweird
As the show really hit its stride
These episodes are from about 1961-62, as the show REALLY hit its stirde.
This contains the "Missouri Mish Mash" epsiodes that contain the MOTHER of classic Mooseology-THE KIRWARD DERBY! This hilariously foolish tale is of Bullwinkle acquiring a hat called the KIRWARD DERBY with turns morons into geniuses, which Boris Badenov and Fearless leader try to steal for obvious reasons. While it is not mentioned in the notes, what makes this tale a classic of Bullwinkle history is the fact that the actor Durward Kirby actually tried to sue over the obvious mockery of his name!
A lot of these episodes, on a personal note, are shows that I saw as a young child and stuck in my mind for some reason although I haven't seen them since. I remember the LAZY JAY RANCH and the bizarre scenes of Bullwinkle and Rocky beating the ground with sticks to steer a herd of worms. I also recall the JIM BOWIE episode of Peabody and the travesty of GOLDIELOCKS IN THE 3 BEARS (I love the line, "QUIET! I'M WATCHING RADIO!"). Interestingly once again, one of the real Jim Bowie's descendants complained about this episode.
And speaking of controversy, this set contains the most controversial Bullwinkle segment of all time, the Bullwinkle Puppet intros of 1961, where the moose (who is far more sarcastic than his loveable moronic cartoon version) tells the kiddies to keep the channel dial (remember those?) on Bullwinkle by pulling them off their televisions. Guess, what, many kids of 1961 did just that. One can see why this segment was never seen again. Other controvrsial Bullwinkle episodes such as "Stokey the Bear" and "Pancho Villa" are on the other sets.
Some minor nitpicking. By 1961, "Rocky and Friends" became "The Bullwinkle Show", with the intros of the dancing moose and the exploding spotlights that most of us remember from syndication in the late 60s and early 70s. On this set, the "Rocky and Friends" intros from 1960 are still used. But that's no real big deal. Would also be nice on the next set to include some of the Jay Ward Quisp and Quake cartoon commercials that were used during the original broadcasts of these cartoons (children of the late 60s and early 70s, you KNOW what I'm talking about!).
This also includes the "Three Mooseketeers" episodes, which are among the few without Boris and Natasha. Looking forward to the next sets with classics such as the RUBY YACHT and WASSAMATTA U. Long live Moose and Squirrel!
Rocky and Bullwinkle III - Still Crazy after all these years
Rocky and Bullwinkle was the funniest show I saw when I was a kid. My family used to quote lines from the show as catchphrases like "Shutta you mouff Lady Alice". I loved the puns and even the social commentary: "What's army intelligence Rock?", Bullwinkle would ask. "Sounds like a contradiction in terms," was Rocky's reply. I still crack up over Dudley DoRight and the Fractured Fairy Tales. The great thing is that it hasn't dated itself much in the 40 years since it aired-It's still funny as hell. If you like a good laugh this is a must buy, and get season 1 and 2 while you are at it.
Related DVD's Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends - The Complete Third Season
Set your WABAC machine for 1960, and the further misadventures of Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose, the most illustrious citizens of Frostbite Falls, MN (population: 48; and that's during the summer rush). This four-disc set contains seven full-length serials, several of which loom large in the Rocky & Bullwinkle canon, including "Upsidasium," "Metal Munching Mice," and "Greenpernt Oogle," with the rare, reclusive oogle bird (sorry, you'll have to wait until the release of season 3 for the Kirwood Derby).
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