Zany to the Max

I’ve been stuck in the 1990’s this summer. :)

I’ve fallen head over heels in love with Yu-Gi-Oh! (classic 1990’s anime) and the show has prompted many sweet memories of elementary school afternoons sitting in front of the TV watching Batman Beyond, Static Shock and Animaniacs. With the magic of YouTube and Hulu, I’ve been rediscovering old childhood favorites and those happy hours watching make my weekends a dreamy stroll through nostalgia.

To start off, I feel I need to say that I’ve never been a fan of Warner Bros cartoons. I really don’t get the appeal of "Tiny Toons," Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird and Porky Pig, mostly because I don’t feel I can connect with the characters on an emotional level, unlike other animation studios (namely Disney, and to a lesser degree Dreamworks) who endeavor to make their characters hilariously funny (and often downright campy) while maintaining an emotional sincerity that fits the viewer’s understanding of the character.

That being said, I absolutely adore Warner Bros’ Animaniacs, which was an after-school cartoon staple in the mid-1990s. And it remains, without a doubt, my favorite weekly cartoon series. The voice acting is varied and enjoyable to listen to, the episodes are unique and witty and THE MUSIC is only what I can describe as classically comical.

The biggest reason I adore Animaniacs is because of the musical score that accompanies the animated antics of the characters. It is so incredibly expressive and imaginative in the way it  captures movement (running, jumping) along with sounds, laughter, emotion and the entire range of a story within its notes. The music tells the story on its own, so much so that you could close your eyes and know what’s happening simply be listening to the movement of the music.

One of my favorite episodes from Animaniacs is “Piano Rag,” an episode from the First Season of the series which features Yakko, Wakko and Dot hiding in the audience of a piano concert while on the run from Doctor Scratchensniff, Hello Nurse and Ralph the Guard. The entire episode is a perfect example of musical characterization, but it gets particularly good around 6:30.

The other thing I appreciate about Animaniacs is its subtle ability to introduce culture, literature, science and art into its skits. This may have been Warner Bros tactic to make Animaniacs more palatable to the entire family, but I think it casually introduces ideas, themes, people and just a broad view of the American experience. My case in point is the episode “HMS Yakko,” which is a Gilbert & Sullivan parody. Most elementary school kids aren’t going to know or care that the series is making fun of a “grown up” thing like Gilbert & Sullivan musicals, but the music is fun and it has pirates!

(The other fun part about this episode is the “Water Tower Escape” opening. Nearly every episode showcases a quick clip of the Animaniacs escaping their WB Water Tower prison, but this opening to this episode exhibits rare artistic flair.)

The series also features a dash of education, and the best example of this is “Wakko’s 50 State Capitols,” in which he sings out all 50 states and their capitols. I remember several classmates (including me) who saw this episode and wanted to memorize it “because it was cool.” Oh, Warner Bros, you sneaky devils…teaching kids that learning the states and capitols is cool!

 

Another great feature of the show is the interaction the Animaniacs have with historical figures and celebrities. Thanks to the Animaniacs, Beethoven is inspired to compose his 5^th Symphony, Picasso is inspired to create abstract and cubist pieces and Michelangelo is able to complete his Sistine Chapel masterpiece.

Animaniacs has a way of poking fun at the Warner Bros Studio and gives an entertaining look at a creative look at what it would be like to live and work in a production studio. Comedian Jerry Lewis is one of the recurring gags and victims of the show. He is probably one of the only characters the Animaniacs loathe, yet they find him easy to mentally unhinge and poor Jerry is usually driven insane/crushed by falling anvils by Yakko, Wakko and Dot’s unceasing energy and knack for comical conniving.  

The episode “Hello Nice Warners” not only parodies Jerry Lewis’ unique comedy style, but also exhibits Jerry Lewis cameo-ing in various classic screen role, like Old Yeller and Indiana Jones, which adds another level to the parody and makes it more enjoyable. I also love the "The Hills are Quite Full of Big Rock and Boulders" opening as the not-so-sublte jab at The Sound of Music.

You also get the feeling that the voice actors enjoyed their work and the character(s) they portrayed, which I feel adds a delightful freshness to the series and you can’t help but fall in love with these quirky little characters.

All in all, Animaniacs remains a wonderful blend of slapstick comedy that hearkens back to the early days of animantion, cultural cameos and parodies, light and fun education and an optimistic art and color style that reflects the decade.


FABOO!