Basket Cases: Sitcoms Celebrate Easter

 By Michael Lyons

In December, when you’re looking for a Christmas episode of your favorite sitcom, you’ll have no trouble finding one, or in some cases, multiple episodes.

In March or April, when you’re looking for an Easter episode of your favorite sitcom...good luck!  There aren’t many sitcoms that have chosen the springtime holiday as a basis for an episode.

However, some sitcoms have embraced Easter as the subject of or backdrop, such as...

 

Everybody Loves Raymond: “The Canister,” Original Airdate: April 9, 2001

This show didn’t just put the “fun” in dysfunctional family comedies; they celebrated it with consistently hysterical results.

This episode is no exception.  It’s Easter weekend on Long Island, and Marie Barone (Doris Roberts) accuses her daughter-in-law Debra (Patricia Heaton) of not returning a beloved metal canister.  Debra insists that she has...but finds out later that she mistakenly still has it.

To save herself from Marie’s “told you so’s,” Debra attempts to hide the canister and not tell Marie the truth.  When the family gets together on Easter Sunday, the canister keeps turning up at the most inopportune time.

With Ray Romano and Brad Garrett at their helpless best, this episode is filled with amazing sight gags, and cast reactions.  A scene in which the canister comes tumbling down the stairs has become one of the series’ hysterical highlights, for good reason.

“The canister” will have you laughing through Memorial Day.

The Drew Carey Show: “The Easter Show,” Original Airdate:  April 11, 2001

Drew gets assigned the task of delivering Easter baskets for the department store where he works.  

However, he is still having issues getting behind the wheel after a recent car accident. He realizes he can't make the deliveries and asks his friend Oswald (Diedrich Bader) to do it, but he stores all of the baskets down in the basement, where the chocolate bunnies melt.

Oswald, in full Easter Bunny costume, decides to deliver all of the melted baskets himself.  The sight of his UPS-like “Global Parcel” truck chucking Easter baskets full of “chocolate gravy” onto everyone’s front lawns, porches, and even car hoods (while “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” plays over the soundtrack) is quite the sight to behold!

 

Happy Days: “Three on a Porch,” Original Airdate:  November 18, 1975

Jumping to the ‘70s, here’s an episode that's more set during Easter than about Easter.

Richie, Potsie, and Ralph (Ron Howard, Anson Williams, and Donny Most) are bummed that they have no plans over Easter Break, so they rent a house at the secluded “Lake Whitefish,” but it turns out that they've only rented the front porch of the house.

A bright spot emerges when the high schoolers realize that the house itself has been rented to a trio of single college girls.  The three then decide to disguise themselves as international businessmen to appear older.

Of course, the ruse is soon discovered, and Fonzie (Henry Winkler) shows up to add an element of cool (his "commune" with nature at the episode's conclusion is one of the character's funniest moments and one of the episode's biggest laughs).

Not a lot of baskets, bunnies, or jelly beans here, but it's still nice to see we once thought that Spring Break was this innocent!

McHale’s Navy: “Chuckie Cottontail,” Original Airdate: March 23, 1965

Yup, the sitcom about a Navy crew stationed on a remote South Pacific island during World War II had an Easter episode.  The show starred comedy and acting veterans Ernest Borgnine as Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale, a young Tim Conway as Ensign Chuck Parker, and Joe Flynn (with his trademark nervous, cracking voice) as Captain Wallace Binghamton.  Unfortunately, as it's from another era, the show also features insensitive portrayals of the island natives and offensive references about the Japanese.

In this particular episode, the local school's young students are disappointed that they won't have an Easter egg hunt, as there are no eggs on the island, and the Navy only uses powdered eggs.

However, the Admiral has a shipment of eggs sent to the island to have a nice Easter morning breakfast.  Soon, everyone wants them: the Captain wants some for himself, the crew wants them to brew-up some homemade eggnog, and McHale intends to give them to the kids for an Easter egg hunt.

Soon, everyone is after the eggs, and the eggnog, including several Japanese soldiers, who mistake Chuck dressed up in an Easter Bunny costume as a "demon."

Oh, sure, it's from another time, and one needs to remember that when watching it, but this episode of McHale's Navy (a series that's become somewhat forgotten) is an interesting trip back in time to TV's past and a rarely-seen Easter one at that!

 

As we approach Easter weekend, each or all of these might make the perfect way to laugh those calories away as you enjoy your third Cadbury Cream Egg!

A Safe and Happy Easter to All!

 

 

Release the Fleischer Cut: DC Heroes’ Classic Cartoons

 By Michael Lyons

Got four hours to spare? The answer last week for movie and comic book fans was most definitely “Yes!”

That’s because four hours is the length of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, a revised version of the 2017 theatrical film, which debuted on HBO Max on March 18, after several years of campaigns to “Release the Snyder Cut.”  The fact that it debuted is a testament to the passion and power of fandom, and the fact that it was watched at its four-hour length multiple times (followed by rapid-fire, social media discussion) solidifies just how popular the DC Extended Universe of superheroes truly is.

Before all of this recent, blockbuster success the DC characters shared quaint, humble moments in many animated forms.  While we are at the zenith of Zack Snyder's Justice League’s  explosive blast into our collective pop culture, now’s the perfect time to look back at these classic DC cartoons.

The Fleischer Studios Superman Cartoons (1941)

From the Studio that gave us Betty Boop and Popeye came this series of theatrical shorts made during The Golden Age of Animation in Hollywood. 

Brothers Dave and Max Fleischer secured the rights from DC Comics and produced cartoons that are most definitely “of their time” (including several that had World War II-related plots). Still, the animation is nothing short of impressive.

Rotoscoping (a filmmaking process in which animation drawings are traced from live-action footage) provided some startling realistic moments and some genuinely well-executed action sequences.  These cartoons are also credited as the first time Superman was shown flying, where he was only “leaping” in the comics.

The very first cartoon in the series Superman (1941) was nominated for an Academy Award and also named #33 of the Top 50 Cartoons of All Time in 1994.  In all, a high-flying way for the Man of Steel to kick off his movie career.

 

The Batman/Superman Hour, 1968

Batman made his animated debut in this Saturday morning offering of cartoon adventures of the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder, alternated with Superman adventures.

This animated offering from Filmation Studios (who would bring us Archie and Fat Albert) featured familiar, comforting cartoon voices.  Olan Soule was Batman, Casey (“Zoinks!” Shaggy himself), Kasem as Robin, and comedian Ted Knight as multiple voices, such as the narrator and the villain Mr. Freeze.

Coming on the heels of the top-rated live-action Batman primetime series that had debuted two years earlier, this animated show no doubt help fuel the “Bat-mania” of the 60s.

 

The Brady Kids Meet Wonder Woman, 1972

In the 1970s, if a show was popular enough, it inspired a Saturday morning cartoon show, like this one featuring the younger stars of The Brady Bunch.  Once again produced by Filmation, this trippy series sent the kids on adventures with their dog Moptop, a talking bird named Marlon, and a pair of Pandas named Ping and Pong.

The Brady Kids would also meet some famous heroic faces, such as The Lone Ranger and Superman.  In an episode entitled “It’s All Greek to Me,” they meet up with Wonder Woman.  She and the Kids find themselves accidentally transported to Ancient Greece.

Oddly enough, it was one of the show’s saner episodes and marked Wonder Woman’s animated debut.

 

Batman and Robin on The New Scooby-Doo Movies, 1972

Saturday morning cartoons were taken to a new level with this Scooby-Doo series that featured both celebrity guests who were real - Don Knotts, Sonny & Cher - and fiction - The Three Stooges, The Addams Family.

The latter category includes Batman and Robin's team-up with Scooby and the Gang in two episodes, “The Dynamic Scooby-Doo Affair” and “The Caped Crusader Caper.”  Some of Gotham City’s villains are behind the shows’ mysteries, and like all of the episodes of this series, these are an amazing time capsule.

Super Friends, 1973

This was it!  The pinnacle of Saturday morning superheroes!  Before DC comics inspired big-budget movies with astronomical box-office results, this was how an entire generation got their superhero fix.

This series was based on the DC Justice League comics and came from the Hanna-Barbera Studio (the kings of the Golden Age of Saturday Morning Cartoons). The episodes featured Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Robin, teaming up up each week.  

There were also guest shots from other DC superheroes, such as The Flash, Green Arrow, and Hawkman, some of which were eventually added to the permanent roster.

Super Friends was so popular, it ran for eight years, under various titles.  The series also had some Hanna-Barbera touches, such as the characters of teenagers Wendy and Marvin, along with their pet Wonder Dog and the Wonder Twins, who could change into any form or shape by activating their powers.

The series is such a connection to Saturday mornings gone by that watching it today immediately causes one to shout: “Form of a bowl of sugar-coated cereal!”

Batman: The Animated Series, 1992

This animated series was a game-changer for the character of Batman and the other DC characters in future animated offerings.

Taking its cue from Tim Burton’s Batman films, this series featured a brooding, film noir look, and thoughtful storylines.  Batman: The Animated Series also featured great vocal performances from Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Mark Hamill as The Joker, Paul Williams as the Penguin, and Adrienne Barbeau as Catwoman.

The series gave way to an entire DC Animated Universe with significant offerings that take their comic book foundation seriously and continue to this day.

Before you sit down for another brisk, four hours with Mr. Snyder’s impressive Justice League, consider a Barry Allen-esque trip back in time to enjoy these super-nostalgic animated DC offerings from another era.

 

 

 

 

Forgotten Film Fortunes: A Double Dose of “The Luck of the Irish”

 By Michael Lyons

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, you scramble to put together your appropriately-themed watchlist.  After the appropriate, eclectic choices - The Quiet Man (1952), Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), and Leprechaun (1993) - you may be on the lookout for other movies.  Well, you're in luck...in fact, you may have doubled your luck.

Through the years, there have been two movies with the title The Luck of the Irish, one in 1948 and another in 2001 (there was another made in 1920, but the print has been lost!).  The two movies with the same title couldn't be more different, but they both make seldom-seen seasonally-appropriate choices for St. Patrick's Day viewing.

The Luck of the Irish (1948) 

Tyrone Power plays a journalist named Stephen Fitzgerald in this film.  While on a trip to Ireland, he meets a leprechaun named Horace (Cecil Kallaway, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance) and a beautiful woman named Nora (Anne Baxter).

When Stephen returns to New York, he finds that the leprechaun and the young lady have followed him there and that his future and fortunes may change.

Sure, it's dated and doesn't move as quickly as films today, but Henry Kotter, who directed the Christmas favorite The Bishop's Wife (1947) as well as Harvey (1950), has a knack for whimsical modern-day fantasies like this.  It all makes 1948's The Luck of the Irish charming and easy to take.

The Luck of the Irish (2001)

The other movie with the same title is in no way a re-make.  This made-for-Disney-Channel-movie is about a teenager named Ryan (Kyle Johnson) who has his lucky charm stolen while attending a local Irish festival.

After he meets his long-lost grandfather (comedian Henry Gibson in a friendly, winking performance), Ryan uncovers a magical family secret.  No spoilers here...but given that it's a St. Patrick's Day movie, you can probably guess.

While it does suffer under its made-for-TV budget, 2001's The Luck of the Irish also has an innocence and earnestness that can't be denied.

 

So, there are two disparate movies with the same title that could help expand your ever-increasing St. Patrick's Day binge-ing (of film, not beer).  As you sit down to the corned beef and cabbage dinner for the only night a year you'll ever eat it, consider either or both parts of this "Lucky" pair!

 

Creature Features: A Look Back at Disney's Many Dragons

 

By Michael Lyons

Disney hasn't just cornered the market on animated mice.  This was evident this past weekend with the Studio's latest animated hit, Raya and the Last Dragon.  The film introduced us to Sisu; a magical creature called a "water dragon' (voiced by Awkwafina).  

Sisu joins a long list of "Disney dragons" that date back 80 years.  With Raya and the Last Dragon now joining the increasingly impressive list, it's time to look back at some of Sisu's long lost cousins from the Studio:

 

The Reluctant Dragon (1941)

A long-forgotten Disney feature that’s both live-action and animated (which begins in black and white and ends in color).  The live-action sections revolve around a tour of The Disney Studio, given to humorist Robert Benchley.  He gets to see several short, animated films and ends his tour by seeing the title short, The Reluctant Dragon.

An adaptation of a book by author Kenneth Grahame tells the tale of a young boy who enters a dragon’s lair and meets a dragon who would prefer to read poetry over fighting a knight.

The segment is funny and charming enough (especially the dragon's character design and personality), with full animation one would expect from Disney at this time, but don’t be fooled by the title.  The film is a studio tour with The Reluctant Dragon only comprising the last ten minutes or so of the film.

Still, it all makes for engaging Disney history lessons for any film fan.

 Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959)

The climactic battle of Disney’s beautifully animated fairy tale features the already imposing villainous Maleficent transforming into a fire-breathing dragon in one of the Studio’s iconic sequences.

Disney Legend, animator Marc Davis created and animated Maleficent, but another legend at the Studio, animator Eric Cleworth is responsible for the scenes involving the dragon.  Cleworth based the creature’s movement on a striking rattlesnake, which added a level of realism to the scene and made it one of Disney’s most memorable moments.

 

Madame Mim in The Sword in the Stone (1963)

The “Wizard’s Duel” is by far one of the highlights of Disney’s animated tale of Young King Arthur (adapted from T.H. White’s novel).  Sorcerer “Mad” Madame Mim promises Merlin the wizard that during the duel, she won’t transform into “make-believe things” like “pink dragons.”  Of course, that’s precisely what she does, in a memorable conclusion to the duel, made all the funnier by “Dragon Mim’s” cartoonish appearance and her comeuppance, as well.

 

Elliot in Pete's Dragon (1977)

In Disney’s live-action/animated musical, a young boy befriends a dragon named Elliot in a Maine small town.  The combination of the live-actors with animation allows for some very entertaining moments, and Elliot's design is pure Disney character magic.

He was crafted by artist Ken Anderson, another Disney Legend, who provided the character with a unique look - a large jaw, pink hair, tiny wings, and a pot-belly, along with vocal sounds provided by comedian Charlie Callas.  He is so charming that when Elliot has to use his invisibility power, we as the audience can’t wait for him to be back on the screen.  It’s no wonder that Elliot and the film have become a favorite of a generation.

 

Mushu in Mulan (1998)

In this adaptation of a famous Chinese folk tale, in which the title character takes her father’s place, joining the army and going off to war, Mulan gets assistance from a pint-sized dragon named Mushu (‘travel-sized for her convenience”).

Eddie Murphy’s lightning-fast, funny vocal performance makes Mushu welcome comic relief.  Animator Tom Bancroft based the character’s quick movements on those of Brer Fox from Song of the South, which is evident as Mushu is tough to keep up with, but we are always happy when we do. 

 Elliot, again, in Pete's Dragon (2016)

In keeping with the Disney trend of remaking their past films in live-action comes this serious take on the musical original.  The difference between the two films is what makes this film worthwhile and entertaining in its own right.

Opening in 1977 (a nice nod, as this was the release year of the original), the remake once again tells the tale of a young boy and his dragon.  That’s basically where the similarities end, as this is a more mystical, E.T.-like take on the story (the film even goes on to take place in the 80s) complete with its own, different (and shaggier) version of Elliot.

 

Now that you’ve seen Raya and you’re in an animated, mystical mood, consider “dragon” out some Disney history with these movies.

 

The Laughs Are on Him!: The Best of Eddie Murphy's Movies

By Michael Lyons

 

There is a scene in 1988's Coming to America where Prince Akeem is so happy that he walks through the streets of Queens, NY, singing Jackie Wilson's "To Be Loved," at the top of his lungs.

Fans of the beloved blockbuster comedy may soon be doing the same thing themselves.  That’s because, this Friday, March 5th, Prime Video will debut Coming 2 America, a long-awaited and much-anticipated sequel to one of the '80's biggest films.

Almost 33 years after its debut, the original Coming to America has also become one of those repeatedly watched and quoted comedies.  It's also one of Eddie Murphy's best films.

The '80's king of box-office comedy starred as Prince Akeem, a pampered member of a royal family who travels from his kingdom in Africa to New York.  Here, he goes undercover, rebelling against his family's wishes of arranged marriages to find a true love of his own.

Directed by John Landis (who helmed several popular '80s comedies), Coming to America co-starred Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair, and Shari Headley.  The film was a perfect vehicle for Murphy, allowing him (and Hall) to perform some hysterical, supporting roles (in amazing prosthetic makeup) that have become classics.  The film also had sweetness and heart, as well as a nice message around charting one's course in life and the power of true love

In the sequel, Coming 2 America, Murphy is back as the Prince (most of the cast from the original also returns).  His highness goes back to Queens, this time is looking for a long-lost son.

“Coming 2 America”

The debut of this eagerly-awaited sequel brings to mind just how much audiences loved the original, as well as so many of Eddie Murphy's other films.

To commemorate Coming 2 America coming to our TVs, here is a rundown of just some of Eddie's other memorable movies:

 48 Hrs. (1982)

After capturing everyone's attention on Saturday Night Live and helping to revitalize the then-struggling show, Eddie Murphy burst onto movie screens like a force of nature in 48 Hrs.

As a convict forced to pair up with a gruff cop played by Nick Nolte, Murphy has so many tour-de-force memorable scenes in the film (the one in the cowboy bar is a star-making moment).  Murphy and Nolte had perfect chemistry, and director Walter Hill essentially created the "buddy movie" genre.  Multiple films like this followed (including a disappointing 1990 sequel), but none compare this to the original.

Trading Places (1983)

Murphy's first collaboration with his Coming to America director, John Landis, had him paired with fellow SNL-alum Dan Aykroyd.  The two find themselves part of a "social experiment" conducted by two millionaires (Don Ameche, Ralph Bellamy) who reverse the positions of a poor, street smart con artist (Murphy) and a wealthy, snobbish investor (Ackroyd) to see how they will fare.

Smart and sophisticated in its humor and its messages about stereotypes and economic hierarchies, Trading Places seems more relevant today than ever.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

At one time, this movie was one of the top ten grossing films of all time.  Looking back at it, one can see why.  Murphy, a Detroit cop who comes to Beverly Hills to unofficially investigate his best friend's death, was at the top of his game and held the screen (and the film) with his confident comic talents.

Plus, the scene with Murphy and art gallery employee Serge (Bronson Pinchot) is still absolutely hysterical. 

The Nutty Professor (1996)

Murphy was snubbed of an Oscar nomination for his role in this remake of the famous Jerry Lewis comedy as Sherman Klump, an overweight college professor. Through an experiment, he accidentally creates an obnoxious alter ego called Buddy Love (also Murphy).  Murphy was so good and funny in both roles, but with Sherman, he makes such a kind-hearted soul that a scene in which he is ridiculed by a stand-up comic (played by Dave Chappelle) quickly moves from funny to absolutely heartbreaking.

 

Mulan (1988)

Amid this serious epic Disney animated film, based on a beloved Chinese folktale about the main character who takes her father's place to go off to war and fight the Huns, came Mushu.

Murphy voiced the fast-talking, "travel-sized" dragon in rat-a-tat delivery that brings much-needed comic relief during the film's most serious moments.

 

Bowfinger (1999)

An extremely underrated comedy from director Frank Oz.  Steve Martin (who wrote the film) is the title character, a low-rent filmmaker who comes up with an unorthodox way to direct Hollywood's next blockbuster.

Murphy is so great here, in another dual role, as a self-centered action star and an innocent nerd who Martin convinces to star in the film.  Look for the scenes in which Murphy crosses a busy LA freeway for pure, physical comedy gold.

 

Shrek (2001)

Murphy's second animated vocal performance was as Donkey in DreamWork's hit (and subsequent franchise) about a gruesome Ogre (Mike Myers) who becomes a hero.

Murphy brought his usual comic talents and singing skills that create the film's infections musical high note of a finale.

 

Dreamgirls (2006) 

Murphy finally scored his first Oscar nomination for his role as James "Thunder" Early in this adaptation of the hit Broadway musical.  A unique role for the comedy star who brought his skills for mimicry (in this case of many singers of the time) and music to this performance that genuinely lights up the screen in every scene.

Tower Heist (2011)

In an all-star caper involving a robbery of a billionaire living in a Manhattan skyscraper, Murphy plays "Slide," an ex-con who helps mastermind the heist.  Not only does Murphy provide great street-smart comedy here, but he also works perfectly with his co-stars Ben Stiller, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, and Gabourey Sibide in this solid ensemble comedy.

 

Of course, this list would include the original Coming to America and could consist of a number of the comedian's other film vehicles.

So, after you finish his latest Coming 2 America this weekend, why not have a Murphy binge-a-thon?  You can then go out in the street and sing all about it.