Tiiiime Ain’t on My Side! March 24, 2008
Posted by Dan in Cartoons, Rants.trackback
Cartoons today disappoint me. When I was younger cartoons actually had (some) substance to them. They exposed us to classical music and in some cases opera, cartoons today don’t do that. Of course when I was young cartoons were on in the morning before school and in the afternoons when you got home too. A channel devoted to cartoons? Unheard of! I don’t mean to sound like the curmudgeonly old guy all the time it’s just kind of sad to me that kids today aren’t exposed to more culture. When was the last time you turned on Cartoon Network and saw Bugs Bunny doing The Barber of Seville? Or The Rings of Nibelung? I remember watching Looney Tunes and hearing Blue Danube for the first time, kids don’t have that now. Instead I turn on Cartoon Network and see shows like My Gym Partners a Monkey, which I don’t have a problem with but I don’t see them doing Beethoven any time soon.
I’m not saying that the cartoons I grew up with were better than today’s fare because lord knows we had some stinkers in my day too. Snorks, Foofur, Monchichi should I go on? I know it’s a different world now than it is when I was growing up, back then we didn’t have to worry about fanatics flying planes into buildings, all we had to worry about was whether we would make it home before Voltron started. I still watch cartoons and enjoy quite a few of them I just wish they’d focus more on the arts and less on farts.
If I can make a small rebuttal as an animator-to-be, I enjoy some of the newer toons, like Chowder. Yes, the references are for newer audiences (katamari, genius ^^), but I would like to point to Courage the Cowardly Dog who did an entire episode devoted to the Nutcracker Suite (w/ a deliciously ironic ending) and another to the Wagner Ring Cycle. And while I hate Billy and Mandy, they had a great Dune reference in one episode.
Avatar has an immense and immersive world and backstory (this is not a fan talking, I haven’t been able to watch terribly much of it); What’s New Scooby-Doo expanded on the icons we grew up on while also retaining the same energy; the timing in Chowder is startlingly on the point (and the look and music is quite amazing).
I admit that there’s a sensitivity that really damages the creativity, but that’s because of those damn parents who can’t be troubled to actually spending time w/ their children. And, I know I’ll be ranting on that point for longer than necessary, so I’ll move on.
Um, um…ok, the point is that a lot of new toons have lost the subtlety that we grew up on, and its due to the over-sensitivity of “parents” and the media (I mean can a Tex Avery ___ of Tomorrow still have all the mother-in-law jokes these days?). But there are some gems if you take the time to look. Not every show will be the best, but every now and again, you’ll have a good episode that makes you smile and remember the good times when Loony Tunes still was on in the afternoon at school, and anime was still a tiny niche market.
Your right Dio, I didn’t realize how uch of a generalization I had made until I went thru anr re-read this. There are some really good ‘toons out there like Avatar. I personally haven’t seen much of it but have heard wonderful things about it. And you do have a point about the Tex Avery “World of” cartons, even as a kid sometimes they weren’t that funny. I guess I’m just getting tired of all of the Scooby Doo reincarnations and now the Tom & Jerry remake, it feels like they are trying to rewrite my childhood favs. And thanks for setting me straight, I always look forward to your feedback.
Actually my point about the Avery cartoons was that the cracks about the other-in-laws would be removed because it isn’t PC. XD For some reason, Avery cartoons crack me up. I am tired to the nothing but toilet humor cartoons (Billy and Many, I’m looking at you), but you just have to sift through the dirt to find the gems.
That’s what youtube is for. XD The Mr. Men show is fun. Pity Tom & Jerry have to share and hour w/ it (GOD I miss acme hour).
I hear you on this. My son sits for hours each week in front of the TV and I have to listen in on the nonsense that he watches. I mean, it’s all good, if by good I mean it is wholesome. But it’s also terrible.