If it's crap... We'll tell you
Beau Thinks it's a Stretch To Say "Plastic Man: The Complete Collection" is Worth Owning
Well, I shouldn’t have joked so much about only being given the arty highbrow stuff to review because just guess what was waiting in my inbox the next time I looked?
Plastic Man.
Yep. Plastic Man had his own animated series back in the late seventies and early eighties. And, no, there’s no reason you should know this. The only reason I knew it was because I was 8 years old when the damn show came out and would have watched anything even vaguely resembling a superhero on TV (which is pretty much a fair description of what the Plastic Man cartoon was).
In fact, let’s be totally honest, the only reason this thing is out at all is that the major companies are cranking out nearly every available thing in their catalogs before everyone makes the switch to blu-ray or direct download. Because, trust me, even nostalgia obsessed guys like me, who can barely get out of bed in the morning without remembering how much easier it was to get out of bed in the seventies, were clamoring for this. Hell, not even the Plastic Man fan was clamoring for it. You know? That ONE guy?
"Plastic Man: The Complete Collection" is actually a bit misleading as titles go as this collection only represents the original few seasons of "The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show" and mercifully spares the world the abominations of Baby Plas (I swear to FSM the animators of the mid 1980s would make a baby out of ANYTHING. I’m surprised they never made baby versions of the naked chicks from "Heavy Metal") and the Plastic Family that haunted the last few seasons.
The show, produced by Ruby-Spears (the same folks that produced "Thundarr the Barbarian"), basically follows the same Hanna-Barbera/Filmation mold as the "Super-Friends": Plas and his team, bombshell Penny and sidekick Hula-Hula (because he’s Hawaiian!) are dispatched by The Chief to fight a monster of the week. Penny provides the love interest and damsel in distress duties. Hula (who inexplicably sounds like Lou Costello of Abbott & Costello fame) provides comic relief and bad luck foibles. Plas saves the day. The Villain (often voiced by Daws Butler or Don Messick) complains about pesky kids, uhh... I mean, complains about a meddlesome third-string DC comics character. Public rejoices. What can I say? We just weren’t all that sophisticated in the seventies. No doubt because we had not discovered the Internets.
The only real bright and creative spots on this are the brief retrospective featurette featuring a wealth of talented folk such as Andrea Romano, Mark Evanier, Tom Kenny and Andy Suriano discussing the history of Plas and his comic book and TV incarnations. All parties involved pay plenty of well-deserved homage to Plas’ creator and still to this day best artist, Jack Cole. The brightest spot in this whole package though (and that’s damning it with faint praise) is the never before aired Plastic Man conceived and created by Tom “Spongebob” Kenny and Andy Suriano. Based heavily on Kyle Baker’s surreal cartoony take on Plas, the pilot is clever, hilarious and delightful to behold. So of course it never had a chance. This package is probably your only chance to own that goodness.
Which doesn’t quite make up for six plus hours of mediocre animation and repetitive story lines. No matter how many things Plas turns into, the humor and storytelling of the show is never allowed to rise above a seven-year old level. I can’t really see that anybody but a Plastic Man completist (there’s gotta be one out there somewhere) is really gonna appreciate this disk very much.
Click Here to Buy Plastic Man: The Complete Collection
Comment
-
Comment by Beau on November 6, 2009 at 12:00pm - Yes, Timmy, in B & the B (which is produced by Suriano) Plas is voiced by Tom Kenny as well.
-
Comment by MisterKeitel on November 3, 2009 at 3:09pm - Hmmm....After reading this, I think I have the barest, slightest memory of having watched it. But then the plot of this show is so much like all Hanna Barbara cartoons. Dippy Love Interest + Even Dippier Fat Comic Relief + Straight Lace Hero + Silly Villain = Dull But Watchable Show.
-
Comment by Wayero on November 3, 2009 at 2:57pm - I'm glad I had the privilege of growing up in the 90s. That show doesn't sound cool at all. Plastic Man? Seriously?
-
Comment by Timmy Cupcakes on November 3, 2009 at 12:50pm - Holy crap, I remember my brother and I LOVING this show when we were kids (Granted it was no Spiderman and His Amazing Friends). I can definitely believe the fact that it doesn't translate to any kid nowadays, or even any adult watching it for nostalgia's sake. The show from what I remember was just plain ridiculous, worn out, and got completely out of hand near the later years. This won't prevent me from occasionally quoting Plastic Boy's "I'll save you daddy" line whenever I can though. I know Plas has made a couple appearances on Batman The Brave and the Bold, might want to check that out if you absolutely need your Plasticman fix.
-
Comment by It's me, it's me, it's PDP on November 3, 2009 at 2:46am - Wow I barely remember this show but that piolet looks sweet, shame it never made it to air. I'm not even a huge plastic man fan and I'd watch that show.
-
Comment by Don Panini on November 3, 2009 at 12:13am -
I don't know if clever, hilarious and delightful to behold are proper words for describing that pilot; I would define it as fucked-up funny.
Another missed opportunity
-
Comment by Guitaro Man on November 2, 2009 at 8:15pm -
Well, if anyone cares, I found the pilot for Tom Kenny's Plastic Man show:
Now I guess there really isn't a reason to own this...
-
Comment by Guitaro Man on November 2, 2009 at 8:11pm
- Ragman, I am definitely one of those people! Plas RULES!!!! I never knew that the failed pilot was based on Kyle Baker's run! Now I'm really pissed since I love that run. Great review by the way, Beau!
-
Comment by ragman on November 2, 2009 at 7:30pm -
BEAU I LOVE PLASTIC MAN!
Ok I don't love the show, but seriously I'm sure there's more people out there who love the character. He's like mr. fantastic if mr. fantastic wasn't such a colossal dick.
-
Comment by animationer on November 2, 2009 at 7:03pm - I saw that unaired Plastic Man pilot, and I loved it. It was wacky, cartoonish,a fun. I don't know why CN turned the show down. I mean Plastic Man is supposed to be a funny character sometimes. ( I think he is).
Follow Spill on Twitter!
Latest Activity
The Very Best of 2009
10. The one that took me by surprise:
Funny People - Funny people is genuinely funny, which is what we’ve come to expect from Appatow. What sets it apart from other Appatow comedies however is the films ability to capture an…
1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg)
2. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson)
3. Bad Education (Pedro Almodovar)
4. Cache (Michael Haneke)
5. WALL-E (Andrew Stanton)
6. In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-Wai)
7. Let the Right One In (…
Music
© 2009 Created by The Spill Crew
You need to be a member of The Spill.com Movie Community to add comments!
Join this Ning Network