Opinions on the Sid and Marty Krofft shows

[garagesale]

Land of the Lost is the only one I can stand. I've tried watching some of the others in the past few years and they bore and embarass me within 5 min. Too bad b/c I get a kind of nostalgic feeling from them. But, you know, the root word of nostalgia is "pain."

LOTL is good, though. The basic plots to some of the stories are pretty amazing (though the acting and dialogue often suck). Lots of Star Trek writers and respected SF authors contributed to that show. Everyone from David Gerrold, Walter Koenig, and DC Fontana to Larry Niven, Ben Bova, and Norman Spinrad. Between the often-good stories and the state-of-the-art (for its time) stop motion, LOTL has some real redeeming qualities.

I'm actually one of the few out here who loved the goofy Will Ferrell movie!

JamesD

[david_b]

Banana Splits would have been the only show I watched at an age I would have even been interested in them..

Even at an early age (10yrs old in '73..), I couldn't sit through 'em.. Was more into Trek and Spiderman by that "advanced age".

Filmation's Animated Trek was more my style (actually love that show even more today..!!).

david_b

[palitoy]

I still pop on Land of the Lost , Bugaloos and sometimes the Kaptain Kool and the Kongs shows for the kids. Much of their stuff is dated and hokey but I can still remember why I liked it. I just don't need every episode.

The only one that I hated was Liddsville.

Steve- The Drugachusetts clip brings up a funny story I read. After seeing that skit the Krofft's asked Bob Odenkirk to direct the Sigmund movie. He'd never seen the show and didn't think the Krofft brothers "Got" Mr. Show, so he sat down in his office and watched some Sigmund episodes. According to David Cross, Odenkirk yelled "What is this ****?" and stormed out.

[Riffster]

wasn't Odenkirk the guy who did Kung Pow movie? and he walked out on Sigmund?

[spamn]

Wow, I'm gonna be the party pooper.

I treasure the memories of watching them and also their contibutions to entertainment cliche and pop-culture references ("And I would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling KIDS!") and would buy megos of all of them in a heartbeat.

I simply can't watch any of them for more than a few minutes at a time. This includes everything I loved as a kid; Superfriends, including the 10 minute cartoons they evolved from, Filmation, Bakshi Spider-Man, Scooby Doo and the rest of the Hanna Barbera stuff, Speed Racer, and though I haven't seen any of them recently, I'm sure all of the Sid/Marty Kroft stuff.

Even the relatively well-done stuff, like Johnny Quest, that I loved can't hold my eyeballs today. The animation quality is cheap and it's poorly directed and overdramatic. I think classic Warner Brothers Animation has stood the test of time, but I know almost all of them by heart from seeing them already.

As an adult I see why my parents made me turn off the TV and go outside. The stuff is brain-hurtingly bad to watch, and an insult to good writing and animation. They don't stand up to stuff that came later - The Batman Animated Series, Animaniacs, Samurai Jack, Dexter's Lab, The JLU series and Warner/DC animated Direct to DVD, to name a few. I'd rather watch those if I'm going to watch cartoons.

Where Kroft did well was the character design and execution. HR Puffinstuff, Sigmund and his brothers, all of those were amazing looking - practically iconic. In my mind, the sheer inventiveness of it rivaled Henson Studios.

And there are bits and pieces I still like. I loved the run of celebrity cameos on Scooby Doo - including the Batman and Robin episode - but the Laurel and Hardy episode has one of my favorite gags in it. The gang finds L&H by the side of the road with their broken down car. Shaggy says 'Have an accident?' and Laurel responds with an unfailingly polite and happy 'No thanks. Already had one." One of my favorite wise-*** responses, and that's the first place I saw it.

[palitoy]

wasn't Odenkirk the guy who did Kung Pow movie? and he walked out on Sigmund?

No, no, no, no that's Steve Oderkirk I believe.

Bob Odenkirk is a completely different animal, he's behind a lot of adult swim programming.

Wow, I'm gonna be the party pooper.

Enh, I can see your point. My tolerance, while larger than yours isn't what it used to be either. I remember I went on a long car ride with another video dealer back in the day. I only sold one tape of Shazam! episodes and he was kind of riding me for not having the complete series. My response was "I don't need to see every episode again, four is enough for me"

The kids on the other hand, beg to watch Monster Squad.

[Mikey]

My response was "I don't need to see every episode again, four is enough for me"

I'm kind of like that with most Gerry Anderson puppet series.

The rare times I am in the mood to sit down and watch one i'm watching more for the theme, seeing the ships and hearing the voices... The same few episodes can provide that for me.

[Cmonster]

I need all the episodes. Just like I need all the TOYS!

SC

[MegoSteve]

Steve- The Drugachusetts clip brings up a funny story I read. After seeing that skit the Krofft's asked Bob Odenkirk to direct the Sigmund movie. He'd never seen the show and didn't think the Krofft brothers "Got" Mr. Show, so he sat down in his office and watched some Sigmund episodes. According to David Cross, Odenkirk yelled "What is this ****?" and stormed out.

Hah! How could he do that sketch and not know who the Kroffts were?

[EmergencyIan]

I always liked Bigfoot and Wildboy.


- Ian

[HardyGirl]

I always liked Bigfoot and Wildboy.


- Ian

I had such a crush on Joseph Butcher (Wildboy). I also had one on Wesley Eure (Will from LOTL) and Jarrod Johnson (Jerry from Lost Saucer). Man I miss those days!

[Cmonster]

I had a big time crush on one of the alien women that was in a couple of Far Out Space Nuts episodes... She kinda looked like a Frank Frazetta space maiden or something... Cool Helmet, Skin tight, green spandex and boots. She had the body to fill it out, too. Her name was Salana (spelling?) I think. I'll have to try and find a picture...

SC

[HardyGirl]

I got to have lunch w/ Chuck McCann a few years ago b/c my friend Caroline is a good friend of his. He signed my Far Out Space Nuts video, and drew this cool characature of himself on a napkin for me. Burr Middleton (voice of Billy Batson in Shazam cartoon) was also there. It was one of the best days ever!

[johnmiic]

The only Kroft show I detest is The Bugaloos. Granted Far Out, Space Nuts and The Lost Saucer can embarass me for their high leverl of doofus factor even when I watch alone-but I still like these shows too much not to watch them. Land of the Lost is still a pretty big favorite of mine.

Other tha n the Kroft shows I also went and bought Space Academy, Ark II and Jason of Star Command just to re-acquaint myself with them.