Top Ten - Favorite Anime

I've been asked a few times to post of list of the best anime I've seen. Well, there is that word again... best. I always feel a bit guilty posting a best of list, especially when I haven't seen, heard or experienced everything there is to offer in that category. 

My exposure to anime is actually pretty limited. I got into collecting in the late 1990s and continued into the early 00s. Then I took some time away, nearly a decade. Lately I've been trying some series when I read about one that sounds intriguing or is from creators of other series I enjoyed. I've missed out on some of the really big titles in the last decade - still haven't seen shows like One Piece or Bleach. I usually enjoy Rumiko Takahshi, but still haven't seen a single minute of Inu Yasha. Then there's all the older shows I haven't seen - especially those shows by Leiji Mastsumoto (and no, Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, doesn't count). 

So that brings me back to the same tactic I used when I talked about film scores of the 1980s. I'm gonna give you a list of my 10 favorite anime series and movies. I've blogged about a few of these already, but expect to see some of these others get a post or two in the future. I'm trying a new technique here, a summary of the show followed by three points why this is on my top 10.

10. Trigun (1998)

One of the three space cowboy anime from the late 1990s. Trigun follows the adventures of Vash the Stampede, the most wanted man on a dusty and forgotten planet. He is known as the humanoid typhoon, and is accused with destroying an entire city, just for kicks. But when we meet him, he seems to be nothing but contradictions. Is he a pacifist who leveled an entire town? Is he the toughest desperado on the planet, that runs away and screams like a little girl at the first sign of danger? Is he a sociopathic killer that just stopped to help a little girl find her lost cat? As the plot unfolds you start to wonder what is Vash really after. Can he run from his destiny forever, or will the man named Knives bring it all back with blood?

• Interesting world and production design. Literally the old west meets space adventure
• The show keeps you guessing because...
• Vash the Stampede, is one of the most conflicted and unusual protagonists in any anime I've seen. Once you get to know him, you just have to see how it all turns out.

9. Vision of Escaflowne (1996)

Hitomi is just a normal high school girl. She's fallen for an upperclassman, and tries to impress him during practice for a track meet. But in the middle of her sprint she is literally pulled into another world. There she meets two handsome men, one looks just like her crush back on Earth. The other is a rough and dangerous prince. Eventually she becomes entangled in a war raging across this world. Hitomi must face dragons, giant mecha that are used as knights, conniving catgirls and one of the most twisted villains ever put into an anime series. But there is a dark heart hiding in the middle of this world, and Hitomi starts to realize that she should have stayed home.

• Amazing world and production design
• Wonderful orchestral score by Yoko Kanno, maybe her best work ever
• The story takes us from a romantic fantasy and into a dark twist that subverts many of the characters you thought you knew leading to an ending that is bittersweet

8. Gunsmith Cats (1995)

Rally Vincent and her partner Minnie May are gunsmiths by day, and bounty hunters at night. They search Chicago for the toughest criminals and always bring them in. Their pal, Becky is the information source in the city and knows who is who and where anything can be found - for a price. Rally and May pick up a gun runner on a routine hunt. But the next day they find out that the ATF was watching the guy and needed him free for a big sting they were planning. Agent Bill Collins ends up persuading (blackmailing) the girls to help him out on the case. And it all goes to hell. Before you know it, there are shoot outs, explosions, car chases, insane Russian assassins and a conspiracy. No one is safe! But Rally and May are tough gals and you can bet they won't go down without a fight.

• Top notch action scenes
• A very funny English dub that nails the 1980s action movie vibe
• Nostalgic favorite: the series that got be into anime fandom

7. Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997)

All Utena wants to do is grow up to be a prince, no seriously. Utena lives in a strange world where high school is a baroque fantasy world, ruled by a student council that holds duels to determine who is the most powerful. We're talking full blown sword duels with rapiers and 1800s outfits. Utena makes friends with Anthy a sweet girl who happens to be the Rose Bride. This ticks off the student council something fierce, no one is allowed to hang out with the Rose Bride except for them. So Utena finds herself challenged to duels to be Anthy's friend. Along the way she faces a bitchy rival, a group of ghosts that want to take over the school and Anthy's brother who may be the most twisted of them all. Revolutionary Girl Utena is a disco fueled, rose covered, blade flashing blast of weird. You'll either become enchanted by it, or run screaming in the opposite direction

• Amazing visual world created for the show, with white, pink and red being the key colors
• A score that mixes rock opera style with disco and lush orchestral romance
• Fill to bursting with symbolism, surreal moments and "revolutionary" imagery - but also plays as a sweet story of a tom boy trying to fit in.

6. Millenium Actress (2001)

Genya wants to make a documentary about his favorite actress Chiyoko. After tracking down the reclusive woman, she agrees to an interview. But things start getting a little strange as she tells her story. One minute Genya and his camera man are sitting in her living room, the next they are in war torn Japan! They watch her story unfold like a movie... and then realize that they are actually in one of her movies! Genya jumps right in, taking roles in her life and her films. Meanwhile a mystery begins to unfold around a lost love and a lost key. What Chiyoko doesn't know is that Genya holds the final clue to this mystery that has plagued her for decades. The last performance of this Millennium Actress is one you can't miss. 

• Director Satoshi Kon's most heartfelt and approachable work
• Toys with perspective and reality in a fun and interesting way
• Chiyoko is an amazing character and her story really keeps you watching and returning to this film

5. El Hazard: The Magnificent World (1995)

Three high school students and their tipsy teacher are hurled into an amazing fantasy world by a strange woman who appears in some ruins found under the school. The journey seems to have granted the four travelers unique powers. Mr. Fujisawa has superhuman strength, as long as he stays sober. Jinnai can understand the language of monsters. His sister Nanami can see past illusions. But poor Mikoto just bears a striking resemblance to a lost princess. Before you can say cross dressing, Mikoto is forced to play princess during a debate. You see the country is at war, and everyone needs to pitch in. These powers will become vital as the four encounter giant bugs, spell casting priestess, super weapons and demon goddesses. Will our heros have a chance at returning home, or are they having too much fun in El Hazard: The Magnificent World?

• Innovative world design combines futuristic technology with Arabian Knights style
• A hilarious English dub with many quotable lines and fun performances
• Packed with plenty of laughs, adventure and fun - but also has a lot of heart, with an ending that will get to all romantics out there.

4. Spirited Away (2001)

Young Chihiro doesn't want to move to a new home, so she sulks in the back seat as her parents drive to the new residence. Along the way they take a wrong turn and end up at an abandoned and forgotten amusement park. The family explores it, but Chihiro feels that something is just off about the whole place. She's proven right when her parents are transformed into giant pigs after eating forbidden food. Now Chihiro must pay for her parents sins, and is forced to work for the wicked witch Yubaba. If Chihiro has any hope of saving her parents, she must find a way to trick Yubaba, befriend a dragon spirit, and earn the respect of all the crazy spirits living in the haunted amusement park. 

• Amazing animation by Studio Ghibli and directed by animation master Hayao Miyazaki.
• A wonderful score by Joe Hisaishi, my personal favorite from of his work.
• Chihiro is a wonderful character that grows up right before our eyes

3. Boogiepop Phantom (2000)

In an unnamed city in Japan, the angel of death is stalking teens. It calls itself Boogiepop and if you see her, then you'll disappear forever. But this city is teaming with dangers, including a creature called the Manticore. This horrible beast takes pleasure in ripping flesh apart. Searching for answers among these terrors and mysteries is local tough girl, Nagi Kirima. She wants to find the killer and put a stop to it, but the further she digs the more questions she finds. Boogiepop Phantom is told in a non-linear fashion, with each episode offering a single tale, but one that adds up to a larger story. Dark and disturbing the series balances atmospheric horrors with gore and blood. It makes this one of the best anime horror series I've ever seen.

• The animation is atmospheric and dreamlike 
• The non-linear storytelling is amazing, telling compelling tales with each episode and putting together the larger story right up to the final few minutes of the series
• A steller English dub cast makes all the performances work.

2. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Section 9 takes care of cyber terrorists in a very permanent fashion. The top agent is Major Kusanagi, a female cyborg who is as deadly as she is hot. Her latest case has her chasing a master hacker called the Puppetmaster. He hacks cyber brains of powerful and wealthy targets creating some serious security risks. The only problem is that each lead only turns out to be another puppet. Section 9 gets it's first break when a cyborg body goes haywire, and runs into a busy freeway. Examing the cyborg they discover that they are dealing with a program called 2501, a information gathering system that has gained sentience. Now, the creators of 2501 want it back or destroyed, whichever is easier. Kusanagi must decide if 2501 is a criminal and if not, can she protect something that doesn't have a body. One of my favorite science fiction films, and featuring one of my favorite science fiction heroines. 

• Amazing visuals creating wonderful mood and tense action scenes
• A well crafted story that offers plenty of food for thought
• Major Kusanagi kicks all kinds of ass

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)

The world has suffered through the horrors of a cataclysm called Second Impact. This event caused the polar ice caps to melt and kill off millions of humans. It also announced the presence of terrifying creatures called Angels. In response humans have banded together to face the Angels, pooling resources to create a new kind of weapon. It is called Evangelion, a giant armored creature that must be piloted to battle an angel. These pilots must be able to synch with the Evangelions, and those that can are rare indeed. Shinji Ikari, a lonely and angst filled teenager, is one of those that can synch with an Evangelion. His father Gendou, demands that Shinji pilot the Eva. Shinji who has fallen out with his father, refuses at first, but after seeing the destruction an Angel can wreck first hand, he agrees. This single decision starts a chain of events that will lead to the end of the world as we all know it. Is this all a plan to push humanity to a new form? A form that none of us can even begin to conceive of. Or it could end with mind bending insanity. It all depends on who you talk to.

• Shinji Ikari is one of the most interesting and conflicted characters in anime. He feels like a real kid trapped in a hopeless situation.
• The series builds upon itself, with tension rising with each episode until it explodes in an visual orgy of chaos and fear (especially if you watch the original television series ending)
• Filled with memorable characters, visuals, themes and music. 
• Enjoyable on the surface, but holds a lot of meaning with each revisit.

So there you have it, my top ten favorite series. Lots of other shows and movies came close, but these are the ones I tend to return to the most frequently. 

Anime Juke Box - H.T. - Trigun

I've been serving up a lot of J-pop for these anime juke box entries. I figured I might provide something a bit more edgy. Here is the opening credit piece for the space cowboy series Trigun. It is pure hard rock guitar, drums and concentrated bad ass. It is called H.T. which is short for Humanoid Typhoon, the alias of the main character - who also goes by the name Vash the Stampede. It is performed by Tsuneo Imahori and it is probably one of my favorite opening credit tunes from 1990s anime.

Prince of Egypt (1998)

Introduction:

In the late 1990s, Dreamworks was determined to beat Disney at it’s own game, and threw up some serious competition to the House of the Mouse with Shrek taking on Monsters Inc. and Antz taking on A Bugs Life. But they also attempted to unleash a non-computer animated film, one with a star packed cast, a familiar and yet powerful story, Broadway style songs and even borrow the Lion King’s composer, Hans Zimmer for the musical score. The question is, would all this be enough to put families in the theater?

Summary:

You may be familiar with the story of Moses (Val Kilmer) the Hebrew prince who lead his people from slavery in Egypt, talked with God and unleashed some plagues. Well, then you’re familiar with the plot to this film. But instead of going the Ten Commandments route, the film actually focuses on the relationship between Moses and his “brother” Rameses (Ralph Finnes). It is this dynamic that drives the story and makes both biblical characters more rounded and relatable.

But all the visual high points are there, including the devastating plagues, the battle between Moses and Pharaoh’s two wizards (voiced by Steve Martin and Martin Short), and the finale chase to and through the Red Sea. With the rest of the voices provided by Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren and James Avery, well you’ll spend half the movie playing a guess the actor game.

Good Points:

• Some wonderful animation adding scope and power to the story
• A powerful musical score from Hans Zimmer
• The brother dynamic makes this familiar story very interesting

Bad Points:

• Some of the songs don’t quite work within the film
• Some may find the changes to the story offensive
• Feels like it is trying too hard at times

Overall:

If only they had not attempted to turn this into a musical, this could have been a real home run. The size and scope of the visuals are impressive, and bring some real power to the story. The performances are solid, with Fiennes really giving Rameses some additional depth. At times, you can feel how much they wanted to make this film a Disney-killer, by beating them at their own game. But it ends up hurting the film, which should have tried to do it’s own thing. Still, so much of it works, that it is easy to recommend to animation fans, and anyone looking for a different take on the classic story of Moses.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 3

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 3

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.

The Ninth Gate (1999)

Introduction:

Sometimes as a film music fan you do stupid things. You see a movie that everyone tells you is bad. You see this movie, because you love the film score and can’t imagine the movie being “that bad”. Sometimes you luck out and the movie is pretty good, and it is wonderful to see how the composer made the film better because of the score (I’m looking at you Jerry Goldsmith). But sometimes you strike out. The movie really is “that bad” and you’re left wondering why you just wasted more than two hours of your life when you could have just listened to the film score again. Guess which type of bad movie this is.

Summary:

Dean Corso (Johnny Depp) is an obtainer of rare books. He’s also a bit of a bastard about the whole thing. He will lie, cheat and steal to get these books and sell them without a second thought. He’s very good at his job and that is why Boris Balkan (Frank Langella) hires him to find the extremely rare book The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows. Supposedly if all the known texts are combined, a complete version of the book can be deciphered. Then you can open the gates to hell and bring forth the devil. Sounds like fun!

Well Corso doesn’t care about all that supernatural hocus-pocus! He just wants the books and a big payday. Along the way he must match wits and nerves with Liana Telfer (Lena Olin) a sexy widow who wants the books for herself. There is also a mysterious girl (Emmanuelle Seigner) that helps Corso, and appears to have some kind of supernatural abilities. The deeper Corso gets, the more he begins to realize that there might be something to this demonic book. But will he have the guts to open The Ninth Gate?

Good Points:

• Wonderful score by Wojciech Kilar
• Has a fun story at its core
• Some of the scenery chewing by Olin and Langella is a blast to watch

Bad Points:

• Not scary, or suspenseful or even that interesting
• Feels like it is meandering way too often
• Corso is too bland to be a good antihero

Overall:

Much like John Carpenter’s Cigarette Burns, this film seems to be inspired by the disturbing short story, The King in Yellow. But just like Carpenter, Polanski just misses the boat. The movie is not bad enough to be fun, and not good enough to be engaging. It has a few moments where it almost starts coming together, but Depps, bland portrayal, or even Kilar’s overly dramatic score just topples the whole thing. It’s a shame because a good movie is buried in there somewhere, but this is one you can skip (and just listen to the film score instead).

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 4

Sound: 4

Acting: 3

Script: 2

Music: 5

Direction: 3

Entertainment: 2

Total:  2

Curious about a full review, sent me an email and I’ll make additional thoughts to this review.

The Brain that Wouldn’t Die (1962) – MST3K Review

Summary:

Dr. Bill Cortner (Jason Evers) is a brilliant surgeon who saves lives with his daring and innovative techniques. But this skill comes at a cost. He is obsessed with full limb transplantation, and experiments with cadavers and his hapless assistant Kurt (Anthony La Penna) in his spare time. He is very close to being able to transplant a dead arm to a living body with no nasty side effects. He’s about to show his girlfriend Jan (Verginia Leith) his secret laboratory when the moron goes and crashes his car. Bill is thrown clear, and so is Jan… well her head anyway.

Bill races with Jan’s head back to his hidden lab and using his secret serum he manages to resurrect Jan’s head! Now all he needs is a body. Bill figures it is time for an upgrade so he starts looking for all the smokin’ hot girls he can find, and decide which one he will decapitate and bring back to his lair. In the meantime, Jan is not pleased with her fate. But she discovers that the serum has given her telepathic abilities. She can communicate with one of Bill’s mistakes hidden in a closet. Will Jan cause havoc before Bill can find a body, or will he end up facing his former love: The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.

Movie Review:

"So he's a scientist you see."

Take your basic mad scientist concept right from Frankenstein, throw in a healthy dose of ogling women’s bodies, and cap it off with a mutated creature ripping a man’s arm off and you’ve got this fine film. But let’s be honest here, anyone who loves black and white drive-in monster flicks has at least seen still images of Jan’s severed head in the pan. This classic horror image has gone on to inspire imagery in films like Reanimator and The Man with Two Brains. Is the concept kind dumb? Sure it is, but it is also a lot of fun.

I’ve actually seen a tamer edit of this film, which moves a bit better in the pacing department. Gone are all the scenes with Bill attempting to pick up sleazy women. Instead it is much leaner and meaner approach. But the crew of Mystery Science Theater went for the longer cut of The Brain that Wouldn’t Die and I have to say it was a wise choice.

Visually the film has some interesting moments. When Bill retrieves Jan’s head, the whole scene is filmed with a frantic hand held approach. Surprising to see in a black and white B film. We also get lots of point of view shots, usually as Bill sizes up his victims. But we get a few shots from Jan’s severed head angle.

"I hate ALL MEN!" Yes, yes, you've said it
three times already.

But there are also a bunch of odd insert shots, usually of Bill staring into space, or looking smug. They seem to be thrown into the film at random, maybe to break up the two shots or something. I’m not sure. But it is very reminiscent of Coleman Francis work in Red Zone Cuba or Skydivers.

Overall the special effects are low budget fun. Jan’s head in the pan is pretty nifty. The make up effects for the mutant, and the bloody violence as Kurt and Bill get attacked are handled pretty well. I was surprised by the amount of gore in the film. Didn’t know we were getting into that much blood letting until the later 60s. On the flip side, the operation that opens the film is pretty laughable, especially the patients vinyl skull.

The sound effects work well enough. But the music in The Brain and Wouldn’t Die is a curiosity. When Bill is cruising for a new body, the score kicks into some saxophone heavy jazz. I’m not sure what they are trying to imply here, but I kept waiting for a 90s Skin-a-max movie to kick in. The music used for the creepy moments is stock stuff. If you’ve seen enough of these movies you’ll probably recognize it. Most of it works fairly well actually.

Kurt does his Johnny Tremain one man show.

The acting tends toward over the top. Evers goes in full mad scientist mode: arrogant, cocky, superior and prone to lines with double meanings. It is the perfect performance for this kind of movie. Right along with him is the La Penna as Kurt the assistant. He gets more and more panicky and loud as the film continues. I love his ranting tirades at Jan as she goads and manipulates him. Kurt is pretty much an idiot (who else would let Bill cut off his hand and replace it with a corpse hand).

In the ladies corner you have Leith as Jan. It must have been a tough shoot for her, and I admire her dedication to this very silly movie. She has to talk in a raspy voice for about 85% of her dialogue. But she has the angry stare down pat. When she declares vengeance on Bill, you believe it. There is also Adele Lamont as Doris Powell. Doris is the unfortunate gal who Bill brings home to be the new body for Jan. Doris has a great body, but an angry boyfriend cut up her face. As a result she hates all men! She declares this on several occasions. Bill manages to convince her that he can help, but of course his help is just chopping off her head and tossing it away. Lamont plays the whole thing very broadly, and it is a bit of as shame since the character is supposed to be one you feel bad for. Most of the time I was just wondering how annoying she could really get.

As for the script… do I really need to discuss it? With a title like The Brain that Wouldn’t Die you pretty much get what you expect. The plot is ridiculous; the dialogue is extremely ripe and filled with great lines. It lacks the clumsiness of Ed Wood’s script work, but gives Bill plenty of dialogue with sinister alternate meanings. In it’s basic form, the script fits the title.

The 1962 model Floozy!

But the execution is where things get dicey. The 70-minute version moves along pretty well. But the 82-minute version fills time with Bill hitting on any floozy he can find. It’s a mixed bag, because these scenes don’t have much tension to them, but they also feature some of the funniest dialogue. When it comes to scares, the movie also doesn’t quite click. Jan’s severed head isn’t very scary at all, but the way the movie is filmed, I think we are supposed to think she is. Director Joseph Green does a better job building up some tension with the mutant in the closet and around Bill’s murderous plot. But the scenes with Kurt and Jan bickering feel like padding. But then again, the dialogue is hilarious and I wouldn’t want to loose that.

Is the movie an effective scare machine? Not really. But The Brain that Wouldn’t Die is a fun monster flick with a lot of riffing potential. It was the perfect first flick for Mike to tackle as the new host of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Episode Review:

Jan in the Pan! Neck juice not included, some
disassembly required.

For fans of MST3K, the shift from Joel to Mike was a game changer. Things have mellowed over the years, but when this happened – man, it was brutal. Some people rejected Mike completely and never gave him a chance. Others immediately loved what he brought to the riffing and declared they were happier now that Joel was gone. Both of these groups are nuts! The show changed, but it gave us a new style of riffing and took things in unexpected and fun directions.

With Joel leaving, the crew at Best Brains decided to give the show a bit of a facelift. First off they had to create new opening credits (since the originals featured Joel in the visuals and in the song). They kept the same tune for the opening credits, but changed the lyrics to reflect Mike’s misadventures as they occurred in the episode Mitchell. These include Mike getting hit on the head with a clown hammer and shot into space. The new opening credits even feature a clip from this episode: The Brain that Wouldn’t Die.

Doris is not buying Mel Blanc's pick up lines.

The other visual change was tunnel sequence used in the series to show Cambot’s journey into the theater. A new tunnel was created and all the little puppets, bubbles and sliding doors were timed for the single shot. This new sequence would be used for the rest of the Comedy Central years of the series.

This was actually a great selection of movie for a transition episode. The Brain that Wouldn’t Die falls in the familiar territory for the writers. It’s black and white, a monster movie, it’s got a goofy mad scientist, silly music and ridiculous dialogue. Let’s keep in mind that Mike had been head writer for years, and had performed in front of the camera numerous times playing characters like Gamera, The Amazing Colossal Man and of course Torgo from Manos: The Hands of Fate. The big difference here is that Mike would be taking a center stage role. And he handles himself well.

"The road is attacking me!!!!"

The movie offers several sequences of visual fuel for the fire. One of my favorites is during the drive Bill and Jan take to the “country place”. A random bit of ADR declares “I have to hurry!” I’m assuming it is Bill, but it is really hard to tell, and is unrelated to the rest of the dialogue that you can’t help but laugh. The boys join in and then start commenting on editing of the car racing down the road, the assortment of street signs, and close ups of Bill’s face. Tom gets off some great timing lines with the signs “Stop? What stop? Curve? What curve?” Use these lines during your own road trip and see how your passengers react. When the crash occurs and Bill discovers Jan’s body, Mike says, “Oh no, honey roasted!” Bill then scoops up Jan’s head, wraps it in his coat and runs off with it, clutched under his arm. He looks like he’s going for a touchdown, and Mike can’t help but yell, “He’s at the forty, the thirty, no one can stop him!”

Of course with the title The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, things really get cooking when Jan’s head is placed in her pan with neck juice (Mike and Bots words, not mine), and she comes back to life. They dub her “Jan in the Pan” and they get a big kick out of her constant lamenting her fate. When Bill reveals Jan to his assistant Kurt, he says, “What you see is real.” Mike adds, “What you smell is unfortunate.” Later, when Jan and Kurt are verbally sparring, and Kurt is losing badly Tom imitates his bluster with a “Shut up you stupid little pan woman!” When Jan bemoans “Why did he let me die?” for the millionth time, Crow bursts out, “You still on about that? Well we got problems too lady!”

Awww, it's true love.

Meanwhile Bill is on the prowl for a sexy body, and the slimy saxophone music is in high gear. Tom declares that Bill must have his radio tuned to “K-PORN, sleezy slutty music all day long”. When Bill heads off to a bathing suit competition Mike and bots riff on just about everyone on stage. Bill then heads off to, what I think is supposed to be burlesque club, but it seems so small and cramped, it makes the club in The Incredibly Strange Creatures who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies look like the Smithsonian. The dancer is doing her thing, and Mike and bots figure she is actually presenting the menu using interpretive dance, “This dance represents that there are no baked potatoes after five.”

The finale, in which Bill brings Jan her new body and Jan unleashes her final retribution features wall to wall riffing fun. As Doris is laying under a sheet, and her prominent chest is jutting forth, Mike asks as Bill “But honey, can you say no to these?” Her answer is to bring forth a monster that Crow declares “looks like Boo Radley!” The creature manages to grab Bill through a tiny hole in a door (don’t ask, just watch the movie. It actually makes some sense). The boys offer helpful hints to the monster, “You know just pull the door away and beat him to death with it.” At this point, Bill is no longer our wacky protagonist, but a grade A jerk. As the film ends with everyone trapped in a burning laboratory, we hear Jan laughing. Mike says, “Oh, it was a comedy!” Well Mike and the bots certainly made it funny.

Mike an the bots are proud of their hats for
Jan in the Pan

The host segments for The Brain that Wouldn’t Die are pretty good. Most of them deal with Mike attempting to adjust to his new surroundings. Things start off with Mike being trained by the bots. Tom: “Mark Singer walks out in a loin cloth, what do you say?” Mike: “Now I know why the show was called V.” For the invention exchange the Mad scientists have a device that can pop a kid’s balloons from a distance. Frank bursts into tears when his balloons pop. Mike shows off his umbrella with a gutter system attached, so your feet don’t get wet. At the first break, Mike tries to obtain control of the Satellite of Love from panels in the floor. All he ends up doing is squirting cheese everywhere. At least, he thinks its cheese. When they come back for the next break Mike and bots have created various hats for Jan. I love the lazy Susan hat that makes her the centerpiece at any party. When we come back, Mike and bots are discussing trust. It ends up with Mike sharing an embarrassing story, and the bots proceeding to ridicule him. After the movie ends, Jan in the Pan visits the satellite (courtesy of Mary Jo Pehl), and Mike ends up insulting her. Dr. Forrester decides to try to remove Frank’s head and keep it alive in a pan. Quoth Frank, “Here we go again!”

The Brain that Wouldn’t Die is a fun episode. The riffing is solid, the movie is ridiculously watchable and it makes for a great transition episode for the hosts. In the scheme of things, it sits in the middle of Season Five, but it is well worth seeking out.

I give it three heads in pans out of five.

Even Jan has to smile at this episode.

This episode is available on the single DVD from Rhino, but was also included on a disc with Mitchell in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 25^th Anniversary Edition boxset.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Introduction:

The early 00s had Disney re-examining their approach to animation. Their films weren’t the huge hits they experienced in the 90s. Other studios were stepping up their game, mimicking the Disney formula to compete with the animation juggernaut. In addition anime was making inroads with viewers, as Pokemon became a huge hit. Disney decided to switch gears and make an action adventure animated film without any catchy songs, and with a story inspired by Jules Verne instead of the brothers Grimm.

Summary:

Milo Thatch (Michael J. Fox) is convinced that he can find the lost continent of Atlantis; all he needs is some funding, and someone to believe in his little quest. Well both come his way in the form of wealthy benefactor who needs Milo’s brains to guide his team to the lost world. So Milo joins the mercenary Commander Rourke (James Garner), his femme fatale second in command Helga (Claudia Christian) and a whole host of oddballs and misfits.

After a treacherous submarine journey, followed by a trek through the earth’s crust they find the Atlantis, still around and supporting a civilization. The King Nedakh (Leonard Nimoy) is dying, but that doesn’t keep him from trying to protect his people from outsiders. His daughter Kida (Cree Summer) takes an interest in Milo and his world. But Rouke has other plans for Atlantis and its mysterious power source. If he can bring it back to the surface, he and his crew would be wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. Of course doing that will destroy the kingdom and it’s people. Now Milo must decide if he wants to return home a wealthy man or fight to save Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Good Points:

• Some wonderful stylized and creative animation
• Captures the vibe of classic adventures stories
• A fine score by James Newton Howard

Bad Points:

• Some of the comic relief characters are too ridiculous
• No catchy musical numbers or super cute characters
• Is more violent and intense than typical Disney fare

Overall:

Disney executes a fine animated experiment. This is a heck of an adventure movie, with likable characters, amazing visuals and a large scope that Disney had not tackled before. Unfortunately some of positive elements get tainted by overly comic characters like “The Mole”. But the turn of the century design, the intense action scenes and wonderful momentum make this one worth checking out.

Scores (out of 5)

Visuals: 5

Sound: 5

Acting: 4

Script: 4

Music: 4

Direction: 4

Entertainment: 4

Total:  4

In Depth Review

This film has a visual scope not seen in most
Disney animated features of the era.

No matter how you feel about Walt Disney’s animation, it is impossible to deny the amazing longevity and legacy of that started in the 1920s. Not too many entertainment (and animation) studios can boast this. I think part of the reason for that longevity is the Disney animation attempting to go in new directions and adapt to changing tastes in entertainment. Obviously Disney himself was a master of innovation and getting the right people together for projects. But the animation studios have weathered some big storms.

By the late 1990s Disney animation had over-tapped their formula. Broadway style musicals with cute animal sidekicks and happily ever after endings were causing audiences to shrug their shoulders at each new animated offering. The studio knew they had to go in a new direction, but seemed uncertain how to proceed. In the end they picked a direction very similar to the one they attempted back in 1985 with The Black Cauldron. They would attempt a non-musical adventure story. Instead of attempting to adapt a well-known and loved fantasy series, they’d use Jules Verne as inspiration. The result is Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Milo marvels at the production design.

The first thing that strikes most viewers is the visual imagination on display. The design of the submarines and other equipment the expedition uses are well thought out and executed. Yes, there is a little bit of an homage to Disney’s design for the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but for the most part this is an unique look that Disney had never attempted before.

In addition there is the visually impressive and creative designs for the culture and technology of Atlantis itself. It appears to be centered on a more South Pacific (Easter Island) style than the ancient Greek style we usually see in when Atlantis is mentioned. Combined with that look is a technology that reminds me a bit of something you’d see in an anime. In fact, one of the films that Atlantis: The Lost Empire shares a lot in common with is Hyao Miyazaki’s Castle in the Sky, another period adventure story with some wonderful flying action scenes.

Helga isn't bad, she's just drawn that way.

Finally you have the character design that also looks backwards in the Disney cannon. It reminded me strongly of The Sword in the Stone or 101 Dalmatians. But a fellow blogger pointed out that it also appears to be inspired by Hellboy and artist Mike Mignola’s style. This is probably because he was part of the production design. This is a fresh look, much different from Tarzan or Mulan, the films that preceded this one.

All the Atlantian technology, as well as the mechanical devices the expedition uses required some unique sound design. The did a great job with this, giving Atlantis some amazing sound effects and putting viewers squarely in this lost world. But Atlantis: The Lost Empire was one of the most action packed Disney animations I’ve seen. There’s gunfire, explosions and swooping and diving air machines. The finale battle scene is really immersive, and I remember how impressed I was, when I caught this in theaters.

Because there were no Broadway style musical numbers, the film’s score takes a greater importance. James Newton Howard was brought in to provide this music, and his work here is very impressive. It’s got a big orchestral adventure sound to it, very much like what you’d hear in a live action adventure film from the same era. The score carries the movie extremely well, and works wonders during the scenes without dialogue and the travel montages. A nice end title song works well enough and won’t be confused with something penned by Alan Menkin any time soon (whether that is good or bad is left up to you to decide).

Comic relief overload!

The voice cast for Atlantis: The Lost Empire is really good. Michael J. Fox is recognizable as Milo, but he does a fine job with the role, adding that touch of naïveté that the part requires. When he gets tough by the end of the movie, you feel he’s earned it. Garner seems to be having fun as the gruff and dangerous Commander Rourke. Claudia Christian is smoldering as the femme fatale, and certainly adds to her sexy character design. Nimoy gives the King Nedakh plenty of gravitas and world-weariness to the part. And Cree Summer makes for a solid heroine who will do what she must to save her people.

The supporting cast does a good job too, considering they have such a wide variety of oddball characters to voice. Don Novello as Vinny and Jacqueline Obraors as Audrey are certainly the most likable of the group, and provide some solid laughs with their performances. Jim Varney as Cookie, Corey Buron as “The Mole” and Florence Stanley as Bertha… well your mileage may vary there.

"I'm sorry Milo, but your comic book collection
just doesn't impress me."

That brings me to the script. As a straight up adventure move Atlantis: The Lost Empire delivers the goods. All the story beats you expect in this kind of movie, especially one inspired by Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea are present. But they are handled with confidence and skill. Milo makes for a unique lead character in the Disney cannon, because he is really a nerd. He loves archeology and research, and is really out of his element with these rough and tumble explorers. But he grows as a character, when Atlantis and Kida start to mean more to him than just an objective. It is a believable character arc, and one that makes us root for him, even in the face of the more mercenary characters.

My biggest issue is the over-reliance on the comic relief characters. First of all, there are too many of them. If the script had kept it down to Vinnie and Audrey, it would have been fine. But tossing in Cookie, Bertha, The Mole and even Sweet (Phil Morris) who doesn’t have much of a character at all, just makes the whole film seem cluttered with extra voices, subplots and cheesy jokes. I found “The Mole” to be particularly annoying and baffling. How was this guy supposed to be funny? I wonder if the screenwriters felt that if they made this too serious they would lose viewers. But I think the thrills and adventures carry the film just fine. All the “laughs” end up diluting the whole thing or worse, stopping the script dead for another “Cookie can’t cook” joke.

One of many amazing action sequences.

There is also another elephant in the room when it comes to Atlantis: The Lost Empire. I already mentioned the visual links to Castle in the Sky. There is an anime television series from the early 90s called Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water that shares some of the same plot points and visuals styles with this film. Anime fans were crying foul the minute this move came out. Yes there are similarities between these three. Yes Atlantis feels heavily inspired by anime style of action and editing at times. But that is a good thing. It was a fresh approach that Disney was able to take in and work in their own way. Besides, all three share the same basic DNA with an older style of storytelling – namely Jules Verne and Edger Rice Burroughs. Too call Atlantis a rip off is too harsh. It is inspired by the older works, and takes elements it can use and revamp into it’s own movie. Castle in the Sky and Nadia did the same thing.

The final execution of the film is impressive. Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise keep the whole movie moving forward briskly. Even the stumbles around the comic relief end up being just blips on the journey. Action scenes are handled extremely well, with everything being very clear and yet with a frantic intensity that isn’t often seen in Disney animation. They also work some moments of wonder and awe into the film, to really give the culture of Atlantis some time to shine. Like Milo, we see this as more then a treasure hunt at the end.

Milo and Kida alone in a lost world.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a rip-roaring adventure film. It provides some amazing visuals, intense action and a wonderful film score to support what you see on the screen. As far as Disney’s experiments in animation go, this was a resounding success, much better than the clunky and half-baked Black Cauldron. It is a shame that the film wasn’t more popular with audiences and critics. It is also a shame that Disney over-corrected their approach to the adventure film with Treasure Planet, which adds even worse comic relief and has some really bizarre tone problems. Disney animation would end up collapsing on itself. It wouldn’t be until Pixar’s John Lasseter would come on board that things would be corrected. Still Atlantis stands as a worthy achievement during a challenging time in the studio’s history.