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STUDIO: Turner Home Entertainment
MSRP: $26.98
RATED: Not Rated
RUNNING TIME: 344 minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• The Irresistible Charm of Don DeCarlo: The Man and His Art – Profiling the Renowned Cartoonist, Illustrator, Archie Comics Veteran and Josie and the Pussycats Creator Through His Art and the Remembrances of His Biographer and Colleagues.
• Previews for Smurfs: Season 1 and Looney Tunes Gold Collection Vol. 5.
The Pitch
“Three chicks rock out. The drummer might be retarded.”
The Humans
Janet Waldo, Jackie Joseph, Barbara Pariot, Jerry Dexter and Casey Kasem
The Nutshell
Three ladies form an internationally renowned rock band. They get into trouble, as they cruise the planet from France to Istanbul, but their problems usually end within a twenty-two minute timeframe.
The Lowdown
Josie and the Pussycats were the brain-child of Don DeCarlo. DeCarlo was one of formative creative forces at Archie Comics. As Marvel and DC turned towards the world of superheroes, Archie stuck to telling tales about all-girl bands and goofy white kids going to the Malt Shop. They were popular with some people, but they lacked the punch of an Incredible Hulk or a Mighty Thor.
Chicks dig the neckerchief
But, girls and little kids loved them. So, when Hanna Barbara came calling…the Archie Comics team answered. The Archies got their own show and learned that cracking out a Top 10 single could help make your show popular. So, the Archie team turned towards their most musically inclined act. It was time for the Pussycats to have their time in the limelight.
The problem was that Josie and the Pussycats never had their moment like The Archies did with Sugar, Sugar. Sure, Josie had the better theme song…but, they never rose above being the formulaic cartoon crime solving gags that Scooby-Doo perfected a year prior. It was a cartoon that couldn’t shake the stigma of being a Johnny Come-Lately, the show folded after sixteen episodes. While, the Pussycats have had their fame extended via Archie Comics and Generation X pop culture fanatics…they’re always the show that could’ve been, but wasn’t.
How Bush envisions Iraq in 2009
The Package
Josie and the Pussycats: The Complete Series isn’t a complete wash. The shining feature on this DVD set is the tribute to Don DeCarlo. Comic Book and Animation professionals such as Paul Dini, Mark Evanier, Scott Shaw and Stan Lee come together to talk about their friend and his work at Archie Comics. We watch the pros look back at DeCarlo’s work as being the man who brought women to Archie. He single-handedly introduced females as strong lead characters into a time where they were nothing more than fodder to be rescued by the nearest man.
Cartoon Network proudly presents: "THE FOG"
It’s nice to see that they didn’t really cover how poorly Archie treated DeCarlo towards the end of his life regarding royalties from the Josie & the Pussycats movie, but this short documentary wasn’t about that. It’s about a creator who changed the landscape of comics in the middle part of the 20th Century. Memories are shared and good times are had, as DeCarlo is shown in a favorable light. I would’ve liked to have seen something about the real Josie & the Pussycats. The band that they formed to help promote the show and crank out a few easy tracks to dominate AM Radio never gives much attention for being one hell of a novelty band.
Acme hasn’t been able to sell shit in their Southwest Division since The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote offed themselves in a ritual suicide pact.
But, shows that barely lasted a season don’t get in-depth coverage. They’re lucky to be seen again after bombing during their initial launch. Still, if you’re a fan of classic Hanna Barbara, you’re going to pick up the set to relive the Classic Saturday Morning experience. It’s nice to be able to watch a cartoon that doesn’t look like it was edited by a hyperactive monkey.
This way to excitement, people. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Foofur and Droopy double-team Cindy Bear.