Brad Bird Movies
A filmmaker who possess the rare ability to truly instill his animated creations with lifelike sentiments, identifiable emotions, and most of all heart, director Brad Bird has found notable success in film with such efforts as The Iron Giant and The Incredibles. Rising through the ranks with an impressive resumé, which includes such popular animated efforts as television's The Simpsons and the groundbreaking Amazing Stories episode "Family Dog," it seemed only a matter of time before the gifted storyteller ventured into feature territory. By the time Bird stepped behind the camera for 1999's endearing boy-meets-giant-robot fable The Iron Giant, it was obvious to all who saw the film what a unique talent the director really possessed. Began at age eleven and completed when the fledgling Bird was a tender fourteen, his first animated film eventually caught the attention of Walt Disney Studios -- and it wasn't long before the ambitious youngster was being mentored under the tutelage of legendary Mouse House animator Milt Kahl. Following a stint as a Disney animator on such features as The Fox and the Hound and The Plague Dogs, Bird branched out to numerous other studios -- his trademark style and humor always well in place. Later serving as an executive consultant to both King of the Hill and The Simpsons, Bird was soon ready to tackle his first feature. Released to near universal critical acclaim in the summer of 1999, The Iron Giant told the tale of a warm friendship between a boy and a giant robot set against the prejudice of small-town America. A film with a big star and an even bigger heart, The Iron Giant pointed to great things to come from Bird. Courted by Pixar following his initial feature success, Bird was soon hard at work on his theatrical follow-up, The Incredibles. An affectionate tale of an aging group of ex-superheroes struggling to balance suburban family life with the instinctual need to fight crime, The Incredibles opened to equally ecstatic reviews in the fall of 2004. Though critical praise and box-office success don't necessarily go hand in hand, the synergy between the two was flawless in this particular case and The Incredibles proved a massive success in theaters across the country. When it came time to hand out the award for Best Animated Feature at The 77th Annual Academy Awards the enthusiasm had apparently rubbed off on the Motion Picture Academy -- with the film being awarded both the top animation prize as well as a "Best Sound Editing" award at that year's ceremony.By this point, audiences and critics - roundly dazzled by the Incredibles phenomenon -- sat on pins and needles waiting for Bird's next work of genius, naturally another Disney-Pixar joint production. It arrived, none too soon, in 2007. Ratatouille tells of a Gallic rat named Remy (voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt) in a decidedly precarious situation. As one of the lowest species of animal life, he happens to have an inconvenient preference for haute cuisine -- particularly inconvenient given his location beneath the kitchen of a fancy French gourmet restaurant, that tempts him to go upstairs and try out his skills. Peter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm and John Ratzenberger also provide vocal talent in the picture. The film was yet another box office hit, and garnered considerably strong reviews. The Acdemy rewarded Bird with his second nomination for Best Original Screenplay. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2010
Pixar veteran Brad Bird sets aside animation for live action with the grand-scale production 1906, a dramatic re-creation of the tragic events leading up to San Francisco burning to the ground during the 1906 earthquake, as seen through the eyes of a college student as he investigates his father's murder. The joint venture between Warner Bros. and Disney/Pixar will find Brad Bird adapting a John Logan script, with Paula Weinstein handling producing duties. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- 2007
While Los Angeles has been the capital of major studio filmmaking in America since the early ears of the 20th Century, in the northern part of California, San Francisco has become home to a different breed of filmmaker -- artists who treasure their independence and carefully guard their creative vision, even while working in the highest echelons of the commercial movie business. Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas are just two of the best-known directors to emerge from the San Francisco film community, and Fog City Mavericks is a documentary which pays homage to a number of important filmmakers from the City by the Bay. In addition to Coppola and Lucas, Fog City Mavericks profiles directors Clint Eastwood, Carroll Ballard, Philip Kaufman and Chris Columbus, pioneering independent auteur John Korty, experimental filmmaker Bruce Conner, producer Saul Zaentz, editor and sound designer Walter Murch, cinematographer and director Caleb Deschanel, digital animation moguls Brad Bird, Pete Docter, John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton, and actor Robin Williams, and many more. While examining these individuals, the film also embraces the whole of the San Francisco film scene, and explains why these artists remain so loyal to their hometown. Fittingly, Fog City Mavericks received its world premiere at the 2007 San Francisco International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2007
- G
A scrawny rat named Remy (voice of Patton Oswalt) finds his dreams of culinary superstardom stirring up sizable controversy in the kitchen of a fine French restaurant in director Brad Bird's madcap computer-animated comedy. It's hard being a rat with culinary aspirations, but Remy is convinced he has what it takes to break the stereotypes and follow in the footsteps of star chef Auguste Gusteau (voice of Brad Garrett). As fate would have it, Remy is currently situated in the sewers directly beneath Gusteau's elegant restaurant. Soon Remy teams up with a young chef with little talent named Linguini (voice of Lou Romano). Together they are able to create some fabulous dishes, but they live in fear that someone will discover their secret and object strenuously to a rat being in a kitchen. When Remy's passion for cooking turns the haughty world of French cuisine upside down, the rat who would be king of the kitchen learns important lessons about life, friends, and family while questioning whether he should pursue his culinary calling or simply go back underground and return to his life as a sewer rat. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, (more)
- 2007
Famed cartoonist Ub Iwerks's granddaughter Leslie turns the camera lens on the artists and storytellers behind some of the most widely hailed animated films of the modern era in the in-depth documentary The Pixar Story. Featuring such key members as John Lasseter, Steve Jobs, and George Lucas, the doc tells the story of the company's humble roots all the way to being one of the biggest power players in Hollywood. Featuring unseen footage of early output from the studio, as well as a full overview of its many box-office successes and technological breakthroughs, Iwerks's film celebrates the artistic spirit that has pushed the boundaries of what animation can deliver, while staying true to the ideals that its parent company Disney once held so dear. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brad Bird, Loren Carpenter, (more)
- 2004
Season nine of the animated redneck comedy series King of the Hill begins as Peggy Hill briefly leaves Arlen, TX and returns to her Montana hometown when her mother is threatened with losing her land as the result of an influx of Hollywood movie stars -- including Henry Winkler, heard as himself. Another Happy Days alumnae, Marion Ross, can be heard as the title character in the next episode, "Ms. Wakefield." In later episodes, Hank Hill is outraged when Peggy buys a lawn gnome; the world of conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble collapses when he becomes convinced that the Warrren Commission has been right all along; Bobby Hill tries to unlock the Fox network on the family TV (so that he can watch his own show?); the Hills' niece Luanne begins dating a good ol' boy named Lucky (voiced by Tom Petty); Native American John Redcorn tries to open up his own gambling casino; the "Smoking Bandit" strikes when all tobacco consumption is banned in Arlen's restaurants; and Bobby thrills his macho dad Hank when he makes the school track team -- but not for the right reasons. In the season's final episode, Hank and his pals try to save their barber buddy Bill when his obsession with his hobbies threatens his job. In addition to the celebrity voices mentioned above, the ninth season of King of the Hill also boasts the vocal talents of Jason Bateman, Trace Adkins, Mac Davis, Tone-Loc, Henry Gibson, and Brendan Fraser. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Directed by Brad Bird, The Incredibles revolves around former high-profile superhero Bob Parr (aka Mr. Incredible), who has not-so-successfully settled into suburban life along with his wife and kids under the watchful eye of the Superhero Protection Program. A far cry from the "glory days" during which "supers" were a welcome addition to society, the Parrs' living situation was brought on after a series of superhero-related lawsuits forced them into hiding. When not trying to fight small-time crime undercover with fellow former superhero Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson), Parr (voice by Craig T. Nelson) is muddling through the corporate world as a paunchy, emotionally unsatisfied insurance claims adjuster. His family is like any other with some notable exceptions -- his daughter has the uncanny ability to become invisible and create impenetrable force fields at will; his son, Dash, can run at incredible speeds; his wife, Helen (Holly Hunter), is known in super circles as Elastigirl, one of the most respected (and pliable) superwomen of her time. Just when it looks as if things can't get any worse for Bob, he gets a summons to show up at a remote island to receive instructions for a highly classified assignment, which he promptly accepts. Thrust back into the world of fighting crime, the Incredible family is back in familiar territory -- saving the world from Syndrome, a jilted former fan of Mr. Incredible. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, (more)
- 2003
Brad Pitt provides the voice of a fellow named Path, the brother of supremely inarticulate good ol' boy Boomhauer, in the opening episode of King of the Hill's eighth season. In subsequent episodes, Texan Hank Hill regrets forcing his son Bobby to join a "positive" Christian youth group (their voices supplied by Sum 41); likewise, wife Peggy suffers the consequences when she secretly administers testosterone medication to Hank. Later on, Hank, Bobby, Boomhauer, Dale Gribble, and Bill Dauterive embark upon a road trip to Arizona; Peggy creates the Strickland Propane Company mascot "Probot"; the Hills' niece Luanne leaves college to jump-start her career as a beauty stylist; Peggy coaches Tom Landry Middle School's cheerleading squad; the entire town is imperiled by a flood, not to mention Bill Dauterive's unexpected bout with megalomania; Hank gets in trouble when he stages a revisionist version of the Battle of the Alamo; and in the season finale, Bobby winds up as an advice counselor for the girls in his school. Other guest voices heard during King of the Hill's eighth season include Gene Simmons, Fred Willard, Chris Elliot, George Strait, Travis Tritt, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Ben Stiller, Christina Applegate, Melissa Etheridge, Elijah Wood, Ben Stein, Johnny Depp, Marg Helgenberger, Tom Petty, Laura Prepon, Lindsay Lohan, and Alyson Hannigan. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Allen and Janice Lowry (John Heard, Patricia Kalember) discover that their only child Erica (Jennifer Brox) has leukemia, and needs an immediate bone-marrow transplant. Unfortunately, neither parent completely matches Erica's DNA; if only she had a sibling who was willing to be a donor. Just when the situation is at its bleakest, who should arrive at the Lowry's doorstep but 16-year-old Robbie (Trever O'Brien), who claims to be Alan's illegitimate son. This turns out to be true--and sadly, it is also true that Robbie's embittered mother Debbie (Sherry Hursey) flatly refuses to allow her son to be tested as a donor. It is up to Monica (Roma Downey) and the angels to not only melt Debbie's hard heart, but also save the Lowrys' now-fractured marriage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2002
Redneck reactionary Hank Hill should by rights be delighted that his "not right" son Bobby has a new girlfriend named Jordan as King of the Hill launches its seventh season; unfortunately, Jordan's parents are the "progressive" kind -- and if there's anything that Hank is opposed to, it is progress! In later episodes, Hank's barber buddy Bill joins the International Federation of Competitive Easting; Peggy Hill's new hairdo literally makes Hank sick just before Thanksgiving; Hank accidentally cuts off the finger of his conspiracy theorist buddy Dale Gribble; Peggy opens a combination bookstore and gun shop; the owner of a pork sausage empire obsessively forces a fashion makeover upon the Hills' niece Luanne (in an episode titled "Pigmalion"); John Redcorn wants Hank to take Joseph (who is John's biological son) on a "vision quest," while Joseph's supposed dad, Dale, still doesn't know what has been going on between his wife Nancy and the redoubtable Redcorn; Bobby is sent to a politically correct boot camp; Peggy is forced to use insecticides after going on a pro-ecological kick; and a black handyman accuses the Hills' dog of racism. The season ends with an episode wherein Bobby's tarot card hobby attracts the attention of a bizarre coven. Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's seventh season include Debra Messing, Eliza Dushku, Milla Jovovich, Elizabeth Perkins, Kid Rock, Lucy Liu, Allison Janney, Michael Keaton, Tom Arnold, George Foreman, Bruce Dern, Carmen Electra, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Kennedy, Bernie Mac, and Janeane Garofalo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
Season six of the animated redneck sitcom King of the Hill begins as 13-year-old Bobby Hill, unable to enroll in the Arlen YMCA's boxing class, takes the next available slot in a women's self-defense class, convincing his macho dad Hank all the more that Bobby "ain't right." In other episodes, Hank's substitute-teacher-spouse Peggy takes her students on a field trip to Mexico and ends up being arrested for kidnapping; a carpenter with the initials J.C. performs a miracle during the Christmas episode; the incomprehensible Boomhauer gives Bobby advice on how to handle women, but proves even more tongue-tied than usual when he himself falls in love for the first time in his life; Peggy foments a feminist rebellion at a Renaissance fair; Hank wins the privilege of carrying the Olympic torch through his neighborhood; military-post barber Bill Dauterive steals a tank when he finds out the Army has been using him for a guinea pig; still unaware that Native American John Redcorn is the real father of his son Joseph, conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble becomes convinced that Joseph is actually a space alien; Hank becomes the token white at an all-Asian country club; and the Hills' niece Luanne joins a Stepford-like sorority. In the season's two-part finale, the Hills head to Japan so that Hank's war veteran dad Cotton can make amends to the wife of a soldier that he killed -- and Hank discovers that he has a Japanese half-brother! Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's sixth season include Gary Busey, Bruce Jenner, Laura Dern, Alan Rickman, Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill, Jeff Goldblum, Ed Asner, Megan Mullally, Laura Linney, and Keith Carradine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
- 2000
It's Christmas time again, and angels Monica (Roma Downey), Tess (Della Reese) and Andrew (John Dye) are on their traditional Yuletide assignment. The three angels become involved in the trials and tribulations of the Benson family, whose son Cody (Christopher Marquette) suffers from Tourette's Syndrome, and whose dad Joe (Richard Lineback) is serving prison time for accidentally killing a teenager in a fit of anger. Things aren't going so well for mom Kathy (Kathleen Wilhoite) either; thanks to a campaign of hatred engineered by the mother (Ann Bosler) of Joe's victim, Kathy is the town pariah, unable to keep a job or even walk down the street without being barraged with angry words. The mission on this occasion is not only to help the Bensons, but also teach a few lessons in forgiveness and tolerance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The fifth season of King of the Hill opens as the Hill family of Arlen, TX eagerly prepares to meet then-governor George W. Bush, in an episode ironically titled "The Perils of Polling." In later episodes, Peggy Hill gets into a fierce blood-donating competition with her Laotian neighbor, Minh; Bobby Hill turns 13 and has a vicious attack of puberty; Arlen's Thanksgiving celebration is blighted when mention is made of the cannibalism in the history of John Redcorn's Native American tribe; Hank Hill's obstreperous father Cotton moves out of his retirement home; big-hearted barber Bill Dauterive is victimized by a wheedling juvenile delinquent; a trip to Austin on the occasion of Bill's birthday ends up disastrously when Hank moons former Texas governor Ann Richards; Hank learns to his horror that he isn't a native Texan; and Peggy and Bobby become hopelessly addicted to charcoal-grilled burgers. Also: Hank befriends a pretty co-worker and finds himself accused of being a pimp; the Hill's niece Luanne signs up for her church's "born again virgin" program, prompting an unexpected confession from Peggy; and Dale Gribble's wife Nancy turns 40, loses her job as a TV weather girl, and tries to sue a cigarette company for making her homely. In the season finale, Bobby poses as a high school student, thereby enmeshing himself in a plan to get the rock group No Doubt to play at the prom. Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's fifth season include Carl Reiner, James Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Amy Hill, John Ritter, Jack Carter, Ellen Barkin, Tom Poston, Snoop Dog, Renée Zellweger, Lisa Kudrow, Owen Wilson, and Robert Stack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
A boy's best friend is his robot in this animated adventure from Brad Bird, best known for his TV work on such series as The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and The Critic. Set in 1957, The Iron Giant focuses on Hogarth (voice of Eli Marienthal), an imaginative nine-year-old boy who daydreams of alien invasions and doing battle with Communist agents. One day, Hogarth hears a local fisherman talk about something that surpasses anything he could dream up: a fifty-foot robot that fell from the sky into a nearby lake. Needless to say, Hogarth's mom, Annie (voice of Jennifer Aniston) finds this a little hard to swallow, but when Hogarth finds the robot (voice of Vin Diesel) and fishes him out of the water, his pal Dean (voice of Harry Connick Jr.), a beatnik sculptor who also runs a junkyard, offers to help by hiding the robot with his salvage. A government agent named Kent Mansley (voice of Christopher McDonald) soon gets wind that there's a mechanical invader of unknown origins in the neighborhood and wants to wipe out the potential threat. However, the robot (which loves to eat metal and is learning to talk) turns out to be friendly, and the boy in turn tries to teach his new pal the ways of humans. The Iron Giant is loosely based on the book The Iron Man by late British poet Ted Hughes, previously adapted for the stage by rock musician Pete Townshend, who executive produced the film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eli Marienthal, Vin Diesel, (more)
- 1999
Season three of King of the Hill had ended with the fate of Peggy Hill literally up in the air when, while skydiving, her chute failed to open. Season four begins with Peggy in a full body cast -- and it will be several episodes before she will make a full recovery. (Who knew that cartoon characters could sustain serious injuries?) Also on the docket this season: Hank Hill's obnoxious dad Cotton becomes the proud papa of a baby boy courtesy of his young trophy wife DeeDee -- a baby whom Cotton contemptuously names "Good Hank." Taking over his recuperating wife's substitute teacher duties, Hank runs afoul of Tom Landry Middle School's zero-tolerance policy. The Hill family's Thanksgiving trip is "fowled up" when airport security mistakes a frozen turkey for a bomb. Hank and Peggy's son Bobby accidentally sees his cousin Luanne "nekkid," and later launches a standup comedy career. Confirmed conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble goes "oh-wow" on psychedelic mushrooms, while Dale's wife Nancy tries to end her affair with John Redcorn. (An infidelity which everybody in town but Dale knows about!) The Y2K computer-crash scare hits Arlen. Barber Bill Dauterive "borrows" an American flag from the Army base where he works. Peggy finally comes to terms with her big feet when they become the "stars" of an Internet fetish site. And in a two-part story, Hank is promoted to manager of Strickland Propane, only to be implicated in the mysterious death of his sexy co-worker Debbie. Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's fourth season include Randy Travis, Clint Black, Lisa Hartman, Martina McBride, Vince Gill, Charlie Daniels, Wynonna Judd, Mac Davis, Meryl Streep, Don Meredith, Drew Carey, Heather Locklear, Kathleen Turner, Reese Witherspoon, Andy Dick, Maura Tierney, Tony Danza, Teri Garr, and Sydney Pollack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
Season three of King of the Hill begins by resolving the cliffhanger ending of season two; specifically, did anyone survive the propane explosion at the Mega Lo Mart? The good news is that practically everyone emerged intact, although Luanne, niece of series protagonists Hank and Peggy Hill, has lost her hair and eyebrows (inspiring her to become "the second Sinead O'Connor"). The bad news is that Luanne's store manager boyfriend Buckley has been killed, though he will ultimately return in ghostly form to advise Luanne to give up beauty school and enroll in junior college. In other developments this season, the Hills' son Bobby begins dating "an older woman" (he's 12, she's 14); Peggy Hill finds out about the clandestine relationship between Native American masseuse John Redcorn and Nancy Gribble, the wife of Hank's pal Dale Gribble (Who, despite seeing sinister conspiracies at every turn, fails to notice his own wife's peccadillos!); the men of the neighborhood attend a "lawn mower focus group"; Hank's inability to get Peggy pregnant proves doubly embarrassing when Hank's obstreperous dad Cotton announces that his trophy bride DeeDee is expecting; mooning over his divorce (for the past three years), Bill Dauterive begins taking on the personality -- and the wardrobe -- of his ex-wife Lenore; substitute teacher Peg is fired for spanking one of her students, and later finds out that one of her former charges is on death row; and Bobby may be forced to marry Luanne. Closing out the season is Peggy's ill-fated decision to do something daring and unexpected on the occasion of her 20th anniversary -- namely, take up skydiving. Guest voices heard during King of the Hill's third season include Sarah Michelle Gellar, William H. Macy, Erik Estrada, Mary Kay Place, Billy Bob Thornton, Dwight Yoakam, Matthew McConaughey, and Mary Tyler Moore. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
The first season of King of the Hill opens with its pilot episode, in which suburban Texas redneck Hank Hill is falsely accused of child abuse when his chubby son Bobby turns up with a black eye, and Luanne Platter, niece of Hank and his wife Peg, moves in with the Hills after her mom is carted off to jail for knifing Luanne's dad. Luanne wastes no time linking up with motorcyle-driving Buckley, whom she dates while pursuing a career as a cosmetician. In later episodes, substitute teacher Peg wrestles with the embarrassment of teaching her son's sex education class; a snipe hunt turns sour; and in the series' first utilization of guest voices from the world of country music, Willie Nelson can be heard in the episode "Hank's Got the Willies"; and another singer, Chuck Mangione, makes his inaugural series "appearance" in "Luanne's Saga." Other highlights amongst King of the Hill's first 12 episodes are "Hank's Unmentionable Problem," cited by co-creator Greg Daniels as his favorite episode; "Westie Side Story," in which the Laotian Souphanousinphones move into Hank's neighborhood; and "Shins of the Father," introducing the character of Hank's loud, hyper-judgmental war veteran father Cotton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
Those tuning in as the animated redneck sitcom King of the Hill began its second season may have noticed that the characters have been slightly redesigned; made to appear more appealing and less grotesque. The season opener is "How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying," one of several installments in which macho Hank Hill is publicly embarrassed by his "not quite right" son Bobby. Other episodes include the Halloween entry, wherein a character who's even more conservative than Hank has everyone believing that the holiday is the Devil's work and that Hank is a Satanist for setting up a haunted house; a touching half hour in which Bobby's self-esteem shoots up when he is hired as a photographer's model (for overweight children's clothes); and Hank's loss of an important propane contract when he and his family don't measure up to a client's image of "the typical Texan." Ultimately, Hank loses his job with Strickland Propane, forcing him into the humiliating position of working for motorcycle bum Buckley at the local Mega Lo Mart. Also: Hank and Peg Hill's niece Luanne inaugurates a Christian TV puppet show, "The Manger Babies"; Peg learns several years after the fact how her hubby Hank really got mono back in high school; Hank's obnoxious father Cotton plots to steal the leg of General Santa Ana; Luanne's homicidal mom Leanne is released from prison; and the intensely inarticulate Boomhauer aspires to drive in the NASCAR race. The season literally ends with a bang when the Mega Lo Mart is destroyed in a propane explosion -- and viewers won't find out who survives the disaster until the beginning of season three. Guest voices heard during season two of King of the Hill include Wallace Shawn, James Carville, John Ritter, Burt Reynolds, Stockard Channing, Carl Reiner, Tammy Wynette (as Hank's mom Tilly), Troy Aikman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Rodriguez, and John Amos. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, (more)
- 1991
Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is a loyal fan of children's entertainer Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta), but when Krusty finally takes Bart up on an invitation to dine with his family, he learns the clown is not a very happy man. After Krusty is asked to say grace, the Simpsons discover that he's Jewish and that the source of his depression is his father, Rabbi Krustofski (voice of Jackie Mason), who disowned his son when he chose to go into show business rather than become a rabbi in accordance with family tradition. As Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) so eloquently puts it, "A man who envies our family is a man who needs help," so Bart and Lisa take it upon themselves to reunite Krusty with his father; they soon learn, however, that Rabbi Krustofski is a very stubborn man. "Like Father, Like Clown" first aired on October 24, 1991. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is a loyal fan of children's television star Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta) -- "He's my idol! I've based my whole life on his teachings!" -- so he's understandably upset when Homer (also voiced by Castellaneta), while stopping at the Kwik-E-Mart on the way home, witnesses Krusty committing armed robbery. While Homer is certain of what he saw, Bart just can't bring himself to believe that the beloved entertainer is guilty. As Krusty awaits trial, his sidekick Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer) takes over the show, and turns the formerly lowbrow program into "The Sideshow Bob Cavalcade of Whimsy," complete with readings from The Man in the Iron Mask and music from Cole Porter. But Bart senses that some of the evidence presented against Krusty just doesn't add up, and with some help from Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith), they find a way to clear Krusty's name and finger the real criminal. Krusty Gets Busted, the first of several Simpsons episodes featuring Kelsey Grammer as the devious Sideshow Bob, first aired on April 29, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy are among the impoverished residents of a slum tenement threatened with demolition by evil land developers. Only a miracle can save Cronyn, Tandy, and their friends -- and that miracle manifests itself in the form of a "family" of extraterrestrial flying saucers, who need the electricity provided by the tenement to survive. The grateful humanized spaceships repay their earthbound hosts by doing battle with the villains' henchmen. When the building is engulfed in flames, all seems lost, but the aliens have a few more tricks up their metallic sleeves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, (more)
Like Watership Down, Plague Dogs is an animated cartoon feature based on a novel by Richard Adams and produced by Martin Rosen. And also like Watership Down, it is more appropriate for an older audience. Two dogs escape from a British government research lab. As the authorities hunt down the canine fugitives, the two dogs search for their original master and for a place where they'll be free from the iniquities and cruelties of Mankind. Plague Dogs was completed in 1982, but was not released in the US until two years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Hurt, Christopher Benjamin, (more)
