Saturday Morning Cartoon: Dudley Do-Right

Dudley Do-right was created as a back-up feature for the Bullwinkle Show in 1961.  Jay Ward and is accomplished staff of writers and directers were always able to overcompensate for cheap animation with great writing and directing, and Dudley Do-Right was one of their crowning achievements.   I had the opportunity to watch the following episode recently in a crowded theater where it was a HUGE hit from start to finish.   Enjoy "The Sawmill."

Restaurant Review #4: Pie 'n' Burger

Guess what I had for lunch.

Hamburgers are one of those things that the restaurant community is always trying to re-invent.   Several gourmet or trendy restaurants have re-envisioned the burger, with odd variations that included goat cheese, Kobe beef, cranberries, olives, salmon, and - in the worst-case scenario - a fried egg.   A FRIED EGG.   Sorry, I had to repeat that in case you weren't sure you read it right the first time.   A FRIED EGG.   The Burger Bar in Las Vegas has a $60 burger on their menu that includes foie gras and shaved truffles.   This all may be your cup of tea, but I prefer a old-time classic burger.   One of the best places to get a classic burger is in a little diner in Pasadena called Pie 'n' Burger.

Like the Apple Pan, this little diner is often listed as serving one of the best burgers in Southern California.  It has been in the same location in Pasadena since 1963, when the place opened.   The current owner started working there in 1972 and has kept the same restaurant fixtures, recipes and personnel.   The head baker has been there since 1972, and one waitress has been there since the restaurant opened.  It's small and unassuming; a large lunch counter and about 5 tables make up the entire seating area.  Seat yourself at the counter and look up at the wall, because, like any good lunch couter, that is where you will find the menu.  Burgers, sandwiches and a few hot dishes make up the menu.  They also serve a plethora of fresh-baked desserts, which I will get to later in this review.   Patience, little one.

I ordered the burger.   Duh.   What else do you order in a place called Pie 'n' Burger?   Well, yeah, I guess you could order pie too, but as I said, have patience.   The burger is brought to you wrapped in paper on a plate.   The meat is obviously hand-formed, giving each burger its own unique shape.  Fries are optional; They are good but nothing spectacular.   But the burger....   aaahhh.   It's just as it should be.  A nice big piece of fresh, crunchy lettuce, Tillamook cheese, and a hand-made thousand-island sauce that mixes with the juice from the meat to create a messy yet tantalizing burger.    I'm sure the onions and pickles are good too, if you like that kind of thing.  I don't. 

What wasn't so good?   Well, I was surprised to find that the milkshakes were not as good as I had hoped.   For a great milkshake, head over to nearby Fosselman's in Arcadia.   I'll write a review about that place later.  

Now for the dessert.   I had berry pie.  The pie was very good.   Not the best I have had, but very good diner pie.   The big secret ended up being the dessert my dining partner ordered - strawberry cake.   It's made with real strawberries, both in the cake and in the frosting.   My dining partner swears by it.   During our last visit there, they were sold out, and she swore by it in an entirely different way.  I snuck out the back door.

 Pie 'n' Burger is a Pasadena institution that is well worth a visit if you are in the area.  The meal is a little pricey, especially if you order two burgers like I always seem to do, but well worth it.   Tell them Joe sent you and demand a good table.   It won't mean anything to them, but I like to embarrass you every chance I get. 

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Porky Pig's Feat

Today I'm bringing you "Porky's Pig's Feat" a black and white Looney Tune released in 1943 and directed by Frank Tashlin. Tashlin is one of the lesser-known Looney Tunes directors among the general public; however, he was one of the most successful. He started directed at Warner Bros. in 1938, left for a while and returned for three years, from 1943-1946. At that point Tashlin left animation to become a live-action writer and director, working with such talents as Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Jerry Lewis. He wrote films such as "The Paleface" "The Fuller Brush Man" and "The Lemon Drop Kid," and directed "Cinderfella," "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?" and "Artist and Models" among others. In his cartoon work, you can defintely see him experimenting as a director, with odd camera angles and movement that were beyond what the other directors were doing at the time. Watch the scene in this cartoon starting at 2:40, where much of the action is shown via camera pans, reflection, and very odd camera angles. Enjoy!

Dog Tease

This video has made the rounds, so you have probably already seen it.   If not, sit back and prepare to feel sad.   Very sad.

Restaurant Review #3: The Bahooka Restaurant

Tiki bars were a big thing in the 1940'3 and 1950's.   Places like Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic's and the like were the popular places to go to sip mai tais and zombies.  Tiki bars have recently experienced a resurgence, with many new tiki bars opening up around the hip places in LA.   Heck, Disneyland just opened one at the Hotel, called Trader Sams.  However, if you want to go to an authentic 50's tiki bar that is anything but trendy, head for the Bahooka Restaurant in Rosemead, CA. 


The Bahooka actually opened up in 1967, a little late in the tiki craze.   However, you'd never know it was a latecomer.  The entire place is agog with nautical artifacts, tiki architecture, and fishtanks.   TONS of fishtanks.   It's rumored that there are over 100 fishtanks in this restaurant, and I'd be the last one to argue this estimate.   And these fish aren't your doctor's-waiting-room variety, either.   We are talking large tropical fish, small sharks, turtles and the like.   As you walk into the lobby, you are greeted by Rufus, a 33-year old pacu that is enormous.   If you're in luck, you may catch the restaurant staff feeding Rufus carrots.  Not a place you'll want to stick your fingers.

Cashier station (click for larger view)

As you are taken to your table, you'll pass by the small bar.   The restaurant is famous for its tiki drinks, but the bar itself is something to behold...   it's a large fishtank.   As you place your drink on the counter you can look down and see turtles and fish glide past the bottom of your glass.   If you drink like a fish, you'll be in good company.

At your table, you are guaranteed a great view of the tropical fish.  Each booth is surrounded by at least three tanks, plus various others around the seating area.   Did I mention that the Bahooka is known for their drinks?   I am not a drinker myself, but here I always indulge in something just for the presentation.   The Bahooka Ade is my drink of choice.   Yes, it's non alcoholic, but it's brought out in a flaming bowl for two.   The other drinks are all wonderful, according to those of you who know.   You can't go wrong when your drink is served with a little paper parasol.

The food is...   adequate.  It's good, but the food is not the main reason you are coming here.   Polynesian ribs are the specialty here, which come with a pineapple glaze that I really enjoyed.   The chicken had a teriyaki glaze that was delicious as well.   Desserts are not worth mentioning, so I won't.  

Before you leave the Bahooka, be sure to walk around and take in all the decor.   There is one seating area for small groups that is located in a jail.   The banquet room is awash in color and yes, more fishtanks.   Christmas lights adorn one of my favorite booths.  And the fish are really worth seeing.   It's like getting a free visit to an aquarium with every meal.   My favorite fish are the ones that build mountains.   It's something to see:   they use their mouths to scoop up mounds of the gravel from the bottom of the tanks, then spit it all out on the highest point in the tank, creating a mountain.  


With the re-introduction of Tiki Architecture across LA, this restaurant is well worth a visit.   It's conveniently located off the 10 Freeway, on Rosemead Blvd.   Aloha, and Numi Kai Tan Yo!  (that's Hawaiian for "even though the bowl is meant for two, you really don't have to share.")

Click on the pictures for larger views.   Disclaimer:   If you have a fear of fish, I do not recommend this place.   This is directed at a certain reader:   YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Goonland

Today's cartoon features that one-eyed runt, that spinach-slurpin' sailor, Popeye.   Popeye originally appeared in in a comic strip called "Thimble Theater" on January 17, 1929.  He was originally just an incidental character, but his popularity rose and rose until he became the star of the strip.  In 1933, the Max Fleischer studios began producing Popeye animated cartoons.   They were highly successful, and for a time Popeye was the #1 cartoon star in the US, passing over Mickey Mouse for the title.  The Fleischers lost their studio to Paramount in 1942, and the Popeye cartoons began a gradual decline in quality at that time.   However, in their heyday they were inventive and fun, and rarely the same Popeye / Olive / Bluto rivalry thing over and over.  Here's a great one from 1938: "Goonland," which chronicles Popeye's quest to find his long-lost father.



For those of you who prefer the Popeye / Olive / Bluto rivalry, here's another great one, "The Paneless Window Washer" from 1937.

By the way....

More Restaurant reviews are coming soon.   I have them ready, but I have lost the little cable that I use to download pictures onto the computer.   Once I find that, the reviews will commence.   I have pictiures from The Bahooka Restaurant (one of my favorites) Pie and Burger, The Chicken Box, and a few others.  So don't change that dial, hopefully they will be here soon!

Top Animated Films, as chosen by Joefood...

Here it is!   As I promised, here is my list of top animated films of all time!

The problem with putting together a list like this is deciding on the criteria.   There are three different ways I am looking at this:   Should a top list include the best-made animated films, the most groundbreaking, or the most enjoyable?   Fantasia, for instance, qualifies in two of those areas, but many of my friends feel the film is less than enjoyable.  "Like having teeth pulled" is how one friend described it, a viewpoint I do not endorse except maybe during the Toccata and Fugue section.

It's also hard not to make a list that is heavy on the Disney films.   But, let's face it, Disney made more animated films than anyone, and had the market cornered for most of the last 70 years.  Snow White will still be shown to audiences long after Madagascar and Ice Age have had their time in the spotlight.  Disney animated films are still the benchmark for the industry, so the list may be heavy with Disney Films, including the Pixar films, which now hold the dominance the Disney hand-drawn films once held.

Here is my list.  I think any one of these 20 films can hold its own among the greatest films of all time, in any medium.    I held it down to 20, as after that it gets a lot more muddled...

1. Pinocchio
Probably the most technically perfect animated film of all time, combining perfect animation, expert effects, a beautiful score and memorable characters.   Also, probably the most terrorizing animated films of all time, not counting Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer...
2.  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
It's hard not to put this film as #1, as it showed everyone how it should be done.   However, I have to give the edge to Pinocchio.
3.  Bambi
Another beautiful, and almost lyrical film.  Bambi is probably the film that caused Kleenex sales to jump dramatically in the 1940's.  Saddest...moment....ever.  At least for animated films.
4.  Fantasia
Sorry, all, but it's a beautiful film and it makes my list.   If you don't like it make your own list.
5.  The Little Mermaid
The film that helped start the animation renaissance of the 1990's and beyond.   I remember distinctly seeing this film, and walking out of the theater saying "Wow...   Disney actually CAN still make a classic animated film worthy of Snow White!"  The huge impression it had on me at the time gives it this high ranking.
6. Beauty and the Beast
Another near-perfect animated film.  The basic story could have been down without animation, but the supporting characters and great songs make it a Disney classic.
7.  Toy Story
Toy Story was the first computer-generated animated film of all time, launching the trend that dominates the industry today.  I went to see this film with skepticism.   I felt there was no way a computer animated film could create the characters, the emotion and the sincerity that hand-drawn animation could capture.   Boy, was I wrong.  This film, along with The Little Mermaid, had the biggest impact on me concerning the future of animation.
8.  The Incredibles
Action!   Comedy!  Mystery!   Romance!   The Incredibles had it all.  For added fun, watch "Jack-Jack Attack" (a short cartoon on the DVD release) right after watching the film.  It fills you in on what was happening in the Incredible's home while they were out saving the world.
9.  Toy Story 3
Each film in the Toy Story Trilogy is a masterpiece, and this one is the one that ends it all perfectly.  'Nuff said.
10.  Dumbo
A favorite of one and all, always ending up on someone's top ten list.
11.  One Hundred and One Dalmations
I have always loved this film.   Cruella De Vil, to me, will always be the greatest Disney Villain of all time.  Her first scene, as she bursts into Roger and Anita's apartment, sells me on the film every time.

12.  Lilo and Stitch
This is the anti-Disney Disney film.   The plotline sounds ludicrous (alien criminal lands in Hawaii and is adopted by an dysfunctional family, with songs by Elvis Presley) and yet it works beautifully.   Stitch has joined the ranks of memorable Disney characters like Baloo, Dopey, Goofy, and the rest of the merchandised mob.
13.  The Lion King
The story is predictable, but the animation, the characters and the music all combined to make it the highest-grossing animated film of its time.  
14.  Aladdin
Just plain funny, with great songs as well. 
15.  Toy Story 2
When Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl, tells her background story, I get choked up every single time.   Curse her!   Another great Toy Story film.  This one especially hits home, because as a comic-book collector I can really commiserate with the villain, Al from Al's Toy Barn.  To be so close to completing his collection, only to have the airlines lose his suitcase.... 
16.  Ratatouille
This movie combines two of my passions - animation and food.   Despite the gross-out factor involving rats handling food, this is a great animated film with Parisian settings that look better than the original.
17.  The Iron Giant
My first non-Disney film!  If you saw the film you would understand how it made the list.   The story of a small boy who adopts a giant robot from outer space seems like Saturday-Morning cartoon material.   Well, understand that this movie was directed by Brad Bird, the genius behind The Incredibles.   A hugely enjoyable and moving picture.
18.  Shrek
I liked the first Shrek film.   It was funny, had a cute story and some great characters.   Each subsequent Shrek film has been worse and worse, but I still have a soft spot for Shrek #1.
19.  Up
Another hit from Pixar
20.  Lady and the Tramp
Everyone raves about the 10-second clip of Lady and the Tramp chewing on the same spaghetti strand, but they fail the remember that this small scene is part of one of the most romantic scenes in cinema history.  It's loaded with charm and humor as well.

Honorable Mention:
The Simpsons Movie
Not perfect, but it definitely harkins back to the first 9 seasons of the show, when the writers were operating on all cylinders.
South Park:   Bigger, Longer and Uncut
The first half was great.   The second half....   not so much.

I also need to get around to seeing "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Kung Fu Panda" both of which I hear may make the final cut.  Let me know what you think I left off, or what I should have left off, in the comments below.

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Roger Ramjet

Today I'm going to introduce many of you to one of the funniest cartoons you've probably never heard of:  Roger Ramjet.  Created in 1965 and voiced by Gary Owens, Roger Ramjet was the leader of the American Eagles, a group dedicated to keeping the world safe from evil.   The animation is poor, but the direction and the writing more than make up for the low budgets.   There were 156 five-minute episodes produced for syndication, and while everyone one isn't a gem, as a whole they are hysterical.   The running gags alone are worth the price of admission.   Here are two episodes chosen almost at random:  "Hi Noon" and "Miss America."   Enjoy!

TIME stands still....

Time magazine's movie critic Richard Corliss just published a list of the top 25 animated films of all time.   If you follow this link, you can read the author's comments plus watch trailers from each of the films on the list.  Or, if you're not that interested, I have posted the list below:

1. Pinocchio (1940)
2. WALL-E (2008)
3. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie (1979)
4. Dumbo (1941)
5. Spirited Away (2001)
6. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
7. Up (2009)
8. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
9. Finding Nemo (2003)
10. The Little Mermaid (1989)
11. Toy Story 3 (2010)
12. Toy Story (1995)
13. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
14. The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)
15. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
16. Happy Feet (2006)
17. Akira (1988)
18. The Lion King (1994)
19. Tangled (2010)
20. Paprika (2007)
21. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
22. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
23. Yellow Submarine (1968)
24. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
25. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Huh?   I realize that lists are very subjective, and lists like these are made to invite comments and controversy, but really?  Horton Hears a Who?  The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Movie??  HAPPY FEET??? 
Sadder than what is on the list are the films that were left out.   Films like Bambi, Fantasia, The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and the Beauty and the Beast (nominated for Best Picture) were left off to make room for films like South Park - Bigger, Longer and Uncut.  And Happy Feet.  HAPPY FEET.   Let me say it again, because I just can't believe it - HAPPY FEET???
I admit that I am no movie critic.   I also admit that I have yet to see every animated films.   I still need to sit down and watch Kung Fu Panda and How to Train your Dragon, both of which I have been told are great films and possibly deserving of this recognition.   I have never heard of Paprika.   I watched Spirited Away, and despite everyone raving about the movie, I just didn't get it.  But any list that puts the Bugs Bunny Road Runner Movie as the third best animated film of all time is a few sardines short of a can.  I love the cartoons, but 10 cartoons strung together don't work as a movie.  And, for the record, neither does HAPPY FEET.
To give credit to Mr. Corliss, I would put Pinocchio at the top of list.  I think this is one the most technically perfect animated films ever made.   Disney was at the top of their game at the time, and ever scene in the picture is a masterpiece.  As a child, the scene where Lampwick is turned into a donkey terrified me.  It starts slow, almost as a joke, then slowly builds, becoming more and more intense as the pace and horror builds to a climax.   It gives me goosebumps to this day.  



If I have a chance, I'll compile my own list in the next day or so.  In the meantime, I invite your comments.   What do YOU consider as the best animated films of all time?  Post your choices in the comments section below!