Hi
there! Welcome to Cinema Sunday where I
take a look at movies from my past that I like and want to talk about.
Today I want to discuss what arguably may be my favorite animated movie, The Emperor's New Groove.
A lot of what appeals to me about this particular Disney animated film is how much it defies the typical conventions and tropes of a Disney animated film. There's a wild loose irreverent spirit that seems more indicative of the best of Chuck Jones' Bugs Bunny cartoons from Warner Brothers. There's a lot of meta references by the characters, sly winks telling the audience that what their watching is incredibly silly and doesn't always make sense.
Ostensibly, this movie takes place during the Incan Empire but the anachronism stew of pop culture references pretty much undermines any serious understanding of Incan culture.
At the center of The Emperor's New Groove is the emperor, Kuzco, a selfish, snarky boy king who's chief concern is building a water park on top of a hill were people already live.
One of those people is Pacha, a big loveable kindly bear of a man. His family has lived on that hill for generations. Kuzco wants to put a water slide through his house.
Then there's Yzma, an insanely old and skeletally thin woman who's running things instead of Kuzco. Kuzco fires Yzma which inspires her to hatch a plan of murderous revenge. In her secret lab surrounded by potions, Yzma picks up a vial.
"I'll use this to turn him into a flea, a harmless little flea. Then I'll put that flea in box and then I'll put that box inside of another box and then I'll mail that box to myself and when it arrives, I'LL SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!"
The Yzma picks up a different vial.
"Or to save on postage, I'll just poison him with this."
Kuzco does get poisoned but the effect is not what was intended thanks to a mix up by Yzma's assistant, Kronk.
Kronk is a hulking muscled up man boy who is dim witted but not without special skills like baking delicious spinach puffs and speaking to squirrels.
Anyway, the poison does not kill Kuzco. It transforms him into a llama.
Yes, a llama.
It's that kind of movie.
Events transpire that places llama Kuzco unconscious in the back of Pacha's wagon as he heads back home. Eventually, Pacha discovers the transfigured Kuzco and despite the emperor being a total dick to him before, he agrees to help him get back home where he will be hopefully restored to normal. Because Pacha is a really nice guy.
Pacha thinks there's some good in everybody.
Kuzco will seriously and repeatedly challenge that assertion.
Then Yzma learns that llama Kuzco is not dead. Or as Kronk puts it, "not as dead as you thought he would be." So Yzma and Kronk head off the hills to look for llama Kuzco and kill him for real.
I'm not going to summarize this further because, well, frankly, I'm not sure I can even after seeing this movie dozens of times.
The inherent illogic of this movie is epitomized in a scene where Kronk pulls down a map of criss-crossed lines and says, "Well, you got me! By all accounts, it doesn't make sense."
The voice casting of this movie is incredibly good. David Spade is perfect for Kuzco through all the phases of his development. John Goodman fills out Pacha's voice with warmth and humanity.
Earth Kitt as Yzma is a revelation, conveying Yzma's wicked intentions and her comic exasperation at the absurdity of everything happening around. And much of that absurdity is from Kronk who is voiced by Patrick Warburton with a sweetness and a certain innate wisdom that belies Kronk's status as a dim witted minion of a villainess.
Another thing I like about The Emperor's New Groove is that I find it imminently quotable.
"No touch! No touchy! Noooooooo touchy!"
"Well, he ain't getting any deader!"
"Old and scary beyond all reason?"
"He's trying to lead you down the path of righteousness. I'm gonna lead you down the path that rocks!"
"Why do we even have that lever?"
"Squeak squeak squeakity squeaken!"
"I've been turned into a cow. Can I go home?"
"It's called a cruel irony, much like my dependence on you!"
And whenever I have to work up a plan with many stages, I always like to make the last part, "And then I'll smash it with a hammer."
The Emperor's New Groove never fails to elicit a laugh. If I'm feeling down or just don't care about things, I can watch this movie and it makes me feel better. It's a silly and stupid movie that shouldn't have that kind of power to make me feel better.
"Well, you got me! By all accounts, it doesn't make sense."
Which is why The Emperor's New Groove remains my favorite animated movie.
__________________________________
Speaking of animation...
Today I want to discuss what arguably may be my favorite animated movie, The Emperor's New Groove.
A lot of what appeals to me about this particular Disney animated film is how much it defies the typical conventions and tropes of a Disney animated film. There's a wild loose irreverent spirit that seems more indicative of the best of Chuck Jones' Bugs Bunny cartoons from Warner Brothers. There's a lot of meta references by the characters, sly winks telling the audience that what their watching is incredibly silly and doesn't always make sense.
Ostensibly, this movie takes place during the Incan Empire but the anachronism stew of pop culture references pretty much undermines any serious understanding of Incan culture.
At the center of The Emperor's New Groove is the emperor, Kuzco, a selfish, snarky boy king who's chief concern is building a water park on top of a hill were people already live.
One of those people is Pacha, a big loveable kindly bear of a man. His family has lived on that hill for generations. Kuzco wants to put a water slide through his house.
Then there's Yzma, an insanely old and skeletally thin woman who's running things instead of Kuzco. Kuzco fires Yzma which inspires her to hatch a plan of murderous revenge. In her secret lab surrounded by potions, Yzma picks up a vial.
"I'll use this to turn him into a flea, a harmless little flea. Then I'll put that flea in box and then I'll put that box inside of another box and then I'll mail that box to myself and when it arrives, I'LL SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER!"
The Yzma picks up a different vial.
"Or to save on postage, I'll just poison him with this."
Kuzco does get poisoned but the effect is not what was intended thanks to a mix up by Yzma's assistant, Kronk.
Kronk is a hulking muscled up man boy who is dim witted but not without special skills like baking delicious spinach puffs and speaking to squirrels.
Anyway, the poison does not kill Kuzco. It transforms him into a llama.
Yes, a llama.
It's that kind of movie.
Events transpire that places llama Kuzco unconscious in the back of Pacha's wagon as he heads back home. Eventually, Pacha discovers the transfigured Kuzco and despite the emperor being a total dick to him before, he agrees to help him get back home where he will be hopefully restored to normal. Because Pacha is a really nice guy.
Pacha thinks there's some good in everybody.
Kuzco will seriously and repeatedly challenge that assertion.
Then Yzma learns that llama Kuzco is not dead. Or as Kronk puts it, "not as dead as you thought he would be." So Yzma and Kronk head off the hills to look for llama Kuzco and kill him for real.
I'm not going to summarize this further because, well, frankly, I'm not sure I can even after seeing this movie dozens of times.
The inherent illogic of this movie is epitomized in a scene where Kronk pulls down a map of criss-crossed lines and says, "Well, you got me! By all accounts, it doesn't make sense."
The voice casting of this movie is incredibly good. David Spade is perfect for Kuzco through all the phases of his development. John Goodman fills out Pacha's voice with warmth and humanity.
Earth Kitt as Yzma is a revelation, conveying Yzma's wicked intentions and her comic exasperation at the absurdity of everything happening around. And much of that absurdity is from Kronk who is voiced by Patrick Warburton with a sweetness and a certain innate wisdom that belies Kronk's status as a dim witted minion of a villainess.
Another thing I like about The Emperor's New Groove is that I find it imminently quotable.
"No touch! No touchy! Noooooooo touchy!"
"Well, he ain't getting any deader!"
"Old and scary beyond all reason?"
"He's trying to lead you down the path of righteousness. I'm gonna lead you down the path that rocks!"
"Why do we even have that lever?"
"Squeak squeak squeakity squeaken!"
"I've been turned into a cow. Can I go home?"
"It's called a cruel irony, much like my dependence on you!"
And whenever I have to work up a plan with many stages, I always like to make the last part, "And then I'll smash it with a hammer."
The Emperor's New Groove never fails to elicit a laugh. If I'm feeling down or just don't care about things, I can watch this movie and it makes me feel better. It's a silly and stupid movie that shouldn't have that kind of power to make me feel better.
"Well, you got me! By all accounts, it doesn't make sense."
Which is why The Emperor's New Groove remains my favorite animated movie.
__________________________________
Speaking of animation...
Our
daughter Randie is home from college for a week and sometime today, we’re
planning to see the new Pixar film, Onward.
Movies that we go to see that are out in theaters right now get their own posts and one on Onward will be forthcoming.
Movies that we go to see that are out in theaters right now get their own posts and one on Onward will be forthcoming.
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