Nostalgia with The Twist: DuckTales
Look at us, we’re keeping up to date with this thing so far. Our Disney Afternoon week just keeps on trucking. We jump from the world of the Gummi Bears, and for those who read yesterday’s article, you know we have no idea what that world is, to the magical land of Duckburg.
Yes ladies and gentlemen we are going down memory lane with DuckTales.
Its a show we all know, and all love, but how does it review with a Twist. Let’s find out.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMU2NwaaXEA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
So the first shot of the intro is of a duck’s foot. And part of its rear-end. Like I said with Gummi Bears, it is curious what animators choose as their opening shot.
The shot then pulls out to show 3 near identical ducks dancing to the beat. I say near identical because much like any group of similar looking animals (see Ninja Turtles), they wear different colors so we can tell them apart. So we have red, blue and green ducks. Or as they would be called now Component Cable Ducks.
They turn and face the camera when an older duck, who is dressed SO much better jumps into the picture. I mean he has a top hat, the glasses that sit on your nose and not over your eyes, and a walking stick.
If that wasn’t enough to scream money to you, he literally throws money like its nothing upon his entrance. Ladies and gentlemen, that is class.
The song starts kicking in with its lyrics, but I think someone didn’t get the memo. The song mentions “life is like a hurricane,” but the image shows the older, richer, more classier duck being chased by what would best be described as a tidal wave of gold coins. Not exactly a hurricane. And how rich do you need to be in order to have money chasing you? And how do I get that rich?
The money finally does him in as he seems to be buried underneath several sacks of gold coins, and again I question just how rich you need to be for something like that to happen.
We get an aerial shot of what I can only assume is Duckburg. We also get to see a very drunk helicoper. That thing is zinging and zanging all over the place.
Oh looks like we get some vintage mobster types. Even driving a very old-timey look car. Yes, old-timey is a phrase.
This show shall be fun. “Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes.” I mean… could a nerd ask for anything more. I would say a hot chick, but the show is named Ducktale, and that’s usually not the type of tale someone wants to pull. (I apologize to any of our bestiality fans out there. )
The song doesn’t lie either as we get a shot of the mobsters in a car. Then the three color-clashed ducks from the beginning playing with a laser gun of sorts and finally we have another duck flying a one person plane.
Yay! The old,rich, powerful and classy duck isn’t dead but he isn’t too bright either as he walks into an obvious barrier which electrifies him. I wonder how well the gold in his pocket conducted that.
“Might solve a mystery”, who doesn’t like a good mystery. Though these ducks don’t exactly scream the Scooby gang to me. They are seen walking down steps to what looks like a very mysterious tomb with nothing but a match. Not a candle. Not a torch, but a single match. That’s some guts.
Another random duck in armor pretending to joust. We don’t see what he is aiming at or if he connects.
The rich, old, powerful, classy and not too bright duck is back and he is proving that last point. As he takes a dive into his pool of money. Don’t re-read that sentence, yes I said his pool of money. The duck is so filthy rich apparently that he takes swims in his money. Let’s ignore how much it would hurt to swim in a pool of gold coins. Or even forget the fact you’d have to be pretty strong to make any head ways. That is just friggin awesome!
And just to prove how worthless money is to him, he spits some out after his dip in his money pool. Old, wise, powerful, rich, classy but not too bright duck, you are my new hero.
We get an introduction to our first female duck, and just to prove she is a female she is wearing pink. And she is in a submarine with the old, wise, noble, powerful, rich, classy but not too bright duck. They are being pursued by a shark, but they don’t seem too phased by it.
They are so unphased by said shark that female duck in pink kisses it! SHARK WEEK indeed!
The dragon from Gummi Bears apparently has a cousin because we have a green fire-breathing dragon in this show. Wonder if they have the same agent? This one does away with the facial hair instead sporting some spiffy glasses if I do say so myself.
Perhaps he is the first Dragon Nerd? I wonder if we could get him on the site.
I should also note that he is wearing a red sweater. Why a fire breathing dragon needs to be kept warm is beyond me. I mean he breathes fire. How could can you get?
Now we have a giant masked man holding the rich duck in his hand. Worse yet, it appears he has also scooped up some of the money pool!
Oh another female duck, who I’m gonna assume is evil because she’s dressed in all black and hanging around with a crow. Some stereotypes exist for a reason folks. And mama always told me be wary of ducks dressed in all black. I’m looking at you Daffy!
And just to show that there is some light-heartedness to this show, there is a pie/cake fight on top of the mobster type dudes from before. I should also note, they are not ducks.
“D-d-d-danger lurks behind you” the song warns as we see red shirt duck scratching and clawing as he is being chased by one of the not-a-duck villains.
There’s also a “stranger out to find you” which probably wouldn’t be as easy if they weren’t hanging around a mummy’s tomb on their own with no adult supervision. Playing with a device that glows. I mean what part of that seems safe?
The old, rich, powerful duck is also athletic it seems. Like I said before, swimming in pools of gold coin takes a lot of strength, and apparently he has worked on his speed as he races across a crumbling floor and jumps to safety. We’d give it an 7.5, not the best jump!
I’m not even sure what the next shot has to do with the show, but it appears like its a trio of robots playing hockey and high-fiveing each other. If any of that makes sense to you, please drop us a line!
And now the rich duck is doing some space exploration, but apparently he is only doing it to find a dollar bill he lost? Someone should point out to him that he probably spent more money going out into space to get that bill than he would have if he left it alone.
To throw salt into his wounds, the people on the spacecraft pick him up before he can get the lone bill which is then promptly stolen by a mini-alien. What an alien needs Earth currency for I can’t answer.
This duck is just living the good life. From space to a mine cart. Probably racing through some condemned mineshaft just for the heck of it.
The color-clashed ducks are once again left on their own, and this time found trouble with a tiger. Lucky for them, this is a Disney show so of course the tiger is friendly, and embraces them in a giant group hug.
Girl duck hides in a picnic basket. Now she is only in danger from Yogi Bear.
Now rich duck, and heavily bearded duck are racing up the side of a totem. At the top is their prize. A magic lamp. I assume this is where WWF got the concept of a ladder match?
Finally, we see the title of the show as Ducktales. Rich duck and color-clashed ducks pop out of the gold in celebration. Â And we’re done.
I would check out this show based on the intro. Its hard not to compare em, but I felt this was more focused than the Gummi Bear intro. Sure, you still get random shots here and there, but it told a grand tale of adventure.
And who doesn’t like a little adventure in their life.
So everyone head on down to Duckburg.
Shame the video isn’t higher-res, because the sweater-wearing dragon appears to also be wearing a name tag. Seeing what is written there “might solve a mystery” of why this show’s intro has a dragon wearing glasses and a sweater.
I assume he was disgruntled that the DragonTales cartoon didn’t take off for some time.