I Go Pogo (1980)

Director:

Marc Paul Chinoy

Writers:

Walt Kelly (comic strip: "Pogo"), Marc Paul Chinoy

Stars:

Jonathan Winters, Vincent Price, Ruth Buzzi

Cast

Cast overview:
Jonathan Winters	...	Porky Pine / Molester Mole / Wiley Catt (voice)
Vincent Price	...	Deacon Mushrat (voice)
Ruth Buzzi	...	Miz Beaver / Miss Mam'selle Hepzibah (voice)
Stan Freberg	...	Albert the Alligator (voice)
Jimmy Breslin	...	P.T. Bridgeport (voice)
Arnold Stang	...	Churchy LaFemme (voice)
Bob McFadden	...	Howland Owl / Bothered Bat (voice)
Len Maxwell	...	Bewitched Bat / Seminole Sam / Narrator (voice)
Bob Kaliban	...	Bewildered Bat (voice)
Marcia Savella	...	Miz Beetle (voice)
Mike Schultz	...	Fremount the Boy Bug (voice)
Skip Hinnant	...	Pogo Possum (voice)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

stop motion animation | election | animal as human | anthropomorphism | based on comic | 

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Taglines:

We promise more...Laughs, Politics and Swamp Critters!

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pogo for President: 'I Go Pogo'

Filming Locations:

Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

O.G.P.I. Inc., Possum Productions Inc., Stowmar Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1984 Disney Home Video released what was essentially the "HBO cut" on VHS tape, and then United American Video re-released this same version to the "sell-through" home video market in 1989.

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Quotes

Albert the Alligator: Hmm now first of all, uh, we should build a "Cleopatra's barge" for Miss Hepzibah, then we tow it twelve miles offshore and she rows up the Potomac, greeted by flame-throwers and a ba-rrage of flowers... we whisk her to the white house, and there on the lawn is her Prince Pogo!

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Connections

References Harper Valley P.T.A. (1978)

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Soundtracks

"THE CHASE!!"
Written by Gary Baker
Performed by Dr. Hook's Medicine Show featuring Eddie Bowers

User Reviews

None of the charm of the source material

Much as I love the concept of an animated version of "Pogo," this movie falls flat in too many ways.

First, the decision to use stop-motion as the animation technique really doesn't do the characters any justice; the Okefenokee folk were never meant to be rendered in anything resembling 3D, and look very unlike their comic strip counterparts here.

Second, Marc Paul Chinoy made a mistake of just adapting a slew of 1952 strips (from the original "Pogo For President" storyline) and a few 1960 strips to form the bulk of his screenplay, without updating them. (For example, the whole "reluctant candidate" theme was a stab at 1952's Democratic candidate, Adlai Stevenson, who didn't want the job but let himself be drafted. The reluctance jokes didn't translate into 1980, or any election since.) Where he wrote original material (like the fun fair sequence), it became obvious that he didn't really know or understand the characters.

The movie does have a few good things to recommend it. The voice cast is top drawer, with Vincent Price, Jonathan Winters, Stan Freberg, Arnold Stang, Ruth Buzzi, Bob McFadden, and Skip Hinnant all turning in top notch work. The songs (especially Dr. Hook's "Hard To Be A Friend") are pretty good; I almost wish there had been a soundtrack release instead of a video. These two factors alone account for the stars I give this film.

This isn't a good movie, or a good adaptation of the comic strip, but is pretty close. It would be nice to see what it could have become in more competent hands.