Go for Croak
- Episode aired Nov 1, 1969
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
8
YOUR RATING
Photos
Storyline
Featured review
Introducing Crazylegs Crane
'Tijuana Toads' "Go for Croak" (1969)
Opening thoughts: As said in the review title, 'Go for Croak' is the debut cartoon of Crazylegs Crane, a character that despite a few appearances in this series, ones in the Blue Racer and Dogfather theatrical series and his (pretty awful) solo series never really clicked with me. As far as his appearances go, his one in 'Go for Croak' is his most tolerable one possibly (especially compared to El Toro and Pancho), and the cartoon itself is better than the previous two Tijuana Toads cartoons and one of the better ones in the series. Having said that, it is not particularly good, pretty average actually (at least it is better than mediocre like most of the cartoons in the series were).
Good things: Doug Goodwin's music, which was a consistently executed component in a good way. It is still full of characterful energy and if there was one asset that was consistently good in all 17 Tijuana Toads cartoons it was the music. Fortunately there is a good deal more momentum in 'Go For Croak' than there was in the previous two cartoons, it is also less bland, is less repetitive and has more of a sense of conflict.
Furthermore, 'Go For Croak' as said has one of the series' best gags, although it is a "reused for another cartoon one" it was for the series inspired and funny. The gag in question is the one with the nitroglycerin trick. Actually thought the first half was not bad. Was a bit mixed on Crazylegs but he is the best faring character when it comes to being interesting, he is a nice mix of clumsy and crafty and while he is suitably antagonistic at one point it is not hard to feel a little sympathy for him in the way he is treated by El Toro and Pancho.
Bad things: Even for the "being referred to as the Big Tall Chicken" concept, Crazylegs does look as though he was drawn in a rush and his material is neither original or consistently funny. Also thought that Larry D. Mann could have used a voice that fitted the character more, Crazylegs sounds too oafish throughout and it does not fit with his craftier moments earlier. Compared to El Toro and Pancho though he is tolerable, as they are both irritating here as well as too mean-spirited (especially El Toro).
Although the cartoon started promising, it did run out of steam and ideas after the nitroglycerin gag, and despite hating the toads here that ending is one of the series' cruellest endings. The story is very predictable and is pretty much an old situation reused, not uncommon for this series. There are a few good moments, but most of the humour is rehashed and only the nitroglycerin gag is inspired. Crazylegs' landing gags are very tired. The animation is as scrappy and as flat as ever, the dialogue is stilted and the voice work is just too broad.
Concluding thoughts: In summary, one of the better cartoons to star the two toads but pretty average still.
5/10.
Opening thoughts: As said in the review title, 'Go for Croak' is the debut cartoon of Crazylegs Crane, a character that despite a few appearances in this series, ones in the Blue Racer and Dogfather theatrical series and his (pretty awful) solo series never really clicked with me. As far as his appearances go, his one in 'Go for Croak' is his most tolerable one possibly (especially compared to El Toro and Pancho), and the cartoon itself is better than the previous two Tijuana Toads cartoons and one of the better ones in the series. Having said that, it is not particularly good, pretty average actually (at least it is better than mediocre like most of the cartoons in the series were).
Good things: Doug Goodwin's music, which was a consistently executed component in a good way. It is still full of characterful energy and if there was one asset that was consistently good in all 17 Tijuana Toads cartoons it was the music. Fortunately there is a good deal more momentum in 'Go For Croak' than there was in the previous two cartoons, it is also less bland, is less repetitive and has more of a sense of conflict.
Furthermore, 'Go For Croak' as said has one of the series' best gags, although it is a "reused for another cartoon one" it was for the series inspired and funny. The gag in question is the one with the nitroglycerin trick. Actually thought the first half was not bad. Was a bit mixed on Crazylegs but he is the best faring character when it comes to being interesting, he is a nice mix of clumsy and crafty and while he is suitably antagonistic at one point it is not hard to feel a little sympathy for him in the way he is treated by El Toro and Pancho.
Bad things: Even for the "being referred to as the Big Tall Chicken" concept, Crazylegs does look as though he was drawn in a rush and his material is neither original or consistently funny. Also thought that Larry D. Mann could have used a voice that fitted the character more, Crazylegs sounds too oafish throughout and it does not fit with his craftier moments earlier. Compared to El Toro and Pancho though he is tolerable, as they are both irritating here as well as too mean-spirited (especially El Toro).
Although the cartoon started promising, it did run out of steam and ideas after the nitroglycerin gag, and despite hating the toads here that ending is one of the series' cruellest endings. The story is very predictable and is pretty much an old situation reused, not uncommon for this series. There are a few good moments, but most of the humour is rehashed and only the nitroglycerin gag is inspired. Crazylegs' landing gags are very tired. The animation is as scrappy and as flat as ever, the dialogue is stilted and the voice work is just too broad.
Concluding thoughts: In summary, one of the better cartoons to star the two toads but pretty average still.
5/10.
helpful•90
- TheLittleSongbird
- Oct 22, 2023
Details
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content