Garfield on the Town
Garfield on the Town | |
---|---|
Theme music composer | Ed Bogas and Desirée Goyette (music and lyrics) Robert Vandervort (co-writer of "Home Again") Desirée Goyette and Lou Rawls (vocals) |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producer | Jay Poynor |
Producers | Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez |
Cinematography | Amy Barrick |
Editors | Roger Donley Michael Tomack Richard C. Allen |
Running time | 24 minutes |
Production companies | Mendelson/Melendez Productions United Media Productions |
Original release | |
Network | CBS |
Release | October 28, 1983 |
Related | |
Garfield on the Town is a 1983 animated
The special was first broadcast October 28, 1983 on CBS. It won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program and has been released on LaserDisc and DVD.
This is the second of twelve Garfield television specials made between 1982 and 1991.
Plot
The next day, Garfield meets the rest of his extended family, including his sickly half-brother Raoul, his cousin Sly, who is the security guard on watch for the Claws, and his tough maternal grandfather. Garfield is appalled to learn that everyone in his entire family are mousers. Meanwhile, the Claws finally track Garfield down, surround the entire building, and demand Garfield to come out. However, the family decides to fight the Claws instead of giving up Garfield to them. Garfield hides cowardly while his family fights the Claws and defeats them. Garfield's grandfather tells him that he is supposed to live with Jon instead. Reassured by Sonja that they all envy his normal life at Jon's house, Garfield tearfully says goodbye to his family and misses them. Frightened, tired, and hungry, Garfield walks along a deserted street as it starts to rain. A car drives by and Garfield realizes that it is actually driven by Jon. Garfield chases Jon's car until he collapses on the sidewalk from exhaustion. When Odie finds Garfield unconscious, Jon pulls his car over to rescue him. Jon drives Garfield home and then puts him into bed for the night.
At the end of the special, Garfield wakes up at Jon's house the next day and wonders if his entire experience with his family was real or not. Garfield glimpses Sonja looking at him through the window. As Sonja leaves Jon's house, Garfield smiles and emotionally whispers to her: "Thanks Mom, for everything".
Voice cast
- Lorenzo Music as Garfield
- Thom Huge as Jon Arbuckle
- Odie/Alley Cat
- Sandi Huge as Sonja, Garfield's estranged mother
- George Wendt as Ràoul, Garfield's sickly half-brother
- C. Lindsay Workman (credited as Lindsay Workman) as Garfield's maternal grandfather
- Julie Payne as Dr. Liz Wilson, Garfield's veterinarian
- Desirée Goyette as Girl Cat #1
- Allyce Beasley as Girl Cats #2 & #3
Songs
- "Good Morning" (instrumental)
- "Just Another Crazy Day" performed by Lou Rawls
- "The Monday Morning Blues" (instrumental)
- "Out on the Town" (instrumental)
- "Startin' from Scratch" performed by Lou Rawls
- "Showdown" (instrumental)
- "Home Again" performed by Desirée Goyette
- "Reunited" (instrumental)
- "The Claws" performed by Goyette / Rawls
- "Final Showdown" (instrumental)
- "The Rescue" (instrumental)
- "Because I'm Home" performed by Desirée Goyette
- "Goodnight" (instrumental)
- "I'm Home" performed by Desiree Goyette
- "Out on the Town (reprise)" (instrumental)
Production
Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, best known for the Peanuts specials, produced Garfield on the Town.[1] The special was directed by Phil Roman, who had previously directed Here Comes Garfield in 1982. It was the last Garfield special Roman directed before founding his own company called Film Roman to produce the specials himself, starting with Garfield in the Rough (1984).[2]
The special marks the first time the character of Jon Arbuckle is voiced by Thom Huge. Sandy Kenyon originally voiced Jon in Here Comes Garfield.[3] Huge later voiced Jon in the remaining specials and in the Garfield and Friends TV series.
Broadcast and release
The special was originally aired on CBS on October 28, 1983,[3] and was viewed by 40 million people.[4] It has been re-broadcast in subsequent years.[5] Ballantine Books published a 64-page illustrated book adaptation in 1983.[6]
In July 2004,[7] Garfield on the Town was released on the DVD Garfield as Himself, along with Here Comes Garfield (1982) and Garfield Gets a Life (1991).[8] It was released on another DVD compilation, The Garfield Holiday Collection, on November 4, 2014, sold only by Walmart, and was also made available for digital download on November 11 that year.[9]
Reception
At the
In 2004, DVD Talk critic Randy Miller judged the Garfield as Himself specials to be "quite enjoyable," highlighting "a long-lost family reunion."[8] In 2014, with the release of The Garfield Holiday Collection, Jim Davis identified Garfield on the Town as a personal favorite, explaining, "Garfield actually meets his mother on that. It was very special."[9]
References
- ^ Douglas L. McCall (2005). Film Cartoons: A Guide to 20th Century American Animated Features and Shorts. McFarland & Company Publishers. p. 231.
- ^ Jeff Lenburg (2006). Who's who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film & Television's Award-Winning and Legendary Animators. Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. p. 306.
- ^ a b Vincent Terrace (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 (2d ed.). McFarland & Company Publishers. p. 161.
- ^ a b "Garfield Is Back". The Town Talk. December 28, 1985. p. 29.
- ^ "Television". New York. 10 September 1990. p. 196.
- ^ Jim Davis (1983). Garfield on the Town. Ballantine Books.
- ^ "Top DVD Sales". Billboard. July 24, 2004. p. 59.
- ^ a b Miller, Randy III (June 29, 2004). "Garfield As Himself". DVD Talk. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- ^ a b Jue, Teresa (4 November 2014). "Jim Davis talks 'Garfield' origins, holiday specials, and calls Garfield 'a human in a cat suit'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
- ^ "Awards & Nominations". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
External links
- Garfield on the Town at IMDb