Smarter And More Entertaining Than The Average Bear.

Yogi Bear is a classic character who I have always enjoyed. Until the movie I had never been disappointed with a Yogi Bear project. I happily await his return in animated form, maybe it'll pull the cartoon industry back from the dark oblivion it has fallen into.

(guess i'll be going back on the Flintstones thread then. But i'll take on Yogi and then Yogi's Gang. Save the rest when they get to DVD or at least get started)
---

Yogi's original show is a winner for me. Judging just the then segments, Yogi had found his stride and the not cemented Boo Boo and Ranger Smith prove a formula that is ripe for fun and pic-a-nic basket stealing. In loveable rogue fashion, Yogi serves as a good face. Despite his issues and when he misbehaves, Yogi is still a loveable guy, erm bear.

Snagglepuss is also a good segment. His mannerisms with the BL impression are always good for a chuckle. His feud and interactions with the Major are often well to deliver on the funny bone.But Snag had plenty of other characters to deal with over his run. I love me some Snagglepuss. He's funny, hilarious, a regular bowl full of jokes, even!

Yakky Doodle to me was always the weaker of the segments here. While still good, Yakky and Chopper often aren't the big sell here. Fibber Fox and Alfy Gator are more the big hits for me here (and maybe the house cat that sounds like Fibber's brother). As antagonists they are great. I wish they could have come back in the laff-a-lympics since Yakky was.

Overall i should note CN loved showing a half hour block of just Yogi Bear cartoons, but Snagglpuss and Yakky Doodle were still around. Snagglepuss shorts i remember more frequently then Yakky. I recall my first time seeing the three together was when sunday late night had Boomerang with funny animals come on after Adult Swim (how i weeped when Adult Swim got to repeat itself at night) That was really my catchup time for Yakky Doodle, where a lot of segments were then new to me.

The DVD was great to see the whole run for snagglepuss and yakky. It was also my first time seeing Happy Birthday Yogi. Was a well earned purchase
---

Yogi's Gang was one of my all time favorite Hanna Barbera cartoons. I love crossovers. I love watching them, i love reading them, i even write them in my own works. So when i first laid eyes on a show that featured a lot of the HB animals in a flying ark....i was flipping ready! Yogi's Gang had a regular shared slot on weekday mornings (Space Race and Treasure Hunt would rotate in and out with it) but i never recall CN airing the Ark Lark parts with it then. In later years it only came on the Boomerang block. I checked tv guides to await the morning it had the spot in that 6-7 block time.

The show itself hits me right in the spot i want. All those characters together in the same show! Funtastic! While some had to be a little toned down from their older roguish self, that admittedly was noticeable but never served as a problem. And then came the villains. Personifications of the evils of man, you say? Oh yes and they are hilarious! This show in a way helped put images in my head from the many things i had read when younger came out of Pandora's box. Even though now older, the racist ray gun idea is a kooky as can get, and the fact the guy looks like a vampire and rides around in a dirigible that looks like a cloud, is so much ridiculous that i can't help but laugh my rear off at the concept.

It should be no surprise that i get excited when HB dvds are announced, but only a few made me jump for joy. Yogi's Gang was one of them. Such a favorite of mine, and one that i will watch again and again.

Adding my thoughts now on two of the Yogi specials
---
Growing up, Hey There it's Yogi Bear is one that i never knew existed. As i don't ever remember it playing on theater runs, so the internet first informed me of it's existence and DVD was my first viewing of this feature as a whole. I had seen the Cindy song upon watching the HB 50 years special on youtube prior but that was it.

So upon watching the movie i found myself enjoying Yogi's run in the theater. The name singers taking over the voices when it came time for singing was at first a little weird for me, but it grew on me. The movie has some pretty good songs and has a nice story with Yogi and Boo Boo coming to save Cindy. Plus an earlier addition to the snickering dog family tree in Mugger. It's all in all an enjoyable film.
--
In contrast Yogi the Easter Bear is one that i was aware of due to VHS ads for it, but I had never got to see it in my youth. I was often not in front of a tv on Easter, so that also may have been a factor. But once again DVD was my first shot at this one.

Like mentioned on the Flintstones christmas carol, the loss of Daws here is very much felt, but while very notiable i still didn't feel like it was a problem. This special is one of the shorter variety and i think it helps it. There's some more fun as we get to see Yogi have another adventure at Easter time. It's just not one of the better efforts but something that works enough to give me enjoyment.

And i think i'll tackle the three superstars 10 movies at a later time.

"Yogi's Gang" used familiar sounding guest star actors to play the villains including Rose Marie as Lotta Litter, Jesse White as Peter D. Cheater, and Tom Bosley as Commodore Phineas P. Fibber as well as the Hanna-Barbera regular actors John Stephenson, Paul Winchell, and Hal Smith.

It was great to hear Daws Butler in fine vocal form in performing Yogi, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, and most of the H-B animals more than 10 years after his original performances in the short episodes for his other "Yogi" series revivals.

"Laff-A-Lympics" remains the ultimate Hanna-Barbera reunion show.

Took a while, but yes finally going to talk about the Superstars 10
--
Let me begin with Yogi's Great Escape. And I do that to get the least favorite one out of the way. Yogi's Great Escape i remember playing a few times on Cartoon Network. I mostly recall using the cubs in my drawing of cartoon characters like they were regular characters lol. But fresh eyes didn't come to later.

So let me say, this movie is okay. It seems episodic and sets up as a Yogi movie and includes guest appearances, but overall this just isn't that special. It's a movie i may watch on occasion, but it's one i'm going to be putting further down the HB totem pole. My major fave moment in this one is the real after all gag with the ghost and Wally. It's a nice done and spoken gag. I consider it the high light
---
Now on the Spruce Goose. This one I actually recall seeing in school first. It was second grade for me, when a substitute teacher brought it in on VHS for us to watch, but we didn't watch the whole thing. So I didn't get to see the whole thing until later on tv. This one works better for me. It's a bigger team up outing and involved the Spruce Goose. And it works. It also brings back Mumbly and Dred Baron for another outing as baddies. The Hollyday Jollyday Tour Bus song is pretty addicting too.

One thing I do mark on this one is that it's got that magical feeling that lights my sparkle. If that makes much sense. A bunch of friends on a magical flying plane going on adventures is like a very warm friendly adventure that many would want. It's not a heavy adventure but one that I think handles it's episodic part plot better than Great Escape does. It's one of those movies you just don't know where it might go next for the first time. And I think that's a charm that works well here. Also the alien gag is hilarious. They really should have just went to New Jersey.
---
And lastly, Invasion of the Space Bears. This one is my clear favorite of the three. It's very much a Yogi gang movie and I think it's nice to see. Plus it's got aliens! And Boo Boo gets a romantic interest!! Yes! I have a bit more attachment to this, as I only recall seeing it on CN like twice and the first time I recorded it on my VCR and for many years it's was my go to movie to watch back.

This movie provides a lot of fun with Yogi and Boo Boo...or is it Yagi and Boo Oob getting duplicated. This provides a lot of fun scenarios for Ranger Smith to have to deal with. There's also some more touching moments in the movie. Boo Boo's song towards the end is one of HB's most beautiful songs. (props to Cindy's too) Too bad their was no sequel to see Boo Boo and Snulu reunite. I really like this one in general though and that includes music besides the romantic ones I mentioned. It's a funtastic one for sure.