by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So with Animation Celebration, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea here is to take a look at some underseen gems—so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
I’ll be honest, with the release of Tron: Ares, I had my heart set on something sci-fi for this month. However, that was before I realized what Tron writer/director Steven Lisberger’s previous project was.
Two years before that film, the only other film Lisberger wrote was an animated offering — Animalympics. It was originally a short film made with a grant from the American Film Institute, before being lengthened into a TV movie, originally in two parts for the winter and summer games, respectively. Produced by Lisberger Studios, it’s the only film from his production company, with the other film’s producer, Anaguel Films, producing just one other film (1983’s Rock & Rule).
Given the lack of projects produced, it may be surprising that Animalympics (despite its small cast), had some decent names. It features the voice talents of Gilda Radner, Billy Crystal, The Simpsons voice actor Harry Shearer, and Michael Fremer. However, it makes more sense when you know that it got backed by NBC, who aired the Winter Olympics portion in 1978, before canceling the summer airing after the U.S. boycotted the Soviet Union- hosted games.
I was delighted with how the parody worked.
It being created as a parody of Olympics coverage means it gave me a good dose of nostalgia (for stuff I largely wasn’t even alive for, if that’s possible). It’s very much made in the style of the old sports broadcasts, reminding me of highlights that I used to eat up. (I also had not one, but two, books with CDs narrated by Bob Costas taking you through the greatest moments in sports history.) Everything from the credits, to the music, to the graphics was a perfect recreation. It matches what I’ve seen of classic broadcast or shows like American Gladiator. It got me right in the mindset I needed for it to be effective.
On top of the aesthetics, Animalympics also features some clever gags. There are moments it’s aping other cartoons, Coyote taking the torch through the desert, a Looney Tunes-style background, and definitely not Big Bird in the cafeteria. There are also plenty of sight gags when it comes to the media coverage, and a bird named Barbra Walbers on the call. The movie also has fun with some of the expectations when it comes to certain types of athletes (see: Russian/Soviet gymnasts). The humor perfectly meshes with the cast as the quick-fire pace and series of vignettes fits the comedic talents.
The animation is simple, but effective enough. There are a handful of fun moments that take advantage of the medium — gymnasts bending in ways that are impossible is perhaps the clearest of those ways. The hand-drawn nature of the animation also adds to that nostalgic feel.
As a parody, it’s allowed to get away a little bit with stereotype, but it certainly shows its age with some of that. Though it’s fun, it definitely tops out at about an hour, and the formula does start to lose its effectiveness as things go on. This one probably works best if you’ve got nostalgia for what it’s parodying.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. Next month, we’ll likely continue the animal theme with the release of Zootopia 2.
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Bluesky and Letterboxd