Customer Reviews

The Pink Panther and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection, Vol. 5: The Ant and the Aardvark

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I remember this cartoon airing back when I was a kid in the early 1980s. It was during a 1/2 hour cartoon show with an episode of either The Inspector or The Ant and the Aardvark sandwiched between two episodes of The Pink Panther. As soon as I heard the jazzy theme song to Ant and the Aardvark, it bought me back. I'm glad I can add this DVD to my Pink Panther collection and, like other reviewers, am hoping for the release of The Inspector which may be my favorite of that trio of cartoons.

The Ant and the Aardvark is entertaining on many levels (animation, voices, one-liners, music). That big, goofy-looking blue aardvark (so ugly, he's cute) and that fun, jazzy music. What really makes the show are the accents given to the characters by John Byner. Charlie, the ant, is a hip daddy-o who sounds like Dean Martin. Even better is the Aardvark who has a stereotypical north-eastern Jewish accent (his voice was patterned after New York comedian Jackie Mason). Almost anything he says is funny. There are many hilarious one-liners, especially in the early episodes. The show was released to theatres between March 1969 to May 1971, but I think even today's kids will enjoy this cartoon.

Here are the 17 episodes in order of their release:

1. "The Ant and the Aardvark"-- The ant tries to take home an entire picnic, but the aardvark would like to make a picnic of him. Aardvark after a pie to the face--"Coconut cream pie. You know how I know it's coconut? Because it's got a coconut in it, and it huyts!"
2. "Hasty But Tasty"--The hip daddy-o ant gets himself some wheels in the form of a motorcycle. The aardvark after swallowing a giant sandwich--"You know, peanut butter really sticks to the roof of your back."
3. "The Ant From Uncle"--Clever title--a take-off of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." The aardvark introduces himself to the audience. He then tries to get the ant to visit "The Ant's Club" in his stomach and visits the ant's pad: "What is this place? Nothing but hallways." We find out the ant's name is Charlie and we meet "Charlie's Aunt" (a reference to the classic play and later film "Charley's Aunt").
4. "I've Got Ants in My Plans"--The aarvark and his rival, the green aardvark, compete over Charlie.
5. "Technology, Phooey"--The aardvark purchases a computer that sounds a little like Paul Lynde (it's not his voice, though) to help him catch Charlie. Aardvark: "I could say something right now, but it would only get censored."

6. "Never Bug an Ant"--The aardvark tries many creative ways to catch the ant--none work but they are creative. Aardvark: "I'd rather be a banker and have a businessman's lunch." Ant: "Lucky for me, an ant can lift 100,000 times his own weight" (that comes in handy).
7. "Dune Bug"--Charlie is vacationing at the beach and the aardvark keeps getting kicked off for not wearing a leash.
8. "Isle of Caprice"--The aardvark somehow ends up on a deserted island and tries to swim to an adjacent island inhabited by ants--but a shark keeps putting the chomp on his plans. No Charlie in this one (sorry, Charlie).
9. "Scratch a Tiger"--For pulling a thorn out of his foot, a tiger protects Charlie and his ant buddies from the aardvark. The tables are turned, however, when the aardvark also relieves the tiger of a painful thorn.

10. "Odd Ant Out"--The aardvark competes with his rival green anteater over a can of chocolate-covered ants. Charlie is only seen at the end.
11. "Ants in the Pantry"--The aardvark gets tips on where to find meals by intercepting calls to a pest control company. When he shows up at Charlie's address, however, he is no longer in control of the pests.
12. "Science Friction"--A scientist wants Charlie for research, the aardvark wants him for lunch.
13. "Mumbo Jumbo"--An elephant, and fellow member of the Brothers of the Forest Lodge 202, comes to Charlie's aid when he's confronted by the aardvark--"With a mouth as small as mine, I've got to pick on somebody his size or I'd starve."

14. "The Froze Nose Knows"--It's winter time, but there's no hibernation for the aardvark--he probably should consider it, though.
15. "Don't Hustle an Ant With Muscle"--Charlie takes strength vitamins and becomes a muscle-bound powerhouse who can even get the aardvark to be his waiter: "I never thought it would happen to me, an aardvark bringing lunch to an ant."
16. "Rough Brunch"--Charlie finds support from a family of termites who makes life miserable for the aardvark.
17. "From Bed to Worse"--The Ant and the Aardvark are hit by a car and are put in an animal clinic with an angry dog. The little old lady nurse reminds me of Tweety Bird's owner. Aardvark: "The hospitality around here can make a person sick."

This single disk DVD includes every single "The Ant and the Aardvark" short. There were 17 in all. If you like The Pink Panther, this series was made by the same company in the same style. If this set sells well, MGM might consider a complete "The Inspector," "Hoot Kloot," "Blue Racer" and "Tijuana Toads." For less than $[...] you can't go wrong. Besides, this cartoon is much better than the cartoons on right now.

I just got this DVD a few days ago and have already watched every cartoon. I nearly laughed myself sick. I was just a kid when these cartoons originally aired and this DVD brings back a flood of memories. I had forgotten several of these. The Aardvark shares the same futile perseverance as Wile E. Coyote. Maybe those two ought to compare notes!

What a concept! Let's have an ant who sounds a lot like Dean Martin who is always trying to avoid being eaten by an Aardvark who sounds a lot like Jackie Mason! I remember these as part of The Pink Panther Show when I was young and I always thought they were funny. I love throwing a couple of these on before showing a movie to friends in my home theater! They're a blast from the past. The cartoon prints are very clean on this DVD and every episode is included!

Imagine my utter surprise and delight when I found out these 70's comedy classics finally made it to DVD. I mean, how can you NOT love a stubborn Aardvark who talks like Jackie Mason and an Ant who sounds like Dean Martin going head to head in one bizarre hilarious chase after another.

And EXTRA bonus cool points for the great jazz music that accompanied these chases, played by some of the best West Coast jazz cats of the time (like Pete Candoli, Ray Brown, Shelly Manne, Jimmy Rowles etc), heck, how many cartoons have musician credits at the beginning?

But this YESTERDAY!!!!!

The Ant and the Aardvark series is DePatie-Freleng Enterprises cartoon comic series. DePatie-Freleng team is major cartoon making company of 1960's. Of course, Freleng is former WB cartoon director Friz Freleng. DePatie-Freleng team's most famous outing is Pink Panther series. They won Academy awards with their first Pink Panther cartoon THE PINK PHINK. And after that, they made very interesting, well made two cartoon series. They're The Ant and the Aardvark, The Inspector series.

The Ant and the Aardvark had same kind of cartoon structure with Road Runner series or Tom and Jerry series. Hunter and hunted, but Ant and the Aardvark had unique feel and style all its own. DePatie-Freleng's cartoons are back to the old silent comedies roots, pantomime. Cartoons are basically visual genre so many classic cartoon makers did their best works with visual gags.

The Ant and the Aardvark series is visual cartoon style at its finest. Maybe if you like verbal gags more than visual gags, this series is not suitable for you. But, if you're a fan of visual gags, this is a series for you. The Pink Panther series is more famous than this series, but as a long time classic cartoon fans, I certainly believe The Ant and the Aardvark series had style, inventiveness all its own.

And, reasonably good price, you can get all The Ant and the Aardvark cartoons in your living room. I think that's a pretty good deal for any classic cartoon fans. And, one final note: The Inspector series will be releasing in July. I wrote reviews about The Inspector series, upcoming Woody Woodypecker classic cartoon collection, Tex Avery's Droopy:compleat theatrical collection, too. So, please check it out. Thanks for reading.

I like this Cartoon, even though the Pink Panther himself is NOT shown
on this DVD, so if you want just the Aardvark episodes, this is it!

I've been watching those cartoon as a kid. Great to watch that again and share it with my son. These are similar gags as "The roadrunner" but with funny dialogs, wich make it much intersting to watch than "The roadrunner""
I'm glad to have that in my video collection.

LIKE DEAN MARTAIN AND JACKIE MASON Clever cartoons. Friz Freeling had a hand in it. (Bugs Bunny) The old classic T.V. !

These cartoons are as funny now as when I first watched them. It's a great trip back in time to see them again.