Customer Reviews

Twice Upon a Time [VHS]

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

OK - as far as the 2 versions of this movie. There were 2 people involved in the making - John Korty and Bill Couterie - the 'Adult' version was made possible by Bill Couterie. John Korty didn't like or approve this version. Thanks to Ladd films going under, they didn't advertise this movie and threw all their advertising cash for "The Right Stuff", hoping it would pull them through;... and it didn't. SO, this movie never really had a chance. When "Twice" made it to cable (HBO) - they showed the reels with Bill's version and John threatened to sue if it was shown anymore (did you notice how the 'adult' version wasn't on for very long?). Showtime got the 'clean' version. The version on this videotape is the version approved by John (who holds more power than Bill). It's a pity, really, as the 'adult' version is actually better and DOES make more sense. But it's VERY doubtful that it will ever be released in that version onto DVD (or any other format short of bootleg). Sorry to disappoint everyone. I know all this info as I used to be the president of the Twice Upon A Time Fan Club (still have numerous items from the movie - but my 'adult' version was stolen - only have a partial HBO copy of it now. If anybody out there has the complete 'adult' version - please contact me through my yahoo address at Nameless_Monster.) 5 stars to the 'adult' version - 3 to the 'clean' version.

"Once upon a time, there were some people called the Rushers of Din. Every night, as they slept, sweet dreams were delivered to them from sunny Frivoli, and nightmares came from the mysterious Murkworks. But the villain of the dark castle was not content. He wanted the Rushers to have non-stop nightmares. And for that, he needed control of the Cosmic Clock. It was a time of desperate need for heroes--any kind of heroes."

Thus begins Twice Upon A Time, an animated treat done in lumage, a cut-out 2-D style more sophisticated than the later South Park. The Figmen of Imagination soak up the dreams delivered to the Din Post Office via an exploding star. They are small, purple, silly, cute figs who bounce, coo, and squeak. They jump inside the bedrooms of the sleeping Rushers, bouncing up and down on their foreheads and leave. The Rushers twitch, smile, and mumble. However, the nightmare bombs, delivered by evil vultures, cause the Rushers to toss and turn in distress, and these vultures kidnap the figs and their leader Greensleeves, a peg-legged bearded elf with long white beard. Fortunately, he manages to send a message to Frivoli.

Oh yes, and just who are these heroes? Ralph, the winged and bespectacled All-Purpose animal, who can turn into other animals, and Mumford, his mute and "flaky friend", who squeaks but mostly communicates through gestures and facial expressions. The two and Flora Fauna, an aspiring actress and niece of Greensleeves, discover the latter's message.

The villain, Synonamess Botch, tricks our hapless heroes into getting him the spring of the Cosmic Clock, which stops time in Din, and setting the stage for Botch to deliver his entire inventory of nightmare bombs, which will explode once he restarts time. You know he's a villain because he has a tattoo on his belly reading "Nixon-Agnew 68".

Apart from Rudy and his vultures, his allies are his nightmare scriptwriter, Scuzzbopper, who is working on the Great Murkian novel, Ratatooie, an armadillo-like creature with a seemingly bottomless stomach who eats anything and burps, Ibor, a video gorilla who runs on tank treads and who communicates via movie clips on a television screen where his face should be.

Assisting our pair of heroes are a sarcastic Bronx-accented fairy godmother who hates excess verbiage, and prefers the acronym FGM, and Rod Rescueman, an eager beaver superhero on his learner's permit, actually a signed and notarized blank piece of paper. He lives in a giant football in the sky, where every piece of furniture serves as a piece of exercise equipment.

The sequence where Ralph and Mum experience a nightmare is outstanding. Mum detonates a nightmare bomb perched on a typewriter carriage by tap-dancing on the keyboard and pressing the return key. As greasy black smoke surrounds them, they are chased by invoice stamps, scotch tape dispensers, scissors, staplers, pencil sharpeners take on the aspect of gatlin guns, ceiling fans of helicopter blades, and stapler removers of dogs. The live action part is filmed in negative image.

The live footage of Din, still or in motion, are in black and white. And the 80's music really takes me back, like Bruce Hornsby's "Heartbreak Town" and Kathleen McDonald's "Life Is But A Dream". Too bad there isn't a soundtrack CD available. Ralph's voice is by the recently-departed Lorenzo Music, best known as the voice of Garfield the cat.

Heroes have a distinct style and do not go by the book, but are responsible and not "so very out to lunch", and that's what Ralph and Mumford must strive for in order to defeat Botch.

One of the funniest and most imaginative movies of the 1980's and of all time, with a cult reputation. Not bad for something executive-produced by George Lucas.

"... I know where to push it." -Ralph, the All-Purpose Animal

Twice Upon a Time is the story of Ralph the All-Purpose Animal and his buddy Mumford the No-Purpose Nothing.
They are misfits in the land of Frivoli, where sweet dreams are made. Unable to do much else with any success, they are challenged to... take out the garbage. They come across Flora Fauna, Rod Rescueman, Greensleeves, and the Fairy Godmother (FGM to you... she hates excess verbiage.)

The Villians in this tale are in the Murkworks, a giant filth-belching castle where nightmares are made. Synonymess Botch is the head villian. His agenda: Nightmares for everyone, all the time! Botch's henchmen include Ibor, Scuzzbopper, Ratatooi, and Rudy and the Minions.

While the songs in the movie forever date it an 80's film (Bruce Hornsby? ), we are forced to listen to them while the plot unfolds. I also noticed that some scenes are missing and the VHS edit isn't perfect... But these are the ONLY downsides to this animated treasure.
The surround sound encoding makes this one worth purchasing for ANYONE with a home theater. (When have you ever known George Lucas to take sound lightly?)

The animation style, while cuts outs, is not as crude or choppy as South Park. The character motions are fluid. (When I finally realized that Lumage was cut-out and not drawn animation, I was floored!)

The puns fly, the "asides" are hilarious, and the sub-references will keep you laughing. (Just watch the battle between Ibor and Rod Rescueman... if you don't laugh at that, you'd don't have a funny bone!)

While this aminated feature may not be for your kids, it is DEFINATELY for you! Like to laugh? BUY THIS MOVIE!

If you have seen it, you know it rocks. If not, get it. Get the word out. Force everyone you know to watch it. Make illegal copies and pass them out. Tell the Star Wars zombies that George Lucas produced an animated film and watch their mouths water. Tell the South Park fans there was cut-out animation that rocked before Kenny was first killed. Tell the Real Ghostbusters/Garfield fans that Lorenzo Music does the voice of Ralph. A true 5 star underground classic that needs more word of mouth to get the attention it deserves. Let's do it!!!! C'mon, wouldn't you die for a deluxe dvd edition with all the extras? You know you would...

With incredibly interesting characters like Ralph the All Purpose Animal, Mumford the No Purpose Nothing, Rod Rescueman, Synonymous Botch, Greensleeves and cast this movie should be a household name and be readily available on DVD. As to why it isn't, I would have to say there are just not enough people out there who have seen it. If you haven't seen this movie, see it. Unfortunately the only version available is this trimmed down edited version, the studio needs to release an UNCUT edition so that the movie can be enjoyed with all the humor that made it a classic!

My sister and I saw this film many years ago on television. We fell in love with it. I can't believe that I have finally found it on tape. I can't wait to give her a copy. The film is utterly hilarious. It has a very ironic and dry sense of humor. I fell in love with the creativity of the author and animator as soon as I saw it. A+++++++

I agree with some of the reviewers that Twice Upon a Time should be made into a DVD. There are lots of fans of the movie. I watched and taped it when the Movie Channel aired it years ago, and I am not tired of it yet.
The story has a beginning, middle and end, rare these days. While the animation is funny on the surface, it is a good parody on life. Characters are recognizable and done really well. It has a classic American ending.
The "R" version--the complete version--is the only way to really understand that this film is a real piece of art. Watch this film and you'll see why.

Ralph the all-purpose animal and Mumford the no purpose nothing of the land of nice dreams face off against the sinister Synonymous Botch the kind of 3rd shift manager of nightmares and Scuzzbopper his frustrated aspiring writer assistant, in a classic for younger and older kids alike. I always wondered what happened to this movie. With all the other garbage that's been recycled from the 80s and remarketed, this has kind of been swept under the rug. It was hillarious at the time, it seems like it would transfer well today too. Definitely worth a rental. I wanted to buy it for my kids but the original VHS tapes (there have been no DVD transfers ) are going for anywhere from $50-130 based on the condition of the tape. I guess the film has kind of a cult following. Probably some people who read this are saying "no $hi+" Anyway, lot's of fun, check it out.

With amazing characters, excellent Lumage animation and the most inventive story ever concieved for an animated film, who cares if this is the "edited version" of this film? I've never seen this much touted "uncut version", and while I am sure it's great, the accessible "edited" version is in and of itself an amazing movie worth owning. Ralph the All purpouse animal, his silent but ever - so - cool sidekick Mumford, a no-nonsense fairy godmother , aspiring actress Flora Fauna, and "perspiring superhero" wannabe Rod Rescueman attempt to save the town of Din from the eternal nightmares of the evil Murkworks, headed by villian extraordinaire Synonammess Botch and his flock of evil vultures Rudy and the Minions. With a terrific soundtrack and a great story, this is a one of a kind experience no matter what version you've seen. "Edited" or not, this movie rocks all the way around, and if you like adult oriented and intelligent animated fare, you can do no better. If you have the chance, pick this up immediately, no matter what version you can obtain. Long live Frivoli and the Rushers of Din!!!

i saw this movie when i was a kid, taped it and watched it till the video died. Now I desperately want it on dvd or at least a pal vhs!
Wicked movie!!