It is not stranger to us all that most animated films have always included heartfelt scenes that were meant to teach us a value about life. Scenes that require us men to hammer our walls with our fists for us to feel masculine again.
I am looking at you, Disney.
But what about animated television series? Movies have the potential to develop the characters & the plot in an average of 70 minutes or so but how can one give such an emotional moment in just about 20 minutes of less? Disney's Up manages to beat that feat just by its prologue but there is one obscured show that I would like to share...
Stop it, Disney.
Peers from my generation who grew up watching Cartoon Network know how much things have changed for the cartoon-based cable. Though I believe there are some new decent shows but, many will agree with me when I say the quality of recent cartoons shown have steadily flopped. Nevertheless, all who grew up watching Cartoon Network will remember a show called, "Courage the Cowardly Dog."
The same one that gave us this nightmare.
I admit, I did not even flinch when Mufasa died in The Lion King but I did pour my tears out after watching the episode "Remembrance of Courage Past." SPOILER ALERT!!! The episode showcased Courage's past on how did he lose his parents & eventually ending up under the care of Muriel.
After watching this show so many times, I often overlook this shot in the opening credit. Who knew the creator, Mr Dilworth, still had a few tricks up his sleeves.
Told from a non-linear narrative, the episode alternates between scenes of present Courage & infant Courage through a series of flashbacks, where Courage is reminded of his past after seeing a "MISSING PETS" notice on a milk carton. Clearly even after all these years the event still haunts him & thinking he is sick, Muriel decides to take him to a veterinarian - the same one that is solely responsible for Courage being an orphan.
I cried myself to sleep when I found out that I am never going to grow a moustache as manly as his dad did.
I am not going to describe this episode in detail but what I can say is that for an 11-minute short, it is absolutely brilliant & its effect is still profound in my life till this very day. Like any other episodes, we are shown laugh-out-load surreal imageries that are completely balanced out by the episode's melancholic & piano-heavy soundtrack, It perfectly captures the tone & mood of the environment & I still cry even after repeated viewings.
This is not the first time for the show to dwell into an adult-related theme. Themes such as poverty, physical abuse, prostitution, corruption, etc. are sublimely prevalent in other episodes & I think that is why it is tough for us to relate to today's cartoons. It is such a shame that this is the last-two episode of the series because it is still one of the best ones that Cartoon Network had ever aired before the series sadly ended.
If you have some spare time, check out this episode on Youtube & let me know what you think of it (as well as of this article) in the comments section below. Thanks for reading & have a nice day.
Let me just leave this thing here.
*all images belong to their respective owners*
No comments:
Post a Comment