Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy – Blu Ray Review

The Film:

Is there anyone funnier in animation than Seth MacFarlane today? The Simpsons are no longer the crowning cartoon sitcom they once were, the Futurama spin-off movies feel forced, so Matt Groening perhaps has come to an end. Speaking of ending, Mike Judge’s King of the Hill has also ran its course, so it’s MacFarlane’s world and we better enjoy it.

It’s funny to think that he almost wasn’t the new king. I’m not talking about his 9/11 story, but does anyone actually remember the fact that Family Guy was canceled? Thanks to DVD sales, it came back, better than ever, and that success has led him to American Dad. I know MacFarlane has his haters, but I think he has master the Sunday morning cartoon strip comedy you see in the paper. His humor is fast, to the point, and more often than not, brutally funny.

I think that idea works for this vanity project, Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy, a series of short (sometimes very short) animated bits he did for his Youtube channel. Just string them together and we got our 50 minute feature. For his fans, this bits are pretty funny. If you’re not a fan or are on the fence, I doubt this will make you one. I can’t say everything here is laugh-out-loud hilarious, but for the most part, I was either smiling or laughing. Good enough for me.

The best bits are the Sex with… series. These are basically a bit with a character, like Sex with Dick Chaney, Sex with a Midget, and Sex with Optimus Prime that show these characters having sex how MacFarlane and his team of writers envision them. Also, stuff like Super Mario Rescues the Princess-where Mario is seen having a conversation after saving her, Beavers: Assholes of the Forest-that shows how we relate Beavers to vagina’s, and Monkeys Talk about Religion are pretty damn funny. Sadly, not all of these cutaway gags work, as Backstage with Bob Dylan and A Scotsman Who Can’t Watch a Movie without Shouting at the Screen barely do anything that will cause a laugh.

Not all of it works, but when they do, it’s pretty hilarious. Now, these are uncensored, so cussing and other crude elements are here. Some feel MacFarlane works best when dances around the censors on Family Guy for laughs, so the uncensored nature might turn some off. He works it, and I can’t blame him for going that route.

The Blu Ray:

Audio/Video: Nothing here screams high def. The picture is fine, but don’t expect anything remotely beneficial by having it on Blu. It’s still in the TV format of 1:33.1 and the colors aren’t as vibrant as most 2-D animated films are. Same with the audio, while a 5.1 mix, it’s all dialogue. One wonders why this is on Blu Ray to begin with?

Red Carpet Premiere: This brief thing has the voice talent offer their opinions on the show, with some guest celebs. Nothing riveting here.

Itunes Download: On the packaging you get a code so you can download the first episodes of Family Guy, American Dad, and Futurama.

A HD trailer for Notorious plays and some Still Galleries round out the extras.

Conclusion: Family Guy and MacFarlane fans should get a kick out of this. Most of the cutaway gags are funny, but you will get some clunkers. If you’re not a fan of his, stay away. I can’t recommend the Blu Ray either, since nothing here screams “own me on Blu Ray!” If you want this, stick with the cheaper DVD version.

Rating: