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Vinnyjesus
Reviews
The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie: Yogi's Ark Lark (1972)
Yogis Ark lark
It never ceases to amaze me how people can judge a TV show or music song of the past without having lived the period in question, particularly a decade such as the war weary, Inflation crazy, Watergate dominated 1970's. Having lived and attended school in the 70's I agree that even by standards then that Yogis Ark Lark was corny. However in those days The Television Code was still in effect and Peggy Charen's group ACT or, A-ction for C-hildren's T-elevision was alive and well making sure television violence was kept at an all time low and that children were receiving 'the right message'. There were also few animators besides Hanna Barbera (The Generation Xers would do well to learn that Japanese Anime was taboo back then with World War II against our former enemy still less than 30 years old) leaving the company stretched at the seams fulfilling request for the 3 major networks NBC, ABC and CBS. That being said Yogis Ark Lark offered a powerful message on mankind's responsibility to the planet in this pilot episode and the subsequent series 'Yogis Gang'. While the animation of later H&B cartoons improved (with the exception of Dexter's Labatory and Two Stupid Dogs...and, in the 70's we would have considered this flashy style cheap and gaudy)Yogis Ark Lark wasn't the worst in its day even if not the best.
There are times I wouldn't mind returning to the cartoons of latter years if only to afford myself some relief from the amoral entertainment of the last two decades.