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[tab title="Movie Review"]
Opening by ripping off Evil Dead with its own talking book of the dead, Evil Toons announces itself early on as a dead end b-movie as David Carradine, looking all sorts of wizardly, hides in the shadows. With a grim face and white straw-like hair, he casts a spell with his undead book that unleashes all sorts of animated hell upon those who enter this haunted house.
But, let’s be clear here. We are talking about ONE animated fiend. One beefy Tasmanian Devil-looking creepy cartoon dude; not the plethora suggested by the plural use of “Toons” in the title. And, truly, it is a certified horn dog of a madman’s creation that wants female flesh with which to nudge and nuzzle until dawn’s early light.
Written and directed by Fred Olen Ray, Evil Toons doesn’t really shy away from being totally unnecessary. This is cheesy z-grade nonsense, complete with striptease performances for no real reason and all sorts of other loosey-goosey behavior from the girls. Its influences are worn boldly on its sleeve. Even its director, Fred Olen Ray, confesses that the idea of an animated creature ripping the clothes off of a super hot woman came from watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Roger Corman passed on it. And so did others. Ray finally found backing for the project and was able to shoot the flick in eight days. Like most of his 1990s output, the cheaper it looks, well, the more forgettable it is. We are way past the glory days of Scalps with this one.
But the story itself of four babes – b-movie bikini babes Monique Gabrielle, Suzanne Ager, Madison Stone and Stacey Nix – cleaning a haunted house for its new renters – came (probably) out of desperation. Ray had the idea of having a cartoon character ravish a woman; he just didn’t have the story. So why not figure out how to get a bunch of women stripping off their clothes and then posing in front of the mirror while they fondle themselves and each other? Make them possessed by this ONE cartoon character!
But alongside Carradine we also have performances from Arte Johnson as Mr. Hinchlow, the neighbor, and celebrated B-movie icon Dick Miller as Burt their boss, so all is not lost on just on an abundance of supple female flesh. In fact, the film’s best moment comes when Miller, watching himself in Corman’s A Bucket of Blood, muses to himself that the main actor (which is himself as the iconic Walter Paisely) should have won an Oscar.
Boobs and banana hammocks run amuck! Evil Toons has arrived to rock your haunted house.
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[tab title="Details"]
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 90 mins
Director: Fred Olen Ray
Writer: Fred Olen Ray
Cast: David Carradine, Arte Johnson, Dick Miller
Genre: Horror | Animation
Tagline: First they undress you, then they possess you!
Memorable Movie Quote: "Why do these things always have to start with young, beautiful co-eds going into the basement?"
Theatrical Distributor:
Official Site:
Release Date:
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: WHO KILLED ROGER RABBIT meets THE EVIL DEAD as four sexy Sorority Girls agree to clean an old spooky house and accidentally release a cartoon monster from an ancient book of demons. After the blood thirsty creature possesses one of the girls it looks bleak for the rest of the busty gang until a ghostly presence (David Carradine) arrives to save the day in this comedy romp from director Fred Olen Ray, creator of the Cult Classic, HOLLYWOOD CHAINSAW HOOKERS
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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]
Blu-ray Details:
Home Video Distributor: Retromedia
Available on Blu-ray - October 11, 2017
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: LPCM 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; blu-ray disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Evil Toons makes its arrival on 1080p thanks to an impressive new widescreen 2K HD transfer from the original 35mm camera negatives. Courtesy of Olen’s own Retromedia Entertainment Group, Inc., the new transfer offers more detail and clarity than its previous DVD release. The transfer, here with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, is a solid look at the bikini filled b-movie. Colors are pumped up and black levels are provided with depth. And, yes, it is a bit lacking when it comes to set designs and effects, especially the animated part. That’s to be expected. The film has recently been remastered in high definition and, quite honestly, it looks better than I was expecting. The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 is neither overbearing nor quiet. It is effective at handling the dialogue and the cheesy score.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- Fred Olen Ray provides his film with a commentary highlighting the making of the movie, some of the performances, and information on how the animation bit was completed.
Special Features:
The supplemental material includes Nite Owl Theater, Animation Background Plates, Rotoscope Efx Test Shots, Editor's Workprint, Blooper Reel, and Chuck Cirino's tribute. This release is limited to 1000 copies and all are hand-signed by Fred Olen Ray.
- Nite Owl Theater
- Animation Background Plates
- Rotoscope Efx Test Shots
- Editor's Workprint
- Blooper Reel
- Chuck Cirino's Evil Toons Suite
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[tab title="Trailer"]
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[tab title="Art"]
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