GregoryWeagle's Full Review: Talespin Series V. 3 - Jackpots & Crackpots
You cannot judge a book (or a videotape in this case) by its cover. Or at least looking into its story first. TaleSpin: Jackpots and Crackpots is a 45 minute video featuring two episodes based on the television series TaleSpin: "A Touch of Glass" and "Her Chance to Dream" (Which is rarely seen on Toon Disney anymore.). I feel it would be better if I review each episode instead of the whole video together.
"A Touch of Glass" features Rebecca Cunningham (Sally Struthers) trying to gather up the social elite to expand Higher for Hire. The problem is that her pilot Baloo (Edmund Gilbert) is pretty much a first-class slob. She make a bet with some 'so-called' members of the social elite Buffy (Frank Welker) and Muffy Vandershermes (Linda Gary) that if Baloo didn't live up to their lofty standards; then Baloo's plane The SeaDuck and Higher for Hire would be theirs.
While I found the plotline to be a little too thin for my taste; the fact that the creators really drove the moral message home that you cannot judge a book by its cover more than makes up for the shortcomings which includes some sloppy animation by Sun Woo Animation. This episode showed the impact of this message when for awhile Baloo & Louie's (Jim Cummings) friendship ends after Louie is accused of stealing one of Muffy's 'jewels'; which turns out to be made of glass (hence the name of the episode). It also protrays the real dangers of stereotypical judging when Rebecca discovers painfully that Muffy & Buffy are really crooks in the clothing of the upper class. One more thing I found interesting was that Louie was able to forgive Rebecca (and later Baloo) in the end and team up to stop the Vandershremes. A nice episode overall; but its not the reason why I would buy this video.
Note: Danny Mann also provided additional voices.
"Her Chance to Dream" features Rebecca Cunningham once again is fed up with Baloo's conduct of partying at Louie's Island into the wee hours of the morning. However; Rebecca would get sidetracked by a charming man called William Stansbury (Peter Renaday). When Baloo and Louie discover that William is a ghost; they try to stop Rebecca before she makes a senseless and deadly mistake.
This episode simply rules. It is full of romance and it can be really creepy. A human in love with a ghost.... This is the most emotional episode of the entire TaleSpin series; combining Sun Woo's best animation effort and some very interesting drama in a 22 minute cartoon; particaully in the last five minute of the episode. Prehaps the most memoriable moment is the sence where Rebecca Cunningham must make a decision between her quest to be happy (marry the ghost) or her obligation with Molly Cunningham (Janna Michaels). Everything matched up so perfectly that it would be hard to express in words. TaleSpin writer Libby Hinson should be commended. Although I can see some of the animation trip into Japanese Animation at its best. This episode is worth the price of the video alone and then some. Buy it now before its gone.
Note: Be very careful showing this episode to small children. It will make them cry; its a very emotional episode.
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