Wednesday, September 19, 2018

“Toon In” Inappropriate 1980’s Cartoons


The 1980’s were a time of deregulation and rampant cocaine use. These two things collided on Saturday Morning Television when R rated movies were turned into cartoons. Certainly only cocaine use could explain why Hollywood executives commissioned cartoons based on violent, inappropriate films.

Rambo saves Christmas by helping Santa with his slay.

Rambo was a film about a Vietnam veteran with severe mental issues and PTSD. Using a credo of “shoot first, ask questions later”, the violent, mentally addled John Rambo had to be a perfect role model for kids, right?

Bitches leave. Kids stay.

Robocop was meant to be a satirical look at the glorification of violence during the 1980’s. That fact was lost on Orion Pictures, which was eager to turn the film into a profitable franchise, regardless of the violence.

The Blue Oyster Bar? Is that a day care center?

The Police Academy films were full of off-color jokes and crude humor. Perfect for a children’s cartoon, right? Certainly nobody thought that would be a good idea- except for some drug addled Hollywood executives.