Li'l Abner

Rating:
Summary: Nice to have back!
Review: Lord, I spent some time the last few years trying to track down an old VHS version of this. I'd seen it ages ago and was wowed by the weird and wonderful ambience of the flick. Hardly a masterpiece but definitely worth owning and watching regularly--especially if you care at all for the way folks back then were able to generate real magic with a shoestring budget. I shudder to think what a low-budget version of this would have looked like if it had been produced in the, say, Seventies. I'm one of the few people I know who gets a little uncomfortable with the sleezy cheapness of "Willie Wonka."

Recommended if you like funky old films and REALLY recommended if you're a Guy Maddin fan. I'd find it impossible to believe that that wonderful contemporary director (Careful, Archangel, Saddest Music in the World) is not aware of this film.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent adaptation by no-name cast.
Review: The thing about this adaptation of Li'l Abner is that it manages to capture the light-hearted feel of the strip at the time. Unencumbered by any political or social leanings (in either direction) it gives a sense of Al Capp at his finest. When Li'l Abner and the citizens of Dogpatch were celebrated heroes of America.

The cast is mostly unknown. But they bring a sense of excitement to their roles that more than makes up for their lack of experience. That's not to say this is a flawless film. It's cheaply produced and it was sad to see film great Buster Keaton in such a small role. But it is funny (despite Maltin's opinion) and well worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent adaptation by no-name cast.
Review: The thing about this adaptation of Li'l Abner is that it manages to capture the light-hearted feel of the strip at the time. Unencumbered by any political or social leanings (in either direction) it gives a sense of Al Capp at his finest. When Li'l Abner and the citizens of Dogpatch were celebrated heroes of America.

The cast is mostly unknown. But they bring a sense of excitement to their roles that more than makes up for their lack of experience. That's not to say this is a flawless film. It's cheaply produced and it was sad to see film great Buster Keaton in such a small role. But it is funny (despite Maltin's opinion) and well worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: BRINGS A SMILE OR TWO.
Review: When LI'L ABNER was made, in 1940, Al Capp's comic strip of the same name was one of the U.S.'s favorites, with his hayseed creation finding himself in one jam after the other, without trying at all. A story by Capp is the foundation for this film, which holds a unique spot in cinema history, as it is the only attempt to precisely recreate comic illustration, utilizing makeup, costumes and exact phrasing (without interpretation). The plot and subplots generally revolve about the annual Sadie Hawkins Day celebration in Dogpatch, which presents area females with just about their only opportunity to catch a husband, by literally running down and snaring one of the town's fleeing bachelors. For those who remember the silent film era, this effort provides small roles for many pre-talkie stalwarts, including Buster Keaton, Edgar Kennedy, Chester Conklin, Al St. John, Lucien Littlefield, Hank Mann and Edward Brady. At times very reminiscent of Capp's drawing, the very tall Jeff York, billed as Granville Owen, is effective as Abner. Martha O'Driscoll, Kay Sutton and Billie Seward, as the three women most vigorously seeking marriage with Abner, do their hearty best with the thin scenario. More silly than cute, this picture is not marked by outstanding work from cast and crew, its significance coming only from the mentioned verisimilitude.