7/10
Three Classic Short Features
21 August 2006
Mike and the puppets go after three short "education" films; "Assignment: Venezuela," "Century 21 Calling," and "A Case Of Spring Fever." The latter two were seen during the Sci-i years, while the first was never shown on television (it was created for the never completed CD-ROM project and only shown during the 1996 Convention Fest-O-Rama). Another training movie (this one made by the Creole Co. - part of Standard Oil - in 1956), this one features a dullard father who is sent to Venezuela to work in the oil fields as an engineer. But, first he must "lick this language problem." Idiot has to go to Spanish class for about a year, but it turns out his pasty wife and goofy kid know more about the language than he ever will. Since this short was never aired on broadcast TV, the trio seems to get away with a few slight obscenities. Still, a pretty funny effort, especially the running gag about the dad and his "companion," Raymond, or when he accidentally referred to a lake as "narrow." "Century 21 Calling" is a harmless little ditty about an extremely white and perky couple visiting the Seattle World's Fair in1962 (the man seems to be really, really gay, as well); while "A Case Of Spring Fever" is one of the more bizarre offerings on "MST3K." While working on his sofa, a fat, homely little man curses those infernal springs, causing "Coily" the demonic spring sprite to remove all such devices from the idiot's life. Later, after the goofball begs the animated creation's forgiveness, he spends the remainder of the movie boring his golfing buddies to tears about just how useful springs really are.
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