Author Topic: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging  (Read 640429 times)

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Offline MoldRush

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1190 on: June 30, 2018, 10:30:10 PM »
Weren't Chocolate Babies just about the exact same thing as Tootsie Rolls?  That's how I remember them tasting anyway...

I'm sure the perceived racist connotation is what keeps these from re-appearing on the shelves of store candy sections.  I read somewhere that they did actually make a comeback, but only sold loose by the pound.  I guess this was to avoid having to name them or come up with a PC-acceptable packaging design.

Back to Black Crows.  I don't remember them from the 70s either, although they are produced today.  Box graphics are different of course, and not all stores carry them.  Like black jelly beans, you either love 'em or hate 'em, so maybe they don't sell as briskly as Dots or other movie box choices.

Offline Swiski

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1191 on: July 01, 2018, 11:16:41 AM »
Maybe Mason Candy Co. realized it was a racial term in the 70s, and therefore changed the name. The 70s era match I posted earlier and the evolution of packaging here show Black Crows was changed to Licorice Crows, although the WP parody kept "black" in the title.



Offline mikecho

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1192 on: July 03, 2018, 10:31:02 AM »
Always reminded me of the talking magpies, Heckle and Jeckle or the crows from Disney's "Song of the South.

Here is an article about Mason Black Crows.

https://candyprofessor.com/2010/04/28/black-crows-and-roses/

Crows, black licorice flavored gum drops, are also considered to be part of the Dots family, yet only the black licorice candies were called "crows."  Why?  I could be far off base, but I'm wondering if there might be a connection between "Black Crows" and "Jim Crow?"

From Wikipedia:

The Jim Crow persona was a theater character by Thomas D. Rice and an ethnic depiction in accordance with contemporary Caucasian ideas of African-Americans and their culture. The character was based on a folk trickster named Jim Crow that was long popular among black slaves. Rice also adapted and popularized a traditional slave song called "Jump Jim Crow" (1828).

The character dressed in rags, battered hat and torn shoes. Rice blackened his face and hands using burnt cork and impersonated a very nimble and irreverently witty African American field hand.

Rice's performance as "Jim Crow" helped to popularize American minstrelsy where many performers imitated Rice's use of blackface that toured around the United States. Those performers continued to spread the racist overtones and ideas perpetuated by the character to populations across the United States.


Back in the day, many companies jumped on the same "racist" (if you will) bandwagon, such as the Pearl Milling Company with their minstrel character "Aunt Jemima" - which Quaker Oats continued to use:



And let's not forget Heide Chocolate Babies:


(Courtesy of Jason Liebig)

And in case there is any confusion, let's dig a little further back in history:



And for those still harboring the slightest shred of doubt:



Perhaps Jason could shed some light on Mason Black Crows?
BB, the Disney crows were from Dumbo, not Song of the South. Just thought you'd like to know.

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1193 on: July 04, 2018, 08:33:47 AM »
BB, the Disney crows were from Dumbo, not Song of the South. Just thought you'd like to know.

I do like to know.  You're right.  Mistake noted.

However, in researching what you stated, I stumbled across the following which I never knew before:

"Jim Crow, Fats, Deacon, Dopey, and Specks are a flock of five crows from Disney's 1941 film, Dumbo. Timothy and Dumbo are initially mocked by the crows upon meeting them. After hearing Dumbo's sad story, however, the crows do everything they can to help him. They act as surrogate father figures to Dumbo, and are also notable for teaching Dumbo how to fly.

Jim Crow acts as the unofficial leader of the flock, and carries himself with a slick, self-assured and stylish flair."


"Jim Crow?"  Really?  In this age of political correctness, I'm surprised "Dumbo" isn't sealed in a vault along with "Song of the South" - especially when it comes to Disney and the image they ever so carefully cultivate and protect.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2018, 08:40:30 AM by Baked Bears »

Offline mikecho

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1194 on: July 04, 2018, 12:41:54 PM »
I do like to know.  You're right.  Mistake noted.

However, in researching what you stated, I stumbled across the following which I never knew before:

"Jim Crow, Fats, Deacon, Dopey, and Specks are a flock of five crows from Disney's 1941 film, Dumbo. Timothy and Dumbo are initially mocked by the crows upon meeting them. After hearing Dumbo's sad story, however, the crows do everything they can to help him. They act as surrogate father figures to Dumbo, and are also notable for teaching Dumbo how to fly.

Jim Crow acts as the unofficial leader of the flock, and carries himself with a slick, self-assured and stylish flair."


"Jim Crow?"  Really?  In this age of political correctness, I'm surprised "Dumbo" isn't sealed in a vault along with "Song of the South" - especially when it comes to Disney and the image they ever so carefully cultivate and protect.
Yes-especially since traditional circuses are no longer considered to be as popular as they once were.

Did you know that Disney was going to make a direct-to-video sequel to this film called Dumbo II, but it was never made? I've always wondered if the reason that I just mentioned was one of the reasons why.

I only know one thing about it-the baby ostrich born in the first film was going to be in a subplot, in which she would wonder that Dumbo's an elephant and he can fly, while she's a bird and she can't fly. This fact is found on the 60th Anniversary VHS release of Dumbo, which announces the film.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2018, 06:54:14 PM by mikecho »

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1195 on: July 05, 2018, 05:28:27 AM »
Yes-especially since traditional circuses are no longer considered to be as popular as they once were.

Did you know that Disney was going to make a direct-to-video sequel to this film called Dumbo II, but it was never made? I've always wondered if the reason that I just mentioned was one of the reasons why.

I only know one thing about it-the baby ostrich born in the first film was going to be in a subplot, in which she would wonder that Dumbo's an elephant and he can fly, while she's a bird and she can't fly. This fact is found on the 60th Anniversary release of Dumbo, which announces the film.

Interesting theory.  You have a good point about traditional circuses (and sentient creatures being forced to perform.)  I wonder if that was the reason why Disney backpedaled on Dumbo II?  Personally, I think the ostrich plot would have worked out well.


Offline Swiski

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1196 on: July 05, 2018, 05:31:33 AM »
Grime (both variants) and Prime...


« Last Edit: July 05, 2018, 05:37:39 AM by Swiski »

Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1197 on: July 05, 2018, 05:45:41 AM »
Grime (both variants) and Prime...




I always liked this one, and even though we didn't have a dog, I recognized the packaging right away.  Great gag, well painted dog, and the "dirty dog" tagline always made me smile. I didn't see the Heavy version until I was an adult.

Offline lucidjc

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1198 on: July 05, 2018, 10:55:10 AM »
Grime (both variants) and Prime...



Why did they change this one?

Jim

Offline Paul_Maul

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1199 on: July 05, 2018, 01:01:38 PM »
Why did they change this one?

Jim

The “Dusty Greasy” description was deemed too insulting to the product, and so was replaced by the less inflammatory “heavy.”

Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1200 on: July 05, 2018, 01:14:45 PM »
The “Dusty Greasy” description was deemed too insulting to the product, and so was replaced by the less inflammatory “heavy.”

Kind of takes away from the gag   :-\

All of my packs must have been from the initial production, as I never saw Heavy, but had enough Big Mucs to stick extras.

Offline mikecho

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1201 on: July 05, 2018, 02:43:17 PM »
Interesting theory.  You have a good point about traditional circuses (and sentient creatures being forced to perform.)  I wonder if that was the reason why Disney backpedaled on Dumbo II?  Personally, I think the ostrich plot would have worked out well.
Thanks. I've heard a lot about this in the news. Of course, traditional circuses were pretty much at the peak of their popularity back in the day when the average person didn't know that much about animals such as elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, lions, tigers, bears, etc.. The same could be said for old-fashioned zoos. For example, the Philadelphia Zoo is ten times better now than it was when I was a kid. And I can remember when Zoo Atlanta was considered one of the 10 worst zoos in the country-but now it's one of the best!

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1202 on: July 05, 2018, 07:04:38 PM »
Thanks. I've heard a lot about this in the news. Of course, traditional circuses were pretty much at the peak of their popularity back in the day when the average person didn't know that much about animals such as elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, lions, tigers, bears, etc.. The same could be said for old-fashioned zoos. For example, the Philadelphia Zoo is ten times better now than it was when I was a kid. And I can remember when Zoo Atlanta was considered one of the 10 worst zoos in the country-but now it's one of the best!

Dude, I didn't know you were a Philly boy!  I used to love going to the Philadelphia Zoo when I was a child.  In fact, it was an annual tradition for my family, not to mention school trips, etc..  Have lots of fond memories, though I haven't been there in at least 10 years now - probably more.  Heard the elephants are gone, and the lions now have an overhead "Habitrail," so to speak.  I'll have to get over there later this summer.  Hope a lot of the older buildings are still there.  Love the architecture.  Half the enjoyment was the animals; The other half was the park-like setting.

I don't know if this happens to people in every generation at some point, but I now have all these mixed feelings as to the past vs the present.  I have nostalgic memories of so many different things, yet many of them are in seeming opposition as to how I feel today, such as with zoos and circuses, for example.  At one time, my ex and I kept a menagerie of pet rodents: mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rats, you name it.  I love rats.  You have to have one to appreciate it, but they are definitely one of the most coolest animals I've ever encountered.  I'd love to own a couple now, but I refuse to keep anything in a cage or aquarium any more (unless it's hurt, and then, only on a temporary basis.)  I also love the Uncle Remus stories.  The complete edition may not be my all-time favorite book, yet its definitely in my top twenty and features wonderful stories with some of the richest dialect the English speaking world has ever set to paper.  And yet, at the same time, I can understand why some might find exception with the dialect and/or narrative setting, and if I'm reading this book in public, such as on a plane, I feel like some sort of criminal.  Hell, I even have nostalgic memories of Gaines Burgers (being I once feed my dog such,) yet if they were around today, I'd balk at the idea of feeding such crap to any animal.  I could go on an on with similar examples.  Who knows?  Maybe I'm becoming more enlightened?  Or maybe I'm just becoming more and more of a basket case?  Time will tell.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Moving on to those things "Wacky."  "Dusty greasy" chunks is humorous, but I prefer "heavy" chunks.  I think it works better with the dog being bonked over and over again on the head.

Offline Swiski

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1203 on: July 08, 2018, 09:10:11 AM »
Flopp and Fluff...



Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1204 on: July 08, 2018, 10:28:24 AM »
Always appreciated how Norm would go the extra mile to include the knurling (?) that is, the pattern of little raised bumps, on his jars such as he did here and with "Nutt's."



Offline mikecho

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1205 on: July 08, 2018, 10:37:44 AM »
Dude, I didn't know you were a Philly boy!  I used to love going to the Philadelphia Zoo when I was a child.  In fact, it was an annual tradition for my family, not to mention school trips, etc..  Have lots of fond memories, though I haven't been there in at least 10 years now - probably more.  Heard the elephants are gone, and the lions now have an overhead "Habitrail," so to speak.  I'll have to get over there later this summer.  Hope a lot of the older buildings are still there.  Love the architecture.  Half the enjoyment was the animals; The other half was the park-like setting.

I don't know if this happens to people in every generation at some point, but I now have all these mixed feelings as to the past vs the present.  I have nostalgic memories of so many different things, yet many of them are in seeming opposition as to how I feel today, such as with zoos and circuses, for example.  At one time, my ex and I kept a menagerie of pet rodents: mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, rats, you name it.  I love rats.  You have to have one to appreciate it, but they are definitely one of the most coolest animals I've ever encountered.  I'd love to own a couple now, but I refuse to keep anything in a cage or aquarium any more (unless it's hurt, and then, only on a temporary basis.)  I also love the Uncle Remus stories.  The complete edition may not be my all-time favorite book, yet its definitely in my top twenty and features wonderful stories with some of the richest dialect the English speaking world has ever set to paper.  And yet, at the same time, I can understand why some might find exception with the dialect and/or narrative setting, and if I'm reading this book in public, such as on a plane, I feel like some sort of criminal.  Hell, I even have nostalgic memories of Gaines Burgers (being I once feed my dog such,) yet if they were around today, I'd balk at the idea of feeding such crap to any animal.  I could go on an on with similar examples.  Who knows?  Maybe I'm becoming more enlightened?  Or maybe I'm just becoming more and more of a basket case?  Time will tell.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Moving on to those things "Wacky."  "Dusty greasy" chunks is humorous, but I prefer "heavy" chunks.  I think it works better with the dog being bonked over and over again on the head.
I know what you mean about Uncle Remus. Song of the South is still on of my mom's favorite movies (she said once that she thought that it was a happy film and loved the actor who played Uncle Remus and his singing voice) and I still remember it being shown in re-releases in the theater at the Plymouth Meeting Mall and Mom taking my brother and I to see it every time it came out.  Ah, those were the days, indeed!

Now, here's the strange part. Gone with the Wind is just as politically incorrect as Song of the South is, and yet the first film has been on home video in every way, shape and form, while the second film has been outright banned and banished from home video. What is wrong with this picture here?

Here's a hardcover book that you might like: Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales (with a new introduction) as told by Julius Lester/illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. This book's just about the closest thing to having the stories in this day and age and it is good reading. You will not find a dull page in it, believe me.

Speaking of rats, did you know that Willard (1971) and Ben (1972) are both available from Shout! Factory in Blu-ray/DVD combos? That's something that you'd probably like to get if you like rats. Willard was also one of Elsa Lanchester's last films before she died (and one of Sondra Locke's first films) and, of course, Ben has that hit theme song done by Michael Jackson back when he was young (and normal).

And here's an interesting story! In 1990, my family and I took a vacation to England and Ireland. One of the places that we visited the London Zoo. Believe it or not, one of the exhibits had brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus)-the same "pest rats" that everyone hates-in two separate enclosures. While my mom and I were looking at the one on the right side of the exhibit, a zookeeper came into the enclosure with a big plate of food, put it down and left, locking the door behind her. The minute she did, those rats were all over the food like vultures at a carcass! It was really something and maybe a possible addition to your bucket list (Mom wasn't too impressed, of course, but I sure was!). All they needed to do was to have a house mouse (Mus musculus) enclosure there and all three of the major "pest rodents" would've been represented!
« Last Edit: July 08, 2018, 11:18:06 AM by mikecho »

Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1206 on: July 08, 2018, 10:46:04 AM »
Flopp and Fluff...



Another gag that got me as a kid, and where the Wacky name replaced the real one for me.  Great job on the jar and the typeface, and the addition of the mother and kid puts it over the top.  I remember putting a Flopp Wacky on a jar in our pantry and waiting eagerly for my mother to find it.

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1207 on: July 08, 2018, 11:21:38 AM »
Always appreciated how Norm would go the extra mile to include the knurling (?) that is, the pattern of little raised bumps, on his jars such as he did here and with "Nutt's."


What's especially awesome about the Fluff parody is that the second rendering, "Flunk" from the 14th, is every bit as good.  Hard to pick a clear winner between the two.

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1208 on: July 08, 2018, 05:24:21 PM »
What's especially awesome about the Fluff parody is that the second rendering, "Flunk" from the 14th, is every bit as good.  Hard to pick a clear winner between the two.

Let's place them side-by-side:



Offline MoldRush

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1209 on: July 08, 2018, 07:44:24 PM »
If you like the nuanced painting of the glass jar most, as mentioned previously about Nutt's Applesauce,, then Flunk comes out ahead.  However, I feel that Flopp more closely captures the look of the real product.  The stark, snow-whiteness of the marshmallow contents shines through better.  Tough call.  Both excellent though.

Offline Swiski

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1210 on: July 11, 2018, 04:38:22 AM »
Sunstroke Creature Crackers and Sunshine Animal Crackers...



Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1211 on: July 11, 2018, 05:52:19 AM »
Sunstroke Creature Crackers and Sunshine Animal Crackers...



I love the Creature Crackers gag, and too much sunshine will give you sun stroke, so the brand name is good, too.  The Wacky does a great job on the packaging, and I love the monster crackers, especially the vampire bat.  The tagline is great!  Don't think I'd change a thing.

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1212 on: July 11, 2018, 06:02:25 AM »
Great title!  Another one of my favorites!

As a boy at the time, I also collected "monster" cards that featured black and white scenes of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the Wolfman, Godzilla, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, King Kong, etc., as well as scenes from sci-fi B movies.  (Can't recall what the name of the set was, though.  Perhaps there were even multiple sets?)  In any event, it was nice to see some of these creatures parodied and assembled together in one place.  In a way, it was kind of like seeing old friends once again, a reunion.

In retrospect, this title seems dated, however, because of these very creatures which came to represent monster cinema up until that point.  At the time, though, they were the A list monsters, the icons, the top dogs.  Freddy, Jason, Chucky, Ghostface, etc. were all to come later.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 06:04:12 AM by Baked Bears »

Offline mikecho

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1213 on: July 11, 2018, 06:25:16 AM »
Great title!  Another one of my favorites!

As a boy at the time, I also collected "monster" cards that featured black and white scenes of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, the Wolfman, Godzilla, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, King Kong, etc., as well as scenes from sci-fi B movies.  (Can't recall what the name of the set was, though.  Perhaps there were even multiple sets?)  In any event, it was nice to see some of these creatures parodied and assembled together in one place.  In a way, it was kind of like seeing old friends once again, a reunion.

In retrospect, this title seems dated, however, because of these very creatures which came to represent monster cinema up until that point.  At the time, though, they were the A list monsters, the icons, the top dogs.  Freddy, Jason, Chucky, Ghostface, etc. were all to come later.
BB, the name of the series (which was also from Topps) was You'll Die Laughing (although the wrapper said Creature Features). There were two series that made up one whole set. Most of the pictures came from Universal and American International Pictures films. I used to collect them, too, though I never finished the series (and I lost all the cards years ago).

By the way, what did you think about my July 5th post above about the London Zoo's rats (and a few other things)? I'd have thought you'd have responded to it long before now.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2018, 06:28:02 AM by mikecho »

Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1214 on: July 11, 2018, 07:52:02 AM »

In retrospect, this title seems dated, however, because of these very creatures which came to represent monster cinema up until that point.  At the time, though, they were the A list monsters, the icons, the top dogs.  Freddy, Jason, Chucky, Ghostface, etc. were all to come later.

To me, those are evil people, not creatures.

Offline Zenergizer

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1215 on: July 11, 2018, 08:31:35 AM »
great title, and yet another product I never recall seeing in the "real world."


Offline sco(o)t

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1216 on: July 11, 2018, 11:37:07 AM »
I give this one two pigeons.   :great:   :great:   We did have Sunshine products in our area but they were always considered the second option if the store was out of the more well known brand.
aka Scot Leibacher (no trademark)

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1217 on: July 11, 2018, 02:36:26 PM »
To me, those are evil people, not creatures.

Yeah, I can see your point.  Still, though, the creatures seem dated.

As far as creatures go, there hasn't been that many of late that would make the top tier of the creature pantheon.  I would definitely say the Alien, yet I really can't think of anything else.  Possibly Pinhead from the Hellraiser franchise, but he is more of an evil person.  J. J. Abrams' Cloverfield monster was conceived to be iconic, yet it seems that Abrams has had his head up his ass insofar as the rest of the franchise is concerned, and I suspect the original monster will never pan out to anything and remain just a one hit wonder.  Come to think of it, we could use a new evil creature and a new evil person.  Hollywood hasn't had either for the longest time.

Offline Baked Bears

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1218 on: July 11, 2018, 03:38:03 PM »
BB, the name of the series (which was also from Topps) was You'll Die Laughing (although the wrapper said Creature Features). There were two series that made up one whole set. Most of the pictures came from Universal and American International Pictures films. I used to collect them, too, though I never finished the series (and I lost all the cards years ago).

By the way, what did you think about my July 5th post above about the London Zoo's rats (and a few other things)? I'd have thought you'd have responded to it long before now.

Thanks, Mikecho.  I saved a book from my youth, "Great Monsters of the Movies," in which I had taped some of these creature cards to the inside covers and pages with partial text (to supplement the original book.  Pretty clever or what?  Now the cards are worthless.)  Well, I just dusted it off, peeled off one of the cards, and, lo and behold, you are right!  The series is, indeed, called "You'll Die Laughing."

Here is an image of card #126, the one I peeled off.  Gotta love it!



As far as your other post, I'm glad you mentioned it, because I hadn't seen it.  Must have gotten buried beneath a few subsequent posts.

I'm pretty sure that I have the Uncle Remus edition you mentioned (only I can't immediately put my finger on it, and it's driving me crazy!)  And you're absolutely right, there is not a dull page to be found.  Even more, I love to read these stories aloud.  It's kind of like cracking a code.  Once you've mastered it, the words just flow like smooth water.

When I mentioned rats, I appreciate and admire them in many ways, but there's nothing quite like having them as pets.  In this regard, I absolutely love them.  Most people would get all squeamish at the mere mention of the horrific idea of keeping pet rats and think you are disturbed, but if I talk to anyone who has had pet rats, we usually find ourselves in agreement, that being of all the small animals, rats are the most unique and intelligent.  They're amazing, they truly are.  If I wasn't so adverse to caging animals up now, I would probably still have pet rats.  Perhaps someday (when I retire and have some open space in Illinois,) I'll build a large enclosure with a zillion nooks and crannies and have a colony of a two dozen or so rats.  Then it would be kind of like what you saw at the zoo.  It would be cool.

When you have a minute, check out this temple in Jaipur, India:

https://youtu.be/X2g7myxm5aQ

Offline mikecho

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1219 on: July 11, 2018, 04:12:12 PM »
Thanks, Mikecho.  I saved a book from my youth, "Great Monsters of the Movies," in which I had taped some of these creature cards to the inside covers and pages with partial text (to supplement the original book.  Pretty clever or what?  Now the cards are worthless.)  Well, I just dusted it off, peeled off one of the cards, and, lo and behold, you are right!  The series is, indeed, called "You'll Die Laughing."

Here is an image of card #126, the one I peeled off.  Gotta love it!



As far as your other post, I'm glad you mentioned it, because I hadn't seen it.  Must have gotten buried beneath a few subsequent posts.

I'm pretty sure that I have the Uncle Remus edition you mentioned (only I can't immediately put my finger on it, and it's driving me crazy!)  And you're absolutely right, there is not a dull page to be found.  Even more, I love to read these stories aloud.  It's kind of like cracking a code.  Once you've mastered it, the words just flow like smooth water.

When I mentioned rats, I appreciate and admire them in many ways, but there's nothing quite like having them as pets.  In this regard, I absolutely love them.  Most people would get all squeamish at the mere mention of the horrific idea of keeping pet rats and think you are disturbed, but if I talk to anyone who has had pet rats, we usually find ourselves in agreement, that being of all the small animals, rats are the most unique and intelligent.  They're amazing, they truly are.  If I wasn't so adverse to caging animals up now, I would probably still have pet rats.  Perhaps someday (when I retire and have some open space in Illinois,) I'll build a large enclosure with a zillion nooks and crannies and have a colony of a two dozen or so rats.  Then it would be kind of like what you saw at the zoo.  It would be cool.

When you have a minute, check out this temple in Jaipur, India:

https://youtu.be/X2g7myxm5aQ
That video was great! I remember first reading about this temple in an article from a 1970s issue of National Geographic called "The Rat: Lapdog of the Devil". Very good reading if you can get it. I think that it was dated June or July 1977, but I'm not completely sure. I'd know the issue if I saw it, though. The cover photo is definitely up there somewhere in my memory banks.

Did you see the part on my post about both Willard (1971) and Ben (1972) now being on DVD/Blu-ray combos for the first time in who knows how many years? I'd like to have your take on those two and Willard (2003) as well. Did you also know that the book that inspired these three films, Ratman's Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert, is back in print in paperback also? And let's not forget James Herbert's trilogy of books, The Rats (1974), Lair (1979) and Domain (1984). These three paperbacks together make Gilbert's book look like Dick and Jane, believe me, they do! I'll try to find out if they're all still in print, too.

UPDATE: Yes, they're all still in print! All these books and movies are very good, if you wish to have them. Hope to hear from you soon!

« Last Edit: July 14, 2018, 01:57:23 PM by mikecho »

Offline lucidjc

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1220 on: July 11, 2018, 05:16:03 PM »
Sunstroke Creature Crackers and Sunshine Animal Crackers...



 Back in the day, images of creatures/monsters were hard to come by. You had a few magazines here and there... but to have a bunch of them on a Wacky?  AWESOME!  One of, if not "MY" favorite Wacky. (still love the liquid filled wackys).

Jim

Offline Swiski

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1221 on: July 13, 2018, 07:37:27 PM »
Here's one from my home town of Milwaukee...Blast Blew Ribbon and Pabst Blue Ribbon...



Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1222 on: July 14, 2018, 05:26:16 AM »
Here's one from my home town of Milwaukee...Blast Blew Ribbon and Pabst Blue Ribbon...



I love the way they nailed the writing, and the gag is great, especially with the tagline "The beer that made Milwaukee burp."  That tagline always makes me smile.  And the character is one of the best ever.

Hey Swiski - no comments yourself?

Offline BustedFinger

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1223 on: July 14, 2018, 08:57:26 AM »
I wonder what made them choose the date of 1884 on this one?  The original product shows two dates of 1893 and 1844

And don't forget that the gag "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Burp" was originally used on Schmutz!
Giving "The Hobby" the finger since 1999!

Online RawGoo

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Re: Gag Criticism, Variation, and Packaging
« Reply #1224 on: July 14, 2018, 09:20:28 AM »

And don't forget that the gag "The Beer That Made Milwaukee Burp" was originally used on Schmutz!

I never saw the die-cuts when I was a kid, so that line was brand new to me when I pulled a Pabst.  Boy did I laugh! 

 

anything