Animalympics
Conceived in 1976 to parody the hype surrounding the Olympic Games. Creator Steven Lisberger made a 7-minute short for the film with a $10,000 dollar grant from the American Film Institute. He decided the idea could be expanded, so he got backing from NBC to produce the film, and, obtaining a 7-figure budget, moved his studio from his Boston loft to California. Lisberger and NBC produced two 30-minute parts: "Animalympics: Winter Games" and "Animalympics: Summer Games." Only "Winter Games" aired in 1979, but "Summer Games" never aired, due to the United States boycotting the Olympics when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The next year, both parts were edited together with new footage. The resulting feature film, known simply as "Animalympics," aired only on HBO, where it enjoyed a cult following for years to follow.,When Kit starts to move to catch up to Rene during the Marathon, Barbara Wabbler states she's "currently in a disappointing fifth position", yet she passes four runners before catching up to Rene (leader), which would have put her in sixth position, not fifth.,Rugs Turkell: I'm Rugs Turkell and I'll be bringing you me...,The original version of Animalympics was separated neatly into Summer and Winter Games halves. The version seen on TV and on video is the re-edited version, which most likely was created for its debut on HBO in the 80's. The version currently being shown on the Disney Channel has several edits:
A good deal of the "Noah's Ark Disco" sequence was cut (anything with animals smoking, drinking, and carousing),Edited into The Making of 'Tron' (2002),Z.O.O
Written, Performed and Produced by Graham Gouldman,"Animalympics" is a great parody of the Olympics. It actually combines two events into one, as both winter and summer sports are presented. The animation is okay, but not the best. However, the clever script and voices by Gilda Radner, Billy Crystal, Harry Shearer and Michael Fremer more than make up for it. The music, by Graham Gouldman of the group "10cc," is wonderful. (I was fortunate enough to find a copy of it on vinyl and I have been a happy person ever since.) Well worth watching.,