Movie This!

We have all kinds of retro cartoons that have been given the royal magic of Hollywood. Transformers: check. G.I. Joe: check. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: check. Soon to be Jem and the Holograms movie: check. For some fans this is all a dream come true, for others it is a hellish nightmare akin to an invasion by Shao Kahn from the Outworld. However, the idea of our beloved cartoons and shows getting a movie reboot is a trend that will not be going away anytime soon, so it is best to enjoy it as much as possible. Or simply imagine the possibilities of some great retro shows that also need a movie. Stat.

5. SilverHawks

Space. The final frontier. I love space; at least stories that take place in space. I’d never want to visit, but if a cartoon or movie can take me away beyond the stars… I am so there! SilverHawks was like a studio equivalent to ThunderCats. The story revolved around a group of heroes who were “partly metal, partly real.” They were essentially the space police, bent on fighting Mon*Star and his organization of crime. Check out the opening credits.

The theme song is catchy, but more importantly the cast of characters and a splashy setting in space would translate to an epic film. Think Gravity, but without all the floating around. The SilverHawks could fly through space as well as the interesting villains. Mon*Star even flies around on a giant squid. That should be more than enough awesomeness to find its way to the big screen. I have no idea how it would be done, but I think it could be something amazing. We need to continue the trend of super heroic movies occurring in space!

4. Snorks

While the race to see more movies in space is one that I dream of, I also love the kinds of tales that could occur under water. There always seems to be a great deal of stories to be told underwater from scary tales to some happy tales. I’m quite surprised we’ve yet to see a return of the Snorks.

They were super cute and since we are getting a Gummi Bears reboot soon, it only seems fair that we also bring back other properties featuring cute little creatures trying to go about life in their respective environments. Growing up I thought the Snorks were beyond fun and while I may not have the same attachment to them that I do with a show like She-Ra or Jem, I think a nice animated or CGI update could be fun. Besides, a retro return of Snorks could also usher in a new era for Hanna-Barbera. There were some amazing cartoons brought to us by Hanna-Barbera and I think there are many generations of fans that would like to see some classics return.

3. Reboot

I watched many cartoons as a kid in the 80’s but I became more selective with what I watched as the 90’s wore on. One show that was weekly viewing was Reboot. At the time it seemed as if I was watching the future of animation. The CGI animation has certainly aged all these years later, but look over the intro and try to tell me that this would not make a great movie! (It totally would!)

The story had shades of Tron and featured two of my favorite villains. Hexadecimal was simply the bees knees. Not only was this a great show but I also loved collecting the toy line. It actually ran for a decent amount of time (1994-2001) and will hopefully... ya know… reboot.

2. Rainbow Brite

I know this might sound silly, but the greatest science fiction story waiting to be told is a colorful movie about Rainbow Brite; just bare with me. The entire premise of the 80’s cartoon was that a young girl appears on a dark and scary world and she is charged with bringing light back across the land. Her outfit is already ripped from NASA, so throw in some terrifying creatures that Rainbow Brite has to battle with and I think we’d have a far out sci-fi movie based on a colorful story.

The movie could also work with a glam space frenzied feel to it. Make it appealing for everyone and I think Rainbow Brite could actually get a proper return to pop culture. She’s never really been gone. A single trip to a Spencer’s Gifts or Hallmark Store can yield a person with some sort of Rainbow Brite clock or birthday card. Even if she’s never been able to really stick around on television or the toy aisle, that doesn’t mean we should give up. If Jem is getting a movie, it only makes sense that other great retro girl series get dusted off too.

1. She-Ra

For years there have been whispers of a He-Man movie. Quite frankly I grow tired of those whispers. I say if there is going to be a barbarian/fantasy themed movie made from an older cartoon, make it She-Ra.

It sounds like a stretch because for some there is just no escaping the big pink castle play set and the toys with bright colored hair, but I think the basic premise of She-Ra would make for one of the greatest movies ever. Let’s break it down for just a moment. We have Adora, our misguided princess working for the forces of evil as they try to conquer a fading world. Realizing the true nature of her origin, Adora chooses to fight with the side of the Great Rebellion against the tyranny of the vicious Horde! Throw in a secret identity as She-Ra and a slew of fantasy inspired characters both good and evil, and what’s not to love? Create a trilogy and in the final installment introduce Adora’s real family and thus a proper He-Man movie will be good to go shortly after.

For some the idea of a beloved cartoon from youth getting turned into a blockbuster Hollywood film sounds tawdry. “Leave the past alone!” Some might say. And in some ways I do agree. No one wants to see their favorite cartoon or character get butchered in translation to the big screen. However there are some stories that were good back then and can be good now. It’s not about trashing the past, but finding a way to tell interesting stories in ways we never thought possible before.

What kinds of retro cartoons would you like to see get a return? Or should the past stay in the past? Let me know!  Hope you are all doing well, take care.