Garfield in Paradise

"Chrome........chrome........chrome............ Bop bop a re-bop! Chrome....." 30+years later and my Dad and I still chant that when we see a '57 or something equally chrome-esque.

We recorded this off the TV back in the 80's.

Although something of a child at heart, with loving animation even more as a young adult and still loving many childhood favourites (even more so with some), the broader my film taste and knowledge has gotten have found myself harder to please over-time. Have found that time has not been kind to some childhood favourites, but it has been kind to the ever funny and endearing Garfield, 'Garfield and Friends' and his numerous specials. With understanding the humour more and finding more to like and appreciate, actually like them even more now.

Having said that, 'Garfield in Paradise' is for me not one of the best Garfield specials/television films. This is not meant in a bad way, it's still good and does the character justice, just that others, particularly 'Garfield in Disguise', 'Garfield's Feline Fantasies' and 'A Garfield Christmas Special', left more of an impression on me and stuck with me more. Found them, and pretty much the rest of the other specials/television films, funnier, more emotionally impactful, more memorable and more interesting story-wise, not saying that 'Garfield in Paradise' isn't any of those things, we are just talking in comparison with the others. Regardless of whether it is one of the best or not (and for me it's a lesser effort, again comparitively and only because a vast majority of the specials are very good to brilliant), it does deserve to be better known.

'Garfield in Paradise' is again slight in story, playing more like an extended television episode that would have fitted well with some tweaks in the writing on 'Garfield and Friends'. The supporting characters could have been more interesting and memorable, the stereotypes can go either way (personally didn't find them offensive but the depiction agreed was on the weird side) and do agree also about one character being rather irritating.

As said, other Garfield specials are funnier, have more heart (though neither are in short supply certainly) and stick in the mind longer, the writing is generally fine, just that other Garfield specials do them even better.

With all of that being said, there is a lot to like about 'Garfield in Paradise'. The animation is still as colourful as remembered with the generally smooth drawing, far from sparse backgrounds and attention to detail holding up really well, in terms of animation as far as the specials go it's to me one of the slicker-looking ones. The Hawaiian setting is colourfully and vividly rendered. The music is as ever pleasant and infectious.

One is not short-changed when it comes to the entertainment value, with the humour (pretty much all of it coming from Garfield) being wry and amusing. This is not something that was made with no soul or care either, while there is plenty of fun and affectionate atmosphere. Garfield is so easy to love and has great comic timing, while Odie is adorable. Can never get enough of their chemistry. Have no qualms with the voice acting, Lorenzo Music has never been bettered, or even equalled, as the voice of Garfield.

Concluding, pretty good if not great. 7/10

I was never too keen on Garfield in Paradise, there is just something about it that doesn't gel. Garfield TV specials are always great but there's a couple of annoying things in this one.

Jon has taken Garfield (and a stowaway Odie) to Hawaii for a vacation, staying in a lousy hotel after a third class plane ride. Everything about their trip reeks of sleaze. Soon they happen upon a native village (containing a very irritating, gibberish-talking short guy showing asscrack that belongs in something like The Simpons) and have to drive their 1957 vintage rentacar into a volcano to plug the hole.

There's not much more to it than that I'm afraid. Though seeing as how I'm trying to plan a sunny beach holiday it did kinda put me off booking a cheap hotel and flight.

Garfield, Odie, and Jon Arbuckle are going on another vacation trip.

This time it's Hawaii for real! Jon Arbuckle and Garfield flew all the way on 3rd Class, along with Odie secretly strode away in the luggage. When they landed in Hawaii they went to their motel, which wasn't as promising as it said in the brochure. So they decide to rent a car and search for some real action.

As they explored the island, they come across a Hawaiian tribe that worships classic cars. As it's said according to legend that dropping a classic car into an erupting volcano can prevent havoc on the paradise. But will it really stop the eruption that's about to begin momentarily? This TV movie is funny and well thought up. What's cool is they have THE WolfMan Jack portraying the Hawaiian Chief which makes this Garifeld TV movie a memorable one. You're able to see it off of the Garifeld Travel Adventures DVD.

I do actually believe that I have watched the 1986 animated movie "Garfield In Paradise" once before, because as I sat down to watch it here in 2024, the storyline seemed very familiar. However, I must admit that I have no recollection of this movie prior to watching it. So perhaps I had entirely forgotten about it and watching it sort of recalled parts of the storyline.

The storyline in "Garfield In Paradise" is pretty straightforward, and definitely is something you would expect from a classic "Garfield" story. So writer Jim Davis delivered here, especially if you enjoy the classic 1980s "Garfield" stuff.

The animation and art style in "Garfield In Paradise" is good, and certainly is tune with the other "Garfield" animated movies from that time. And it is also very much in tune with the comic strips.

If you enjoy the classic "Garfield" stuff, then "Garfield In Paradise" is well-worth watching.

My rating of director Phil Roman's 1986 "Garfield In Paradise" lands on a five out of ten stars.