Garfield Goes Hollywood

John, Odie, and Garfield are watching a TV show called "Pet Search" (it's like 'Star Search' but for pets). John wishes his pets had talent so they can win the $1000. Garfield and Odie show John they are talented, so John enters the 3 of them into the contest and wins the local contest. Now it's off to Hollywood for the finals and another adventure. And the winner is...

Not a bad Garfield film short. He's got better cartoons on the market but this one is worth watching.

Always loved Garfield as a kid - I grew up with him in the 1980's. I used to collect his stuff, read him in the funny papers and watched his weekly show. Good stuff.

8/10.

Having missed out on this particular TV instalment as an eager kid at the height of my Garfield obsession in the 1980s, and still being an avid admirer of the sardonic ginger tabby cat even today, I was thrilled at the chance to finally catch up with it, along with a couple of the other best-loved specials, on its recent DVD release. And, putting it to the back of my mind that FOX had probably only granted it the light of digital day as a tie-in with the then just-out live action feature, I had a lot of fun with 'Garfield goes Hollywood', the one Garfield special which, from what I've seen, comes the closest to harbouring the spirit of the top-notch series, 'Garfield and Friends'. Nicely animated, and with a good range of genuinely funny gags, the enjoyable, if mildly predictable storyline sees Garfield, Odie and Jon Arbuckle heading out to the location hinted in the title for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at fame and stardom, via a national talent contest known as 'Pet Search'. Along the way, Garfield gets the itch for some creative freedom, not willing to settle for the hopelessly archaic song and dance routine devised for them by Jon, and goes to some pretty extreme lengths to obtain it.

Once the deciding round gets underway and the act in question has been severely revamped, with one member now excluded, the final outcome shouldn't be too much of a surprise, but Garfield's regular acerbic commentary upon his every experience, and the sheer volume of imaginative touches that just keep on coming as it goes leave you far too elated with what's in front of you to care. In addition to the wonderfully assorted variety of animal contestants entering in the 'Pet Search' competition (and just when you thought that 'Five Tap Dancing Pigeons and Herbie' skit couldn't get any more amusing…) we also get some neatly depicted glimpses of the local Hollywood scenery, a dream sequence paying homage to a handful of classic pictures ('the Wizard of Oz' and 'Singin' in the Rain' being among them), and, as per usual with any Garfield special, a square minimum of at least one agreeably catchy song number (in this one there are about three). On a side note, the humour here can occasionally get a tad more macabre than I'm used to from this cat (Garfield discovers a deviously sure-fire way of 'eliminating' a goldfish competing in a heat against him, while one woman is entering a pet who appears to have died, or at least passed out, prior to their turn), but certainly none the worse for it. Among the cream of Garfield's ventures, this slick trip to Hollywood is a delightful ride, and one which you can safely guarantee will never make you feel like you're too old to be revelling in cartoons. When they're loaded with this much quality, who on earth can resist?

Grade: A-

Garfield goes on another travel adventure, yet again. This time it's Hollywood! After watching a TV program on pets becoming stars, Odie and Garfield want to audition to become stars. Jon Arbuckle likes the idea too. Only he gives them an act they don't approve on which is Elvis theme performance.

At the additions, the other acts were random and just plain bad to begin with. Luckily for them they're the only act that didn't suck at all. So they beaten the other pets won 1000 dollars and a trip to Hollywood to compete in the "Next pet star" contest. But will they achieve in becoming celebrities or come back home with the second rate prize? I like this one a lot because of the humor and the usual sarcasm from Garfield. The animation is great and the story is unique. And may I say an enjoyable TV movie for the Garfield fans.

I have never seen the 1987 animated movie "Garfield Goes Hollywood" before now in 2025. But of course I am more than familiar with Garfield.

Writer Jim Davis put together an okay enough script and storyline, though I have to say that the narrative was a bit on the weak side. There are far better animated "Garfield" movies from the 1980s out there. But it was watchable enough for what it was.

It was nice to have Lorenzo Music voicing Garfield, Thom Huge voicing John and Gregg Berger voicing Odie, as it is establishes a familiarity to the other animated "Garfield" movies that is also voiced by these talents. Needless to say that the voice acting was good.

If you've read the "Garfield" comic strips or watched any animated "Garfield" movie in the 1980s, then you will find "Garfield Goes Hollywood" to be right there alongside the others. I enjoy the animation style and the art style in these old animated "Garfield" movies as it captures the essence of the comic strips.

My rating of "Garfield Goes Hollywood" lands on a five out of ten stars.

Jon watches some braindead TV show about folks with pets who can do amazing tricks. Garfield and Odie, desperate for love and attention, prove to Jon that they're even better when they do their own little act for him. So Jon takes them on TV where they win the competition(by default).

The success goes to Jon's head and the gang go off to Hollywood to compete in the final round for bigger prizes. Now all the other acts are more sophisticated and better. All Garfield and Odie can do is their best.

It's not the best Garfield TV special but it's still quite good and the cozy image of the Hollywood Hills is rather cute.