Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story

It's odd how many times someone faces accusations of something horrible around the time of a reboot. It's almost as if major companies want more profits so they know the court of public opinion quite often removes the word "alleged" and pronounces people guilty immediately. Turns out most people are terrible so they need to believe anyone successful is worse to feel better about themselves.

Some things John admits to doing and some are just allegations and should be taken as such. You would not want people believing everything people say about you so give others the same courtesy.

That said, it's a good documentary from an age when cartoons weren't trying to indoctrinate children but letting them be kids and enjoy being silly.

I think everyone can contend that John K. is 'old school'. He loves his old cartoons, movies, music, fashion, etc. Struggling through the 80's, John did manage to become allied with the infamously controversial Ralph Bakshi. In and around this time, John K. also gets commissioned by The Rolling Stones to make a video for their song 'Harlem Shuffle'. A handsomely geeky Canadian that seems to be the modern day Robert Crumb that everyone wants a piece of. And through the myriad of odd, sexual, stereotypical, and subversive characters John could conjure up - a funny little cat and dog was noticed. Can it be capitalized upon? Can it be cross marketed for kids and adults? Can animation resort to the 'old ways', and can John K. be trusted to steer the ship and avoid icebergs...? Could Jimmy Page produce a record for Mr. Rogers? Could Gore Vidal write a children book? Technically 'yes' Professionally... Why would anyone dare entertain the notion? So whether you knew of John K. before, or newly experience his history with this movie, it's plain to see John K. was a 'bull in a china shop' from the get go. A fierce and visionary talent demanding control of his own style and substance. And Nickelodeon wisely and/or foolishly took a chance on him and his crew. And much to everyone's surprise, Ren & Stimpy became a overnight success! But what was failed to see by all involved is this seemingly simple product of cartoon cat and dog could not be easily delivered overnight. Uniqueness, boundaries, fame, and ego's were all soon to clash. And regrettably, Ren & Stimpy got fused into a rope for a game of 'Tug O' War' that pitted creation against product, control over freedom, and integrity over merit. Personally, I don't think anyone was to blame. Nickelodeon exec's may have been short sighted, but John K. certainly didn't get easier to work with. And thus Ren & Stimpy became a headless chicken to go on living for the sake of entertainment - which didn't last long. Amazingly, nearly ten years later - Spike TV had the audacity to let the now even bigger and angrier bull loose in the china shop! New station, new millennium, new and more open minded audience. Take it away John.... And he took it to where they could've never imagined - or wanted to. So again, whose to blame? Over exigent on both parties, but that's the world of art and profit. Now where the movie fell for me is painting John K. as this evolving tyrannical predator that literally painted himself into a corner he couldn't get out of. Although aging and bitter by this point, John K. is still an attractive and fit man. And young girls saw him as an idol still. Really young! And John K. took a liking to them - liking them a little too much. BUT - he can't be fully blamed or ostracized, as these girls literally gave themselves to him. For years! And to now say what a monster he was and how he damaged them I just don't buy! Where was their sense? Where was their parents sense? Where was anyone's sense when this was going down? John K. was merely riding out the fantasy he was Robert Plant or Hugh Hefner that liked the comfort and carefree nature of young girls. We ALL do - to certain extents! And it's truly sad to see John's sudden trajectory, misunderstandings, lack of discipline (or maybe too much of from his father and others...?) Now whittled down to this perverse failure that doomed everyone. Meanwhile Robert Crumb gets more admiration and sympathy for his art and eccentricities with supposed understanding. I don't fully defend John K. But regardless of this movie - I think I fully understand him to this day!

I was really enjoying the first 3/4 of this documentary. It was great to see the history of one of my all time favourite shows. One that moulded the kind of adult I became and dictates the types of humour I consumed into my adult life. Then they got to the abuse stuff and it just felt like the depth of the film, up until this point, just dropped off.

The rich detail of the history of John K from a child to Ren & Stimpy becoming one of the biggest, most iconic animated shows in history and his subsequent fall from grace; was turned into this short, shallow afterthought that was glossed over with details heavily edited out. It feels like a documentary dictated by John K or by someone really trying to please him whilst still mentioning some things that can't be ignored.

I understand that this is, ultimately, a documentary about Ren & Stimpy and not about the life of John K but when the creator of something so iconic is such a controversial figure, these things can't be ignored. I feel like I was let down by the last 1/4 of this documentary. It's well worth a watch if you're looking for the story of one of the best shows ever put onto TV but if you want more depth in regards to its creators life, outside of his childhood, don't waste your time.

This is a documentary about the envelope-burning Nickelodeon cartoon, The Ren & Stimpy Show (1991). It broke animation out of its toy-selling corporate mandate into a more outrageous adult era. Its creator John Kricfalusi became an overnight sensation. The show ran into problems after Nickelodeon ups the second season order to twenty episodes and John turns into a tyrant. The story takes an even darker turn with the 2018 BuzzFeed article about John's relationships with teenagers Robyn Byrd and Katie Rice.

To be fair, the filmmakers were probably blindsided by the 2018 story and had to do some fast editing. It takes ninety minutes before the movie gets to Robyn Byrd and they never interviewed Katie Rice. I wouldn't be surprised if the movie was already done with a ninety minute cut before the revelations turned everything upside down. There are downside consequences to this. This movie has a few famous faces heaping praises upon the show. I bet some of them would like to add to their interviews by tackling the question of separating the creator from the creation. While a few insiders do mention John's fascination with young girls, some more in-depth discussion on the subject matter is needed. Quite frankly, that should be the central issue of this documentary. It may not be possible but the filmmakers need to make another ninety minutes on that.

I enjoyed the first half, maybe even first 3/4'th of this the most. It really did a good job of touching on the background of John K, his influences, how the show got started, and the creative talent that helped make the show what it was. That's all good, but then as it gets to the downfall of the show, I think it learned too heavily into being focused on John K's personal issues, from the sympathetic standpoint of people who more or less bult themselves up off the allegations they raised against him. Now I don't want to take sides, but it seems obvious how some people who led to his downfall had something to gain from the controversy and attention they pursued. Especially the corporate executive who basically tried to stake claim to the shows creation, when it's obvious how she was just someone sitting on an executive board approving this and that.

In the end I guess it presents a good picture on why the show ultimately fell apart in the end, but I don't think what I got out of it was what they intended for me to get out of it. Based off everything they presented going over the show's creation, it's clear where the real talent was and why nobody else managed to accomplish anything meaningful after. It's basically a presentation on how success can affect people, making some people think they're greater than they are, or corrupting people who were truly great.