Garfield's Thanksgiving

Like all of the old Garfield specials televised before the Saturday morning cartoon show this videotape is hard to come by. I ordered it on eBay and received my copy today. I watched it with my girlfriend's two daughters (aged 9 and 2) and they loved it. They were brought up on the glitz of Disney computer animation but were very entertained by this archaic cartoon.

The jokes are classic, even if some of them are more for adults than children. I laughed uncontrollably during the Orson Welles joke when Garfield was on the talking scale. I highly recommend picking this tape up and watching it with your kids -- neither you nor they will be disappointed.

I do believe that this was my first time to watch the 1989 animated "Garfield's Thanksgiving" movie.

Writers Jim Davis and Kim Campbell put together an okay enough storyline. It was definitely a classic Garfield type of story, no doubt about that, but I have to say that it wasn't the most enjoyable of animated Garfield movies in my opinion. Don't get me wrong here, because "Garfield's Thanksgiving" wasn't bad, it just lacked some special ingredient to make it outstanding.

The voice acting in "Garfield's Thanksgiving" was good. As always, it is a blast to have Lorenzo Music voicing Garfield and Thom Huge voicing Jon.

The animation and art in "Garfield's Thanksgiving" was good. If you've seen other Garfield animated movies from the late 1980s or early 1990s, or read the comic strips, then you will be right at home here. So there was a sense of familiarity to that, which was a good thing for us that have grown up with Garfield in one way or another.

My rating of directors Phil Roman, Gerard Baldwin, Bob Nesler and John Sparey's 1989 "Garfield's Thanksgiving" lands on a five out of ten stars.

Tommmorrow's Thanksgiving, and Garfield is looking forward to eating. But after a trip to the vet. Garfield was put on a strict diet due to his weight problem.

Jon Arbuckle manage to invite Liz(the Vet) to Thanksgiving dinner.

Which makes it harder for Garfield as he's going through a lot of pain as it is.

Will he survive the diet or will he get one taste of turkey? The animation in this one is just like in the popular TV series, as it was made when the TV show was still on the air. That and it's the only Garfield TV movie to have Liz as a Secondary character instead of a Minor character.

Contains the running jokes and gags you'd expect in any Garfield TV movie.

Have always been very fond of Garfield. He is a very funny and lovable character and 'Garfield and Friends' and his specials (like some more than others though) hold up very well today. Actually perhaps even better now as an adult but a child somewhat at heart than as a child. This is not nostalgia talking as there have been things loved as a child watched much later, and the question "what made me like this when younger?" Not so with 'Garfield and Friends' or his specials.

Still feel that way with 'Garfield's Thanksgiving', again not reviewed at the right time for the occasion being depicted but lets not worry about that for now, for me there has never been a right time to review anything (sometimes even to watch it). 'Garfield's Thanksgiving' is one of the least well known and shown specials of his and that is a shame. It is far from the best special (my personal favourite always having been 'A Garfield Christmas Special'), or even one of them, but it does deserve to be known more. Just because it is not as known well as some of the others doesn't mean it's bad, actually still consider 'Garfield's Thanksgiving' good and have always liked it.

Yes, 'Garfield's Thanksgiving' doesn't have the emotional impact or heart of some of the other Garfield specials, though it is not devoid of either. Others are more memorable.

Will admit too to connecting much more with other holidays like Christmas and Halloween than with Thanksgiving anyway, so that probably plays some part in why 'Garfield's Thanksgiving' doesn't connect quite as much.

There are many great merits with 'Garfield's Thanksgiving' though. The animation is still as colourful as remembered with the smooth drawing, far from sparse backgrounds and attention to detail holding up really well. Some of the other specials are more memorable in the music department, but the music and songs still fit with no problem and very pleasant and catchy listens.

Entertainment value, as to be expected, is non-stop, with some hilarious gags and wry and witty writing. Rarely have asides and sarcasm being funnier and more endearing for any character than with Garfield (Popeye the Sailor always entertained though with his asides and mumblings and Brain from 'Pinky and the Brain' also delighted with the sarcasm, though it was of the dark kind). Although not as strong as in other Garfield specials, the heart is there as is the charm, the sentiment being touching and not done in a preachy manner and the sweetness not being sugary. The story is thin but not dull and has a sweet ending.

Garfield is as hilarious and lovable as ever and can never get enough of Odie, who is so cute. Jon and Liz are likeable enough and Grandma is good fun. Have no qualms with the voice acting, Lorenzo Music has never been bettered, or even equalled, as the voice of Garfield.

Overall, not one of my favourites but have always liked it a lot and still do. 7.5/10 Bethany Cox

Once again, Garfield proves he can pull off more in 25 minutes than movies that take 4 times that long. It's Thanksgiving and Jon loves to make a huge deal of it. On a trip to the vet (keep a lookout for Orson the Pig in the waiting room) he manages to pluck up enough courage to ask out Dr. Liz on a date. Amazed? Well she actually accepts, how crazy is that? If only she knew what she was getting in to.

Jon doesn't plan the Thanksgiving dinner very well. He's got NO clue how to work a kitchen. And he's on the verge of blowing his big chance with Liz. But Grandma Arbuckle comes to the rescue. And so John, Liz, Garfield and Odie sit together at the table for lovely evening in which Jon actually manages to impress Liz. Well, will wonders never cease?

This TV special is one billion times what the poor Garfield movie is.