Wowzers Inspector Gadget!

[danglad311]

Wowsers indeed, ‘tis Inspector Gadget!
I was just thinking of the old tv cartoon, and searched the interweb, and I’m proud to announce that one of my favorite shows growing up is amazingly out on DVD, in 4 disks! There’s even a special features titled “Go Go Gadget Creators!”, which, I imagine, is an amazing piece of art. I remember that even though Gadget always got the fame, I still felt bad for him, as Penny and Brain were both smarter than he was. Can you imagine being routinely outsmarted by a dog? Bad times Check out the details for a quick dose of nostalgia.
Oh, and don’t forget that
I’ll get you next time, Gadget!, next time!!!!!!!!!!

[ShyViolet]

Penny and Brain were both smarter than he was. Can you imagine being routinely outsmarted by a dog?

Yeah that was so cute.

I loved Penny. Especially her cool TV-watch-walkie-talkie. Also remember how Gadget's boss was always hiding inside some random object and would then get blown up or something by something Gadget did? "GADGET!"

Also, Claw RULED. Man was he scary.

I also can't believe the way they mangled The Claw's character in the Inspector Gadget movie. That film should win an award for "Worst cartoon adaptation EVER." It makes Garfield look llike Batman Begins.

With 80's cartoons being screwed up like this, how much of a chance do the Turtles or Transformers movies stand?

[Daniel]

Another live-action take is in the offing. Goodie. And I bet will be a Disney+ exclusive...

Guess I'm okay with it, so long as it's more faithful to the cartoon. For starters, how about an actual animated Brain? Yeah, the original was pretty bad as Shy notes above, (mangled Claw indeed!) although it was somewhat entertaining. The sequel wasn't much better, though looked more promising! Funny how the article didn't even make mention. If there was one good thing, it was the music video that Disney Channel would air:



So nostalgicy.

[ShyViolet]

That’s actually pretty cute. . In fact probably better than the actual ‘99 movie was (I forget when the sequel came out.)

Also just wanted to say: I love Matthew Broderick, he’s an excellent actor and singer, but how in the h*** he got cast in this movie is beyond me. So wrong for the part, and seems so LOST in every single scene (not that I blame him.)


Original trailers/TV spots:


https://youtu.be/iMlvnjwB5Zo

Also actually just remembered that I had the plastic IG action figure via Mcdonald’s. Nostalgia indeed....

[Daniel]

I still have mine! One of the best Happy Meal tie-in toys EVER! Had so much fun collecting the parts to "build" him. Such fun!

[EricJ]

Another live-action take is in the offing. Goodie. And I bet will be a Disney+ exclusive...

Most of them are, at this point. I'm guessing it's 90's nostalgia, and not the free property tie-in back when Disney owned ABC/Capital Cities/DiC and could get Gadget for free.

And yes, the original movie was an unholy nightmare--a sugar-high'ed 90-minute commercial for Ritalin that makes the frenetically self-amusing Lego Movies look like "Last Year at Marienbad"--and Matthew Broderick's Evil Gadget still looks disturbingly like a rubber Nixon mask, but the direct-video "Inspector Gadget 2" was...not that bad, really.
Yes, it's still just as goofy, but not as desperately or frantically bouncing off the walls to be loved, we get a REAL Dr. Claw this time, and I cannot emphasize this enough: "Third Rock From the Sun"'s French Stewart was BORN to play Inspector Gadget, in Don Adams' absence. Dear lord, why couldn't they have used him in the first movie instead of poor, clueless, well-meaning Broderick?

[Daniel]

On the whole, I agree! Stewart managed to add depth to the character. Though far from perfect, I guess I would say it was the lesser of two evils.

[Randall]

While not really a French Stewart fan, I have to admit that he did a pretty admirable job in the role.

Sheesh, I actually had to write a review of that one, otherwise I'm sure I would never have seen it.

…checking...

Yikes! I thought so little of it (and I doubted anyone would miss it), that I never posted the review at AV! I had done the review for an older site, and it was one of the few that never migrated over here!

I got the first film later, as a Disney Movie Rewards freebie, but I've never opened it up!

[Daniel]

Tsk-tsk all around.

[Daniel]

New figures coming out from Blitzway:



Those are actually pretty sweet. They look exactly as they should. Incredible detail and the attachments and add-ons are brilliant. Those prices however, yikes!

[ShyViolet]

Yeah, those are definitely awesome looking but 90 dollars for an IG figure?? (Even Penny and Brain bundled together for 70 or whatever it was is an inarguable rip-off.). I don’t know, maybe if they were bronze chess pieces or something...

Those are REALLY amazing, though. (Especially like Penny and the police chief.) Also, where’s Claw??

[Daniel]

Next wave probably, if it even does good enough to justify. As nice as they look, they really should be priced $15-$20. That's just too much.

[droosan]

Those are REALLY amazing, though. (Especially like Penny and the police chief.) Also, where’s Claw??

There was a Dr. Claw action figure, back in the day .. packaged so that you couldn't see his face. When opened, it revealed a generic angry-lookin' dude with spiky white hair .. a bit of a let-down.
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DrClaw.jpg (95.41 KiB) Viewed 7082 times

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The live-action 1999 movie made absolutely no effort to hide Dr. Claw's face, which was likewise a disappointment.

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Wa-a-a-ay back in the cartoon's TV heyday, my personal 'head-canon' theory was that Chief Quimby had a dual personality. Whenever the messages Inspector Gadget tossed aside exploded in Quimby's face, he was transformed into .. Dr. Claw!