I consider this grating little sketch to be a turning point in the history of western animation — even moreso than the actual Shrek movie.
This short’s viral success (in an era where VHS was the only means of memetic transmission!) proved that consumers love dance parties and familiar pop culture gags more than anything… even more than story. (Because Shrek, in spite of everything else, did in fact have a story.)
This short was a harbinger of the laziness that would plague non-Pixar feature animation from here until Kung Fu Panda in 2008.
All of that medium-defining death knell stuff aside… I confess that this makes me smile quite a bit. It’s a quick reminder of how well Shrek did in defining its world that it could evoke laughs combining specific pop songs and visual gags for more than a dozen different characters.
Is It Good?
Not Very Good (3/8)
Note: This review was originally published elsewhere. Please excuse brevity or inconsistencies in style. If you have questions or feedback, please leave a comment or contact me.
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