Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Ant and the Aardvark Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 4, 2016

Working to create their own take on the destructive misadventures of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises delivers “The Ant and the Aardvark,” a 17-episode saga featuring playful combat waged between an anteater who sounds like Jackie Mason (John Byner provides the voice) and Dean Martin-esque insect named Charlie (also Byner). Doing away with plot and a great assortment of supporting characters, the production focuses almost solely on the titular duo, who spend these brief blasts of screen time engaging in all kinds of violent shenanigans and zany chases, playing up cartoon slapstick with a merry-go-round of exaggerated misfortune.

Episodes

“The Ant and the Aardvark” (6:15) *Contains laugh track

Aardvark and Charlie Ant go to war in a picnic area, establishing their messy battle of traps and wits.

“Hasty But Tasty” (6:16)

Raiding a picnic on a motorcycle, Charlie frustrates Aardvark, who tries through many schemes to catch the ant.

“The Ant from Uncle” (6:07)

Struggling to consume his prey, Aardvark plays psychological games with Charlie, who brings in a secret weapon to save himself.

“I’ve Got Ants in my Plans” (6:17)

Interrupting an ant colony dinner party, Aardvark’s chances to acquire dinner are challenged by a rival.

“Technology, Phooey” (6:08)

Aardvark seeks help from a computer to help him capture Charlie.

“Never Bug an Ant” (6:13) *Contains laugh track

Aardvark turns to poisons, explosives, and a shot to pull Charlie out of his anthill.

“Dune Bug” (6:34)

Trying to trap Charlie, Aardvark follows the ant to the beach during his summer vacation.

“Isle of Caprice” (6:14)

Stuck on an island, Aardvark tries to reach a nearby ant colony, forced to navigate shark-infested waters.

“Scratch a Tiger” (6:15) *Contains laugh track

Struggling to meet his ant intake requirement, Aardvark chases Charlie once again, only to find the ant has hired a tiger for protection purposes.

“Odd Ant Out” (6:07)

Aardvark competes with a rival to devour a can of chocolate-covered ants.

“Ants in the Pantry” (6:07)

Overhearing a pest control call, Aardvark visits a home with an ant infestation.

“Science Friction” (6:16)

Hunting for food, Aardvark comes across a scientific expedition that’s studying Charlie.

“Mumbo Jumbo” (6:10)

A member of a jungle fraternity, Charlie calls on his lodge brothers to protect him from Aardvark.

“The Froze Nose Knows” (6:12)

Winter has arrived, forcing Charlie and Aardvark to battle in the deep snow.

“Don’t Hustle and Ant with Muscle” (6:09) *Contains laugh track

Looking for the upper hand to combat Aardvark, Charlie consumes a bottle of vitamins, making him super-strong.

“Rough Brunch” (6:18)

Charlie is joined by his termite cousin to thwart Aadrvark’s attacks.

“From Bed to Worse” (6:13)

Laid up in an animal hospital together, Charlie and Aardvark reignite their food chain battle, angering other patients.

The Ant and the Aardvark Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation preserves the colorful world of "The Ant and the Aardvark," leading with pleasing primaries on character designs and backgrounds. Hues are crisp and meaningful, without fade. Detail is generally successful, offering a look at the budget animation process and artful particulars. Delineation is secure. Speckling is present throughout.

The Ant and the Aardvark Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix keeps appropriately active for an animated effort, handling sound effects with satisfactory clarity, blended well with dialogue exchanges. Accents and intensity are secured, with most of the shorts keeping Byner's work open for inspection. Scoring is supportive, delivering bigness without slipping into distortion. Not all the episodes arrive in decent shape, with "Hasty But Tasty," "Isle of Caprice," and "From Bed to Worse" taking a noticeable dip in quality, hitting muffled lows. Strangely, the laugh track on "Don't Hustle and Ant with Muscle" only emerges from the left channel, increasing its volume, hurting the aural balance of the short.

The Ant and the Aardvark Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentaries are offered on "The Ant and the Aardvark" (with historian Greg Ford and director Friz Freleng), "I've Got Ants in my Pants" (with author Mark Arnold), "Technology, Phooey" (with Arnold), and "Mumbo Jumbo" (with historian Jerry Beck).

• "Goodbye, Warner Bros. Hello, DePatie-Freleng" (16:59, HD) turns to author Jerry Beck, who shares the origin story of the respected animation studio behind multiples cult titles, including "The Inspector." Interviews with employees and historians are provided, helping to identify various creative types within the DePatie-Freleng studio, and the saga of the opening titles for "The Pink Panther" are recalled, which jumpstarted production on "The Inspector" and inspired similar cinematic work throughout the 1960s.

• "Of Aardvarks, Ants, Inspectors, and Cranes" (17:10, HD) returns to Beck, the experts, and the employees to dissect each creative endeavor from DePatie-Freleng, highlighting personal favorites, animation style, and voice work achievements.

The Ant and the Aardvark Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Ant and the Aardvark" is rarely laugh-out-loud funny, but it's amusing, especially with lively voicework from Byner, who truly bring the characters to life. It's a blunt instrument of a cartoon, rarely experiencing anything beyond slapstick, figuring out ways to prevent Aardvark from feasting on Charlie. It's repetitive, often recycling the same jokes throughout the series, but "The Ant and the Aardvark" is fun when it locks into pursuit mode, aided by bouncy Dixieland scoring efforts and a production quest to revive old Warner Brothers magic through a new pair of warring, slightly neurotic creatures.