The Little Rascals Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The Little Rascals Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 12, 2014

After achieving major success with 1992’s “Wayne’s World,” it’s amazing how badly director Penelope Spheeris stumbled with her subsequent career choices. Hunting for an easy lay-up Hollywood hit, she accepted the challenge of bringing “The Beverly Hillbillies” to the big screen during the great T.V. adaptation gold rush of the 1990s. And then Spheeris turned her attention to an update of Hal Roach’s “Our Gang” film series of the 1920s and ‘30s. It was an impossible mission of tonality that was doomed from the start, working to bring something that was defined by its era into the present, yet still retaining all the old-timey shenanigans and iconic character design. “The Little Rascals” wasn’t a smart professional decision for the helmer, and the stress shows in every scene of this misbegotten endeavor. Instead of paying tribute to a golden age of comedy, the production merely reheats established bits, adding crudeness to lubricate likability, generally missing the appeal of the original shorts.

It’s a day of urgency for young Spanky (Travis Tedford), who sends out a message, via dog Petey, that members of the He-Man Woman Haters Club are required to meet up at their clubhouse. On the agenda is hope that their beloved go-kart, The Blur, will be able to take the top prize at the town carnival, thus securing glory for the society, which includes Buckwheat (Ross Bagley), Porky (Zachary Mabry), Froggy (Jordan Warkol), and Stymie (Kevin Jamal Woods). The fly in the ointment is Alfalfa (Bug Hall), who’s desperately in love with Darla (Brittany Ashton Holmes), a union that threatens the very existence of the club. However, when a fire destroys the structure, the gang sets out to rebuild, finding they need sizable cash to acquire all the necessary lumber. Pinning their hopes to a go-cart victory, the group’s mission is occasionally thwarted by town bullies Woim (Blake Jeremy Collins) and Butch (Sam Saletta), while Darla is wooed by rich kid Waldo (Blake McIver Ewing), driving Alfalfa crazy.

Perhaps a “The Little Rascals” update never had a chance to succeed, especially with a screenplay as confused as this. From the opening frames, Spheeris (who co-wrote the movie) imagines a world where titular hellions retain their Depression-era appearances in a 1990’s setting, mixing periods without any explanation as to why these unmonitored kids are bombing around town in bowler hats and oversized clothing. It’s a bizarre creative choice, and while it doesn’t shut down the feature, it generates visual confusion that’s more irritating than upsetting. Why not just set the entire picture in the 1930s? That way, the antics would match the era, allowing Spheeris more freedom to play with franchise highlights and allow time to explore the innocence of the stars. I’m all for a tribute to the original series, but keeping the characters tattered and torn reads as laziness from a creative team that didn’t know how to rework “Our Gang” for a new generation.

Also missing from “The Little Rascals” is a fresh round of monkey business, as most of the script gently recycles old routines and situations from the original “Our Gang” shorts. Again, a celebration of all things Spanky is welcome, but the writing takes reverence one step further, pilfering gags, including Alfalfa’s iconic soap bubble-shooting stage performance and the whole go-kart mission. It’s a shame Spheeris doesn’t use the opportunity to invent original absurdity for her remake, helping to avoid repetition.

Matters go from bad to worse once it’s clear “The Little Rascals” is more interested in crude buffoonery than pure slapstick. Watching Petey urinate on the clubhouse fire, Alfalfa fart out a soap bubble, and Woim and Butch writhe in pig excrement isn’t funny, it’s just hopeless, while the sight of Alfalfa and Darla unknowingly munching down on sandwiches filled with freshly soiled kitty litter prepared by pranksters decimates the innocent fun the movie is supposed to be celebrating. Double entendres and a weird suggestion that Alfalfa’s cowlick represents his state of arousal also work to sully the spirit of the picture. Spheeris appears caught between her desire to make a film for little children and amuse their parents, resulting in a mess that will do anything for a cheap laugh.

Admittedly, some sections of “The Little Rascals” work. Anything focused on physical comedy brightens the picture, with one misadventure following Spanky and Stymie as they wear disguises and ride on the shoulders of others to resemble adults to help secure a bank loan. Another mid-movie sequence that features Spanky and Alfalfa dressing up as female ballerinas, stumbling into Darla’s recital, also charms. While she works with close-ups to corral performances, Spheeris does find some entertaining young actors to portray the gang, with Hall the oldest and perhaps the most enthusiastic of the bunch, while Ewing is an engaging antagonist, nailing Waldo’s privileged sarcasm. The ensemble isn’t quite as sharp as the Roach crew, but they have their moments.

As a distraction, celebrity cameos are included, with Reba McEntire, Donald Trump (as Waldo’s father), Mel Brooks, Lea Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg, and Daryl Hannah (as the new Miss Crabtree) popping up to join the fun. Child stars also emerge, with appearances from the Olsen Twins and Raven-Symone included to keep the whole family happy. I’m not sure why “The Little Rascals” was turned into a Muppet-style event, but hey, a moment spent with a visit from a famous face is one less Spheeris has to focus on Porky’s nose-picking habit.

The Little Rascals Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation does retain several Universal catalog release woes, including a typical amount of filtering that smoothes out the image to a certain degree, with slight haloing appearing periodically. Fine detail is perceptible but far from ideal, with a slight softness that wipes away most filmic qualities. Colors are in decent shape, aided by a bright palette that favors bold reds and blues. Costuming and child-oriented set dressing also introduces pleasant, stable hues. Skintones are natural. Black levels are unchallenged, open for inspection.

The Little Rascals Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix sustains the family film ambiance by doing away with harsh sound and loud rumbles, keeping elements approachable without alarming younger viewers. Dialogue is crisply maintained, secure enough to clarify juvenile mumbles, while more pronounced performances keep their energy, and the group dynamic for clubhouse scenes and the carnival finale is preserved. Surrounds are quite active, with some directional activity for the clubhouse fire sequence and the go-cart showdown, and performances also push out to a pleasing degree. Scoring retains instrumentation, supportive and noticeable. Shenanigans never encourage distortion, holding to a comfortable balance of highs and lows.

The Little Rascals Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:01, SD) is included.

The Little Rascals Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Little Rascals" eventually finds its way to a Big Race finale, pitting go-cart vs. go-cart in a street battle that carries on for most of the third act. It's a burst of excitement and movement the rest of the feature lacks, and the competition also takes the burden off the screenplay to cook up inviting situations and lines for the kids, allowed some time with action to mastermind visual highlights. It's easy to declare "The Little Rascals" as grossly inferior to its original incarnation, but what's clear about the 1994 film is how it doesn't bother to take Roach's lead. Instead, it revives beloved characters merely to tap into nostalgia and feed younger audiences lowbrow humor they don't deserve.