We get to dive into the Nelvana specials it's a trek we haven't delved into much, but it's time to do such a thing. Our special is from 1979 , it's called "Intergalactic Thanksgiving" or also known as "Please Don't Eat the Planet". Let's dive in to this fun Canadian animated special.
or pick a title and stick with it
Human farmers are leaving earth are in space looking for a place to farm and the focus of our special is a farming family with their daughter named Victoria and dog who looks at full spread pictures of trees. (what?)
Space Convoy / Copyright Nelvana
The mother thinks that her husband is driving to slow and he decides to speed up and they of course crash into a planet. (oops) This planet is filled with beings and one of them warns everyone that the "aliens are coming" and he goes to tell the king. The farmer and his family decide to live there (because why not?) and they get their farm already (well if they have space travel they can have portable farms too). The planet inhabitants think the farmers are funny. The farmer says he brings good will and peace and the king says welcome to the planet , Laugh-a-lot. The king is named Gucci (I don't know how he spells it) The family is called Spademinder. Meanwhile Victoria meets Not Funny Enough (that's the prince's name).
Welcome to our planet, please don't eat it. / Copyright Nelvana
The Spademinders start their farming , NFE (it's easier this way) decides to take Victoria on trip with him and show her the planet. (how romantic) And he takes her around the planet in musical montage. (the best way to go)
montage/ Copyright Nelvana
10 minutes in the title is still confusing , there's no Thanksgiving so far, and no trying to eat the planet. Victoria says her family is focused on hard work and there's no time for fun , while NFE tells her that on their planet , they mine food. In the evening , they make it back to her farm and she kisses him on the cheek. (I was joking about the romantic thing, special!)
It's another day and the Gucci is not wondering where everyone has gone. (They have lives of their own , king!) Then he asks the mirror from "Snow White" (that's not a joke) who's the funniest of them of all, then it switches to a different figure. It has good news that everyone is laughing, but not laughing at the king. (oops) Apparently, farming is funnier. Gucci tries to make the people laugh at him again but this doesn't work. He gets mad and tires to do the hitting the mallet in the dirt, but he did it so hard that that the land cracks and NFE , Victoria, and her dog fall into a hole.
This poor dog, thought they were dead for a second/ copyright Nelvana
Meanwhile, in the hole, they are still alive. (otherwise this would be a dark special) They find the food mines too. Meanwhile above ground they create a search party. While those in the underground find a talking flea like thing and he asks them to help prop up the planet because the mining makes it unstable. They are propping it up in song. (the best way to do it!) Victoria and NFE say they have to warn everyone.
All hail the bug overloards / Copyright Nelvana
Above ground , giant vegetables grow. (Apparently , the Spademinders are good farmers) NFE makes it up and they all search for Victoria and Cromwell (the dog) . This was by pulling up the giant vegetables. They find them. Anyway, every year they have a feast on the planet (like Thanksgiving) and the planet is saved from caving in, they grow their own food now , and the Spademinders sometimes have fun now, and stop being so serious and the Laugh a lotters have serious sides now. (yay!) That was a rushed ending.
How'd they get turkey? /Copyright Nelvana
Yes, I get the titles, it's like Thanksgiving, and also they were kind of eating their planet. I though it was enjoyable enough some of the gags were great. It does have that message of "Hey you serious people-- loosen up a little , hey you loose people, serious is sometimes needed too." Which you can't fault it for doing. The animation is alright too if limited , but the special uses that in a good manner. It does have some repeat animation but that's standard for this era, and could be worse. It's an interesting twist for Thanksgiving and not a bad one.
Tune in next time when we move to a new planet and try to eat it.
