Jacob Two-Two Meets The Hooded Fang (1978)

JoshuaOnline Canada  The Flashback 

           Jacob Two-Two is an interesting book series about a young boy named Jacob, nicknamed Jacob Two-Two because as the youngest member in a family with 5 kids he tends to need to repeat himself for people to pay attention to him.



  Jacob Two-Two is an interesting book series about a young boy named Jacob, nicknamed Jacob Two-Two because as the youngest member in a family with 5 kids he tends to need to repeat himself for people to pay attention to him.



        The series started in 1975, written by  Mordecai Richler, the first book is called "Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang" the names of kids in the family in the story are of his real-life kids. In order, Daniel,  Marfa (his daughter's real name is Martha so, the only name change), Noah, Emma, and Jacob. The book was a best-seller and this of course meant that it didn't take long for this first book to make it to the movie world and I mean the cinema, not a television movie.

             



   The series started in 1975, Ok fine that joke would be much for you to read and for me to write because I didn't copy and paste, so yeah.  Let's take a look at this movie from 1978.

 

       It starts with Jacob trying to do something and it jumps to Marfa watching some wrestling and her telling him that wrestling will scare him because of he so young and the other siblings and his mother say he's too young and goes on.  Jacob requests to do an errand and his father seems receptive to this and lets him go get some ice cream for after dinner.  Oh, this starts the credit sequence and the theme music which is uhh interesting.

      Jacob is now at the store where the shop keeper doesn't like that Jacob repeating himself as his normal prerogative.  He thinks Jacob should be arrested and this causes the boy to run the cop tries to call him back saying he was only teasing him but Two-Two is long gone.   Jacob hides in some fallen leaves and falls asleep in them because running is tiring.   Then he imagines that he is in prison. (This town also executes their litterers)
                                 

Not saying sorry, that's automatic life sentence

         He also has a lawyer in the dream named Mr.Loser. (Uhhhh, that's not a winning name) That's right this is Canadian court so, Jacob is going down.  I do love off the all imaginative scenes and this one is that. It shows what Jacob's view of the world is at his young age. He dreams that his  brother and sister and their group child power come and try to help, but he ends up in still sentenced to 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, 2 days, 2 hours, and 2 minutes to prison. (What?) Child Power! gives him a jewel to find child cruelty in the children's prison to  help him out. (Canada's legal system is weird.)  Jacob is now transported to the children's prison by a couple named Mistress Fowl and Master Fish. (Uhh sure) They take an escalator to the prison (waht?) while telling him scary stories on the way to 1970's  groovy prison or an old Doctor Who set.  Finally, they make to Children Prison Island. (The Fantasy Island spin-off you didn't know you wanted)
               

Pictured: LA in 1975

           Finally, they make to Child Prison Island. (This line is still as strange as my writing, Alf goes to a strip club, but it's cutting it close)  Now Jacob meets the Hooded Fang. (roll credits?  The Hooded Fang also gets a song, yes this movie has a bunch of little songs in it.  H.F says he hates kids because when he was a wrestler everyone feared him but then a kid said he was funny and now people didn't feel fear anymore.  Jacob says he feels bad because he feels that he's a nice man. Uhh not helping your case, Jacob.
           

You're not Batman! 

        The child prison has some examples of child cruelty already, like threatening to feed children to  snakes for  a stomach ache. Also some green things start slumping through because it's that kind of movie. They also give children rotten apples.  Jacob is ending up with the harden criminals in the maximum security section. (Oooh my) They give him dinner of water and stale bread. Jacob finds a note that says "You have a friend" and they also left candy.


       Jacob goes to sleep. Another song because yes. A man in a fur coat wakes him up he's Mr.Fox , a guard. (He doubles as a pimp.)   Then he tells Jacob that he has to get a uniform but first take a shower which is in the freezer  what am I watching?  Also Fantastic Mr.Fox finds the jewel and takes it thinking it's well a jewel (fits his fur coat)  There's a party and Jacob meets all the other prisioners who are gray because the smog outside blocks out the sun. (Gray-t)

Uhhh help! 

     The Hooded Fang shows up  they are there to honor Mr.Fox for his Rotten to Children Award. (Watch them live on FOX every June) Mr.Fox is leaving to the city with the jewel and that means the tracker in the jewel will not let Child Power! find the prison. Meanwhile, Child Power! are having a hard time finding the jewel but now because Mr. Fox network is in the city sabotaging toys (why not?).  They figure out that it's not Jacob they leave dejected and they think he drowned. (This movie is dark.)  Meanwhile not drowned Jacob has to work making smog. (So he's going to drive a 1976  AMC pacer)  Jacob still wonders who the person giving him candy is as well.

Oh gray-t

        Meanwhile, the Hooded Fang complains to his mother that Jacob is getting to him, he thinks to break Jacob's spirit by making Jacob say a different number than 2. Oh, and Jacob is getting grayer.  Hooded's attempts don't work and Jacob tries to convert him to two-two ism. (a new religion has been created)  Fang says he's going to feed Jacob to two sharks. (over kill)  Jacob decides to create a way to escape. Jacob decides to write a letter to Child Power!

Dear Child Power! this gray disguise won't confuse the sharks

             

     Fang gives Jacob is last meal before he is fed the sharks. He tries to get Jacob to scream once but Jacob says he knows that the fang isn't horrible and mean.  Jacob also says he figured out that it was Fang who's been giving candy to him.  Jacob says that he will hug and kiss the fang unless he makes a deal. (This movie has taken a different unexpected turn)  The deal is to give the letter he wrote to Child Power!  At first, Hooded says no but then Jacob hugs and kisses him causing him to agree.

I see. 

    Child Power! Got the letter and looks for Mr. Fox (Sports) and something happens.

 This is how you capture a fox

     Whatever that was they do defeat him and  he agrees to help them find the island , where they will poison the crocodiles. (PETA hates this movie)   Mr. Fox tries to taunt Child Power ! while, Jacob starts helping the other prisioners escape.  Also, slimeball canons , and I think Mr.Fox is dead. (this movie has a high kill count) Then the kids help the sun show up  and all the prison workers but Fang are blinded and the green monster things die. (Again, this movie kills alot) Child Power! finds out that he did great work.  Also Jacob has only been saying things once because people are listening to him now.  Hooded Fang is reformed and oh yeah it was a dream.  Jacob wakes up his family had found him (they must have a tracker on him)  and they walk away happy.

Share a Coke together

 
     Fun fact, Emma/The Intrepid Shapiro was played by Richler's real daughter, Marfa (not the daughter she is named after).

              It's not best acted movie and it's a little strange but I can't say it wasn't enjoyable to me. It's so over the top because of the dream that it fits and really makes it a fun and entertaining movie. It was nothing of what I was expecting and I barely knew what I was expecting in the first place. Some of the strange things were like the songs they were at least short where they individually weren't annoying but could get annoying on how many of them were but, it's not a musical in the sense where the characters are breaking out  in song just kind of background song to fit the scene.

      The Jacob actor is alright, but I have to say he makes it feel more genuine take what that means in your own mind.  I'm not going to compare it to the book it's based off of, since that's not usually what I do anyway. I love how the actors ham it up in this movie ,and it's slightly dark edge is amazing really it's pretty much a prison movie but with kids with some tweaks.  I think you should check this movie out if you have an hour and 20 minutes and want ot watch something a little old and strange. 


 Anyway, Jacob Two-Two appeared in a few more books, this movie also got remade in the 90's and in the 2000's an animated cartoon  that ran on YTV in Canda, first aired in the US on Telemundo in Spanish then when Ion Media and NBC Universal made a television block called Qubo it appeared on NBC  and I (later Ion Television)  and ;ater on the Qubo television channel.


      That's our lookback tune in next time when, we wonder if this movie was actually our dream and this blog post doesn't actually exist. This blog post doesn't actually exist.

The poster is kind of cool though. 

There's a bonus after the jump

Scooby Doo 50: Scooby Goes Hollywood

Scooby Doo 50

       
           I really never heard of this Scooby Doo movie, it just kind up popped up in my research looking for another piece of Scooby Doo media for our Scooby Doo 50th anniversary posts.  So this time we look at 1979 TV film that aired on ABC called "Scooby Goes Hollywood"  This is the first Scooby Doo movie special at least with them by themselves. 

        It starts with a crow cawing on a grave because of course and Shaggy and Scooby running around some spooky place because of course.  Now there's a giant crab creature chasing them (Get the butter) but that was all a movie scene.  Apparently, the Mystery inc. gang are working on a movie called  "The Crabby Creature of Creepy Crag."   Shaggy is tired of the this boring routine and he sings (what am I watching?).

Coming soon to Fox/ Copyright Warner Brothers 

               Shaggy drives to OTV (our favorite television network) to talk to the network president and everyone knows Scooby apparently apparently everyone likes his show. (Wait what?) They talk to C.J the network president to get Scooby a better job.  They show him a film they made called "How Scooby Won the West" (he beat the Dodgers?) it shows Scooby as a sheriff. (I'd watch)  C.J is not impressed and kicks them out.(This is 1979 , should have gone to NBC, they were picking up anything)
                         

Coming soon to CBS/ Copyright Warner Bros.

            Scooby Doo announces that he leaving the show to the Mystery Inc. gang  they plead that he shouldn't stop because he wants to be a star , but he already is they tell him. Shaggy says Scooby wants to be a serious star. (yep)  So now they are making a film called  Lavonne and Scooby starting a woman named Lavonne and of course, Scooby. (I wonder what this was referencing) This filming doesn't go to well.

When Shirley left, things got weird/ Copyright WB

        They made another film called "Scooby Days" (Gee, I wonder what they are talking about) in this they meet the fake Fonz.  It's as weird as it should be.  The Scoob dances with The Groove (the fake Fonz) and yeah sure that's a thing. C.J doesn't like this one either. He suggests Scooby go back ot his old show but they give him a contract to look over instead as they walk out.

I'm confused, which is which? copyright/ WB 

      Now Scooby goes and mingle with celebrities. This doesn't go well because Scooby is still Scooby.  He gets barred from that restaurant. They try this plan again at a hotel and what to do you think? Fred, Daphne and Velma remember when they met Scooby Doo (forgetting the Scooby is Shaggy's dog or something). They do other memories like a birthday party.  They sing a song where they miss Scooby (using stock footage).  They want him back.


      Scooby imagines  that's a movie star and did a movie called "Super Scooby" (like Superman) , then does "The Sound of Scooby" I wonder what they are parodying?

No context needed/ Copyright WB

       Meanwhile, C.J is holding auditions to replace Scooby  on his show. (So this is the origin of  Scrappy?) The plan was to convince them to come back to the show instead it just made them do more weird pilots.  One of them is a parody of Sonny and Cher.  The other is of the Love Boat. They visit their version of Johnny Carson to talk about their new roles. Kids all around the world say "Scooby Doo Where are you?"

They really like Dynomutt/ Copyright WB 

     Scooby's Angels, the parody you didn't ask for.   CJ says he thinks Scooby should go back to his Saturday Morning cartoon series ( what they are cartoons? my head hurts) he shows them everyone yelling they need Scooby doo.  Scooby agrees to return to his whole show.  Shaggy has pilot ideas too but, he gets thrown out and chases the gang. The end.

    Ironically, this special has nothing to do with the normal Scooby Doo conventions in the first place. This is a very strange special but somewhat fun to see Scooby trying all these parody shows yet being very comedic.  If I was to over theorize this special cold be saying to viewers back then that Scooby is prefect the way it is so we don't need to change it. Or they were saying that Velma,Fred, and Daphne were irrelevant  because they barely in this special of any use.   They already did make around the sametime the Scooby and Scrappy show  and the next series that came out in 1980 dropped everyone that wasn't scooby, Shaggy, or Scrappy.

             Is this special great? No, not really but it is it fun to watch? Yeah it was. I think it should be watched at least once to see it's madness.

  That's our lookback tune in next time when Scooby Doo does get a serious role on "Law and Order: SVU" DUN DUN.

It's a Lookback Charlie Brown :Life is a Circus, Charlie Brown

Peanuts 

           Sadly, we are nearing the end of our Peanuts non holiday special look back journey after this special we cover , we have only 2 left.  (Don't worry we will find other things to do with peanuts content) .  We did have 3 left with 2 left in in the 80's and 1 left for the 1990's and this lookback takes us back to the 1980's.  1980 to be exact. (Can't get more 80's than that!)

          From October of 1980, the 20th animated Peanuts special  that aired on CBS (if we don't say that it aired on CBS this blog will no longer cease to exist.)      "Life is a Circus,Charlie Brown" is our lookback today. We in for treat this special, it won an Emmy!

     
           
    Snoopy hears some circus music and that means that circus is in town. (Either that or it's time for a presidential election) Snoopy also harasses some of the animals and sees a poodle and falls head over heels for her because all dogs like poodles.  (This won't be the first Snoopy falls for a poodle)  Then Snoppy gets dognapped a girl just grabs him then the intro starts.  Also, I hope you like over 2 minutes of circus music because that's how this special begins.

      Peppermint Patty tells Charlie Brown that the circus is in town and they've closed her school so kids can see it. (Now, that's how school should work!)  Charlie Brown also says his school closed for circus.  That does seem kind of silly when the story could have been summer, or spring break, or a weekend, but  it does sound pretty cool that schools would close for circus' arrival. I think Peppermint Patty and Charlie Brown are dating now. (We aren't being serious)

awww young love/ Copyright Peanuts 

      We also find out that Peppermint Patty likes popcorn on her cotton candy. (What?)  Never mind.  A girl named Polly was the one that abducted Snoopy and dressed him up to perform in a poodle show at the circus.  Peppermint Patty is the one the figures out that the dog is Snoopy. (Irony)  Everyone else is stunned that Snoopy is there.

Are you sure that's Snoopy? That looks nothing like him/ Copyright Peanuts 

        Charlie Brown is unhappy about Snoopy being there, while the rest thing it's great  because they don't  understand that Snoopy was abducted.  Also Charlie Brown has delusions that Snoopy guards his house.  Anyway, Snoopy gets trained by Polly to perform at the circus. He's now called Hugo (part of Hugo the Great.) Charlie Brown notices that Snoopy isn't home for dinner and finds him at the circus being taken away.  Snoopy finds that circus life isn't  luxurious as it seems when he has a  hard time sleeping on the circus train.

It's hump day/ Copyright Peanuts

            Hugo goes through more training. (Don't look at like that)  Charlie Brown is depressed , well more than normal, about Snoopy not being there. Linus is of no help to Charlie Brown's emotions. Hugo on the other hand, has become great and beloved by all who come and see him.  Things seem to be going well for ole' Snoop. Meanwhile, Charlie Brown is still depressed. He gives an origin story to Linus on how he got Snoopy.

It was a Tuesday I think / Copyright Peanuts 

   Lucy waltzes on Charlie Brown's property and decides to shutdown Snoopy's house by boarding up the front.  Charlie Brown just stands there instead of telling Lucy to get off his lawn or he's going ot call the cops!   More circus, circus stuff.  The Colonel who owns the circus wants Snoopy  and Fifi, tthat's the girl dog Snoopy fell in love with, to be dye them both pink. What the heck! Polly dumps Snoopy into the pink food color mixture. When it was Fifi's turn Snoopy jumps infront of her and starts mauling Polly. (exaggeration) He does get her to foll into the pink stuff and they run away.

She was pink with sadness/ Copyright Peanuts 

                 Fifi doesn't want to leave the circus life so, she returns and they break up.  Snoopy returns on home to Chuck.


                    It as up against "It' s Magic , Charlie Brown" for the Emmy for Outstanding Animation Award 1981 in primetime.  I think that was a better special than this one that doesn't mean that this one is bad.  It does make it look at first that Snoopy was unwillingly brought into the circus but he seems to also be staying for Fifi so it's confusing.   Charlie Brown missing Snoopy is sweet and you really see that he needs the beagle in his life.  It is a fairly entertaining special though, and there's nothing in it that bored me or didn't find fun. It actually felt kind of short even though it was the standard length.  Do,check it out though.

     That's our lookback, Tune in next time when we go the circus and dip people in orange food coloring.


     

Upfront 2019: The CW

The CW  Upfronts  TVLookFall2019

   The CW has released their fall schedule.  We have the details here.

• Sunday Night has super-heroine night  with "Batwoman" a new series and "Supergirl" returning airing back to back.  
• All American moves to Monday Nights 
• A New Nancy Drew series is airing on Wednesday Nights 
• "Charmed" remake moves to Friday Nights
• "Riverdale" spinoff "Katy Keene" comes in mid season along with the returns for DC's Legends of tomorrow, In the Dark, Roswell, New Mexico, and The 100.  
• CW will start in October  like it normal does. 

    Here's the schedule , all times ET,  new shows highlighted in Blue 

Monday

8pm   All American (New Night)
9pm  Black Lightning
  

Tuesday

8pm      The Flash                       

9pm     Arrow  (New Night)

           

Wednesday

8pm  Riverdale                              

9pm   Nancy Drew 

Thursday

8pm Supernatural 

9pm  Legacies 

Friday

8pm    Charmed (New Night)

9pm   Dynasty 

Sunday 

8pm  Batwoman  

9pm  Supergirl (new time slot)

Press release after the jump

Upfront 2019 : CBS

CBS Upfront TVLookFall2019

 
   CBS has released their fall schedule.   Here are some details

• The First CBS season since the 2006-2007 sesason without Big Bang Theory 
•  "Madam Sectary" to end with 10 episode season 6 
•  "S.W.A.T" moves to Wednesdays, "Magnum P.I joins Friday
• Going for more: CBS has introduced 3 new comedies and 2 new dramas
• Macgyver, Criminal Minds, Man with a Plan, Big Brother , Amazing Race and Undercover Boss return later
• New series Tommy , FBI: Most Wanted  coming later in the season as well

Now here's the schedule , all times ET,  new series highlighted in blue

Monday

8PM   The Neighborhood
8:30 Bob Hearts Abishola
9PM  All Rise 
10PM Bull

Tuesday
8PM  NCIS
9PM  FBI
10PM NCIS : New Orleans

Wednesday
8PM  Survivor
9PM  SEAL Team
10PM  

Thursday

8PM  Young Sheldon  (new time)
8:30   The Unicorn 
9PM   Mom
9:30  Carol's  Second Act
10PM   EVIL 

Friday

8PM  Hawaii Five-O (New Time)

9PM  Magnum Pi  (new night/ time)

10PM  Blue Bloods 

Saturday

8PM  Crimetime Saturday

9PM Crimetime Saturday

10PM 48 Hours 

Sunday

7PM 60 Minutes 

8PM God Friended Me 

9PM  NCIS: Los Angeles 

10PM  Madam Secretary 

Press release after the jump

Upfront 2019: ABC

ABC  Upfronts TVLOOKFALL2019

         ABC has released their fall schedule.   Here the details first. 

• More consistency and not radical: ABC has decided not to make any huge moves this season mostly keeping it stable and relying on what works for them
•  Three new  scripted series take the fall healm. Two dramas: Stumptown and Emergence and 1 Comedy: a spin-off of "Black-ish", Mixed-ish 
• TGIF continues at least in theory with two comedies on Friday night with "American Housewife" moving to Friday evenings 
• Drama is back on ABC Sunday after a few years of deciding not to have any on the night , "The Rookie" takes a 10/9c slot
• ABC has rebooted "Kids Say the Darndest Things with Tiffany Haddish 
•  Coming later in the season : "Station 19" 

    Here's the full schedule  all times ET , new series highlighted in blue 

   

Monday 

 8PM  Dancing With the Stars

10PM   The Good Doctor 

Tuesday 

 8PM   The Conners
 8:30     Bless this Mess
9PM    Mixed-Ish
9:30   Black-ish
10pm Emergence 

Wednesday
8PM   The Goldbergs
8:30  Schooled
9PM  Modern Family
9:30   Single Parents
10PM   Stumptown 

Thursday

8PM Grey's Anatomy 

9PM   A Million Little Things (new night/time) 

10PM   How to Get Away with Murder 

Friday
8PM  American Housewife (new night and time)
8:30PM  Fresh Off The Boat (new time) 

9PM  20/20 (2 hours) 

Saturday 

8PM  Saturday Night Football 

Sunday 

7PM  America's Funniest Home Videos
8PM  Kids Say the Darndest Things 
9PM   Shark Tank
10PM  The Rookie (new night)

Press release after the jump

Upfronts 2019: FOX

FOX  TVLookFall2019  Upfronts

            Fox has released its fall schedule and we have the details.   But first, some notes.

• WWE Smackdown moves from USA Network to FOX also returning back to it's classic Friday night slot, meaning FOX had to clear some room for it. 
• FOX has bet animation some more with a sort of return to "Animation Domination" on Sunday Nights 
• There will be no live-action sitcoms on the line up in the fall ; a first in FOX history 
• "Empire" has been renewed for it's final season 
• "Masked Singer" the hit from this winter gets Fall pick up along with it's mid-season pick up
• New Series :  911: Lone Star,  Deputy, Filthy Rich, Next, Ducanville, Outmatched, The Great North come to mid season 
• The Orville and Last Man Standing wait for mid season. 

      Here's the schedule  all times ET , new series highlighted in blue
 Monday

   8PM   911
   9PM   Prodigal Son 
 

Tuesday
 
     8PM  The Resident
     9PM    Empire  (new night/time)


Wednesday
 
     8PM  The Masked Singer
     9PM      Not Just Me 
 


Thursday
   7:30p/ 4:30pm Thursday Night Football Pregame show
   8pm/ 5pt   Thursday Night Football

Friday

8pm  WWE Smakdown
 

Saturday

  8PM  College Football

Sunday

   7PM      NFL on FOX
    7:30pm  The OT
    8PM The Simpsons
    8:30PM  Bless the Harts 
    9PM      Bob's Burgers  (new time)
    9:30PM   Family Guy (new time)

Press release after the jump

Upfront 2019: NBC

NBC  TVLookFall2019  Upfronts 

        

            NBC released their fall schedule  for the 2019-2020 season.

•    More stable line up with not many changes 
• "This is Us" has been renewed for three more seasons 
• Fall has only 3 new series 
• More of the new series and others come after mid season 
• "Will and Grace" and "Manifest" series held for mid-season

  Full schedule below  (new shows highlighted in blue) 

  All times ET

Monday

8-10PM  The Voice

10PM   Bluff City Law 

Tuesday

8PM The Voice

9PM  This is Us

10PM  New Amsterdam

Wednesday

8PM  Chicago Med

9PM   Chicago Fire

10PM  Chicago PD 

Thursday

8PM   Superstore

8:30pm  Perfect Harmony

9PM   The Good Place

9:30pm  SunnySide 

Friday

8PM The Blacklist

9-11  Dateline NBC

Saturday
8-10pm  Dateline Saturday Night Mystery
10-11pm  Saturday Night Live (Encores) 

Sunday 

7PM   Football Night in America 

8:20   NBC Sunday Night Football 

press release after the jump