Described variously as "the strangest
propaganda film of all time" and "the
Reefer Madness of the 80s" (though it was made in 1988, and debuted on television in 1990),
Cartoon All-Stars To the Rescue is one of the most epic (relatively speaking)
War on Drugs films of all time.
Disney,
Warner Brothers, and
other cartoon makers set aside their differences to put together this film, a veritable
Who's Who of cartoon stars (sponsored by
McDonald's) trying to spread the message that
drugs are bad, mmmkay?.
The plot is pretty basic. 14-year-old Michael has developed a drug habit (marijuana, to be precise, which we all know is pure evil), which has driven him to raid his 9-year-old sister Corey's piggy bank for drug money. Of course, Corey's little cartoon friends (living in various merchandise strewn across her room) discover this heinous act, and after sneaking into Michael's bedroom, discover his stash hidden in a tackle box under his bed. They promptly decide to educate Michael in the evils of drug abuse before someone gets hurt.
Opposing them in their quest is a cartoon 'pusher' named Smoke (voiced by George C. Scott, of all people), who's supposed to be "the embodiment of Michael's drug habit" or something, but acts more like an embodiment of 'peer-pressure' stereotypes, telling Michael not to be "chicken" and that "drugs are cool". But that won't slow down the likes of Bugs Bunny, Michaelangelo of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", Garfield, Alf, the Smurfs, the Muppet Babies, and a buttload of other toon superstars, who take Michael on an ironically trippy series of fantasy sequences to convince him he doesn't need drugs. Will they suceed? Can Winnie the Pooh convince young Corey not to follow her brother's weed habit? Does anyone care anymore?
Currently, Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue is avaliable on video in far too many places. If you like laughing at bad propaganda, or just like crossovers, I recommend it.