The Frame The Frame
Apr
14
2006

McDull: The Alumni Review

Posted by Todd Brown at 8:28pm.

Posted in Film & DVD Reviews , Comedy, Animation, Asia.

mcdull.jpg

Little animated pig McDull is about as unlikely a pop culture sensation as is imaginable. The first McDull film, telling the story of a kindergarten aged pig and his animal classmates, originally went largely unnoticed outside of Hong Kong, but then it started turning up in festivals and won a stack of local awards, a situation that turned more than a few heads. By the time the second film hit the little oinker was a bona fide international sensation, by far the most successful character ever to come out of Hong Kong’s animation industry, and when word got out that the third film would blend live action with animation big time stars started jostling for position to get their cameos and seemingly all of them made it in.

Unfortunately then, it must be said that McDull: The Alumni is a very uneven affair. The bits that work do so fantastically well, others are entirely cold. This situation could very well be at least in part because this is my first exposure to the character, as well as a matter of cultural translation since the films have all been known for their softly satiric skewering of Hong Kong society, but if frankly feels like no more than a simple case of third film fatigue.

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Reader Comments

  1. Jasper 04/15/2006 @ 4:44am

    The first film also mixed live action footage in with the animation. I know my girlfriend, who has strong Hong Kong roots, loved it. I got a soft spot for it, but the novelty does wear off after a while, while I know her young 6 year old cousens found it a real drag. But definitely unique.

  2. Eight Rooks 04/15/2006 @ 4:54am

    I don’t remember that much live action footage in the first, although it’s been a while since I’ve watched it. I’m sure there wasn’t anything like as much as Alumni (haven’t seen Alumni yet, though).

  3. jiangtou 04/15/2006 @ 6:45pm

    ouch! reviewing the 3rd film, not seeing the animated versions? that is like giving a critical review of scooby doo (sorrym bad example), batman, spiderman or asterix, with no knowledge of the animated/comic work and their importance on the cultural landscape!

  4. Todd Brown 04/15/2006 @ 10:02pm

    Yeah, I know ... I suck.

  5. Stowers 05/14/2007 @ 10:10am

    Very creative… May be you make new design for my sites?

  6. Andrea 06/17/2007 @ 3:35am

    Hi!!! Very nice design, by the way!!! I think ... What do you think about my?
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