VOTD: 'Rugrats' Goes Creepy And Red-Band With Mae Whitman, Michael Angarano And Alia Shawkat
"Your childhood memories will be raped" by this creepy, twisted, but incredibly funny new Funny or Die video. It's a live-action version of the popular 1990s Nickeoldeon cartoon Rugrats starring Michael Angarano as Tommy, Alia Shawkat as Chuckie and Mae Whitman as the evil, manipulative big-girl Angelica. In true Funny or Die fashion, the red-band trailer digs deep and exploits the sadistic subtexts of the show which were only visible to an older audience. Check it out.
Here's the trailer for Rugrats from Funny or Die.
Have you recovered from that yet? I had to watch it twice just to make sure I was actually seeing what I was seeing. Kudos to writer director Ryan Perez for reuniting two of George Michael's loves from Arrested Development, first of all. Which kind of begs the question where Michael Cera was for this? Angarano is great though, but really not even needed because, just like on the cartoon, this is the Chuckie and Angelica show. (That's Parenthood's Sarah Ramos playing Phil and Lil, by the way.)
Shawkat is a perfect Chuckie. The teeth, the glasses, the voice and the freckles. It's all just there and you can tell she's really having fun. But this sketch wouldn't work at all if Whitman didn't kick ass and inspire true fear as Angelica.
On the show, Angelica was always the one tormenting the little babies but, for the most part, it was playful. Still, as you watched the show a few years later it seemed a little too mean and that's what Perez really channels with Whitman. She's brutal, but also somehow cute and funny.
Where do you think this ranks in the realm of star-studded Funny or Die videos?