I Dig Crazy Flicks with @CatBusRuss
Episode 253: "Fritz the Cat" with Gregory Carl and NWA 74
While watching the 74th Anniversary of the National Wrestling Alliance (August 28, 2022), Gregory Carl blessed "NinetyForChill: The #Podcast" with his presence again to discuss Ralph Bashki's "Fritz the Cat", the "first" X-Rated animated feature and the most successful independent animated film of all time. This is a movie that discusses a lot of issues that are still extremely sensitive today in regards to race relations while being as explicit as narratively possible. It is a film that needs to be chatted about, but not around the kiddies.
It has been a film that CatBusRuss had always wanted to get around to, but the reputation still seemed a bit much. How can you sexualize cats? Our host knew that the creator of the comic, the legendary Robert Crumb, disowned the feature, but I did not know it was about race relation issues.
As a fan of "American Pop" and who is appreciative of "The Lord of the Rings" and "Fire and Ice", Russ was surprised and impressed to see Bashki tackle such topics, but is he the person that should be addressing them?
To add some less complicated concerns to this podcast, CatBus includes his review for the "Die Hard" at a beauty pageant feature "No Contest". It is only appropriate since Russ just got back from Fan Expo New Orleans where Robert Davi was one of the celebrity guests. This film also has a cast that is kind of the summation of Gregory's attitudes. The lead villain is Andrew Dice Clay and his number one guy is Rowdy Roddy Piper.
With all the wrestling chatter, the podcast runs over 2 hours in length, but if you do not need to hear about Russ's past war stories, the movie conversation is concluded before the second hour starts.
Episode 254 - Caught Up (1998) with Jason Parker (@formelynicdestro.bsky.social)
CatBusRuss successfully survived all three days of Fan Expo New Orleans 2026, and has stories to tell and a Joel Schumacher tale from Jamison Newlander. Do not worry. There is enough fun stuff to be discussed that you will forgive our host resurrecting the disastrous "The Crow (2024)".
Having to get up early to catch the Billy Boyd panel, Russ took it as easy as he could when dealing with an ill-conceived remake to wind down Saturday night. He could not get his question answered in front of the panel, but per chance an autograph would give us the answer to, "Where are all the Scottish superheroes?"
Speaking of autographs, CatBusRuss may have done his most gushing over a celebrity in the presence of Joe Pantoliano. The podcaster did his best to state how important to film and television he finds him as a stamp of approval for a project, someone worth having a drink for whenever he appears on screen as the ultimate that guy.
The biggest name from "The Goonies" cast (per 1985 Corey Feldman), does not listen to many (if any) podcasts, so he did not know the impact he has had on podcasting about cinema. When Russ brought up the "Joey Pants Award" on the "The Rewatchables", he may have pissed the ultimate "That Guy" off. With that said, Russ has been on a social media campaign to get Bill Simmons to get in touch with Mr. Pantoliano to answer for not having the nerve to call him "That Guy" to his face.
It is only appropriate that when you have a cinematic legend, that a movie he starred in should conclude the main festivities at Fan Expo. The movie was "The Goonies", and along side Joey Pants was his Fratelli Brother Robert Davi and three of those meddling kids, Corey Feldman, Sean Astin, and Kerri Green. These cast-mates had fun ribbing the conservative Davi's claims of being the nice Fratelli. More importantly, they spoke highly of how impactful this film was on Generation X, be it the foul language they spread or that this is a film that can actually be kept alive unlike the franchise fair of today.
Sorry kids, Hogwarts is fake. Mikey's home is still standing.
Russ brings up his walk down Bourbon Street and how three beignets hindered any real partying energy. He also gives some critiques of Bizzaro Wrestling and security at the cons needing to keep con artists (the types who may have been inspired by that twat Trump) from trying to sell their music "for the kids". If only our host was up for starting some shit, but an arrest 17 hours from home would not be a wise gamble.
Stick around after the wahoo request to hear "The Hardest Working Man in Comics" Victor Dandrige stand up for young vampire hunters, like the Frog Brother from "The Lost Boys". If you think the legendary director of "Batman & Robin", can be questioned, of course.
