The Ants! The Ants! Invade Saturday Morning-
and the radio waves…
Below- Alex Toth drawing/Sketch for the Destroyer Ants episode form The Herculoids
Over the last few weeks we dove deep in to those little critters from below. Now we enter the world of animation- a place where the creativity and the imagination even to the of abstract is much more easier to achieve. A place where the the artists concepts are attainable as a posed to practical effects and to a producer and a director ever important facilitating of the-budget!
Cartoons
Our “little” friends, neighbors really and sometimes roommates have made their way from the big screen to the smaller “boob” tube (TV) either as villains, trespassers or occasionally as superheroes/intelligent (Monsters vs Aliens)characters in some of our favorites cartoons-some becoming a part of the iconic pop culture of Saturday Morning fare.
Most often our busy little..oh you thought I was going to say bees…nope- workers are seen as unwanted guests at picnics etc.. Having happened countless times -plaguing the likes of Donald Duck, Yogi Bear, the Pink Panther…even the Flintstones.
Heroes including Space Ghost, Tarzan, Superman and The Flash had their own encounters
But during the wave of superheroes — 1966–1969, a shining beacon of hope for antdom arrived in the form of one “up and atom Atom Ant!!!!”. Voice by the ever talented Howard Morris(The Nutty Professor & The Andy Griffith Show). Finally ants would get some good press.
Atom Ant made his debut in a on the Atom Ant/ Secret Squirrel Show in 1965. It would run for two successful seasons.
Each week Atom Ant was faced the most fiendish villains from Ferocious Flea, Professor Von Gimmick, Fancy Fingers Finnegan, “Samurai Ant” and Dr Crankenshaft.
In one episode he runs a foul of Anastasia Antnik(a female “Mata Hari” ant) who ends up falling for our hero. You see the life of a super hero does have it’s rewards. And not all bad girls are bad…
Both Atom and Secret would be repackaged as the headliners of their own separate show. Atom Ant gained the support of Precious Pup and The Hilly Billy Bears. Both were extremely funny and no doubt meant that “kids” would keep coming back for more each and every week. I know I did.
Above — music video for James Brown energy packed I Got Ants In My PANTS
Music-
Even this industry had it’s floors invaded. Chalking up another win. here is a guy that needs no introduction .yes I am talking about the King of Soul-Mr James Brown with the 1971 I Got Ants in My Pants (And I Want to Dance) or I need to Dance. No one could give so much emotion and feeling in his songs on or off the stage or in/out of the studio. As the song suggests if you got in your pants -dance. Another one for our 6 legged friends. I can just imagine probably one of the biggest party going down for one of the smallest animals on the planet as the sing is belted out. It is an infectious song. You just can’t help but start tapping some part of your body .. hand , fingers or feet. The next thing you know your dancing. Again chalking up another win. Ants for a Better Tomorrow — a little known organization here to help promote a more perfect relationship of harmony and bliss between our smaller earthlings and man. They really had a field day with this.
There are many songs about. Much more than I thought existed. And everything from children’s songs..Who can forget The Ants Come Marching 2x2 to punk /alternative rock-Blondie’s The Giant Invasion to Adam Ant with Ant Invasion. In fact if you Google ant songs it pulls up top ten and the latter two songs are in that list. One only has to ask…
Ants Reality
Above- a lone Fire Ant- also known as the “Wingless Bee” . Note the stinger at the end of the abdomen — unlike a bee who loses its stinger after one encounter and then dies…the fire ant can keep on stinging. That one ant packs a wallop and lots of venom now multiple that by even just 10 or 20. Where ends the seriousness of these little guys is that you do not feel the sting or any pain until you have been stung several times. So one should not stop to feed the turtles wearing nothing but sandals.
Now the funny thing about ants are that they usually the ones who always make that commitment to showing up at the family picnic/BBQ even when Uncle Frank and Cousin Matilda are always late. But not to fret those loyal ants have no problem helping out with the leftovers, let alone the first and 2nd helpings. But imagine the hysteria if these little “guys” ever even to the small measurement of say 5 to 6 inches or more …and at 2 ft it would be disastrous. The bite and ramifications are unfathomable. Between the acid alone they inject and add any that are poisonous. And the pincers. Apocalyptic without question. So, is this Horror & Sci-fi? yes carefully blended together for what I call a well balanced and written story and spot on production that instills and insights thrills and maybe few a provocative thoughts about mans’ quest for and meddling in the very forces of nature. Is this the price for technological advances in weaponry and defence along with supplying the world demands for energy? Maybe — look at what our world faces right at this moment a global pandemic that could have been brought on or sped up by our neglect and lack of responsibility of addressing healthcare issues, the warming of our planet and that one can travel from point a to point b in not quite the blink of an eye but a few hours is close enough. In fact the prevailing winds can scatter ashes from a volcanic eruption hundreds of miles away and change current weather patterns and sometimes whole seasons for example when Mt St Helen’s literally blew her top oh a couple of decades ago or so there was for most of the northeast an extended spring temperatures and lucky if New York made it into the 80’s at all that summer following the eruption.
Another thing to keep in mind is that twice a year when the we are making the transition from summer to fall and winter to spring many of our scurrying friends try to make their way in to our homes .. and ants are among the most persistent. Almost every place that I have lived, if blessed with a sliding glass door has been invaded by these 6 -legged creatures. But setting out ant traps seems to do the trick. This at least discourages them. But think about it. Here is a well- sealed structure and yet they always find a way in. Luckily, they are usually over a mere inch in length. Having to contend with THEM! I think we might be the ones doing the running.
Have these “guys” been getting a bad wrap. After all, they hall-away unwanted organic material from the very ground we walk on… keeping the forest floor clean. In fact drop a cookie, the end of your ice cream cone, even a crumb on the ground and observe how fast an ant or “two” show up. Their underground network helps aerate the soil. Ants are also part of the pollinating branch of insects. Maybe not a contribution as extensive as bees, however what they do helps maintain the food supply. So think about that the next time you go to take a step.
So I pose a question-do you think we can really predict or expect to control the result of splitting the atom?…the Bikini Atoll- the site of many above ground nuclear tests remained radioactive for years … many year. Take Godzilla was inspired by these(tests) as well as the horrifying experience that Japan endured from the first and only dropping/exploding of atomic weapons of any place on our planet ever. Hopefully to never ever happen again!!!?? Something for each of us to ponder guests as we leave each other until next time here at Reviews on the Edge…
Links and related material-
WB Shop-
Warner Archive- catch the latest from Warner including newly out on Bluray-
The Thin Man, Howard Hughes’ Underwater filmed in Superscope-with Jane Russell (this is hot title-selling out fast), Innocent Blood(a vampire tale with a twist-Don Rickles guest stars).
Preview for an upcoming article on 3D-Where it all all started!
House of Wax in 3D with the king of Horror -Vincent Price. Available for your viewing pleasure in HD on Bluray.
