My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analyses: "Garfield" - The Tabby, Snarky and Food-Loving Cat Who`s Become Relevant Through a Movie Again

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies.

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With the release of The Garfield Movie, it would be a perfect synergy to write about the character and the franchise that his movie is based off...

This is what 4XD does to ya :)

Since I have my own title, I`m
ought to be pleased :)

Yes, it`s comfortable to
lay like this. No joke :)

If you`re going to mention Comic Strip characters who`ve made the transition to animation, Jim Davis` Garfield is one example that will most likely come to mind. This tabby, lazy and food-loving cat, with an appropriate cartoony look, has been a part of Pop Culture and people`s consciousness since it`s premiere in the 1970`s. And Garfield` is among the most famous and well-known of the comic strips to this day. And has managed to become a huge franchise through TV shows, movies and merchandise. Of course an relevant issue about Garfield is whether he`s mostly known for the comics or the animated shows. However, most people have been introduced and exposed to Garfield in one way or another since it`s release. But as to this date, Garfield has become relevant again with a new Full-Length animated movie. Which had it`s premiere in May this year.

The Origins and History of Garfield

Yes, I was distracted by
your stripes and way to
clear orange :)

Garfield was originally published as Jon in 1976 (which was unknown until 2019 when YouTuber Quinton Hoover found scans from the Pendleton Community Library and Indiana State Library). Davis created the comic strip Gnorm Gnat with little success. Davis decided to study comic strips to see what animal characters would be more popular. Davis figured he could create a cat, noticing how they were rarely featured in comics (having grown up on a farm with twenty-five cats). Garfield was also created with the intention to make a good, marketable character. Davis` took his name and personality from his grandfather, James A. Garfield Who was known as a large, cantankerous man. Garfield's owner, Jon Arbuckle got his name from a 1950s coffee commercial. Garfield was first rejected by two syndicates, King Features and Chicago Tribune-New York News. But in March 1978, United Feature Syndicate accepted the strip for national distribution (which was retitled Garfield on September 1, 1977).

No, it`s not my tongue.
It`s a towel who looks
like one :)

Debuting nationwide in 41 newspapers. After a test run, the Chicago Sun-Times dropped Garfield, only to reinstate it after readers' complaints. The strip underwent stylistic changes, evolving from the style of the 1976–83 strips, to a more cartoonish look from 1984 onward. Which affected Garfield's design. Garfield quickly became a success. By the beginning of 1981, the strip was in 850 newspapers and sold over $15 million in merchandise. And later on, in 2004, Garfield appeared in 2,600 newspapers and sold from $750 million to $1 billion worth of merchandise in 111 countries. To manage the latter, Davis founded Paws, Inc. Who bought all rights to the strips from United Feature, before Viacom acquired it. In 1982, Davis admitted spending only 13 or 14 hours a week writing and drawing the strip, compared to 60 hours a week promoting it.

The anthologies books helped increase Garfield`s popularity. And the larger newspaper layout of the book was referred to as the Garfield format. Garfield was included to the Licensing Hall of Fame (1998), but received prized awards from his peers in the National Cartoonists Society. For Best Humor Strip (1981 and 1985), the Elzie Segar Award (1990) and Reuben Award (1990) for overall cartooning.

Part of Garfield`s appeal and intention is it`s lack of social or political commentary. Not everyone loved Garfield. Editors in Chicago, Salt Lake City and Little Rock, Ark., canceled it after test runs. But readers forced them to reinstate it. Davis has stated that the appeal of Garfield is that cats have the courage to live by the same urgues as humans and how Garfield`s personality is a little bit like his own. Despite how he loves mondays and is an optimist. The model for Garfield was Charles Schulz’s Peanuts, but the humorless monotony of it`s first years (which funny enough, Davis`son called Snoopy).

The Premise and Characters of Garfield

We`re Indiana Jones`
descendants :)

If we`re going to describe Garfield and his surroundings, he`s known for living with his owner, Jon Arbuckle and his goofy dog, Odie (who was renamed from Spot to avoid confusion with a dog from comic strip Boner's Ark). Which makes Garfield awfully remarkable to have the dog act natural and the act anthrophomorphic, as it`s owner (due to the usual nature of cats and dogs). Most strips center around interactions among the three characters' conflicting personalities: Jon's frustration with Garfield's antics; Garfield's disdain for Odie; and Jon's interactions with his girlfriend and the pets' veterinarian, Dr. Liz Wilson. But it also deals with Garfield`s manipulation and cynicism to his characters. Many strips feature Jon, Garfield, and Odie visiting Jon's parents and brother Doc Boy on their family farm.

Don`t be fooled, it`s
exhausting to be here :)

Other side characters include many mice and spiders in the house (both frequent targets of abuse and scorn from Garfield), Garfield's teddy bear Pooky, Garfield's girlfriend Arlene, a pink cat, Nermal, a gray striped kitten whoenjoys plaguing Garfield about his perceived age; and other pets in the neighborhood. Originally the strip was only about John and Garfield for several months. After about three months, Lyman and Odie moved in. Jon and Garfield could communicate nonverbally, which made Lyman unnecessary and forced him out of the picture. The other characters came from Davis' personal experiences. While it`s setting is rarely mentioned, Garfield takes place in Davis's hometown of Muncie, Indiana, according to the TV special Happy Birthday, Garfield. And yes, there`s no need to mention Garfield`s love for lasagna, who`s been another of his trademarks.

I`m the Pig Version of
Lancelot :)

However, regarding other characters in the Garfield universe, the truth is that Garfield also shares his title with other companions. With U.S. Acres (known as Orson's Farm outside the U.S.). While it started as a sister series to Garfield, it became a huge success on it`s own. It centered on a group of barnyard animals, with the main character Orson, a small pig who had been taken from his mother shortly after being born. The other animals are Roy, the farm's joking rooster. Wade, a duck who is afraid of everything. Lanolin and Bo, two sheep twins. Booker and Sheldon, two chicks that Orson hatched. Blue, a mellow cat and Cody, an enthusiastic puppy. The style and humor was inspired from Looney Tunes. Despite how they haven`t interacted with Garfield himself, they still live in the same Universe.

Franchise

Yes, we`re doing a stretch
jump pose. Don`t ask us why :)

However, we all know that Garfield has starred in many properties before. His animation debut was on The Fantastic Funnies, which aired on CBS on May 15, 1980. From 1982 to 1991, 12 Garfield cartoon specials and one hour-long documentary celebrating his 10th anniversary was aired. A Saturday morning show, Garfield and Friends, aired for seven seasons from 1988 to 1994. (which probably was many people`s introduction to Garfield, nonetheless). Which, yes, I remember actually watching in my childhood. The Garfield Show, a CGI series, was made to coincide with the strip's 30th anniversary in 2008. And ran from 2009 to 2016. Garfield Originals is a 2D animated short series created by Davis. It premiered and ran from 2019 to 2020. A new series is currently in development at Nickelodeon after Paramount Global acquired the franchise.

You did well in our "don`t eat
cats"-therapy :)

However, regarding Garfield`s entries to the Movie World, we`ll have to remember that he`s starred in movies before. In 2004, he graced the screen with Garfield: The Movie. A live-action/computed animated film starring Breckin Meyer as Jon, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Liz and featuring Bill Murray as Garfield. The sequel, including Billy Connolly, was released two years later. Despite receiving negative reviews from critics (which let`s be real here, guys, it was expected), the films were both commercial successes. As for animated movies of our tabby cat, three direct-to-video films were released by Paws, Inc. with Davis Entertainment: Garfield Gets Real in 2007, Garfield's Fun Fest in 2008, and Garfield's Pet Force in 2009.

The Garfield Movie (2024)

The light behind comes from
your yellow skin, Odie :)

But as for the purpose of this entry, Garfield has become relevant once again in a movie. But this time an completely animated one. Directed by Mark Dindal (who was a fan of comics) and from a screenplay by David Reynolds (both of The Emperor`s New Groove), it was released in the U.S. by Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures on May 24, 2024. Starring Chris Pratt as Garfield (playing another happy-go-lucky character), alongside with Samuel L. Jackson (as Garfield`s father, Vic), Ving Rhames (as Otto), Nicholas Hoult (as Jon) and even Snoop Dogg (as Maurice). John Debney, who`s also collaborated with Dindal, composed the score. Dogg collaborated with Keith Urban on an song for the film called Let It Roll. As for the plot, it serves mostly an origin story for our tabby cat and a family story, as Garfield reuintes with his long lost father. So while the story is nothing groundbreaking or innovative (no offense), it still wasn`t expected to be so.

I need no introduction, which
is why my name is absent ;)

The production took six years. Davis also served as an executive producer. Alcon`s hoping to launch a new CG-animated franchise with this movie. Davis approved Pratt's casting, believing his performance embraced all of his sides and not just his deadpan humor. Pratt was also Dindal's first choice to voice Garfield, imagining his voice coming out of him for years. As for my personal opinion of the movie, I enjoyed it and liked it. Sure, it was nothing but expected to be pure, relentless fun and fluff. But it was still good enough for me, as I usually don`t mind such light entertainment. Sure, the movie was predictable. Sure, the animation was not particularly outstanding (no offense) and the tone of the film goofy and silly. But it was still enjoyable, nonetheless. While the critical reception has been lukewarm, the audience`s reception has been better. But at for this date, it has grossed $207,659,155 Worldwide.

Epilogue

No, I`m not a cake.
I`m the real thing :)

At the end, Garfield is one of the Worlds most prominent and famous cartoon and comic characters. And sure, it`s position in the animated and comic world will forever be regarded and cherished. However, regarding that he`s now become relevant again through a movie who`s been dismissed by critics, but beloved by audiences, is of course a headscratcher. But hey, let`s remember that critics usually have a way of dismissing popular products who are mostly vanity projects (which could`ve been said about Garfield). Cause the fate of Garfield is not as different as most Full-Length Animated Movies who`s gone through a transition from a property to the screen (just look at last years The Super Mario Bros Movie). However, it would be tempting to ponder if this movie will be perceived as the definite Garfield movie or it`s going to be dismissed in the future.

We were too lazy to
dress up like Santa`s
helpers :)

As for my own personal experience with Garfield, I remember liking the comics and the TV show well enough as a kid, despite not being completely gaga for them. But the show was still fun and enjoyable and I liked the most of the characters well enough. The same goes with the comics, which I owned back then. I had some other merchandise and frankly my mother told me that I, just like Garfield, loved food. But at the end, there`s no doubt that the character of Garfield will still live on forever through many generations for many years. Regardless of it should be through it`s comics or animation.