The Chris Moeller Archives

AV Club revisited the movie this week as part of their series, "My World of Flops," and it would seem that this little cinematic gem is still entirely misunderstood. Yes, "adult actors playing children are almost invariably creepy." Viva la Marty! That's the hilarity. "Clifford" is not "ostensibly a children's film." Children would-- and should-- find this movie repellent as they are too immature to grasp it's central thesis, which is-- as a scene-stealing WKRP guest character once said-- "children are, by adult standards, insane." "Clifford" is not for children. It's an indictment of children.

AV Club critic Nathan Rabin says he actually has a "charitable take on the film." As I read his descriptions of the movie, I'm laughing all over again: "For Short's hellion in short pants, the universe exists for one reason: to allow him to achieve his life's dream of taking his beloved toy dinosaur Stephan to Dinosaur World..." "When Grodin tells Short he loves him and Short replies that they're essentially strangers, Grodin counters, 'I was with you at your christening. I spent a better part of a whole day in your company. I have the utmost admiration for you..." "(Short) refers to his mother as 'sweet one who birthed me' and his rage-filled, resentful father as 'pappy.'"

I want to watch "Clifford" again right now. And checking to see.. that it is on Netflix instant view... Yes, excellent. I am off to watch it.