Yogi And The Invasion Of The Space Bears (1988)

ANIMATED ANIMAL ADVENTURE: 1988 To steal food from tourists, Yogi disguises himself as a park ranger, Robin Hood and a monk. Ranger Smith sets out to catch him. Coincidentally, Yogi and Booboo are kidnapped by aliens and kept in style, that is, well fed. Cindy and Ranger Smith find Yogi missing and begin a search. Meanwhile, the aliens make an army of duplicate Yogis and Booboos to invade and conquer the Earth. The real Yogi and Booboo meet a number of friendly aliens, including Snuloo, whose planets have also been invaded. After several adventures – and learning how to cooperate – they escape and foil the invaders.

VIOLENCE/SCARINESS: Minimal. The frog-like aliens are not scary, merely loud. Cindy has a nasty fall down a mountainside. Some scary noises inside Mountain Bear’s cave, but he turns out to be “pint-sized.” Alien soldiers brandish ray guns.

CRIMES: Theft (U).

MORALS, ISSUES & VALUES: Yogi steals food and shares it with Booboo. Yogi eats sweets and desserts almost exclusively. He is irresponsible and doesn’t worry about anything, while Booboo worries constantly. A brief ecological comment on junk in space. Cindy’s persistence in her dedicated search for Yogi is highlighted. Mountain Bear does a fairly nasty burlesque of a Native American ritual. The alien political system is a dictatorship. It is not entirely clear whether Yogi rises to the occasion when patriotism demands action to save the Earth or he does it simply to get a share of the tourists’ food handouts. According to the film: People can stay friends even if parted as Booboo and Snuloo. Group efforts are better than solo efforts. Enemies can become friends, as the Ranger and Yogi do at the end of the film.

SEXUALITY & GENDER ISSUES: Traditional gender roles. Cindy asks advice from Mountain Bear. Cindy gives Yogi a peck on the cheek and he blushes. The female alien, Snuloo, bravely arranges an escape for Yogi and Booboo.

SUBSTANCES: None.

COMMENTS: Visually, this film often feels pretty low budget, but Yogi Bear and his friends are always charming. In an oblique way, this film reinforces many young children’s fantasy “are these people really my parents or simply imitations” with the cloning of Yogi and Booboo. Mostly inoffensive, enjoyable silliness appropriate for the very young. But remember, the central character is an unpunished thief.

STARRING: Voices of Daws Butler, Don Messick.

ALTERNATES: “Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School,” “Raggedy Ann and Andy,” and “Little Nemo in Slumberland” are similar films.