Film
Animalympics
A 1980 animated sports comedy where anthropomorphic animals compete in the Olympic Games. It's anarchic and loose, built on sketch-comedy riffing rather than plot, with a voice cast from SNL's golden age. Made for kids but pitched at parents; the humour scatters wildly, landing in pockets rather than consistently.
If you liked this
The Muppet Movie1979
A feature-length ensemble comedy with the same DIY warmth and sketch-variety structure. Gonzo chaos held together by genuine charm and a voice cast doing multiple characters with evident delight.
But The plot is thin even by '70s family-film standards, and some of the jokes land harder than others. Pacing dips in the middle act.
Wacky Races1968
A competition-based cartoon with similar energy: absurd vehicles, voice acting as character creation, and jokes that work for both kids and parents. Quick, inventive, unapologetically silly.
But The animation is cheaper and more primitive. Repetition of format—each race follows the same beats—can feel wearing over a full series.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown1966
A Peanuts special with the same affectionate tone toward animated ensemble comedy. Smart, funny, and made for a family audience without talking down to it.
But It's much shorter and more focused than *Animalympics*. The tone is melancholic where this is anarchic.
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The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Mary and Max2009
Both prioritize voice performance and character creation over visual spectacle. Both treat animation as a performance medium first.
A stop-motion animated film with voice acting as its central register. Proves that animation with a strong performer at its heart can be profound and funny simultaneously. Uses animation to do something live-action cannot.
But It's darker, slower, and emotionally serious. The comedy is gentle and earned, not the anarchic variety here. A completely different speed.
More like this (4)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit1988
Live-action and animated comedy with a voice cast doing character work at full energy. That same '80s SNL sensibility applied to Hollywood satire and slapstick.
But It's far more expensive and polished—a different thing entirely. The plot actually matters here.
Schoolhouse Rock!1973
Educational animated shorts with actual comedy and personality. Gilda Radner and company prove animation with a strong voice cast can be both informative and genuinely entertaining.
But Educational framing limits what it can do comedically. Some shorts are better than others.
Animaniacs1993
Voice comedy given full rein. A chaotic sketch show format wrapped in animation, with performers creating character through vocal performance alone.
But Aggressively zany to the point of distraction. The rapid-fire joke density means a lot lands softly.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail1975
Both are ensemble comedies attempting to build feature-length narratives out of sketch material and character work rather than traditional plotting.
Ensemble sketch comedy stretched into feature form with the same '70s anarchic energy. The structure is similar—a competition/quest, multiple characters per performer, jokes that come in clusters rather than plot points. It's what happens when people with actual comedic precision do this.
But Much cruder and more violent. The humour is much darker and British. It's also significantly better, which might make *Animalympics* look thin by comparison.
People
Cast
Gilda RadnerBarbra Warblers / Brenda Springer / Cora Lee Perrier / Tatyana Tushenko / Dorrie Turnell / The Contessa (voice)
Billy CrystalRugs Turkell / Joey Gongolong / Art Antica (voice)
Harry ShearerKeen Hacksaw / Mayor of Animal Olympic Island / Burnt Woody / Mark Spritz (voice)- Michael FremerHenry Hummel / René Fromage / Kit Mambo / Bolt Jenkins / Kurt Wuffner / Dean Wilson / Jackie Fuelit (voice)
Directing
- Michael FremerAssistant Director
- Steven LisbergerDirector
Writing
- John NortonStory
- Roger AllersStory
- Steven LisbergerStory
- Michael FremerWriter
- Steven LisbergerWriter
Production
- Peggy LisbergerAssociate Producer
- Donald KushnerProducer
- Steven LisbergerProducer
- Amanda Julian JohnsonProduction Assistant
- Barry PetersenProduction Assistant
- Shelley PriceProduction Assistant
- Don CooroughProduction Manager
- Kris WeberProduction Manager