Queer Duck: The Movie DVD: Review By kaismith

While I never saw the TV series, I am glad director/animator Xeth Feinberg (directed the Queer DuckTV series in 1999) and writer/creator Mike Reiss (series writer with other writing credits including The Simpsons and The Critic) did a film version.

Seymour Duckstein a.ka. Queer Duck (JM J. Bullock) seems to be in a happy partnership with Openly Gator (Kevin Michael Richardson). But he becomes enamored with the marriage and being straight which leads him to try sexual behavior modifications administered by the Christian Fundamentalist. Queer Duck ends up marrying Lola Buzzard (Jackie Hoffman). Of course tampering was involved.

It's awesome to see a animation with the main character as a gay duck. I not only love films about duck (you know you love Howard the Duck) But I love gay comedies. The writing is sharp, tons of parodies and puns and the characters fantastic. I loved Bi Polar Bear and Oscar Wildcat. Many celebrities lend their voices including Tim Curry, David Duchovny and Conan O'Brien.

Behind the Scenes Footage

This low budget featurette has a pretty cheesy introduction but the interviews with Reiss and Xeth and the characters are extremely rich. Conan Obrien makes a guest appearance and while there are slices of the film cut into the featurette I felt there could have been more. Also there was barely any back story about the creation of the TV series or inspiration for it.

Getting the Right Homosexual"

Reiss goes into detail about his pitch for the series to Icebox and how he decided upon the right actor for the voice for Queer Duck. Very candid but the amateur X transition was a bit annoying. Also you'll learn Reiss is not gay (sorry queenies), in fact he says it at least 3 times in the clip but he did do research to write Queer Duck. He goes into detail about that and sheds some light on his time as a male prostitute, research of course. *Joking * At least that's what he claims. *Wink* Wink* But in all seriousness, Reiss address the type of gay characters he wrote are older versus the newer hipper gay generation X gay men.

The People Behind the Voices

Meet the voice actors behind the characters. While they aren't familiar by appearance when they slip into the voices of previous characters they played, you'll be surprised when you can put a face to a character you may have grown up with. This clip is bit lengthy and could have been cleaned up a bit, but it is fun

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How to Find the Right Partner if You are Bi. Um Coastal

Xeth and Mike talk about how they hooked up to create Queer Duck together and the work they did together before Queer Duck on the internet.

Character Assassination

The legality of a parody is somewhat covered and Reiss and Xeth talk about the celebs they choose to mock.

Five Queer Duck Shorts

Widescreen - 16:9. While the shorts were full screen as they were aired on TV the film was widescreen. A wise choice. There is certainly a style to the animation which is carried over from the series by animator Xeth. Everything is clean and clear in the department.

Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound with optional English subtitles. Gotta love your disco and trance music because there is lots of it in this film.

Seemingly having a great time as gay men often do, Queer Duck center smiles as Openly Gator, Oscar Wildcat and Bi Polar Bear shake it on a purple dance floor in the background. On the back, set against a purple back drop are a few scene selections and the main characters living it up in a large martini glass Olive included. Can't for get the standard features, plot synopsis, celebrity voice contributors list and special features list.

"Oh my gay stars!" You can't miss Queer Duck. If you weren't a fan before you will be now. Years after the series was on TV, the film brings back the beloved character and his hilarious friends.