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Cheetah-Man Is Crazy Fast: "Venture Libre" Episode Guide
Continuing this season's week+ wait for these, the capsule, notes and screengrabs for "Venture Libre" are up. Again, I am certain I missed some things, so feel free to send in corrections and additions either here in the comments or via the contact form if you're too shy to comment. I will eventually get around to adding them in too, I promise!
Note should definitely be given to some of the creatures residing in U.R.G.H.:
Off the top of my head, there are some militant Oompa Loompa's (if you're watching Venture, this really shouldn't have to be explained), Man-Thing, who is a Marvel Comics character who is for the most part an expy of Swamp Thing, and most famous for a annual issue titled "Giant Size Man-Thing.) The Gill-Man seems to be the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but I could be wrong there.
Some of the creatures glimpsed during Venturestein's broadcast that are later seen arriving on the boats to island are a dog with it's head severed, which is a reference to a famous Russian experiment in the late 1800's/early 1900's I believe. You can also see a Human Centipede, Reco from the Halloween Special, as well as the villain in "Fallen Arches" who asked Jefferson Twilight if he only hunted African American vampires.
I know people on the internets have also claimed that some of the creatures are references to TMNT and Mystery Science Theatre 3000, but I'm not versed in either show, so I'm not going to go there.
Off the top of my head, there are some militant Oompa Loompa's (if you're watching Venture, this really shouldn't have to be explained), Man-Thing, who is a Marvel Comics character who is for the most part an expy of Swamp Thing, and most famous for a annual issue titled "Giant Size Man-Thing.) The Gill-Man seems to be the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but I could be wrong there.
Some of the creatures glimpsed during Venturestein's broadcast that are later seen arriving on the boats to island are a dog with it's head severed, which is a reference to a famous Russian experiment in the late 1800's/early 1900's I believe. You can also see a Human Centipede, Reco from the Halloween Special, as well as the villain in "Fallen Arches" who asked Jefferson Twilight if he only hunted African American vampires.
I know people on the internets have also claimed that some of the creatures are references to TMNT and Mystery Science Theatre 3000, but I'm not versed in either show, so I'm not going to go there.
The pteranodon from Jonny Quest was indeed named Turu (the episode title refers to him as "Turu the Terrible") and looked remarkably similar to the pteranodon killed by Sgt. Hatred in "Venture Libre" (its body was a bit thicker, but its colors were the same).
On a related note, the giant crustacean killed by Hank is no doubt patterned on the giant crab from the Jonny Quest episode "Terror Island," which was the product of an evil scientist's attempts to force animal mutations.
On a related note, the giant crustacean killed by Hank is no doubt patterned on the giant crab from the Jonny Quest episode "Terror Island," which was the product of an evil scientist's attempts to force animal mutations.
I can explain those. The gorilla in the diving helmet on the boat is Ro-Man, from Robot Monster. The woman's head and the guy with the shark-fin-shaped head holding her are from The Brain That Wouldn't Die. Both of these are movies shown in well-known episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and are quoted/referenced often in the show. As for the TMNT references, Boar Man and Hippo Man look like Bebop and Rocksteady, who were Shredder's main henchmen in the 1987 version of the show (though Rocksteady was a rhino, not a hippo).
You might want to look here: http://www.spunkybean.com/best-tv-shows-on-tv/venture-brothers/the-venture-bros-venture-libre/ and maybe contact the author to use some of his finds. I think the most interesting is this one:
"Also, and I lost my mind over this, he’s wearing the Batman costume from The Return of Bruce Wayne, which starts with Batman stranded in prehistoric times. (He only wears Caveman Batman costume on the cover, but it’s what Hank is wearing!)"
"Also, and I lost my mind over this, he’s wearing the Batman costume from The Return of Bruce Wayne, which starts with Batman stranded in prehistoric times. (He only wears Caveman Batman costume on the cover, but it’s what Hank is wearing!)"
I'm not sure how it was determined that the episode takes place in Mexico. The only real Puerto Bahia I know of is a resort in the Dominican Republic, not Mexico. Of course, I'm not at all an expert on the geography of Latin America. Perhaps somebody knows something I don't.
Obviously, Puerto Bahia is meant to be in Central America, what with its coffee plantation, Mayan ruins, and leader that Manhowers calls "El Presidente." But without more, I couldn't narrow it to any particular country.
Obviously, Puerto Bahia is meant to be in Central America, what with its coffee plantation, Mayan ruins, and leader that Manhowers calls "El Presidente." But without more, I couldn't narrow it to any particular country.
- by Mike
I think my brain initially heard Puerto Vallarta and by the time I had corrected it to Puerto Bahia I had just assumed it was Mexico. However the temple in the episode is either Mayan or Aztec, which would most likely place it in Mexico anyway. Could be in Guatamala or something too. I think it was probably actually meant to be a fictional Central American country, rather than using an existing place.
Probably should add a note (or link) to what a Murphy bed is.
I believe the Hwy 285 reference more closely pinpoints the location of hte venture compound near Los Alamos, NM rather than Colorado...that is just speculation. Still seems like a ways from The Monarch's favorite base at Cremation Creek. Anyway, H.E.L.P.eR. seems to be heading NORTH on 285 since South is clearly marked as the other direction. So who knows. Could be a South Park reference for all I know, since 285 runs through South Park in Colorado. We know Jackson & Doc like South Park.
The scientists/test subjects viewing Venturestein's broadcast are all a reference to something. The bodiless dog was from the "Experiments in the Revival of Organisms" (Ustio Merc. pointed this out). The others, I'm not sure.
Is Weapon X also a reference to Captain America in addition to the ones you noted?
Backwood was the only one I caught in the episode to call the tablet an "iPad". I think everyone else called it a "jPad". I wonder if the actress's recording was a mistake (since we don't know if iPad exist in the Ventureverse).
Some of the creatures may be a Dr. Moreau reference.
I believe the Hwy 285 reference more closely pinpoints the location of hte venture compound near Los Alamos, NM rather than Colorado...that is just speculation. Still seems like a ways from The Monarch's favorite base at Cremation Creek. Anyway, H.E.L.P.eR. seems to be heading NORTH on 285 since South is clearly marked as the other direction. So who knows. Could be a South Park reference for all I know, since 285 runs through South Park in Colorado. We know Jackson & Doc like South Park.
The scientists/test subjects viewing Venturestein's broadcast are all a reference to something. The bodiless dog was from the "Experiments in the Revival of Organisms" (Ustio Merc. pointed this out). The others, I'm not sure.
Is Weapon X also a reference to Captain America in addition to the ones you noted?
Backwood was the only one I caught in the episode to call the tablet an "iPad". I think everyone else called it a "jPad". I wonder if the actress's recording was a mistake (since we don't know if iPad exist in the Ventureverse).
Some of the creatures may be a Dr. Moreau reference.
- by cpc65
- by Mike
Apple certainly exists in the Ventureverse (numerous references to it over the years) but JJ appears to have his own smartphone/tablet market going.
It's also possible that the jPad concept wasn't invented until after voice recording was done and it was initially just called an iPad.
It's also possible that the jPad concept wasn't invented until after voice recording was done and it was initially just called an iPad.
Very nice. A few things to add- I still say the title is also a reference to the drink Cuba Libre, described at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba_Libre . The Hatred dream is also a reference to Captain America's origin of being injected with a super-soldier serum (there was, in fact, a substitute, Commie busting Captain America in the 50's that went crazy due to an improperly created batch of the serum). Don't know if it's worth mentioning but one of the mutants looks like Smokey The Bear. Also, the jet pack being used as a propulsion system for the Hankmobile is a reference to the 60's (Adam West) Batmobile having a similar propulsion system.
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