| LarryBoy and the Bad Apple | |
|---|---|
DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Tim Hodge |
| Produced by | David Pitts |
| Written by | Richard Liebmann-Smith, Mike Nawrocki |
| Music by | Kurt Heinecke, Mike Nawrocki, Michael Farren |
| Distributed by | Sony Wonder |
| Release date(s) | July 29, 2006 |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Language | English |
LarryBoy and the Bad Apple is the 29th episode in the VeggieTales animated series, and the third installment of the LarryBoy adventures. It was released in 2006 and is only available on DVD format. This was the first VeggieTales (or Larryboy) episode to be only released on DVD and never released on VHS. Subtitled "A Lesson in Fighting Temptation", it emphasizes that we cannot fight temptation alone; instead we should draw on the support of others (family, friends, and God) to help us.
Unlike earlier LarryBoy videos that dealt with obvious evils (lying and rumors), this episode focuses on a more ambiguous problem: while the things that tempt us are not necessarily evil themselves, allowing them to dominate our lives can be problematic and disruptive.
While all the LarryBoy episodes have always drawn on elements of the Batman series, this one is a more overt parody than the others. Some elements, sound effects, and images have been borrowed from the source nearly intact.
Contents |
Archibald Asparagus joins Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber on the countertop. He and Larry have received a text message concerning one viewer's struggles with the temptation to play video games all day. Pushing the "frail and helpless" tomato out of the way, they present the story of "LarryBoy and the Bad Apple".
As the story begins, Bumblyburg is preparing to celebrate its 300th birthday. There is concern, however, about a mysterious web that has appeared around the statue of Obadiah Bumbly in the town square. While the townspeople fret and prepare for the celebration, LarryBoy is in the Larry-Mobile on his way back to the Larry-Cave, snacking on Recess Peanut Butter Cups. Alfred reminds him that eating too much chocolate will make him ill and compromise his abilities as a superhero.
Back at the cave, LarryBoy becomes sick and admits that he can't control his chocolate addiction. With help from Alfred he begins an exercise regimen that aims to limit, rather than eliminate, the chocolate in his diet.
Meanwhile, a mysterious villainous named the Bad Apple is formulating a plan to derail the city's celebration. Her strategy is to enslave everyone by their own personal temptations, allowing her to take over the city of Bumblyburg while everybody is incapacitated. She tasks her sidekick, Curly the Worm, with identifying the weaknesses of each of the city's most important citizens: Mayor Blueberry, Reporter Petunia, and LarryBoy, for she believes that eliminating these three will cripple the city's leadership, communication, and law enforcement.
She begins by paying a visit to Mayor Blueberry, whose weakness is vanity. Bad Apple preys on this weakness by convincing her that as a representative of Bumblyburg, it is her duty to look her best and spins a web (a trap) in which she claims there are countless beautiful things to improve the mayor's appearance. Her vanity validated, the Mayor steps into the trap.
Next, she pays a visit to Petunia, whose weakness is video games. Petunia realizes her important role in keeping the city informed, but admits that she could use a break. Bad Apple spins another trap, this one containing a test version of the latest, unreleased video game system. Unable to resist the temptation, Petunia steps into the trap to play.
Meanwhile, back at the Larry-Cave, Alfred has discovered that the mysterious webs have plagued Bumblyburg before. He goes to the Historical Society to do some research. On an old, scratchy film reel, he learns that an apple named Ephraim Apply tried to ensnare the settlers of the new town with diversions at an establishment called Apply's Fun House. The people succumbed and the town suffered until Obadiah Bumbly arrived in time to liberate the people and banish Ephraim Apply forever.
The Bad Apple pays a visit to LarryBoy, and, having learned of his weakness for chocolate, uses it to gain entrance to the Larry-Cave. Little by little, she dampens his resolve until he too falls into a trap designed specifically for him. With Larry indisposed in the "Chocolate Room", she easily breaks Alfred upon his return, ensnaring him by the television in front of his favorite cartoon.
With Bumblyburg's leaders and heroes out of the way, the Bad Apple proceeds to the town square to fulfill her great-uncle Ephraim's destiny: by opening up the new and improved "Apply's Funhouse II". She and Curly begin to lure the helpless citizens into the funhouse, promising non-stop excitement.
At the Larry-Cave, Alfred and LarryBoy realize that they need each other's help to fight temptation. Working together, they dissolve the webs of their traps, then quickly set out to rescue Mayor Blueberry and Petunia. They then all rush to the town square to fight temptation together.
As LarryBoy fights the Bad Apple, the funhouse topples and nearly crushes a mother and her baby. LarryBoy saves them and all of Bumblyburg by, flinging the funhouse, along with the Bad Apple and Curly, out of the square and out of the city. As everybody cheers LarryBoy's victory, however, they are unaware that they are being recorded on a video screen, which is turned off by a metal spider-like leg.
The lessons learned are reviewed on the countertop: that giving in to temptation prevents us from being the people God wants us to be; and that we can't always fight temptation alone. As the show wraps up, Bob makes an unexpected appearance as "The Red Wonder".
In addition to the ubiquitous "VeggieTales Theme" and "What We Have Learned," this episode contains the following two songs:
LarryBoy and the Bad Apple has also been released as a video game on the PS2 and Game Boy Advance platforms, (ever since the LarryBoy and the Bad Apple movie is the first to be only released and available on DVD and never on VHS).
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