Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Clean and Neat with Harv and Marv (Rifftrax Shorts)


Rifftrax Year:  2014
Riffers:  Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett

Not to be confused with the "Clean and Neat" titled short shown on Mystery Science Theater, this Clean and Neat short is another film in the Harv and Marv series, who we previously saw in a short called Tooth Truth.  This time the "beloved" animated sprites become fascinated with filth, causing and they begin to watch little boys shower.  Did that come out creepy?  They're just studying how to be clean!  That's what they tell their lawyer anyway.

This cutesy short is supposed to delight children into learning the importance of bathing, though I'm not certain that two annoying animated characters scoffing at the idea is the best way to go about it.  Harv's dislike of being anything but a human fungal infection is played up for laughs, while Marv treats the idea of bathing almost like he would if he were bi-curious.  Children are supposed to laugh at their ignorance, instead I just find myself horrified.

It's been a while since I've seen Tooth Truth, so I don't know how Clean and Neat holds up to it, but I'd have to say this is a pretty funny one.  Mike, Kevin, and Bill seem very cautiously intrigued by these Harv and Marv characters, who are tiny animated people who claim they aren't human.  The kookiness of the short is played up and pushed to further limits, as the riffers point out their creepy behavior and edge it just slightly to make it even creepier.

I'm not sure how many Harv and Marv shorts there are, though if there are any more and they can make them this funny then bring them on.

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