If you're a fan of strange, psychedelic-induced animation then chances are you've probably seen one of Antonucci's productions. With his beginnings in traditional animation (Smurfs, Scooby-Doo, The Flinstones), Antonucci would go on to find great success with his first solo project Lupo the Butcher (1987). With Lupo, Antonucci garnered enough attention at independent film festivals both in the U.S. and in Europe to lead him towards more commercial work, most notably with MTV and Cartoon Network. It was during his time that Antonucci produced what are perhaps his most well-known creations: The Brothers Grunt (1994) and Ed, Edd, and Eddy (1999).Gross. Disorienting. Nonlinear. Created back in the heyday of MTV (re: Liquid Television) The Brothers Grunt is (in a nutshell) a frat boys worst wet dream in moving picture format. According to Wikipedia:
The series centered around an ensemble cast of pale, rubbery humanoids distantly related to human beings, all of them ostensibly male, wandering around in their underpants. Their main food staple is cheese; nevertheless they are able to eat other meals (at least potatoes: see episode #23 Not My Potato). Their single parent is a giant, mute aquatic individual, called Primus Gruntus Maximus, to whom they are born as embryos inside skin warts, much in the way of the Surinam Toad. They live in a monastery in an alternate universe.The second cousin (and in many cases predecessor) to shows like Ren & Stimpy, South Park, and Beavis & Butt-head, The Brothers Grunt helped to pave the way for adult-oriented cartoons full of the taboo, fears and ugliness of everyday life. Its like getting a splinter in your eye and then giggling about it until the infection sets in. Genius.
Cancelled after only a year of syndication (1995), a total of 35 episodes were produced and aired on MTV. Unfortunately no plans have been made for a DVD release, making the only available viewing option a YouTube query away.
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