The new Rescue Rangers movie has proven to be a treasure trove of '80s and '90s nostalgia for anyone who grew up in the age of the Disney afternoon, especially if they were fans of Chip and Dale themselves. But while the two main characters might be living in a modern era, both of them are still holding on to pieces of their past.
The '90s were arguably Disney's best years, and this movie serves as a blatant reminder of what the studio could do. NES games, Pogs, and VHS tapes might have gone the way of the dodo, but Chip and Dale have brought back a blast from the past to take a whole slew of viewers down memory lane.
There’s An Autobot In The Audience
The movie is stuffed to the brim with character cameos. Along with a healthy number of Disney stars in the mix, there are more than a few characters from outside of the magical studio. One such example is a rather unusual classmate seen in the audience during Chip and Dale's comedy performance at the talent show.
If the viewer looks closely, they can see a red and white Autobot from the original Transformers series cheering with the rest of their classmates. Judging by his color scheme and the Autobot logo on his chest, this could be a young Red Alert before he made it big into show business.
Chip Has A Knight Rider Lunchbox
The movie begins with a flashback sequence in the '80s, depicting Chip and Dale as kids and following them on their journey to stardom. Of course, a sequence in the '80s can't happen nowadays without some dated reference material and visuals. And judging by his lunchbox, Chip has seen more than a few episodes of Knight Rider.
While certainly not the only reference to the era seen at the elementary school, it's one of the first to blatantly remind the viewer what era things are taking place. It's only too bad there wasn't an appearance from David Hasselhoff himself.
Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat
Once Chip and Dale receive their fame, things truly begin to take off for them, including the references. Along with characters like Roger Rabbit and the Three Little Pigs, Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat are seen at the Season 3 celebration for the Rescue Rangers TV show.
To say that Paula Abdul was a big deal of the decade would be a gross understatement. This means that Chip and Dale had to have some serious star power to get her and her animated feline companion to come to their party. Not only did they have connections with fellow animated stars, but human ones as well.
Roger Rabbit Doing The Roger Rabbit
In no uncertain terms, this movie wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for the achievements of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, so it makes perfect sense that Roger himself would make an appearance with other faces of Disney from the '90s. The fact that he's doing the dance that bears his namesake is simply icing on the cartoon cake.
Despite his popularity in the '90s, it's been a long while since Roger has made any sort of appearance. Since his long-desired sequel has been in development hell for decades, it's about time he was met with a warm and welcome return.
Dale Wears An MC Hammer Outfit
Viewers are treated to yet another serving of '90s cheese when Dale changes out of his Rescue Rangers attire into something a little more period. Not missing a beat for the film's era and tone, he dons a pair of Hammer pants and bling worthy of the MC himself.
It's just for pure silliness but it works because so many '90s kids out there recall Hammer, his pants, and the sheer ridiculousness of certain pieces of '90s fashion. That being said, there's still a reason that the look fell out of style.
The Missing Monty Title Card
An important element of Dale's character is how incredibly stuck in the past he is, and this is demonstrated by his desire to recapture the glory days of the TV show even after hurting his friend, Chip. To visually establish this tropey desire, the film suddenly does a freeze-frame of a Rescue Rangers title card, "The Case of the Missing Monty."
On one hand, this is a visual gag symbolizing Dale's overindulgence and excitement for a new case. On the other, it's a sign that fans of the original series are in for one more adventure with Chip and Dale in a modern setting. Either way, it's a solid throwback.
The Rescue Rangers Shrine
If there's one moment in the movie that viewers were taken back a decade or two, it was the reveal of Dale's massive collection of memorabilia from the golden days of the TV show, and there are more than a few artifacts of the era present amongst the plush toys, shirts, and other manner of chipmunk merchandise.
Along with their beloved '90s video game, Dale has all the episodes on VHS, a variety of toys, and more amongst his massive horde of loot. It's practically a time capsule for not just their beloved animated exploits, but the era they were on the air as well.
The Pogs
Of all the fads and all the games that decorated the decade, Pogs were truly a product of their time. Similar to a game like marbles, Pogs was all about collecting, and they came in many sizes, shapes, and denominations. Of course, a show as successful as the Rescue Rangers would get its own set.
Having Pogs featured alone would be one thing, but to make a rare one be one of the iconic symbols of the movie is truly an element aimed directly at the '90s kids in the audience. It's over-the-top and silly, but so are Chip and Dale.
He-Man And Skeletor
When it comes to Saturday morning cartoons, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe were the undisputed titans of the genre, at least for a time. With both He-Man and Skeletor making a triumphant return on Netflix, a nod to the original variations of the characters was only too appropriate in this love letter to classic animated series.
The two characters always had a sort of corny chemistry, and that is clearly recreated in their appearance at the convention scene in the film. Like many classic stars who frequent comic cons and other search functions, they display that their humor has only gotten better with age.
The Disney Afternoon Fightfest
Although a true reboot series might be far beyond the viewers' reach, a Smash-Bros.-style fighting game featuring a whole host of '90s Disney characters should have been in development yesterday. Disney Afternoon Fightfest might just be wishful thinking, but with Warner Bros. and DC already putting their characters in a title like MultiVersus, Disney needs to get on the stick.
From Gargoyles to Gummi Bears, practically the entire roster of the Disney Afternoon lineup is present on the artwork for a sadly nonexistent game. The image of Goofy and Goliath kicking the stuffing out of characters like Bonkers and Zipper is too hilarious to ignore, and hopefully Disney Interactive takes notes.