"Hey There, It's Yogi Bear" was Hanna Barbara's first feature venture to the big screen and along with "A Man Called Flintstone", it's one of their best. Yogi, Bo bo and Ranger Smith haven't changed from the cartoon and this just feels like a regular Yogi Bear cartoon.
Once again Ranger Smith is trying to stop Yogi from stealing Picnic baskets, only he finally grown wise to Yogi's tricks. Poor Yogi just can't win so he give's the ranger an ultimatum, either the "Do not feed the beers signs'" go or Yogi is leaving. So Ranger Smith decides to send Yogi to the San Diego zoo. Yogi tricks another bear, Cornpone into taking his place, so Yogi becomes the masked avenger, stealing all the camper's lunchs. Meanwhile poor Cindy bear, heartbroken over her love Yogi being sent to San Diego, that she gets Ranger Smith to send her off too. But unknown to her she's being sent to St. Louis zoo instead. Then her cage falls off the train it was on and she is captured by some evil circus men who use her as a high wire bear act.
Yogi finds out about this and he and Boo Boo escape from the zoo in search of Cindy. They rescue her from the Zoo, and then end up in New York City, being chased by the police. Leading to a wild climax in a building under construction.
As usual in this kind of film, there are songs. But these are all quite good. There's the title song sung by David Gates, then Cindy's Song, "I Love A Parade", Veni Veno Vene where Yogi's voice sounds suspiciously like James Darren, and my favorite, "Oh What a Wonderful Feeling". They almost all fit in the plot and enhance it as well.
Daws Butler is just wonderful as Yogi and Don Messick does double duty as both Boo Boo and Ranger Smith. Julie Bennett is fine as Cindy. Plus we have Mel Blanc and Hal Smith does a fine job with various voices too.
I saw this at a kiddie matinee when I was 10 and loved it ever since. I still enjoy it, and for all you Yogi fan's out there, give it a chance, you'll love it too.
