Ratz (TV series)

Ratz
240px Logo Ratz official
Created by	Richard Zielenkiewicz (as Monsieur Z) Stéphane Melchior-Durand
Starring	French: Éric Judor Ramzy Bédia English: Terrence Scammell Rick Jones
Music by	Herve Lavandier
Country of origin	France Canada
No. of episodes	52
Production
Producer(s)	Marc du Pontavice
Running time	approx. 22 mins. (11 mins. per episode)
Production company(s)	Tooncan Xilam
Release
Original network	Télétoon/Teletoon (Canada) France 3/Canal J (France)
Original release	21 September 2003 – 11 November 2006
External links
[{{#property:P856}} Website]

Ratz is a Canadian/French animated television series created by France's Xilam studios, with joint production from Canada. The show stars two rats, Rapido and Razmo, aboard the S.S. Wanderer, a cheese ship with (seemingly) no actual destination. The focus of the series is on the adventures of the two rats, including guarding the cheese, interacting with other stowaways and various ill-fated encounters with the crew. The rats themselves live in the hull of the ship in a lavish two-bedroom apartment. and the game released on Xbox in 2003.

While being targeted at young children in France, the series has gained a small cult following of older ages in Canada, due to its original late night air time. The French version features the voices of the comedy duo Éric et Ramzy, while the English version features the voices of Terrence Scammell as Rapido and Rick Jones as Razmo. Unlike most animated programs designed for a younger audience, Ratz has (except for the episode "The Genie") no moral resolve at the end of each episode.

The show is also notable for its positive portrayal of rats, unusual for Western and North American cultures, which often give its fictional rats selfish, antagonizing and evil characteristics. Also of interest is the pure blend of traditional animation and 3D animation, and the eclectic soundtrack by Hervé Lavandier.

Ratz was originally titled Rapido and featured a chunkier animation style; some websites (including Xilam's own website [1]) still reflect this.

Ratboarding

An integral part of Ratz is the ratboard, a transportation device resembling a mousetrap with a jet engine strapped to the back (though in the episode "The Rat Exterminator", the rats do not recognize an actual mousetrap). The ratboard provides the rats with speedy travel in and around the ship. Rapido is very fond of his ratboard and enjoys challenging Razmo to races, often winning.

Ratboards are also used to reach otherwise inaccessible places, provide speedy rescues, move things by tether or simply to impress guests.

Characters

• Rapido is a jet set-wannabe with a huge ego to maintain. To get over his large self-doubts and low self-esteem, he acts in a condescending manner and often boasts having personal connections to various celebrities. Rapido is also a hypocrite, scolding Razmo sharply for engaging in an activity, then secretly pursuing the same later on. Rapido only has interest in himself and will not aide Razmo at all, unless the situation adversely affects himself. His interests include ratboard racing, celebrity magazines, fashion, house music and feeling important and wooing women.
• Razmo is the shorter and stouter rat. He is a highly productive genius and mechanic, having invented the ratboard and being responsible for all mechanical and electrical issues. He is also forced to perform all chores as Rapido never lends a hand. This has led Razmo to become depressed, emotionally scarred and obsessive-compulsive.
  Razmo is also childish, sometimes speaking to a plush toy and wetting the bed. His interests include playing stringed bass, jazz, counting the cheese, inventing and making friends. In the original Rapido short, Razmo had a Deep South accent; the voice was changed to have a slight Brooklyn accent during production of Ratz.

Oddly, Razmo is called 'Ratz' (as in the name of the show) on the blurb for the show in Sky programme guides.

The crew of the S.S. Wanderer consists of three personnel: Benny the chef, Svetlana the engineer and The Captain. Neither of them is considered a villain in the series, though Benny is the one most enraged by the rats. Usually the crew will return to their normal duties after brushing shoulders with Rapido and/or Razmo. Humorously enough, the crew's diet consists mostly of cheese, which Svetlana hates and Benny is allergic to (although Benny's allergies are not seen or discussed within the show.)

• The Captain is a Scottish seaman and veteran of the seas. He is the only person who knows the final destination of the cheese in the cargo hold. Over the years he has gone from a rather serious captain to a rather goofy one, often falling into reverie or suggesting absurd courses of action during crises. All of his orders are directed towards.
• Svetlana, the Russian engineer. She is responsible for keeping the S.S. Wanderer afloat and is usually found in situations requiring her massive size and strength. Despite her role on the ship, Svetlana attempts to act feminine whenever possible, which isn't very often. She is often talking to or conspiring with benny.
• Benny, the Asian chef (Benny has been hinted as being either Chinese or Japanese.) Benny is the only one that will actually give chase to the rats. Despite having five years of culinary arts under his belt, Benny is usually preparing soufflés or sushi for the rest of the crew. Rapido and Razmo usually interfere when Benny brings aboard a live animal to be slaughtered.

Merchandise

• Ratz has Region 2 DVDs out in France, containing eight episodes per DVD.
• An album, A fond les bananes !, featuring Éric et Ramzy, has also been released in France. The show's theme song "Pas de panique à bord", the record's opening track, was a minor hit in France.

Albums

A single entitled Pas de panique à bord (French for No panic on board), distributed by Sony Music, is marketed in January 2004. It was ranked the twelfth of music charts in the first week with over 70,000 copies sold. An album entitled A fond les bananes! (French for Background Bananas!) with the voices of Éric and Ramzy distributed by Sony Music is marketed 5 April 2004 in France. The theme of the Pas de panique à bord, the opening credits. A video clip of this album with a duration of 90 seconds was broadcast on France 2 and France 3, 5 times a day in April.

Ratz (2003 Video game)

Ratz
240px Ratz pull into Xbox
Developer(s)	Frontbite Studios
Publisher(s)	Microsoft Game Studios
Director(s)	Martin Hawks
Producer(s)	Robert Dulman Marie-Pierre Castel
Designer(s)	Stéphane Cornicard
Programmer(s)	Marie-Pierre Castel Françoise Dorléac
Artist(s)	Raf De La Torre Patrick Dewaere Gérard Depardieu Vernon Dobtcheff
Writer(s)	Lollie Alexi Devereaux
Composer(s)	François Jules Edmond Got
Series	Ratz
Engine	NDVIA
Platforms	Xbox
Genre(s)	Platform, Action
Mode(s)	multiplayer

Ratz is an 4 player platform-action game for the Xbox, This Game is developed by Frontbite Studios and Published by Microsoft Game Studios. it was released on 21 September 2003 on North America.

Gameplay

File:Ratchet and Clank All 4 One Gameplay.jpg

Ratchet, Clank, Qwark and Doctor Nefarious fighting together against a swarm of robots.

The gameplay for parody of Ratchet and Clank All 4 One. The game has learn to contains the musical on 4 players co-op multiplayer gameplay. The game has station for the corporation. The Game has learn for Rapido and Ramzo are left to the behind. Not rats can contain be a disturb. with not disturb. for Shooting weapons and throw grenades. with Le Capite and Benny. have send to Four players.

Game

The Game is based on TV series Ratz

Production

The Xbox has introduced the gameplay on Launchworks from Gameplay Ratz.

Starring

• Josette Day as Rapido
• Jamel Debbouze as Ramzo
• Emilien De Falco as Capite
• Raf De La Torre as Benny
• Suzy Delair as Sytelvania

External links

• Official site (in French)
• Xilam site
• Ratz at IMDb