In the 3rd film, “Visitors from Outer Space” Hamburglar’s call to adventure is received on Ronald’s wrist-phone (done with a parody of 1950s Dick Tracy, now on the arm of the 21st century clown prince); in this scene Ronald also pokes fun at the corporation’s dated management style. In my view, this is an example of corporate-uncrowning. The scene is irreverent to McDonald’s Corporation. For example, in the human clown (part I) act of Visitors from Outer Space, Ronald does a parody of how McDonald’s has an operation action plan for every conceivable contingency, even ET encounters. Ronald says, “Well of course I believe in aliens; that’s why I have the MAAP, the McDonaldland Alien Action Plan; M – A – A – P” (he is holding a small red book, with a large “M” emblazoned on it; just as a magic screen descends from above). On the projector screen are flashing images of 1950s Sci Fi flicks; and in the background, Ronald’s shadow, his new image over it falls over the older images, indicating his double-body (out with the old, in with the new Ronald). The visual images reinforce the spoken parody; that in debasing the McDonald’s corporate action plans, and in the visual oldness, juxtaposed with the new Ronald-image, there is corporate renewal as well as clown contemporaneity going on here. The comic death of an interplanetary food war.
The episode begins with Hamburglar fibbing to the Aliens (claiming he not Ronald
is the king of McDonaldland); this is followed by Ronald’s sermon on fibbing,
and a curious scene in which Hamburglar’s constant thievery of hamburgers
from a McDonald’s restaurant is rationalized (he cannot help it).
Birdie: On top of that, you were swiping burgers
Ronald: Which I know you can’t help, being the H, and all
Hamburglar: Ahh, thanks for understanding
Ronald: (prophetically) But someday you’ll learn, fibbing just gets you into trouble (grabbing the bag) come on gang, help be get these back where they belong; you too Hamburglar (the gang groaning at the work load)
Ronald performs three miracles in this film. The first takes place in part
I (during the human clown performance, before the decent into McDonaldland),
during Ronald’s parody of McDonald’s for having an action plan for
every contingency (even Aliens), Ronald follows the action plan steps: “Hurry
Sundae, step one: we need to activate the Alien Siren.” Sundae (who gets
all the good lines) replies, “And where might the switch for that be.”
Ronald: “Hold on a minute.” Ronald adjusts the projector, the switch
that is on screen, moves out if its virtual space, and into the ‘real’
space of the human clown land (part I of the film); this is another example
of transmutation, but this time from virtual material-electrons to real metal/plastic,
as well as an enlargement and exaggeration in size.
Ronald: Huuh humpf (proud of his power; Ronald pulls switch and the alarm sounds, and blasts) Do you think people can hear that?
Sundae: People in space can hear that?
In the second miracle, Ronald climbs onto a children’s playground set
(in a park inside McDonaldland Square), and transforms it into a rocket, with
an ‘M’ emblazoned on top, and two arms). Ronald says “whoa,
haaaa” (dropping out the hatch at bottom). The third miracle is enacted
as Ronald wrestles with a comet’s tail, saying “Oh ahhh, No I gotta
turn this baby around… Ahh, hup, here we go.” Ronald (& Grimace)
jump from the comet to a planet. The film ends with the gang forgiving Hamburglar
for his fibs and thievery.