Hooray for Holly-Kongo Bongo

"Hooray for Holly-Kongo Bongo" is the twenty-seventh episode of the Donkey Kong Country television series and the first episode of season three. It was the twenty-eighth episode to air in North America. The episode features Bluster Kong, who decides to make a movie. King K. Rool takes part, but only so he can steal the Crystal Coconut.

Plot synopsis
The episode begins with Donkey Kong trying to impress Candy Kong, his love, by lifting two heavy barrels. The ape collapses by all the weight, and Candy sits on one of the barrels, continuing to read a magazine of hers. Candy shows the magazine to Diddy Kong, letting him see the "talented, dreamy, movie star," Leonardo DeAperio. Donkey Kong, jealous, asks what makes him so special, but Diddy replies with "movie star looks, movie star fame, movie star money..." To give Candy more of an interest in him, Donkey Kong tells her that he has appeared in some movies of his own. Suddenly, Bluster Kong exits his factory explains that he has a parcel to send by air mail. Candy inquires if she can do anything while he is gone, but the ape simply replies by screaming in her ear.

Bluster Kong carries the package to Funky's Flights, where he asks Funky Kong to send the box by air. The Kong refuses, explaining that he has given up flying and has decided to write a screenplay. Bluster realizes that making movies can help him earn a lot of money, so he asks Funky what he can do to produce one. He explains that Bluster must first start out with a script, and asks if he wants to buy his. Bluster declines to purchase it for money, and decides to make his own, with Funky helping him out.

On the deck of Cranky's Cabin, Diddy and Donkey Kong notice Bluster as he finds locations for his movie. Donkey Kong, unaware that Bluster had wanted to make a film, laughs as he learns that the ape is planning to make his own movie, but is stopped by Diddy, who reminds him how Candy would be more impressed by him if he were in this movie. Donkey Kong quickly stops his laughter and decides that he wants to be in the movie. Suddenly, Cranky Kong angrily exits his treehouse, mad at all the noise being made by the Kongs. As soon as he learns about Blusters idea, he walks back into his treehouse, completely uninterested and infuriated. Although Bluster disagrees that Donkey Kong should be in his movie, he tells him that auditions are at noon. When Cranky hears this, he immediately becomes excited, and sings and dances with Donkey and Diddy Kong about being a movie star.

Later that day in the jungle, Diddy meets up with Candy Kong and tells her about the movie. Candy Kong, thrilled, runs off to prepare for the movie auditions, and Diddy continues his walk. Behind the two Kongs in the bushes are General Klump and Krusha, who spy on them. They are not quite sure what the movie means to them, so they report their finding to King K. Rool immediately. When they reach King K. Rool's lair, the Kremlings tell their king about Bluster's movie. King K. Rool thinks up a quick plan and heads to the auditions.

The next day, Bluster begins his auditions, which he is displeased by. Klump, Krusha, Donkey Kong, and other Kongs of the island try out, but do not do well. Donkey Kong, desperate to be in the film, tries to show off his skill by lifting two barrels again, but, as before, collapses. Bluster Kong believes that he is never going to find a good actor, until he hears King K. Rool from behind him. He chooses K. Rool as the leading character, along with Klump and Krusha as more minor characters, which greatly surprises Donkey Kong. The ape finds it unfair that he is the only person who doesn't get to be in the movie, but Funky Kong whispers something in Bluster's ear. Bluster then announces to the ape that there is one part left that he has to master to be in the movie. Donkey Kong thanks Bluster about giving him another chance, saying that he won't regret it.

Later, Donkey Kong rushes to Candy Kong to tell her who is going to be the star in Bluster's movie. Candy thinks it is Leonardo DeAperio, but Donkey Kong replies with "nope." She then guesses the islanders of Kongo Bongo, all except Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong, feeling a little less confident, tells her that he is going to be in the movie - as the villain. This impresses Candy, as she believes it takes real acting skills to be the villain. However, Donkey Kong soon desperately asks her if she can teach him how to act, as he can not act very well at all. Candy suggests that he try method acting. Before the ape leaves, he asks her what that is. She explains to he that if he is the bad guy, he should think and talk like the bad guy. Donkey Kong takes the tip after singing a song with Candy.

Meanwhile, Bluster Kong films King K. Rool. Bluster tells the crocodile to pretend he wants Candy Kong, the movie's damsel-in-distress, more than anything. However, K. Rool refuses to do so, as he does not want Candy at all. Instead, Bluster advises him to pretend she is something he really does want. King K. Rool knows that he wants the Crystal Coconut more than anything, and asks Bluster if he can have a few moments to "find his character." Bluster allows him to do so, and K. Rool runs off.

In front of the set for Bluster's movie, Klump and Krusha hear King K. Rool's voice. It turns out that this is actually Donkey Kong, who is trying to act as King K. Rool to model his villain character. Donkey Kong asks them how his imitation is, but as Klump explains what he thinks about it, he hears K. Rool's voice again. Thinking that that voice is really from Donkey Kong, General Klump says that it is "too weak and spineless." However, the Kremling soon realizes that this voice had come from the real K. Rool, who was standing behind him. King K. Rool yells from behind the crocodile, which startles him and sends him crashing into Donkey Kong and the set. Donkey Kong is forced directly into the camera, which falls. Bluster and Diddy Kong quickly run in and stop the characters from destroying anything else, finding King K. Rool threatening Donkey Kong to stop imitating him. Donkey Kong simply copies what he says, but Diddy warns him that, even though he is trying to impress Candy, he is really sounding a lot like K. Rool. Bluster then commands Diddy to make Donkey Kong rehearse for the next scene, while the three Kremlings realize that nobody is guarding the Crystal Coconut as they film the movie.

Diddy takes Donkey Kong up to the Treehouse, where he films the ape as he pretends to steal the Crystal Coconut. Donkey Kong becomes hungry for bananas, so he drags Diddy Kong away from the treehouse to get some, leaving the camera on. As the camera views the entrance to Cranky's Treehouse, King K. Rool, General Klump, and Krusha sneak in the building.

Later, Bluster, Donkey, and Diddy Kong head back up to the deck of the Treehouse to film the movie. Donkey Kong pretends that he is going to steal the coconut for his acting part. After he walks into the Treehouse, he hurries out to announce that the coconut is gone. Bluster thinks that he is simply acting it out, but all of the islanders soon enter the Treehouse together to find that it really is missing. King K. Rool and his minions convince the others that Donkey Kong stole it, saying that the ape had said he was the baddest on the island. The ape tries to explain to them that he was only acting, but Cranky Kong cannot believe him and banishes him to the White Mountains. With nobody believing him, the Kong heads off to the mountains, where he meets Eddie the Mean Old Yeti. Eddie helps him realize that he needs to show everyone, including Candy, who he really is.

Donkey Kong runs to Bluster's factory to prove his innocence, but nobody is around. He notices the ape's camera in one of the rooms, and curiously looks for his scenes on it. The Kong views the recording where he had pretended to steal the Crystal Coconut, but then took Diddy to get some bananas. While watching it, he notices the three Kremlings creeping into the Treehouse and stealing the coconut. He tries to use the film to prove his innocence, but it breaks after the recording is over. However, Donkey Kong quickly thinks up another plan and heads to Funky's Flights.

At Funky's Flights, Diddy asks Funky what the best part about script writing is. Funky replies by throwing his typewriter away. Donkey Kong, pretending to be Bluster Kong, soon finds the typewriter and pretends that he is going to keep it if he doesn't want it. Funky Kong allows him to do so, announcing that it involves too much rewriting that he cannot keep track of. After Funky leaves, Donkey Kong, still dressed as Bluster, commands Diddy to round up the cast for the final scene. Diddy falls for the trick, even though he finds him to be really mean. When everyone is gone, Donkey Kong quickly types up his own scene for the movie.

Diddy rounds up the actors in King K. Rool's lair, where the group wonders where Bluster Kong is. Donkey Kong in his Bluster disguise soon enters, and he tells them to perform his new scene. As Donkey Kong films the new scene, Candy, acting, tells King K. Rool to open the vault behind him if he really loves her. King K. Rool goes with the script and opens it, revealing the stolen Crystal Coconut by accident. Cranky Kong is stunned to find the object in the vault, but before anyone can catch the Kremlings, they evacuate the area. Donkey Kong dashes over to a weight supporting two barrels and lifts it, throwing it at the crocodiles. The weights hit them, and the coconut slips out of K. Rool's hands, with Donkey Kong catching it. After the rescue of the item, the Kongs realize that they owe the ape an apology. Allowing Donkey Kong back into the community, the Kongs continue to roll the film, with Candy standing in front of the Camera. Donkey Kong kisses Candy and then bows to end his scene.

Later, Bluster plays his full movie at his factory. However, before the movie ends, all the viewers of the film fall asleep. This causes him to say "Everybody is a critic".

Trivia

 * This is the first appearance of Eddie the Mean Old Yeti in season three.
 * Ironically, during the auditions Cranky, Candy and Donkey Kong are shown to be bad at singing and dancing, things they can do in many episode music clips (including this episode).
 * As this episode is an homage to the movies, there are several references to famous films and actors:
 * During the first chorus of "I'm Gonna Be a Star," Cranky mentions American actor James Dean, most well known for the films East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause, and Mr. Bean, a character played by British actor Rowan Atkinson.
 * Klump and Krusha's audition is based on the ending to the 1942 film Casablanca, with Klump taking the role of Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine.
 * K. Rool's first scene to be filmed is based on the 1997 film Titanic, in a reference to Jack standing on the bow of the ship shouting "I'm the king of the world!"
 * The piano music played in the parts that show Donkey Kong acting like a villain is also the kind of music played for dastardly villains in silent movies.