Classic Cartoon Critic

There are so many old theatrical cartoons. Which should you watch? The answer is here.

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Daffy running on the title card.

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Just a crazy, darn fool duck.

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That’s not in the script!

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Dunked dog.

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On Moonlight Bay

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They all missed.

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Porky’s Duck Hunt

Rating:  ★★★

This one’s really important, as far as the evolution of Warner Bros cartoons goes. It introduces Daffy Duck (not yet named), and with him, a heretofore unseen type of cartoon character. One that fought back against those trying to hunt him, one that ignored the cartoon’s ‘script’, one that acted in absurd ways just for the heck of it. In other words, it introduced the ‘screwball’ character, an archetype that would prove to be one of Tex Avery’s favorites, and one that needed to exist in order to eventually have the likes of Bugs Bunny around.

This is, of course, a Tex Avery cartoon. And it’s much more like what people expect from Avery cartoons than some of his earlier endeavors - gag-heavy and fourth-wall breaking. 

There’s some solid gags throughout, but the pacing still isn’t quite there. Some gags, like drunk fish rowing a boat and singing “On Moonlight Bay”, go on for entirely too long. Some gags, like a duck eating an electric eel, feel pointless. Some are references that have been lost to time, like a reference to old-school comedian Joe Penner. 

It’s the gags with the duck that would be eventually called Daffy that shine the most. Switching roles with the dog in the water, helping Porky with his gun, and, most noticeably and importantly, referring to himself as “just a crazy, darn fool duck”, and doing what would become his signature ‘whoo-hoo’ hopping around. It was something audiences hadn’t seen before, and it stuck with them, more than anything else in the cartoon.

Later cartoons would do most of what this one did, but better, so it’s not entirely necessary to bother with this one. But if you want to see Daffy’s true origin point, and the introduction of the ‘screwball’ character type, then this is the cartoon for you.

((I also post these reviews on wordpress, along with other articles and stories!))

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Donald kicking a giant eagle’s butt.

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A ram after being headbutted by Donald.

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Donald after headbutting a ram.

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Look at this drunk, bi dog.

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Alpine Climbers

Rating:  ★★★

The last few minutes of this cartoon really make me want to give it four stars, but the sad fact of the matter is Pluto takes up a large part of this short’s runtime with largely boring antics.

Mickey, Donald and Pluto are going climbing this time around, for edelweiss flowers and eagle eggs, apparently. Why they brought Pluto is a bit of mystery, as he seems to only exist as dead weight (in both a literal sense, to Mickey and Donald, and a metaphorical sense, to this cartoon). Donald goes for the flowers and gets entangled with a baby goat, Mickey tries to take some eagle eggs and gets attacked by an eagle mother, and Pluto pretty much reacts to things and gets drunk.

Because of Mickey’s shenanigans, Pluto ends up dealing with a baby eagle, which is arguably his most interesting moment in the cartoon. Afterward, he falls below into the snow and gets unfrozen by a beer-carrying St. Bernard. He acts super gay, too, tbh - I’ve seen you make those same goo-goo eyes at lady dogs, ya bisexual pup.

Mickey doesn’t get to do too terribly much, but what he’s there for - upsetting mama eagle and a bunch of baby eagles - is fun enough. His role in the finale of the short is mostly just ‘gripping things in terror’, but again, fun enough.

Donald, for neither the first nor last time, is the true star of this one. His scenes shine, whether he’s trying to hit a baby goat with an ice stalactite, headbutting an angry adult goat, or charging a flying mama eagle, he’s a joy every time.

The finale of the short, when Donald tries to rescue Mickey from the attacking birds, is a high-intensity ride from start to finish, and it, coupled with Donald’s scenes, make me recommend the short, overall, despite the lackluster Pluto bits.

((I also post these reviews on wordpress, along with other articles and stories!))

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His moustache is turning into glasses.