Tex Avery (1908–1980)

A wolf harasses a girl.

Maybe it's just because I've been watching so many mediocre early cartoons over the past few months, but this was a lot of fun to watch - even when they were making references over my head. Tex Avery was insane.

Concept: B
Story: B
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: B
Acting: C
Music: A

Enjoyment: B

GPA: 2.8/4

Daffy Duck is hunted.

I understand this is a remake of a black-and-white Porky cartoon. If I'd seen that one, I might not rate this one so highly, but who knows. As it is, of the cartoons represented in the comprehensive "Golden Collection," this one clearly marks the beginning of Looney Tunes' greatness. It's the template for half the cartoons they ever make, and it's copied for good reason.

Concept: C
Story: D
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: A
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: B
Acting: show more C
Music: A

Enjoyment: A

GPA: 2.8/4 show less

A bellhop needs to page "Miss Glory."

It uses Art Deco style as a storytelling device, which puts it in a completely different world, visually, from any other cartoon that I've seen from this era. So that's interesting. It also has some laughs, which also makes it stand out from other cartoons that I've seen from this era. It's still far from good, though. There's no story to speak of (just a lot of singing and dancing) and no real gags (at least not anything like what I think of as a Looney show more Tunes gag).

Concept: D
Story: F
Characters: D
Dialog: D
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: B

Enjoyment: C plus

GPA: 1.8/4 show less

A Droopy animated short (MGM, 1943).

A bloodhound pursues an escaped convict.

C+ (Okay).

It only has one gag, repeated for 8 minutes - which kind of IS the joke. Droopy has some funny lines.

(Feb. 2023)