Koko's Paradise (1926) User Reviews

Wow...Koko and Fitz go to Heaven in this one!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 13 May 2020]

The Koko the Clown shorts managed to integrate the cartoon character into the real world. Often, Koko as well as his dog, Fitz, would annoy animator Max Fleischer....much to the audience's delight. However, in "Koko's Paradise", Max is the one annoying poor Koko and Fitz. Max is apparently a maniac in this one, as he forces the characters to hold targets and apples on their heads while he takes shooting practice!! Not surprisingly, the pair are killed and end up in their respective Heavens! Is there any reprieve or is the last we'll see of Koko and Fitz??

Apart from Max playing a shooting fool, this is a fun cartoon. I especially liked seeing what dog Heaven was like. And, fortunately, Max gets his by the end. Well animated, clever and fun.

Gun Control Now!

[boblipton · 7/10 · 1 January 2014]

Max Fleischer is going to a shooting gallery, so he practices on Koko and Fitz, sending them both to Paradise in this slightly erratic but funny cartoon.

Ko-Ko and Felix the Cat were neck and neck for the best cartoon series in the silent era and each prospered by using inventive gags that played with the idea of transformation of objects while other, lesser cartoon artists used them as the point of the gags. If article A is mutable into article B, what does that say about each of them? Here, Koko buys his halo from St. Peter, while Fitz, having no money, steals his from other dogs and stacks them like dinner plates above his head.

While some of the transformation gags are forced for the sake of the plot, they remain funny almost ninety years later. How many current comedies can say as much?

One hugely enjoyable paradise

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 20 February 2018]

Dave Fleischer was responsible for many gems. Ones that were amusing and charming, though over-cuteness did come through in some efforts and the stories were always pretty thin, with appealing characters, outstanding music and visuals that were inventive and with innovative animation techniques.

Ko-Ko similarly was an always amiable character to watch and among the better recurring characters in Fleischer's early work. Likewise, his series of Out of the Inkwell cartoons were among the best early efforts of Fleischer and silent cartoons in general. Fleischer may not be at his very finest and there are other cartoons of his that fit the word gem more. It is impossible to dislike 'Ko-Ko's Paradise' however as it is so enjoyable to watch and really put a smile on my face and provided plenty of laughs, a perfect antidote for when you're in a not so good mood.

Some of it agreed is a little erratic and as ever it is best to forget the story, for all its entertaining unpredictability it is thin on the ground.

Everything else though is done so brilliantly that any issues had with the story don't stay for long. The delight of the character interplay and how well the animation and live action is handled so seamlessly for so early on, the wild fun and the ever entertaining and brilliantly used inclusion of Max are just a few of the great things.

One expects the animation to be primitive and very low quality, judging by that it's the early 20s when animation techniques were not as many, as refined, as ambitious and in their infancy. While Fleischer became more refined and inventive later certainly, the animation is surprisingly good with some nice visual wackiness and wit.

Pacing is lively and the bizarre and wild nature of the humour is done very imaginatively and never less than fun to watch. Koko as ever is very likeable and amusing, Fitz is just a fun supporting character and what else can be said about Max?

In summation, hugely enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox