Again, that isn't saying much, as this is mediocre at best. The animation is far from great, but it is not as flat or as static as some of the other Gene Dietch T&J efforts, the cartoon is decently paced, Tom and Jerry are okay and while not particularly noteworthy there is an attempt at a story. However, I hated the human characters, finding them disturbing and sadistic, the music is creepy complete with some of the most bizarre and out of place sound effects you will find and the cartoon could have been rounded off much better than it was it felt rushed. All in all, not quite as bad as all that but mediocre at best. 5/10 Bethany Cox
7 Reviews
3rd world Tom and Jerry
Rusty-345 September 2001
I am never too fond of the Gene Deitch Tom and Jerry shorts. Some of them really feel like you're going through one heck of a nightmare. The scenics are not as good as the Hanna-Barbara cartoons, and the human characters...they're terribly one-dimensional and usually very cold and terrifying to be near. Some of them are downright creepy.
This certain one didn't give me the creeps fully, but it also wasn't that funny. Those human characters (the Sheriff and the Cheese Store owner) were no laughing matter, and were more like monsters of pure evil. William Hanna and Joseph Barbara did this MUCH better. They are disturbing and nightmarish. Now sure the Hanna Barbara-era had it's share of this, such as the Hell scenes in "Heavenly Puss," and the "Don't you believe it!" phrase in "The Missing Mouse," although they weren't used as frequently as the way Deitch did. These cartoons are disturbing often all the way through.
If you want go get started on Tom and Jerry, start with the original MGM Hanna-Barbara theatrical shorts; the way T&J were meant to be seen. The Chuck Jones and company team are also worth a view, IMHO.
This certain one didn't give me the creeps fully, but it also wasn't that funny. Those human characters (the Sheriff and the Cheese Store owner) were no laughing matter, and were more like monsters of pure evil. William Hanna and Joseph Barbara did this MUCH better. They are disturbing and nightmarish. Now sure the Hanna Barbara-era had it's share of this, such as the Hell scenes in "Heavenly Puss," and the "Don't you believe it!" phrase in "The Missing Mouse," although they weren't used as frequently as the way Deitch did. These cartoons are disturbing often all the way through.
If you want go get started on Tom and Jerry, start with the original MGM Hanna-Barbara theatrical shorts; the way T&J were meant to be seen. The Chuck Jones and company team are also worth a view, IMHO.
Saddled with the usual Gene Deitch trademarks.
BA_Harrison12 May 2017
The outraged owner of a wild west cheese shop insists that Sheriff Mutt Dillin must do something about cheese rustler Jerry the mouse. Enter Tom, the fastest trap in the west.
There's actually a couple of decent gags in this Gene Deitch directed T&J caper: Tom loads a trap from his holster with cheese from his bullet belt, and falls victim to a trick played by Jerry that involves a flight of stairs and a light switch. Unfortunately, the cartoon is still saddled with the usual Gene Deitch trademarks—bad puns, horrible human characters, surreal slapstick, jerky animation, crudely rendered backgrounds, bizarre sound effects—all of which still make it a challenge to sit through.
The main positive I can take from having seen this one is that It leaves me with only three more Deitch cartoons to go.
There's actually a couple of decent gags in this Gene Deitch directed T&J caper: Tom loads a trap from his holster with cheese from his bullet belt, and falls victim to a trick played by Jerry that involves a flight of stairs and a light switch. Unfortunately, the cartoon is still saddled with the usual Gene Deitch trademarks—bad puns, horrible human characters, surreal slapstick, jerky animation, crudely rendered backgrounds, bizarre sound effects—all of which still make it a challenge to sit through.
The main positive I can take from having seen this one is that It leaves me with only three more Deitch cartoons to go.
Abysmal - A Splarshy Review
jacobstaggs3 February 2020
One of Dietch's best Tom and Jerry shorts.
stephen068416 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
In this picture, the setting is at an Old West town. The local owner of an cheese shop, tells the Sheriff that he's fed up with Jerry stealing his cheeses. He tells the sheriff that either he do something himself or hire someone or can. As an matter of fact the sheriff hires Tom to do the job. In the gunfight since, Tom lost his pants and Jerry laughs. After an chase from Jerry hideout to Rocky's Saloon, Jerry decides to trick Tom by turning out the lights. Eventually, the trick works and Tom gets shot and the chase is on again. As an final act, Tom uses gunpowder to kill Jerry but instead, Tom leads the gunpowder to the Sheriff's office. After the explosion, the sheriff personally escorts Tom out of town and Jerry gets the last of the cheese, ending the short.
Overall, the Dietch era cartoons weren't that good. This one and an few others though are his best. But go for the Hanna Barbera and Chuck Jones cartoons instead. If your want to get into Tom and Jerry. If you like Dietch's work then I recommend it.
Final score: 7 out of 10
Overall, the Dietch era cartoons weren't that good. This one and an few others though are his best. But go for the Hanna Barbera and Chuck Jones cartoons instead. If your want to get into Tom and Jerry. If you like Dietch's work then I recommend it.
Final score: 7 out of 10
"The Fastest Trap in the West"
Kalashnikovin17 September 2022
This episode of Tom and Jerry was originally intended to be a Cowboy Cartoon starring Sylvester and Speedy Gonzalez directed by Robert Mckimson, Mckimson rejected Tedd Pierce's script so he decided to sell his script to other people and this fell into Hands of Gene Deitch who turned it into a slightly strange Caricature of the duo.
Sure, being Produced in the Cold Steppes of Former Czechoslovakia, this one has a lot of animation glitches and surreal sound effects straight out of hell, but really Plot and Execution wise, it's much better than other cartoons from this was.
In a stereotypical Old West Town, a Salesman, tired of Jerry stealing cheese from his store, talks to the Sheriff and yells at him to get someone to do the job of catching Jerry, so soon Tom arrives, an "Avil" Mousecatcher who fails miserably at his task and ends up being kicked out of town.
The Animation Quality is Abysmal, the Backgrounds are Scarce and there is little detail in them, the Movements are Brusque and too Spasmodic to be considered "Fluid" the Character Designs are somewhat Gloomy, especially that of the Sheriff and the personality of The Same is Cold, nasty and they are just a filler since they practically do nothing in the Cartoon, Jerry is a little different since due to the script where he was supposed to be Speedy, he behaves a little differently and is less petty than in other cartoons, but as I said, the Animation is certainly Abysmal in Quality and the Detail is Obsolete in the cartoon.
The Music is Quite Generic, I didn't like it Much, although those Guitar touches in the Chases are more or less good, they sound too Generic and out of place, the fact that Tom and Jerry are there doesn't help, The Music doesn't have much coherence and does not fit very well in the tone of the cartoon.
In itself, Tall In the Trap is a quite Acceptable Cartoon despite its errors, of course, it has Bad Animation and Generic Music but in terms of script and execution it is quite good, the Violence is no longer so exaggerated but it is still a little elevated, I liked some scenes like the Duel between tom and jerry and the Stairs Scene, it has some good gags in there and in general, it is not a bad cartoon.
Sure, being Produced in the Cold Steppes of Former Czechoslovakia, this one has a lot of animation glitches and surreal sound effects straight out of hell, but really Plot and Execution wise, it's much better than other cartoons from this was.
In a stereotypical Old West Town, a Salesman, tired of Jerry stealing cheese from his store, talks to the Sheriff and yells at him to get someone to do the job of catching Jerry, so soon Tom arrives, an "Avil" Mousecatcher who fails miserably at his task and ends up being kicked out of town.
The Animation Quality is Abysmal, the Backgrounds are Scarce and there is little detail in them, the Movements are Brusque and too Spasmodic to be considered "Fluid" the Character Designs are somewhat Gloomy, especially that of the Sheriff and the personality of The Same is Cold, nasty and they are just a filler since they practically do nothing in the Cartoon, Jerry is a little different since due to the script where he was supposed to be Speedy, he behaves a little differently and is less petty than in other cartoons, but as I said, the Animation is certainly Abysmal in Quality and the Detail is Obsolete in the cartoon.
The Music is Quite Generic, I didn't like it Much, although those Guitar touches in the Chases are more or less good, they sound too Generic and out of place, the fact that Tom and Jerry are there doesn't help, The Music doesn't have much coherence and does not fit very well in the tone of the cartoon.
In itself, Tall In the Trap is a quite Acceptable Cartoon despite its errors, of course, it has Bad Animation and Generic Music but in terms of script and execution it is quite good, the Violence is no longer so exaggerated but it is still a little elevated, I liked some scenes like the Duel between tom and jerry and the Stairs Scene, it has some good gags in there and in general, it is not a bad cartoon.
He may have LOOKED like Death warmed over . . .
pixrox122 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
. . . but technically Marion Mitchell "Duke-the-family-mutt" Morrison was still alive and stumbling when the nefarious Red Commie KGB propagandists ordered America's beloved Tom Terrific director Gene Val Gene, lured behind the pernicious Iron Curtain under false pretenses, to foul-water Duke's unfilled grave with this anti-American spoofing of our cherished Westerns, lampooning the very thing that originally made the U. S. think that it was great. The jealous Red Square malcontents hanging out around the Kremlin's viper nest try to poke the U. S. A. Right in Lady Liberty's eye with TALL IN THE TRAP. However, Gene the Valiant tips off viewers that something's rotten in Stalingrad, by spelling "sheriff" half a dozen different ways here.
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