The Terrytoons are oddly interesting, mainly for anybody wanting to see (generally) older cartoons made by lesser known and lower-budget studios. They are a mixed bag in quality, with some better than others, often with outstanding music and with some mild amusement and charm and variable in animation, characterisation and content.
1939, like all the other years for Terrytoons, saw a hit and miss batch, more so than the other years even. Of which 'Africa Squawks' is one of the better ones ranking it in correlation with the rest of the Terrytoons and one of the best 1939 cartoons. There are flaws but also a lot of strengths, and a few things done better than what was seen before. 'Africa Squawks' is well worth watching as an above average watch with more to it than completest sake.
Best asset is the music, which predictably is incredible. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action. The ambitious, elaborate detail in the backgrounds is still great to see, the Terrytoons at this point showed more fluidity in design than in previous years and some synchronisation is neat. The drawing is more fluid generally and the shading crisp. The sound has also gotten much sharper and clearer.
A fair share of amusing moments, with more gags than there can be usually found and they are all beautifully timed and funny (not always the case with Terrytoons), and there is a lot of zest and natural charm. Also a suitably strange and absurdist quality that was fun and endearing to watch. The characters are amusing and interesting, especially the lead character, and that the cartoon doesn't get saccharine is appreciated. There are imaginative visuals and moments, some nice touches and it was difficult to not have fun with the wonderfully strange atmosphere of most of the cartoon.
On the other hand, there are occasions where transitions and drawings are not as smooth as they could have been.
'Africa Squawks' also to me lost steam in the last third, where the strangeness imagination dwindles and it instead becomes standard and repetitive, with a lack of variety and not as snappy a pace. The story is barely existent.
Summing up, decent but nothing to be excited about. 6/10 Bethany Cox
1939, like all the other years for Terrytoons, saw a hit and miss batch, more so than the other years even. Of which 'Africa Squawks' is one of the better ones ranking it in correlation with the rest of the Terrytoons and one of the best 1939 cartoons. There are flaws but also a lot of strengths, and a few things done better than what was seen before. 'Africa Squawks' is well worth watching as an above average watch with more to it than completest sake.
Best asset is the music, which predictably is incredible. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action. The ambitious, elaborate detail in the backgrounds is still great to see, the Terrytoons at this point showed more fluidity in design than in previous years and some synchronisation is neat. The drawing is more fluid generally and the shading crisp. The sound has also gotten much sharper and clearer.
A fair share of amusing moments, with more gags than there can be usually found and they are all beautifully timed and funny (not always the case with Terrytoons), and there is a lot of zest and natural charm. Also a suitably strange and absurdist quality that was fun and endearing to watch. The characters are amusing and interesting, especially the lead character, and that the cartoon doesn't get saccharine is appreciated. There are imaginative visuals and moments, some nice touches and it was difficult to not have fun with the wonderfully strange atmosphere of most of the cartoon.
On the other hand, there are occasions where transitions and drawings are not as smooth as they could have been.
'Africa Squawks' also to me lost steam in the last third, where the strangeness imagination dwindles and it instead becomes standard and repetitive, with a lack of variety and not as snappy a pace. The story is barely existent.
Summing up, decent but nothing to be excited about. 6/10 Bethany Cox
