Terrytoons Studios' output is interesting to watch but most it ranges between lacklustre and decent, seldom great but major misfires tended to be in their very early years or in their later output. Although drastically uneven and all their different year batches (cartoons from 1944 for example) are all very mixed bags, generally their cartoons are watchable and are mainly worth seeing for completest sake. Or at least that has always been my main reason.
1945 was quite a prolific year for Terrytoons' most used regular character Mighty Mouse, a likeable enough if somewhat limited and one dimensional character. The cartoons that he did feature, tending to feel like he was featuring in a major role rather than starring considering he was the titular character, in are worth at least one-time watch though none are great as such and the quality varied somewhat. Up to this point of the 1945 batch, 'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf' is one of the best by quite some way and one of his better early cartoons.
'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf' is very slight, the energy not always there, and in a series that was very formulaic even early on it is fairly more of the same.
Definitely think it could have gotten going quicker.
This cartoon though does feature one of Mighty Mouse's better appearances up to this point. He actually feels more of a lead than he did in other cartoons of his and he doesn't come over as bland. The conflict also actually has tension even if it is on the predictable side, something not always there in the Mighty Mouse cartoons because of Mighty Mouse not being a compelling enough character, the adversaries being somewhat derivative or both. Neither of which as big problems here in 'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf'. Do agree though that adorable, without being overly cute, little lamb steals the show, the sort of character in a Mighty Mouse cartoon that would normally not make much of an impression but does here.
Especially good in 'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf' though are the music and animation. Am aware about raving about these components a lot talking about the Terrytoons cartoons, but this is what happens when something is a consistent strength in a series. The music is lusciously orchestrated and hugely characterful, the most energetic moments in the score like in the final third being wonderfully wild. The animation is especially good in the backgrounds and landscapes, very meticulously detailed and beautiful to look at thanks to also the atmospheric use of colour. It is a funnier cartoon than the late 1944 and previous 1945 Mighty Mouse cartoons, the last third does have some nice well-timed gags and a wild energy.
Summarising, one of Mighty Mouse's better faring cartoons. 7/10
1945 was quite a prolific year for Terrytoons' most used regular character Mighty Mouse, a likeable enough if somewhat limited and one dimensional character. The cartoons that he did feature, tending to feel like he was featuring in a major role rather than starring considering he was the titular character, in are worth at least one-time watch though none are great as such and the quality varied somewhat. Up to this point of the 1945 batch, 'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf' is one of the best by quite some way and one of his better early cartoons.
'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf' is very slight, the energy not always there, and in a series that was very formulaic even early on it is fairly more of the same.
Definitely think it could have gotten going quicker.
This cartoon though does feature one of Mighty Mouse's better appearances up to this point. He actually feels more of a lead than he did in other cartoons of his and he doesn't come over as bland. The conflict also actually has tension even if it is on the predictable side, something not always there in the Mighty Mouse cartoons because of Mighty Mouse not being a compelling enough character, the adversaries being somewhat derivative or both. Neither of which as big problems here in 'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf'. Do agree though that adorable, without being overly cute, little lamb steals the show, the sort of character in a Mighty Mouse cartoon that would normally not make much of an impression but does here.
Especially good in 'Mighty Mouse and the Wolf' though are the music and animation. Am aware about raving about these components a lot talking about the Terrytoons cartoons, but this is what happens when something is a consistent strength in a series. The music is lusciously orchestrated and hugely characterful, the most energetic moments in the score like in the final third being wonderfully wild. The animation is especially good in the backgrounds and landscapes, very meticulously detailed and beautiful to look at thanks to also the atmospheric use of colour. It is a funnier cartoon than the late 1944 and previous 1945 Mighty Mouse cartoons, the last third does have some nice well-timed gags and a wild energy.
Summarising, one of Mighty Mouse's better faring cartoons. 7/10
