Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.
'The Fella with the Fiddle' is not one of Friz Freleng's best cartoons by any stretch, in an uneven "still evolving" period of his long career, and he was yet to be in his full prime and not yet found his style properly. For a relatively early effort, 'The Fella with the Fiddle' is solid and above average but not a Freleng classic, he would do much better later. It is never what one would call hilarious (but is never unfunny), Freleng's later efforts show more evenness and confidence in directing and the story is flimsy and fairly tame up to the end.
It starts off slightly bland and with not the same amount of energy there would be later.
However, the characters are fun and the chemistry lifts 'The Fella with the Fiddle' in a way that's entertaining if not quite inventive.
The cartoon is amusing more often than not, is a good parable on greed, goes at a lively pace and the end is deliciously wild.
Animation is excellent, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading, vibrant in colour and very meticulous in detail. Carl Stalling's music is lovely on the ears, lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.
Voice acting from Mel Blanc and Billy Bletcher, both going full throttle, is terrific.
Overall, good cartoon if not a Freleng classic. 7/10 Bethany Cox
'The Fella with the Fiddle' is not one of Friz Freleng's best cartoons by any stretch, in an uneven "still evolving" period of his long career, and he was yet to be in his full prime and not yet found his style properly. For a relatively early effort, 'The Fella with the Fiddle' is solid and above average but not a Freleng classic, he would do much better later. It is never what one would call hilarious (but is never unfunny), Freleng's later efforts show more evenness and confidence in directing and the story is flimsy and fairly tame up to the end.
It starts off slightly bland and with not the same amount of energy there would be later.
However, the characters are fun and the chemistry lifts 'The Fella with the Fiddle' in a way that's entertaining if not quite inventive.
The cartoon is amusing more often than not, is a good parable on greed, goes at a lively pace and the end is deliciously wild.
Animation is excellent, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading, vibrant in colour and very meticulous in detail. Carl Stalling's music is lovely on the ears, lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.
Voice acting from Mel Blanc and Billy Bletcher, both going full throttle, is terrific.
Overall, good cartoon if not a Freleng classic. 7/10 Bethany Cox