Rock-a-Bye Bear (1952) User Reviews

Cruel, heartless and I love it!!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 27 September 2007]

Tex Avery cartoons are awful. They often abound with sadism and cruelty that makes many "do gooder" parents cringe. Thankfully, I am NOT one of those humorless idiots who whine about violence in cartoons. I say we need MORE, not less. And when I need a violent cartoon fix, who better to fit the bill than Tex Avery and his wonderful and irreverent films for MGM.

This film is chock full of violence--thanks to an insane bear who hires Spike the dog to be his watch dog during hibernation. As the bear is unhinged, he threatens grievous bodily harm to Spike if anything should wake him--and the nasty little white dog decides to take full advantage of the situation. Again and again and again, the little dog hurts Spike and Spike is forced to run out into the wilderness to scream. Hammers to feet, firecrackers in the mouth and many other violent and extremely painful things are done to poor old Spike, though fortunately in the end he gets his revenge.

Good old fashion cartoon violence and a great sense of humor--what more could you want in a film?!

One of the Best Tex Avery!

[carchero · 9/10 · 11 April 2021]

Spike the dog is hired to guard a bear's house while he hibernates, but another dog wants the job. The bear is violently insane about there being no noise while he sleeps and the bad dog uses this against Spike. The tricks the little dog uses are funny enough, but what steals the show is the bear screaming at Spike for every little sound he hears! This cartoon made me fall in love with Tex Avery as a kid in the 60s. Avery's cartoons were irreverent and different from others as this cartoon shows. There is violence, screaming, loud burping and Spike running away on his butt muscles! Who does that?! Hilarious! We couldn't get enough then and I still love it 50 years later!!

Rock-a-Bye Bear is another great Tex Avery cartoon I just rewatched

[tavm · 10/10 · 27 November 2008]

When Federator.com linked this cartoon from YouTube and mentioned the short's premise in the blog, I had to watch this again since I remember laughing at it so much in the late '70s when I was a kid watching the weekday afternoon "Tom and Jerry" show where Tex Avery's Rock-a-Bye Bear was showcased. In a nutshell, Spike the bulldog has a job to watch a bear stay hibernated during winter. Trouble is, another dog wants that job and since the bear is constantly shouting about wanting complete quiet and usually wakes up at the slightest noise, that other dog does everything in his power to make sure Spike loses his job. Fortunately, Spike always finds a way to go way outside to avoid the sleeping bear's ears...Just as hilarious as I remembered it and that bear-voiced by Daws Butler in a Southern loud mouth tone that sounds like a bellicose Huckleberry Hound-provides some of the cartoon's highlights along with all those tricks of that other dog. All I can say after that is, if you love Tex Avery, you'll definitely love this cartoon!

one of my favorite cartoons

[gcl1969 · 3 September 2000]

This is, in my opinion, one of the best cartoons ever made, and a semi-classic. The cartoon has such a simple premise, however, Tex Avery is able to carry it off successfully for the length of a 7 minute cartoon. Definitely one of my favorite of all time.

One of several cartoons using the need for quiet as a springboard for typical Avery bedlam

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 27 December 2000]

More than once, Tex Avery used the idea that it was in someone's best interests to maintain quiet and someone else wanted the opposite. Here we have a bear with an almost pathological hatred of noise (except his own). Efforts to maintain quiet result in sight gags galore of the usual variety in an Avery cartoon and are very funny. The bear steals the cartoon. Most recommended.

Slightly repetitive, but still fun thanks to beginning and end

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 9 April 2019]

"Rock-a-Bye Bear" is an American cartoon from 1952, the later years of the Golden Age of Animation, and this one here was directed by Tex Avery and even if the names of the writers and voice actors are not unknown either and they were all pretty prolific, Avery is the star. It runs for a bit over 7 minutes and the star here is Spike this time, a bit unusual as Spike normally is more of a supporting player, especially away from MGM in these Sylveyter/Tweety and Tom&Jerry films. Then again, is he really the star here. I think he is more of a tool for the other dog and the bear to bring up laughs. I liked the beginning how Spike gets picked by the needle, but the one who used said needle immediately regrets it because it is a simple job (yeah, right!), well-paid and inside a warm house. What follows next is a perfect example of how animals really acted like humans so many times in these old films as we see the jealous dog perform a quick and easy prison break. The middle part is basically all kinds of occasions where Spike is in danger of waking up the sleeping bear, but manages to get out right in time before he screams and these occasions are burdened on poor Spike by the other dog who really seems to be a master of gadgets. But when there is no getting away from the big finale and the explosion there, an unexpected and for me satisfying twist happens as the bear really only seems to react to whistling sounds and otherwise nothing can wake him up at all. Poor Spike. Had he known that earlier, but at least he is not getting the blame eventually. Overall, a fairly good cartoon from almost 70 years ago, maybe more depending on when you read this review. I give it a thumbs-up and this means something as I am not always that big on Tex Avery as everybody else. Go watch it if you like these old cartoons.

A noisy battle for quiet

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 16 October 2017]

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.

Also have much admiration for Tex Avery, an animation genius whose best cartoons are animated masterpieces and some of the best he ever did. 'Rock-a-Bye Bear' is an example of an animated masterpiece and one of his all time best, it is a cartoon of amazing quality, is very creative and hilarious, the violence (lots of it and big in scale) used in an inventive and tasteful way and it is a situation also that anybody can relate to if they've had their fair share of disturbed nights.

Spike is very funny and likable, very easy to be amused at but feel sorry for, but the star of 'Rock-a-Bye Bear' is Joe the Bear. He bags the biggest laughs (which are hilarious) and is someone you don't want to get on the wrong side of. Bill Thompson voices Spike marvellously, but top honours go to Daws Butler, some of his best voice work in an Avery cartoon.

Typically, Avery does a wonderful job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour style all over it as can be expected.

Once again there is nothing sadistic or repetitious, instead it's imaginative, wonderfully wild and hilarious throughout from start to finish.

It is no surprise either that the animation is superb, being rich in colour and detail. The character designs are unique, Avery always did have creative character designs, and suitably fluid. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.

Summing up, an Avery masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Top 5 funniest, most creative cartoons of all time.

[JasonBelle · 10/10 · 15 May 2020]

It's impossible to describe just how funny and clever some of the old cartoons are. This one is unforgettable. 45 years later I just opened my eyes today and giggled thinking about it after hearing my dogs downstairs. Just like that. Shortly thereafter, watched it for the first time in as many years. So damn proud of that generation and the heroes it produced.