Have found a lot to admire about much of Famous Studios' earlier work and while the Noveltoons series is an uneven one it is worthwhile with some very good and even great cartoons when the studio was at its peak. Their best decade being easily the 40s, then by the mid-late-50s it started to feel like a different studio and not for the better. That is not to say that every 40s Noveltoons cartoon was good, there were lacklustre ones. The studio did a number of Screen Song cartoons.
1950's 'Jingle Jangle Jungle' is not one of the best of them. It is also not one of the worst. To me, it is a worthwhile enough and amusing enough cartoon, but it is also very uneven. The second half, which is made up of the singalong, is a good deal better than the first half, which made me unsure on first watch as to whether to continue. To this day that part of 'Jingle Jangle Jungle' is difficult to sit through, but the second half actually to me is a lot of fun.
'Jingle Jangle Jungle's' animation is lovely. The setting is vivid, the colours are bright and colourful and the drawing has some nice expression of a wide variety throughout, but particularly later on. Even better is the music, which makes the cartoon and makes it come alive. It is full of energy and attractive orchestration, and "Civilization (Bongo, Bongo, Bongo)" stays in the head for a good while. The singalong portion is cute and fun without being over the top.
As said, the second half is nicely done. The sight gags are far from in short supply and they are amusing and well timed. There is a lot more energy too and the characters have colourful personalities.
Unfortunately, one has to get through the first half with gritted teeth to see that improvement. To me the first half was very dull and not very eventful, gags are too few and there is one in particular that is pretty tasteless by today's standards (even for those that are not easily offended). The caricaturish stereotypes also don't bode well and if anybody finds them offensive that is understandable, even when judging the cartoon as a product of its time the stereotypes have dated badly.
Story-wise, 'Jingle Jangle Jungle' is practically non-existent, with the first half being little more than a travelogue that is not particularly interesting or affectionate.
Concluding, uneven but still not bad at all. 6/10.