As far as the later (post-1955) Herman and Katnip cartoons go, which standard-wise was hit-and-miss with enough entertaining things but at a time where budgets were noticeably lower and where things got more and more repetitive, You Said a Mouseful is one of the better ones.
It's not a perfect cartoon, as the animation especially has been far better in the previous Herman and Katnip cartoons. Here the colours lack the usual vibrancy that were in most of their early and middle period outings, the backgrounds are very sparse and limited with a lot of one or two colours and not an awful lot of detail and the character designs are very rough, especially the mice cousins, who have never been more poorly drawn. The dialogue is not particularly memorable or funny, Chubby's 'I'm Hungry!' line is the one that sticks out the most, like Chubby himself the line's cute and funny at first but after hearing it after the fourth time it gets a little annoying and tiresome. Chubby is somewhat sweet, but has very little to do other than eat, be cute and say that line. As always with Herman and Katnip cartoons don't expect much from the story, it's thankfully not too repetitive (especially by late-middle-to-late-period Herman and Katnip cartoons) and does do things differently to usual but it is a little formulaic and doesn't have a lot to it.
You Said a Mouseful does entertain as a cartoon though. The gags are well-executed and timed- at a time where the timing in Herman and Katnip cartoons sometimes got a bit slow- and are pretty funny if not gut-busting hilarious, thankfully they do not get too brutal or mean-spirited (it's actually pretty tame by Herman and Katnip standards). It goes at a swift pace throughout, and terrific use is made of the setting, if there is a cartoon that makes one hungry for pizza You Said a Mouseful does do that. The interplay between Herman and the other mice does not take up too much of the cartoon and is refreshing in that it doesn't feel too over-familiar and is the least predictable start (also one of the more amusing ones) to a Herman and Katnip cartoon personally seen. The ending while a little too convenient is different and quite sweet, which was nice.
Herman is good fun, and shines when he talks his way out of being eaten, while Katnip while less of an antagonist as usual is regardless entertaining. Jack Mercer replaces Sid Raymond as the voice of Katnip and does a worthy job, and Arnold Stang voices with much spunk. The standout however in You Said a Mouseful was the outstanding music from Winston Sharples, lively, lush and action-enhancing it fitted the cartoon perfectly and the use of That's Amore was very appropriate. The theme tune continues to be infectiously catchy.
In conclusion, a decent and entertaining late Herman and Katnip cartoon, and makes one hungry for pizza after. 7/10 Bethany Cox
It's not a perfect cartoon, as the animation especially has been far better in the previous Herman and Katnip cartoons. Here the colours lack the usual vibrancy that were in most of their early and middle period outings, the backgrounds are very sparse and limited with a lot of one or two colours and not an awful lot of detail and the character designs are very rough, especially the mice cousins, who have never been more poorly drawn. The dialogue is not particularly memorable or funny, Chubby's 'I'm Hungry!' line is the one that sticks out the most, like Chubby himself the line's cute and funny at first but after hearing it after the fourth time it gets a little annoying and tiresome. Chubby is somewhat sweet, but has very little to do other than eat, be cute and say that line. As always with Herman and Katnip cartoons don't expect much from the story, it's thankfully not too repetitive (especially by late-middle-to-late-period Herman and Katnip cartoons) and does do things differently to usual but it is a little formulaic and doesn't have a lot to it.
You Said a Mouseful does entertain as a cartoon though. The gags are well-executed and timed- at a time where the timing in Herman and Katnip cartoons sometimes got a bit slow- and are pretty funny if not gut-busting hilarious, thankfully they do not get too brutal or mean-spirited (it's actually pretty tame by Herman and Katnip standards). It goes at a swift pace throughout, and terrific use is made of the setting, if there is a cartoon that makes one hungry for pizza You Said a Mouseful does do that. The interplay between Herman and the other mice does not take up too much of the cartoon and is refreshing in that it doesn't feel too over-familiar and is the least predictable start (also one of the more amusing ones) to a Herman and Katnip cartoon personally seen. The ending while a little too convenient is different and quite sweet, which was nice.
Herman is good fun, and shines when he talks his way out of being eaten, while Katnip while less of an antagonist as usual is regardless entertaining. Jack Mercer replaces Sid Raymond as the voice of Katnip and does a worthy job, and Arnold Stang voices with much spunk. The standout however in You Said a Mouseful was the outstanding music from Winston Sharples, lively, lush and action-enhancing it fitted the cartoon perfectly and the use of That's Amore was very appropriate. The theme tune continues to be infectiously catchy.
In conclusion, a decent and entertaining late Herman and Katnip cartoon, and makes one hungry for pizza after. 7/10 Bethany Cox
