Photos
Margie Hines
- Countess Cat
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Featured review
Hard to not be bugged by
Van Beuren cartoons are extremely variable, especially in the number of gags and whether the absurdist humour shines through enough (sometimes it does, other times it doesn't), but are strangely interesting. Although they are often poorly animated with barely existent stories and less than compelling lead characters, they are also often outstandingly scored, there can be some fun support characters and some are well-timed and amusing.
While there are worse Aesop's Fables/Van Beuren cartoons overall and even from 1932, that doesn't stop 'Bugs and Books' from being a bland, visually unattractive and a cartoon that neither entertains and educates considering the subject. There are a couple of decent things but they are far overshadowed by everything else that 'Bugs and Books' does badly wrong.
Best asset about 'Bugs and Books' is the music score, pretty much the best thing consistently of Van Beuren's output. Sometimes even the only good thing. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action.
The snail bit is reasonably amusing and some synchronisation is neat.
Coming onto the numerous criticisms, the animation is not good, in fact it is downright bad most of the time with erratically sloppy character designs in particular while the simplistic background detail and lack of fluidity and crispness are just as difficult to ignore, just when they were starting to become a little more ambitious and detailed visually.
Story is very slight to the point of non-existence and suffers from very sluggish timing on the most part. The pace was in serious need of a kick in places especially in the middle where it was especially aimless and over-stretched. It is not as disjointed and makes more sense than many Aesop's Fables/Van Beuren cartoons, but it just feels dull and bland.
Likewise with endearing or memorable characters, being either annoying or personality deprived. All of them are not well animated at all and look nothing like what animals they're meant to be.
Generally the cartoon is very low on laughs, actually very little of it is remotely amusing and it all feels rather disorganised. Nothing is inventive, never rising above the forgettable and there is not much absurdist about them. It is not too cutesy like some Van Beuren cartoons are but the absurdist surrealism isn't there either, it's just so blah.
It is agreed that not much is educational either, that aspect and anything with books is not used enough. The ending does fall flat, with a that's it feel.
Overall, neither entertaining or educational, or even interesting. 3/10 Bethany Cox
While there are worse Aesop's Fables/Van Beuren cartoons overall and even from 1932, that doesn't stop 'Bugs and Books' from being a bland, visually unattractive and a cartoon that neither entertains and educates considering the subject. There are a couple of decent things but they are far overshadowed by everything else that 'Bugs and Books' does badly wrong.
Best asset about 'Bugs and Books' is the music score, pretty much the best thing consistently of Van Beuren's output. Sometimes even the only good thing. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action.
The snail bit is reasonably amusing and some synchronisation is neat.
Coming onto the numerous criticisms, the animation is not good, in fact it is downright bad most of the time with erratically sloppy character designs in particular while the simplistic background detail and lack of fluidity and crispness are just as difficult to ignore, just when they were starting to become a little more ambitious and detailed visually.
Story is very slight to the point of non-existence and suffers from very sluggish timing on the most part. The pace was in serious need of a kick in places especially in the middle where it was especially aimless and over-stretched. It is not as disjointed and makes more sense than many Aesop's Fables/Van Beuren cartoons, but it just feels dull and bland.
Likewise with endearing or memorable characters, being either annoying or personality deprived. All of them are not well animated at all and look nothing like what animals they're meant to be.
Generally the cartoon is very low on laughs, actually very little of it is remotely amusing and it all feels rather disorganised. Nothing is inventive, never rising above the forgettable and there is not much absurdist about them. It is not too cutesy like some Van Beuren cartoons are but the absurdist surrealism isn't there either, it's just so blah.
It is agreed that not much is educational either, that aspect and anything with books is not used enough. The ending does fall flat, with a that's it feel.
Overall, neither entertaining or educational, or even interesting. 3/10 Bethany Cox
helpful•00
- TheLittleSongbird
- Jan 24, 2018
Details
- Runtime6 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
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