The Herman and Katnip series are not consistent in overall quality but the early output when Famous Studios were not getting repetitive or low-budget is very entertaining and in the better end of Famous Studios' cartoons. Of which Herman the Catoonist is a big standout.
Herman and Katnip's cartoons did have a tendency to be formulaic and unoriginal with the odd bit of repetition, but Herman the Catoonist manages to be one of their cleverest and most original with the breaking the fourth wall concept being put to truly great use. It's not the only time that breaking the fourth wall has been done in animation, Fleischer did it, some of the Famous Studios output did it and even Looney Tunes did too. That doesn't matter in the slightest, because it's done very entertainingly and cleverly here. Pretty much the only time where it feels predictable and too much like other Herman cartoons were the beginning with the mice, who are not featured very much(a wise move), and the dialogue, which is not very memorable or funny, not uncommon in Herman cartoons.
While the dialogue doesn't stick in the memory the visual gags certainly do. The outcomes are not particularly surprising, then expect that's standard in cartoons in general, but the gags here are some of their smartest and funniest, particularly had a good laugh when Katnip's foot is erased and his reaction and also when Herman cuts off Katnip's head with scissors. The animation is great, not overly complicated but elegant and the erasing and body part drawing are inventively done. The backgrounds are smooth and not scrappy and the colours are pretty and not flat. The part where Katnip twirls the twine like a lasso does show a slight difference in quality. Winston Sharples' music scores are always the heart and soul of the cartoon and provide the most energy and once again it's terrific and the highlight, filled with lively, lush and vibrant instrumental writing and rhythmic and characterful energy, a good example being in the rubber cement gag.
All in all, a hugely enjoyable cartoon and one of Herman and Katnip's and Famous Studios' best of an uneven output. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Herman and Katnip's cartoons did have a tendency to be formulaic and unoriginal with the odd bit of repetition, but Herman the Catoonist manages to be one of their cleverest and most original with the breaking the fourth wall concept being put to truly great use. It's not the only time that breaking the fourth wall has been done in animation, Fleischer did it, some of the Famous Studios output did it and even Looney Tunes did too. That doesn't matter in the slightest, because it's done very entertainingly and cleverly here. Pretty much the only time where it feels predictable and too much like other Herman cartoons were the beginning with the mice, who are not featured very much(a wise move), and the dialogue, which is not very memorable or funny, not uncommon in Herman cartoons.
While the dialogue doesn't stick in the memory the visual gags certainly do. The outcomes are not particularly surprising, then expect that's standard in cartoons in general, but the gags here are some of their smartest and funniest, particularly had a good laugh when Katnip's foot is erased and his reaction and also when Herman cuts off Katnip's head with scissors. The animation is great, not overly complicated but elegant and the erasing and body part drawing are inventively done. The backgrounds are smooth and not scrappy and the colours are pretty and not flat. The part where Katnip twirls the twine like a lasso does show a slight difference in quality. Winston Sharples' music scores are always the heart and soul of the cartoon and provide the most energy and once again it's terrific and the highlight, filled with lively, lush and vibrant instrumental writing and rhythmic and characterful energy, a good example being in the rubber cement gag.
All in all, a hugely enjoyable cartoon and one of Herman and Katnip's and Famous Studios' best of an uneven output. 9/10 Bethany Cox
