The Box (1967) User Reviews

Cute....

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 2 September 2009]

THE BOX is a clever and diverting little film. I am NOT trying to say it was bad--it isn't. However, I am surprised that it won the Oscar for Best Animated Short, though the 1960s were not exactly a banner decade for animation. The older style cartoons with beautiful backgrounds and high cel counts were pretty much a thing of the past by 1960 and the films nominated for Oscars throughout the decade were minimalist in nature--stark or non-existent backgrounds, low cel counts (instead of 24 cels per second, most were less than half of that--resulting in less fluidity of movement).

As for THE BOX, it's a very simple film with a very simple idea. A cute but scruffy looking older man comes out of the rain and enters a bar with a small black box. A guy sits next to him and wants to see what's inside, but the man with the box isn't about to let just anyone see what he's got. The idea goes from there to include a few other patrons and it is cute though not especially memorable.

The Box was an amusing Oscar-winning animated short by Fred Wolf

[tavm · 7/10 · 30 March 2009]

Just watched this Oscar-winning animated short directed by Fred Wolf on YouTube as linked from Cartoon Brew. It's basically the story of an old bearded man sitting at a bar drinking with a box on the counter. First a man and then a woman have drinks with this bearded man as they try to find out what's in the box. Both times-after a few minutes-the bearded man allows each one to look in the box with neither pleased to have found out and with both leaving indignant. Then another woman arrives...Scored with just drums, The Box is an amusing animated short with an ending that may make you think if the bearded man is who one may think he is. This director Wolf (who is different from a recent former SNL writer with the same name), I've recently found out, is the same person who made those "Puff the Magic Dragon" specials with Burgess Meredith as the voice of Puff as well as the feature film The Mouse and His Child which I reviewed last fall. All of those I mentioned were pretty enjoyable and so it is with this short. So on that note, I recommend The Box.

What's in the box?

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 14 March 2016]

"The Box" is an 8-minute animated short film by Fred Wolf and this one will have its 50th anniversary next year. It starts off solid, but ultimately this film winning an Oscar is proof of how weak the 1960s were in terms of animation. The longer it went, the more I lost interest in what's in the box The romance storyline in the end is completely forgettable apart from the fact that he is probably 30 years older than her. Shame, it did not look bad early on when this funny-looking character in his rain coat steps in front of the camera for the first time. But then it really all goes south. Wolf was lucky though as his success with this film carved him a way into the industry where he has worked for many decades until his retirement. He is still alive today, but not in film anymore. All in all, a weak winner and I can see why it is not popular really. Not too many IMDb votes on this one compared to other Oscar winners. Not recommended.

Think Inside the Box

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 16 October 2021]

This is one of those films that allow one to speculate as to its message. A little bearded man in a rain slicker comes into a bar and puts a nondescript box on the counter. People come and go, asking him to show them what the box contains. They leave upset or displeased. I would guess because what they realize matches their personalities. Then a pretty young woman comes in and she has a similar box. This leads to a kind of understanding. This would be fun as a classroom exercise.

Cute, rather diverting short with an entertaining ending

[llltdesq · 8/10 · 4 March 2014]

This short won an Academy Award for Animated Short. There will be spoilers ahead:

This is an interesting short. It's rather minimalist in nature, with the backgrounds and design limited to only that which is necessary to tell the story. An old man comes into a bar, a box under his arm. He goes to the bar, sits down and orders a drink. People come up to the old man, trying to find out what's in the box, they offer the old man drinks and other bribes, even occasionally resorting to tricks, only to be disappointed.

Finally, a woman who also has a box under her arm comes in and sits down next to the old man. They have something in common and make an arrangement satisfactory to them both, departing the bar together.

The ending of this is beautiful and perfect. The short has been available for viewing online and is worth seeking out. Most recommended.