This is a creative and detailed Winsor McCay animated feature that is very enjoyable to watch, and it is fortunate that it is one of the surviving movies from his 'Rarebit Fiend' series. The idea itself is clever, and while it is a simple concept, the amusing details and expert technique make it work quite well.
The dream about the "Bug Vaudeville" show opens up a lot of possibilities, and McCay does not let them go to waste. There is a series of interesting insects and arachnids who perform various feats of skill. They are cleverly drawn, and the backgrounds also contain some good detail. Most of their 'acts' are interesting and amusing to watch, and they show a resourceful sense of humor on McCay's part.
Like most of the pioneers of the movie industry, McCay usually seemed to have a good feel for how much material there really was in one of his subjects. He gets lots of good mileage here out of the "Bug Vaudeville" idea, yet he also stops while the material is still fresh, instead of dragging out some extra footage from it. It's an enjoyable short feature, and a fine example of McCay's skill.
The dream about the "Bug Vaudeville" show opens up a lot of possibilities, and McCay does not let them go to waste. There is a series of interesting insects and arachnids who perform various feats of skill. They are cleverly drawn, and the backgrounds also contain some good detail. Most of their 'acts' are interesting and amusing to watch, and they show a resourceful sense of humor on McCay's part.
Like most of the pioneers of the movie industry, McCay usually seemed to have a good feel for how much material there really was in one of his subjects. He gets lots of good mileage here out of the "Bug Vaudeville" idea, yet he also stops while the material is still fresh, instead of dragging out some extra footage from it. It's an enjoyable short feature, and a fine example of McCay's skill.