User Reviews

While Disney was ascendant in its animation prowess, Terrytoons was making a series of shorts. To my knowledge, none of Terrytoons' productions achieved the lasting impact of any animated work from Disney or Warner Bros. Their "Razzberries" is a simplistic, tolerable short featuring animals putting on shows until a farmer starts hunting them (sure enough, the animals have some tricks in store).

I understand that Paul Terry said "Let Walt Disney by the Tiffany's of the business. I want to be the Woolworth's!" I guess that explains the unsophisticated look of these cartoons. Basically, it's a harmless way to spend a few minutes. I wonder if Terrytoons would've developed an equivalent of Bugs Bunny had they stayed around longer.

The animals of the forest seem to be busy holding a jazz festival, when along comes Farmer Alfalfa, in search of big game, in this highly amusing Terrytoon from 1931.

This is still firmly in the synchronized cartoon era, a period in which the sound track was used to substitute for the house orchestra. There is no significant dialogue. However, with this one, the action is clearly timed to the music and suggested by it. We also see hints of what other cartoonists will expand on in important ways: an elephant flies by flapping his ears as Dumbo will in a decade, and a small bear behaves in the retaliatory manner of Bugs Bunny.

More important, this is a funny cartoon with a good gag structure. I expect you'll enjoy it.

The Terrytoons are oddly interesting, mainly for anybody wanting to see (generally) older cartoons made by lesser known and lower-budget studios. They are a mixed bag in quality, with some better than others, often with outstanding music and with some mild amusement and charm and variable in animation, characterisation and content.

1931 continues the decent standard set by 'Popcorn' and 'Club Sandwich' with 'Razzberries'. It is advantaged by the jazz festival setting, which 'Razzberries' makes a lot of. It is not what one would consider a great cartoon but it is worth discovering for mainly completest sake, though that is not the only reason, while it's still available with enough to make it worthwhile.

'Razzberries' best asset is the music, which predictably is incredible. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action. The backgrounds for 1931 are remarkably detailed and there is some nice inventive visual detail later on in the cartoon, showing a studio that were aiming for ambition and succeeding in some aspects.

Pacing is neither too hectic or dull, there is a natural charm and fun amusing moments, Farmer Al Falfa is amusing enough and the animals are fun similarly, neither annoying or deprived of personality. Synchronisation is pretty neat, back when the technique was still being refined but managing here in being a major accomplishment for so early on. The gags are funny and well-timed, especially with the elephant and with the bear.

However, as is the case with a lot of the Terrytoons cartoons, the character designs are crude and simplistic.

Again, as usual, the story is basic and formulaic with a couple of not so lively stretches in the early stages and a couple of gags could have gone for it a little more with the absurdity instead of being on the bland side. There are more gags than can be found though and while it doesn't make complete sense it's less random and disjointed than other Terrytoons.

Altogether, pretty decent. 7/10 Bethany Cox