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.
After a good start to the 1931 Terrytoons in 'Popcorn', 'Club Sandwich' is not quite as satisfying but has enough to it to make it worth watching, if more a couple of watches rather than repeat over-and-over viewings. It is not what one would consider a great cartoon but it is worth discovering for mainly completest sake while it's still available.
'Club Sandwich's' 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 cat is the cartoon's most interesting and fun character by default. 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.
However, as is the case with a lot of the Terrytoons cartoons, the character designs are crude and simplistic and the repetition and looping in the first couple of minutes just looks cheap.
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. Similarly bland (very) are the mice 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.
Overall, worth watching but doesn't entirely satisfy. 6/10 Bethany Cox
After a good start to the 1931 Terrytoons in 'Popcorn', 'Club Sandwich' is not quite as satisfying but has enough to it to make it worth watching, if more a couple of watches rather than repeat over-and-over viewings. It is not what one would consider a great cartoon but it is worth discovering for mainly completest sake while it's still available.
'Club Sandwich's' 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 cat is the cartoon's most interesting and fun character by default. 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.
However, as is the case with a lot of the Terrytoons cartoons, the character designs are crude and simplistic and the repetition and looping in the first couple of minutes just looks cheap.
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. Similarly bland (very) are the mice 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.
Overall, worth watching but doesn't entirely satisfy. 6/10 Bethany Cox
