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.
Of the 1932 Terrytoons, 'Cocky Cock Roach' for me is one of the worst. Also one of the worst Terrytoons overall. 'Bull-ero' and 'The Mad King' may have been cheaply animated, dull, tired and unfunny, but they at least didn't leave a bad taste in the mouth and make one want to bail before the opening sequence was even over. The opening alone made me hate cockroaches even more and what may have been fun to the cockroaches makes the viewer feel uncomfortable.
'Cocky Cock Roach' is not completely irredeemable, but it is close. Its best asset is the music, which 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.
Also saving 'Cocky Cock Roach' from total doom is the character of the spider. Despite looking odd, he is a good antagonistic threat, without being frightening, and deserving of heroes with stronger personalities than the pallid ones here to play off against.
However, the animation is not good. It's stiff and crude with choppy transitions, static drawing and even the overly-simplistic backgrounds underwhelm (background work-wise, 'Cocky Cock Roach' has to be one of the least detailed and ambitious Terrytoons).
Very little is fun or interesting. The story, once the viewer decides if they want to continue after the distasteful opening sequence, is flimsy and formulaic, with a premise done to death long before this cartoon and it shows badly in its very stale execution. The pace is dull often, and gags are too few and have nothing to them. The leads are very similar to most other Terrytoons leads/heroes and have little personality that makes them memorable or likeable.
To conclude, not irredeemable but very hard to watch and one of not many Terrytoons to leave a bad taste during and after. 2/10 Bethany Cox