User Reviews

There's a new star attraction at the zoo. A panda has just arrived from China and everyone is glad to see him: everyone except the lion. This amusing but frustrating Terrytoon reeks of untapped possibilities.

First and most obviously, it's a panda, and soon enough Walter Lantz would introduce his first successful star for many a year ten months later with Andy Panda. Andy would be moderately successful and appear in 23 movies for Lantz over ten years. He would soon be eclipsed by the old red-headed woodpecker, Woody... and, yes, there's a woodpecker in this one. It's like Paul Terry's staff just kept missing the idea for that leading character the studio needed.

Oh, yes: the lion talks like Bert Lahr, who would star the following year in MGM's now-classic version of THE WIZARD OF OZ. That was not another frustrating coincidence. Mr. Lahr had already been signed to the role.

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.

1938, like all the other years for Terrytoons, saw a hit and miss batch, more so than the other years even. Of which 'The Newcomer is one of the middling ones ranking it in correlation with the rest of the Terrytoons and one of the middling 1938 cartoons. It is an unexceptional, nothing exactly special cartoon and has the same amount of problems as it has the amount of strengths as with other Terrytoons. 'The Newcomer' is also watchable, completest sake is the main reason to see it but it's not the only reason.

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 ambitious, elaborate detail in the backgrounds is still great to see, as is the comparatively improved fluidity of drawing and movement, and some synchronisation in movement and sound is neat.

A few amusing moments, some imaginative and there is some zest and natural charm, and parts of it and the basic set up are nicely done. The characters engage enough.

Outside of the backgrounds and more fluidity than seen previously however, a few of the transitions are not always polished. Some of the writing is corny.

Likewise, the story is paper thin and formulaic with not an awful lot to it (like the cartoon in general). Gags aren't enough, they are not always very organised (fairly scattershot), and there is not much especially memorable about some and some don't serve much point. The cartoon tends to veer towards being too cute and a lot of it is pretty predictable from not being a particularly old idea and with little new done with it. Some choppiness too and the cartoon feels very old fashioned and routine.

All in all, watchable. 5/10 Bethany Cox