The Terrytoons are hit and miss, often with outstanding music and with some mild amusement and charm and variable in animation, which improved actually over time. Also variable was the characterisation (which tended to be bland leads and pretty fun supporting characters, especially villains) and content, originality was not much and there was an increase in recycled ideas when they started running out of them. They are interesting though for anyone wanting to see old(er) low-budget animation.
1942's Terrytoons output was a hit and miss batch, most ranging from average to decent although with a few weak ones. Of the previous 1942 cartoons, only 'Eat Me Kitty, Eight to the Bar' was weak. 'Patriotic Pooches' is one of the more average but still watchable (if more a one-time watch) ones ranking it in correlation with the rest of the Terrytoons and one of the middling 1942 cartoons. 'Patriotic Pooches' is worth the look, if not one to see over and over, and my main reason for seeing it was to watch as many of the available Terrytoons cartoons as possible.
Best asset in 'Patriotic Pooches', as always with Terrytoons, is the music, as ever outstanding. It is beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is terrific fun to listen to and the lively energy is present throughout, doing so well with adding to the action. The animation continues to be a big plus, it at this point has come on a long way since Terrytoons first started apart from the occasional garish colouring (most is lush though). The ambitious, elaborate detail in the backgrounds is still evident, as is the comparatively improved fluidity of drawing and movement, and the synchronisation in movement and sound is neat.
There are well timed and amusing moments, and there is evidence of energy and charm that doesn't feel forced. Many parts of it and the basic set up are nicely done, with some nice tension and fun if not perhaps imagination in the training sequences. Gandy grew on me since 1941 in 'The Magic Pencil'. In his earlier solo outings he wasn't very appealing and was pretty bland up to that cartoon, but he became funnier, more interesting and more likeable. He is very well matched by Sourpuss, who compels more as a character and is funnier, despite on paper their chemistry not making much sense they do have a nice dynamic together. The puppy is adorable yet has enough personality to not be bland.
'Patriotic Pooches' story though is pretty thin and predictable, one that is fairly familiar in terms of premise, both for Terrytoons and animation in general and it is not particularly fresh in execution. The studio generally had run out of ideas by this point and were recycling old ones, while in this regard 'Patriotic Pooches' doesn't fare anywhere near as badly there is that sense still.
A few of the gags later on are not as fresh or as well timed and it can get slightly heavy-handed. It also peters out at the end, felt like the writers were not sure how to end it and tacked a somewhat heavy-handed one on. Heavy-handed is a good way to me to describe 'Patriotic Pooches' in general and there could have been more gags and nothing rises above amusing.
Altogether, watchable but fairly average. 5/10 Bethany Cox
1942's Terrytoons output was a hit and miss batch, most ranging from average to decent although with a few weak ones. Of the previous 1942 cartoons, only 'Eat Me Kitty, Eight to the Bar' was weak. 'Patriotic Pooches' is one of the more average but still watchable (if more a one-time watch) ones ranking it in correlation with the rest of the Terrytoons and one of the middling 1942 cartoons. 'Patriotic Pooches' is worth the look, if not one to see over and over, and my main reason for seeing it was to watch as many of the available Terrytoons cartoons as possible.
Best asset in 'Patriotic Pooches', as always with Terrytoons, is the music, as ever outstanding. It is beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is terrific fun to listen to and the lively energy is present throughout, doing so well with adding to the action. The animation continues to be a big plus, it at this point has come on a long way since Terrytoons first started apart from the occasional garish colouring (most is lush though). The ambitious, elaborate detail in the backgrounds is still evident, as is the comparatively improved fluidity of drawing and movement, and the synchronisation in movement and sound is neat.
There are well timed and amusing moments, and there is evidence of energy and charm that doesn't feel forced. Many parts of it and the basic set up are nicely done, with some nice tension and fun if not perhaps imagination in the training sequences. Gandy grew on me since 1941 in 'The Magic Pencil'. In his earlier solo outings he wasn't very appealing and was pretty bland up to that cartoon, but he became funnier, more interesting and more likeable. He is very well matched by Sourpuss, who compels more as a character and is funnier, despite on paper their chemistry not making much sense they do have a nice dynamic together. The puppy is adorable yet has enough personality to not be bland.
'Patriotic Pooches' story though is pretty thin and predictable, one that is fairly familiar in terms of premise, both for Terrytoons and animation in general and it is not particularly fresh in execution. The studio generally had run out of ideas by this point and were recycling old ones, while in this regard 'Patriotic Pooches' doesn't fare anywhere near as badly there is that sense still.
A few of the gags later on are not as fresh or as well timed and it can get slightly heavy-handed. It also peters out at the end, felt like the writers were not sure how to end it and tacked a somewhat heavy-handed one on. Heavy-handed is a good way to me to describe 'Patriotic Pooches' in general and there could have been more gags and nothing rises above amusing.
Altogether, watchable but fairly average. 5/10 Bethany Cox
