Terrytoons Studios' output was very hit and miss in all the years they were active. At their best, the cartoons were surprisingly very good, especially when the animation showed signs of huge improvement. At their worst, the cartoons were really rather bad, especially in the early years. A lot of their output ranges between mediocre and pretty decent. The 1950 batch landed in most of those categories, interesting for it being not as Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle heavy and for introducing Roquefort and Percy.
1950's 'The Red Headed Monkey' is one of the average efforts from that year and one of the middling Terrytoons from it too so neither one of the best or worst. As far as Terrytoons' overall output goes, 'The Red Headed Monkey' is in neither extreme of good or bad. It's very inoffensive but also very average and not particularly memorable. A few things are done really well, but very little comes off exceptionally with the most important categories to get right being where the cartoon fails.
Am going to start with the good. Music is fantastic and as ever with Terrytoons the best thing about this cartoon. 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. Close behind was the animation, as said more than once this component has come on considerably since the Terrytoons Studio first started. Overall, it is nicely detailed, lively and colourful, with nice attention to detail and vibrant colours that don't look garish.
Did find the titular character quite cute and there are a few amusing moments here and there. The cartoon does come to life towards the end too.
It does though take a bit of time to get there. It is very low on the gag count and few of the ones present are amusing or imaginative. A vast majority of the material is a stringing along of recycled ideas that felt tired long before 'The Red Headed Monkey' was made. Overall atmosphere wise, the cartoon is pretty bland and tends to veer on being too cute.
Regarding the story, that is very slight (not uncommon for Terrytoons) but most of it doesn't really go anywhere and only towards the end is there signs of a plot. The pace is less than lively, pretty dull actually, and the structure is as said a cobbling along of done to death ideas.
Summing up, very average. 5/10.
1950's 'The Red Headed Monkey' is one of the average efforts from that year and one of the middling Terrytoons from it too so neither one of the best or worst. As far as Terrytoons' overall output goes, 'The Red Headed Monkey' is in neither extreme of good or bad. It's very inoffensive but also very average and not particularly memorable. A few things are done really well, but very little comes off exceptionally with the most important categories to get right being where the cartoon fails.
Am going to start with the good. Music is fantastic and as ever with Terrytoons the best thing about this cartoon. 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. Close behind was the animation, as said more than once this component has come on considerably since the Terrytoons Studio first started. Overall, it is nicely detailed, lively and colourful, with nice attention to detail and vibrant colours that don't look garish.
Did find the titular character quite cute and there are a few amusing moments here and there. The cartoon does come to life towards the end too.
It does though take a bit of time to get there. It is very low on the gag count and few of the ones present are amusing or imaginative. A vast majority of the material is a stringing along of recycled ideas that felt tired long before 'The Red Headed Monkey' was made. Overall atmosphere wise, the cartoon is pretty bland and tends to veer on being too cute.
Regarding the story, that is very slight (not uncommon for Terrytoons) but most of it doesn't really go anywhere and only towards the end is there signs of a plot. The pace is less than lively, pretty dull actually, and the structure is as said a cobbling along of done to death ideas.
Summing up, very average. 5/10.
