While not one of my favourites, Ub Iwerks was responsible for a lot of interesting work. Especially when working with Walt Disney, his oldest friend and one of his best, and co-creating one of animation's most famous characters in Mickey Mouse. His career since opening his own studio had interest value but the quality was variable, often being successful in the animation and music but wanting in the story and variable in gags, lead characters and tone.
1933 to 1936 saw twenty five cartoons, mostly based on famous fairytales and familiar stories, as part of Iwerks's "ComiColor" series. The "ComiColor" series is very much worth watching and interesting, as is the case with many series some cartoons are better than others but there are no real animation nadirs. It started off with 1933's 'Jack and the Beanstalk' and it was a very good way to start and one of the series' better cartoons.
'Jack and the Beanstalk', while faithfully adhering to the basic details of the famous stories while putting its own spin, is slight and is at times perhaps a touch too dark for younger audiences.
However, 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in no way disgraces the story and has enough freshness to stop it from being stale, even if there are wittier and fresher takes in animation. It avoids the cutesy and sentimental factor and is never dull.
There are suitably wild and amusing gags, that aren't too corny and never repetitive, it's very charming, endearingly wild and there is a genuine spookiness that generally doesn't go over the top. The characters drive 'Jack and the Beanstalk' well, with fun villains and a far from bland titular character. None of the characters are personality-deprived.
Furthermore, the animation is great. Meticulously detailed, fluid in drawing, vibrant in colour and often rich in imagination and visual wit. The music is cleverly and lushly orchestrated, is infectiously catchy and adds a lot to the cartoon.
Overall, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox
1933 to 1936 saw twenty five cartoons, mostly based on famous fairytales and familiar stories, as part of Iwerks's "ComiColor" series. The "ComiColor" series is very much worth watching and interesting, as is the case with many series some cartoons are better than others but there are no real animation nadirs. It started off with 1933's 'Jack and the Beanstalk' and it was a very good way to start and one of the series' better cartoons.
'Jack and the Beanstalk', while faithfully adhering to the basic details of the famous stories while putting its own spin, is slight and is at times perhaps a touch too dark for younger audiences.
However, 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in no way disgraces the story and has enough freshness to stop it from being stale, even if there are wittier and fresher takes in animation. It avoids the cutesy and sentimental factor and is never dull.
There are suitably wild and amusing gags, that aren't too corny and never repetitive, it's very charming, endearingly wild and there is a genuine spookiness that generally doesn't go over the top. The characters drive 'Jack and the Beanstalk' well, with fun villains and a far from bland titular character. None of the characters are personality-deprived.
Furthermore, the animation is great. Meticulously detailed, fluid in drawing, vibrant in colour and often rich in imagination and visual wit. The music is cleverly and lushly orchestrated, is infectiously catchy and adds a lot to the cartoon.
Overall, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox