A Lecture on Camouflage (1944)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Thanks for the memories!

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Many of the Private Snafu cartoons are very enjoyable, being very well-made, entertaining and educational with good morals and interesting historical and instructional material. Even when inept, Snafu is still very much endearing and fun for a vast majority of his cartoons.To me 'A Lecture on Camouflage' is up there as one of the better Private Snafu cartoons. A great concept, executed in a way that's very funny often (especially in Snafu's complete and utter failure at doing what he's been taught) and also pretty educational. While the ending is shocking and ahead of its time, there is nothing here that's questionable, unintentionally creepy or disturbing.Actually, my only problem with 'A Lecture on Camouflage' is that part of me wanted it to be longer.On the other hand, 'A Lecture on Camouflage' is very well-animated though with fluid character designs, detailed and not sparse backgrounds and lively colours/shadings. Carl Stalling always did write outstanding music for the many cartoons he scored for and that is true for 'In the Aleutians', the orchestration is very lush and the pacing is characteristically lively.Snafu is endearing and amusing, even when so hopelessly inept and Technical Fairy First Class is a great teacher and contrast. The voice work is great, as one would expect from the immortal Mel Blanc.In conclusion, great cartoon and one of Snafu's better ones. 9/10 Bethany Cox

. . . from Dr. Seuss' fans to those viewers turned on by soft-core cartoon pornography. One of Snafu producer Seuss' future CAT IN THE HAT stories deals with the virtual impossibility of eradicating a household stain (particularly when the home lacks paper towels and disinfectant wipes). When Pvt. Snafu drives his Jeep into the jungle at the direction of his "Technical Fairy, First Class" (who delivers this LECTURE ON CAMOUFLAGE), his mentor points out that the Jeep's tire tracks constitute a dead give-away of his position to the Axis plane stalking him. Under the Fairy's chiding, Snafu erases his tracks three times with a succession of distinctive Seuss-like vehicles (the first two of which leave THEIR OWN tell-tale tracks!). Later, in a nod to 1939's WIZARD OF OZ, Nazis camouflaged NOT as lions, tigers, and bears but rather as a tree, stump, and rock chase Snafu from his lounging spot. Finally, the Fairy demonstrates himself the best way to hide amid a pair of topless blonde mermaids (clearly D-Cuppers who'd easily put Disney's LITTLE MERMAID to shame!).

A fun short cartoon from the Private Snafu series made for use by the U.S. Army during WWII as instructional films for soldiers. The hope was the grunts would learn by watching buffoonish Snafu make mistakes in humorous fashion. In this short, Technical Fairy, First Class uses Private Snafu to illustrate proper camouflage techniques. Typically fine voice work from Mel Blanc. Nice black & white animation with a particularly shocking ending! These shorts weren't made for public viewing so they didn't have to pass the Production Code, which means these cartoons sometimes had risqué subject matter that wouldn't be allowed in a theatrical release. It's an enjoyable short with some funny moments and an ending you won't expect from a 1944 cartoon.

Saw this on Mark Evanier's site. In this one, Private Snafu is trying to demonstrate how to effectively hide from the enemy. When he gets told to take cover, he takes cover but then he has to hide his jeep tracks. Then he has to hide his bicycle tracks. And so on. Next, he unwittingly gives a light to a person camouflaging himself as a tree. When he leaves, he gets followed by that tree and others in tree or stump wear. Finally, he gets told to hide in the shadow. Every time he tries, however, the shadow keeps moving. When the shadow finally stops, he goes there but the Nazis have already seen him and aim. At the end, the Technical Fairy First Class who had been narrating all along simply says to "just make youself part of the natural surroundings" before going to the screen and putting himself between two mermaids saying, "See what I mean?"...Pretty funny outing from Chuck Jones and I'm sure a valuable lesson for G.I.s wrapped in entertainment. Worth a look for animation buffs interested in World War II history.