Target Snafu (1944)

Too much of everything

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

. . . in the run-up to the Oct. 1944 release of TARGET: SNAFU, Chapter 2, in their MALE mosquito malaria menace malarkey, a follow-up to PRIVATE SNAFU VS. MALARIA MIKE from seven months earlier. During those 28 WEEKS, when Hitler murdered about two million more Jews--including teen diarist Anne Frank--and 24 million World War Two deaths were instigated overall, NO ONE expired at the prick of a MALE mosquito! Why were the Top Brains of the American War Machine so Hell-bent on wasting untold tax dollars publicizing a totally non-existent threat, while people were dropping like flies in the face of the REAL Horsemen of the Apocalypse? As anyone who's seen Tom Hanks' SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or Brad Pitt's FURY well knows, America's ACTUAL enemy--the Germans--specialized in dishing out a jaw-dropping level of Lethal Brutality matched only by the Epic Barbarity of their Japanese fellow travelers, as depicted in FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, THE RAILWAY MAN, and HACKSAW RIDGE. If the Technical Fairy--First Class told Pvt. Snafu, "Go get a bucket, and wash the face of your predecessor off your battle station," it would have been worse for Troop Morale than yarns about blood-sucking MALE mosquitoes.

Another entry in the Private Snafu series made for use by the US Army during World War II. This one's directed by Friz Freleng and focuses on malaria and soldiers taking proper safety precautions against mosquito bites. This is at least the third Snafu short I've seen about the same subject. Malaria was undoubtedly a major concern for the soldiers in the Pacific at the time. This one is mostly just a narrated series of gags about mosquitoes as their own army with enrollment, training, and battle plans. It's all very cute and fun. The black & white animation is quite nice. Snafu doesn't even show up until near the end where we get get another shot of his bare backside, one of the most frequent ways the series took advantage of its not having to worry about the Production Code's censorship.

This is one of the shorts in the Private Snafu series of training films done under contract with the US Army during World War II. There will be spoilers ahead:This short is done from the "enemy's" point of view, the enemy in this case being mosquitoes carrying malaria. The mosquitoes are seen going through the same process used by the US to create, train and equip the forces sent into action in World War II. Many of the set pieces used in World War II movies of the period (a recruit bidding farewell to his girl, army physicals, training drills and so on) are shown here.The ultimate target for the mission which is being planned is the titular "hero" of the series, one Private Snafu, who makes what is essentially a glorified cameo toward the end, his sole dialog a scream when the mosquitoes strike his bare and exposed behind. The scene showing Snafu in the hospital, going through malarial infection, is nicely done.The mission a success, the squadron returns to base and is decorated for its efforts. The medal's designation is funny. By the way, if you've seen the Warner Brothers short, Of Thee I Sting, you've seen much of the footage here, which was used in that short with the addition of color.This short is available on various DVDs and also online. It's well worth seeing. Recommended.

All of the Private Snafu cartoons are interesting watches, and most of them are fun too. Target Snafu is not one of the best of the Private Snafu cartoons(Spies and Booby Traps are my favourite) but anybody who's already familiar with the cartoons and likes them should be able to enjoy this one. What wasn't quite so good in Target Snafu here is that there is a real sense that you've seen it all before. Not the concept, despite the whole series following the formula of Snafu being the most inept soldier in the army and the jokes revolving around his many mistakes it was always well incorporated and the series generally does a great job making the humour feel varied and fresh. It was more to do with some of it having some similarities to Malaria Mike from the previous year, so it didn't feel as fresh or as imaginative. Snafu is still very funny and endearing but considering that he makes a late appearance he felt underused and the cartoon could have set up the story quicker than it did. Target Snafu is very well animated though, movements flow smoothly and the black and white is crisp in alternative to primitive. It's not the best animation in the entire world, but at least it looks good and at least it holds up. Carl Stalling rarely disappoints as a composer, and his music for Target Snafu doesn't either, so rhythmically energetic the orchestration that it rouses the spirits right from the start and doesn't stop, the orchestration too as typical of Stalling is beautifully done and clever. While Target Snafu may be unexceptional story-wise it's anything but in the humour department. There are much more daring Private Snafu cartoons about but the cartoon hardly feels too safe either. The gags are continually funny and not rushed or drawn out but even funnier is the deliciously witty narration, brilliantly delivered by Robert C. Bruce. Again Snafu is endearing and the mosquitoes are well-done adversaries. Mel Blanc was remarkably consistent as a voice actor but his peerless ability to give so much personality(ies) to multiple characters in every cartoon shines in another set of stellar vocal characterisations. Overall, while there are better in the series Target Snafu is still more than worthwhile. 7/10 Bethany Cox