The Peachy Cobbler (1950)

Thanks for the memories!

hyped garbage

Expected more

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.Also have much admiration for Tex Avery, an animation genius whose best cartoons are animated masterpieces and some of the best he ever did. Avery did do better than 'The Peachy Cobbler', cartoons that are more original and more inventive visually and in narrative but it's still very well made and entertaining. Even when Avery was not quite at the top of his game he put many other animation directors to shame and the cartoons in general much better than many at their worst. Hope that doesn't sound too hyperbolic, unfair or ignorant.The story is a fairly conventional one, basically 'The Elves and the Shoemaker' story with an Avery twist that is well done but done more imaginatively and cleverly in other cartoons of his based on famous stories. Occasional limitations show in the background art.However, much of the animation is very good. Very rich in colour, the backgrounds have mostly good detail and the character designs are distinctively Avery in style and are fluid in movement. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed, even enhancing the action.Can't fault Avery, whose style is all over, nor the dynamic voice acting from Daws Butler and the very engaging characters. The pacing is very lively and like one would expect from Avery 'The Peachy Cobbler' is very funny and well timed.Overall, well made and entertaining. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The basic themes and elements are nothing new-it's basically The Shoemaker and the Elves revisited. But Tex Avery had a tendancy to take the conventional and stretch and twist it into something quite odd indeed! This is not your grandfather's fairy tale! Chuck Jones once quoted Rafael Sabbatini to describe Tex Avery and I'll close with that here: He was born with the gift of laughter and a belief that the world was mad. That, my friends, I submit, is a description of genius and fits Tex Avery quite well. Well worth watching. Most recommended.