My Little Buckeroo

Yes, it was partly the average good-cowboy-chases-vile-desperado story, but you can't deny that Friz Freleng's "My Little Buckeroo" has some really hilarious gags (namely the escalator). As I found it on YouTube, I assume that this must be of the early works from the Termite Terrace crowd that got kind of lost under the prominence of their work from the '40s and '50s (to be sure, it has the Blue Ribbon reissue logo in place of the credits). While my favorite cartoons certainly came from the '40s and '50s, I do find it neat to see these before-they-were-famous entries.* Worth seeing.

*Another really cool before-they-were-famous instance occurred in "The Beatles Anthology" miniseries: there were recordings that John, Paul and George made from about 1958-1961. I know that it doesn't make much sense to talk about The Beatles when reviewing an early Looney Tunes cartoon, but I just like to do these sorts of things.

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.

'My Little Buckeroo' is not one of Friz Freleng's best cartoons by any stretch, in an uneven "still evolving" period of his long career, and he was yet to be in his full prime and not yet found his style properly. For a relatively early effort, 'My Little Buckeroo' is solid and above average but not a Freleng classic, he would do much better later. It is never what one would call hilarious (but is never unfunny), Freleng's later efforts show more evenness and confidence in directing and the story is flimsy and fairly tame up to the end.

It is fairly predictable story-wise and the pig is amusing and likeable enough if slightly bland, the bandit has a funnier and more interesting personality.

However, the bandit is a formidable and entertaining character and the chemistry between him and the pig lifts 'My Little Buckeroo' in a way that's entertaining if not quite inventive.

The cartoon is often hilarious, especially agreed with the escalator) and it all goes at a lively and energetic pace. The dialogue is witty and clever.

Animation is excellent, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading, vibrant in colour and very meticulous in detail. Carl Stalling's music is lovely on the ears, lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.

Voice acting from Mel Blanc and Tedd Pierce is terrific and full of character.

Overall, good cartoon if not a Freleng classic. 7/10 Bethany Cox