The Flea Circus

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 Flea Circus', 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 and for an Avery cartoon it is agreed that it is fairly subdued for him and that it lacks his usual wild wackiness. 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 and the very engaging characters, those fleas have good comic timing. The pacing is very lively and nothing is less than amusing if not always hilarious and more wildness would have been more welcome.

All in all, good fun from Avery but he did better. 8/10 Bethany Cox

From one of the most famous animators comes this cute short cartoon that's loaded with plenty of laughs. An example of why Tex Avery is one of the greatest animators in cartoon history. The use of technicolor is brilliant and surreal. The Flea Circus(1954) is much better than any cartoon in today's era. A funny short that should be seen by everyone.

"Flea Circus" is a decent little cartoon from MGM. However, you'd probably not suspect it was directed by Tex Avery because the short is awfully conventional and lacks the usual Avery weirdness.

The episode begins at a flea circus. The show is very successful and the fleas are very anthropomorphic. One of these is the diva of the show and another flea who is a clown is in love with her. However, given her status as the show's star, he doesn't appear to have a prayer. But, when an errant dog passes by and takes most of the fleas with him, our little clown hero is going to the rescue.

There are a few laughs here and there but mostly the biggest laughs are hearing the fleas speak with French accents--which isn't funny at all. Still, it's harmless fun.

There is a popular flea circus in France. No dogs are allowed. No one likes François Le Clown. Everyone loves the star, Fifi Le Flea. When a stray dog slips into the theater, the whole circus hops on board. François rescues Fifi and they get married. This is a Tex Avery cartoon. It's easy light fun. I doubt that these are recurring characters.

This is a typical Tex Avery-start with a premise and turn it on its ear, firing sight gag after sight gag until the premise surrenders unconditionally. Here, the owner of a flea circus loses his livlihood when a dog comes backstage (in violation of a sign that says, "NO DOGS!") and the fleas (and dog) have appropriate reactions to this fortuitous circumstance. So, as has been stated by another, "Fleas run away from the circus to join a dog." Tex Avery was the greatest friend acting fleas in Hollywood had, doing at least three cartoons featuring fleas prominently while with MGM-What Price Fleadom, Dixieland Droopy and this one. Given that Avery once voiced a spider in a short at Warner Brothers, perhaps his affinity for insects is understandable. Funny cartoon with lots of good sight gags. Vive la France! Well worth watching. Recommended.