Little 'Tinker

Little Tinker (1948) is about a lonely skunk who's looking for someone to fall in love with. The Skunk is so desperate that even Cupid tries to help him "score" by enlisting his "Book of Love", Lil 'tinker does everything he can to find his soul mate. The cartoon is funny but sad and melodramatic. Watching him pull out every trick in the book trying to find true love.

Not as wild as most of Tex Avery's films. A quick change of pace for the

man. Showing that he's not all slapstick and parodies. Hopefully he

didn't give up on his bread and butter animation!

Recommended.

B

A skunk tries to find love using a book of instructions. However, when the ladies find out he's a skunk....

It's Tex Avery and Heck Allen taking on Pepe LePew, using their own style of doing things. Thus, there's a sequence in which the skunk tries painting himself to look like a fox; there's a sequence in which he pretends to be Frank Sinatra that recalls SWOONER CROONER; and so forth. But Avery and Allen ornament the basic gag with their outrageous comic curlicues.

I loved this cartoon. It is so cute, and it's funny at the same time. You know, during the beginning and middle of this cartoon, I do feel sorry for the little skunk. Nobody loves him until the end, that is. The scenes with The Curdina-Bunny and The Frank Sinatra parody were especially hilarious. Who would have thought Frankie was quite a stud back then? I am sure he wasn't that lanky either.

One more thing I would like to mention: I am also a hopeless romantic. I mean, I love a good romance-neither in a movie or a cartoon. Also, I thought this short would be perfect for Valentine's Day, along with Pepe le Pew cartoons. Pepe's my favorite cartoon character, and Valentine's Day is another favorite holiday of mine.

OTHER THAN THE central character of a love starved skunk who has no problem with trans-species relationships, there is nothing to distinguish this entry into MGM's animation department. That's no to say that it isn't interesting, enjoyable and full of yuks, for it is.

FILLING THE ONE reel of cartoon with such a slim premise is made possible with Director Avery's inclusion of multiple examples of two of his favorite tools. Those would be the sight gag and its literary cousin, the play on words or "pun", if you will.

WELL, ANYWAY THE cartoon was not meant to be the main event; but rather a sort of warm up for the movie going public of the day. It was supposed to get the program progressing along to the feature film in a happy, ,receptive mood.

AND WE BELIEVE that Mr. Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery did well achieve this end!

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. 'Little 'Tinker' is a romantic-themed cartoon that is perfect for Valentine's Day and will have anybody in the same position or has been in the same position swooning, at the same it is also very classic Avery, meaning while not violent or deranged it is hilarious, creative and there is a wild wackiness. It's up for debate as to whether 'Little 'Tinker' is one of his all time greats, but the brilliance of its quality is hard to deny.

The main character is one that is very easy to root for, there are all the classic jokes of the bad effects skunks leave on others but this is a character where one is happy when he's happy and feel for when he's hated. The romantic element to 'Little 'Tinker' is adorable and very touching.

Despite how this may sound, 'Little 'Tinker' is also a hilarious cartoon and has moments of pure Avery lunacy in terms of the wild humour that he is so well known for. It is hard to pick a favourite funny moment, because the cartoon is full of them and everything works.

It is no surprise either that the animation is superb, being rich in colour and detail. The character designs are unique, Avery always did have creative character designs, and suitably fluid. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed. The use of pre-existing music, such as the famous 'Lucia Di Lammermoor' sextet (which old-animation fans will recognise straight away regardless of their stance on opera).

All in all, a brilliant cartoon and an Avery classic. 10/10 Bethany Cox