Yodeling Yokels

When we think of the Looney Tunes, we picture a carrot-chomping rabbit, a lisping mallard, a stuttering pig, a dim-witted hunter, and others. A lot of people don't know that the stars of Warner Bros. Cartoons in the early '30s were a different group. At first, there was Bosko, a character of no discernible genus or species (but looked like a blackface performer) and his girlfriend Honey. After Bosko's creators moved to MGM, Warner Bros. Created Buddy, a humanoid.

The cartoons starring these two are largely forgotten, and "Yodeling Yokels" is an example of why. One could argue that Leon Schlesinger's animation unit was still figuring out what they wanted to do. It would be a few years before they introduced Porky with "I Haven't Got a Hat", leading to Daffy, then Elmer, then Bugs. This is one that you watch if you want to see every Looney Tunes cartoon. Otherwise, stick with Warner's output from the '40s and '50s.

"Yodeling Yokels" is a great example why the early films of Looney Tunes were pretty bad and nothing like the clever and sarcastic shorts they did in the 1940s and 50s. Much of the problem was the production team lead by Harmon-Ising. The pair loved singing and cute animals in their cartoons as opposed to humor or edginess...and I must say this particular cartoon is among their worst. It's bereft of humor and filled with stuff that most likely encouraged theater goers to use this film as a chance to buy popcorn or use the bathroom!

When the story (such as it is) begins, Bosko is looking cute...yodeling and skipping about and frolicking. This goes on for some time and eventually some type of conflict occurs when Bosko's girlfriend, Honey, is stuck on a ice floe....sort of like Topsy in "Uncle Tom's Cabin". So, it's up to Bosko to rescue her.

In addition to little, if any humor, as well as the godawful singing, it IS interesting to see all the characters who are spitting images of Mickey Mouse. Obviously the studio was trying to capitalize on the mouse's success...instead of coming up with something the public would actually enjoy. Overall, the animation quality is decent for 1931...otherwise I can't find much I can like about it. Yes, it's THAT dull.

The Bosko cartoons may not be animation masterpieces, but they are fascinating as examples of Looney Tunes in their early days before the creation of more compelling characters and funnier and more creative cartoons.

While there are better Bosko cartoons, there are also worse. 'Yodeling Yokels' is watchable, but only just a little above average, so as far as Bosko cartoons go in ranking it's somewhere in the middle. As ever with a Bosko cartoon, the story is slight and some of the antics and peril with Bosko and Honey is predictable and struggles to maintain momentum.

'Yodeling Yokels' does have some amusing moments and good visual gags, but the predictability and repetition of some of the gags make the cartoon an amusing one in parts rather than a continually very funny or even hilarious one. And yes, Honey and particularly Bosko's yodelling is pretty painful.

On the other hand, the animation is not bad at all. Not exactly refined but fluid and crisp enough with some nice detail, it is especially good in the meticulous backgrounds and some remarkably flexible yet natural movements for Bosko. The music doesn't disappoint either, its infectious energy, rousing merriment, lush orchestration and how well it fits with the animation is just a joy.

Bosko's personality is neither fleshed out or annoying, more endearing than before and fun if a little bland. Likewise with Honey. The best character here is the mouse, whose material is much funnier and whose scenes and story have a lot of freshness and charm. The sound is good and hardly static.

In summary, watchable but just a little above average. 6/10 Bethany Cox