Hold It

As I've said many, many times, I love animation from Fleischer Studios, along with Disney, Rankin/Bass, Hanna-Barbera, Studio Ghibli from Japan, and Nelvana Ltd. From Canada, my homeland. And here is another favorite from Fleischer's "Color Classics."

And also, I have said many times that I am a cat lover, because in short, all the town kitties hold a meeting, and they have come up with a plan to rid themselves of a neighbourhood dog-to stay very still. Have you ever tried standing still? It's mighty hard. I had never seen this cartoon before, but after purchasing the entire Colour Classics collection on DVD, I was hooked. I have watched it, and now it is one of my favorite cartoons by Max Fleischer.

I did not love "Hold It", though I must at least applaud the Fleischer brothers for trying something different with their Color Classics shorts. While their studio was one of the best of the 1930s, with fantastic animation and artistry, the studio suffered from 'same old same old syndrome'. In other words, they kept making and remaking the same basic cartoons with little variation. Think about it....in nearly all the Popeye cartoons, Popeye inevitably eats his spinach and then beats Bluto. And, while not quite as one dimensional, Betty Boop was also rather repetitive. But "Hold It" has the advantage of being unique....and I appreciate that.

The cartoon is a singing one where all the cats in the neighborhood get together to carouse and sing the catchy "Everybody Hold It" song. I'll admit it's catchy, but the cat's voice is also grating at the same time. Well, the dog is awakened by the cacophony and gives chase.

Not a great cartoon in some ways, but the color animation was unusual for the Fleischers at that time and the cartoon is a bit of fun. Worth seeing but far from a brilliant cartoon as well.

Fleischer Studios' "Color Classics" series is uneven. The best are imaginative, not too cute, has amusing moments, have characters worth rooting for and when they teach a lesson they don't preach generally. The worst though have not an original thought, are barely existent plot-wise, are humourless, are far too cute and the characters tend to be bland.

If there is things that the cartoons on either extreme have anything in common, they always have wonderful music and most of them are well made visually. 'Hold It', made and released in 1938 during one of the studio's better periods with a relatively minor group of exceptions, is neither among the best or worst "Color Classics" cartoons. To me, it is one of the high middle cartoons in the series. 'Hold It' is very much worth watching but it is not an essential, with all the good things of the best cartoons and few of the flaws of the worst (both of the "Color Classics" series and overall) present.

'Hold It' is very slight in the story department, with it not really getting going and that is only really in the momentum until about a third in. As stunningly beautiful the opening is visually with the innovative use of the three dimensional technique, it goes on a little too long.

The only thing resembling much of a story actually is the conflict with the dog, which is not completely original but it does some tension. Until then, nothing much happens beforehand.

Conversely, the animation is very good with the opening being the standout. The beautifully detailed backgrounds are particularly notable. The music is like a character in itself and 'Hold It's' best asset. It is full of liveliness and the instrumentation and vocal lines are cleverly done, distinctively lush and quite memorable. The song is very catchy and didn't find it too trite.

Even with the lacking story, that doesn't stop 'Hold It' from being far from light in the gags department and they are very amusing and timed well. Silly but endearingly so. When it gets going, the energy never dulls and is quite infectious in the best parts. The cats have colourful personalities and the dog provides the right amount of tension. It also thankfully doesn't try to teach a lesson, not that sort of cartoon, and nothing comes over as laid on too thick or childish.

Summing up, worthwhile if not essential. 7/10