Deputy Droopy

One of my favorite Droopy cartoons, remembered first watching it when I was younger. I enjoyed the way how Droopy tricks and outsmarts the two bandits - all the while being gagged and tied up.

Droopy is sure a superdog, as well as a clever one. He attempts to protect the pot of gold at the Sheriff's department from getting into the hands of the two outlaws, with funny results!

Grade A

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. Generally like the Droopy cartoons and the character himself a lot, his best cartoons are classics and among Avery's best. 'Deputy Droopy' is one of the funniest Droopy cartoons and contains some of Avery's funniest material, at the same time it does lack the imagination of their very best cartoons (with much of it being a remake of 'Rock a Bye Bear' and also the premise is a formulaic one) and visually it doesn't always look as refined as usual.

Droopy, as usual, is so well established in personality and is high on the humour and charisma scale. The bandits are hilariously dumb, when it comes to bandits in animation or anywhere they are among the funniest and their dumbness is actually endearing as well.

Typically, Avery does a very nice job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour style all over it as can be expected. Michael Lah co-directs but his contribution isn't as inspired.

Once again there is nothing sadistic or repetitious, instead it's wonderfully wild and hilarious with some inventive moments.

Animation has been more imaginative and refined before than in 'Deputy Droopy', with some of the drawing lacking smoothness. Avery's distinctive wackiness and creative designing of characters though can be seen and there are some lovely vibrant colours and detailed backgrounds. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.

Voice acting as always sees Bill Thompson, Daws Butler and Avery himself on top form.

Overall, very good and hilarious but Droopy and Avery have done better quality-wise. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The Deputy (Droopy) is told by the Sheriff to mind things while he takes a nap. So, when some crooks come into town to rob the bank, these desperadoes do all they can NOT to wake the Sheriff but to take out the Deputy themselves. The problem is that the Deputy repeatedly hurts them--and they have to quickly run out of town to scream their heads off so as to avoid waking the Sheriff.

"Deputy Droopy" is a remake, of sorts, of "Rock-a-bye Bear". However, the film is also quite different--especially in the locale. Now I normally dislike remakes--but it's a lot easier to dislike this one because the animation quality is SIGNIFICANTLY lower than the original (as MGM had learned that crappier animation often paid off quite well--such as with the success of rival UPA). It's also odd, because you hear Droopy talking with a voice that is obviously not that of the usual voice actor--and, combined with the crappy animation that makes it look unlike Droopy, loses the charm of the character. So, while I give the original a well-deserved 9, this on only manages a 6.

The sheriff in a small western town takes receipt of a bag of gold.He tells his deputy, Droopy Dog, to keep an eye on it and holler if anyone tries to steal it. Two thieves overhear this, gag Droopy -- but do not bind his hands or thief. While they attempt to steal the money, Droopy torments them with an assortment of devices to make them scream.

It's all variations on a single gag, and while the variations are amusing, it lacks the variety of other Droopy cartoons. Tex Avery was pulling up stakes at MGM, getting ready to head over to Lantz, so he shared credit with his AD,Michael Lah. The result is amusing, but not one of the best.

Tex Avery used a plot device here that he used in several cartoons: A character or characters want to avoid being heard by another character. Another character does their level best to cause them to disturb the character, setting the stage for his much-beloved sight gags fired rapidly at the audience. Cartoons are an artform and animated shorts have differing limitations and requirements from longer works. Conventions, plot devices and gimmicks have been developed over the years. Tex Avery developed and/or refined many of these over the years and is, in my view, the most seminal creative force in the history of the animated short. He was an extraordinary artist. This is a funny, engaging, delightful short with a hysterical ending and one of his better efforts. Well worth watching. Recommended.