Bad Luck Blackie

This Tex Avery effort is virtually a crash course-pun intended-on how to make a Tex Avery cartoon. Take a wholly unsympathetic villain (in this case, a bully), add a victim ( a cute little kitten), show the bully in action and then set up a means for the bad guy to get what they deserve and then some, making certain that there's room for roughly 5,306 sight gags along the way. Tex Avery created or helped develop Bugs Bunny, Droopy, Screwy Squirrel and Chilly Willy, to name a few. Many of his cartoons centered around that basic outline, with some variation. Sight gags, sight gags and more sight gags. Most recommended.

This is perhaps Tex Avery's best cartoon, and it's because it has something one would not think of looking for in a cartoon, let alone one by Avery. That secret ingredient is logic. Yes, logic. This is a very logical cartoon, not because it presents realistic action (it certainly does not), but because the action - unreal as it is - follows a logical progression, and it's all the funnier for it. The cartoon has a very simple concept: a white kitten, harassed by a guffawing bulldog, hires the services of Bad Luck Blackie. With one blow of a whistle, Blackie crosses the bulldog's path and gives him bad luck - i.e., something drops from the sky and hits him on the head. The entire film is comprised of variations of this simple scenario, normal procedure for Avery. But rather than merely repeat the gag ad nauseam, Avery builds up the situation to a crescendo of outlandishness. With each scene, the objects become larger and more unlikely - from a simple flowerpot, to a piano, a lit bomb, a fire hydrant, and on and on until...let's just say that Avery doesn't stop at the proverbial kitchen sink. The dog tries to stop Blackie by any means necessary - good luck charms, setting traps - but always he succumbs to the inscrutable logic of the situation; whenever the whistle is blown, Blackie passes by and the dog gets conked. No matter who blows the whistle, no matter where the dog is, the result is always the same: whistle=black cat=conk! Finally, the dog gets the upper hand by applying some logic of his own. If a black cat causes bad luck, painting the cat white negates the effect, and that is just what he does. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true, so the kitten paints himself black and saves his hero and gets revenge on his tormentor at the same time. Anyone else would have ended the cartoon right then and there, but Avery gives us one more twist, one that is ridiculous, yet still in keeping with the logic established early on. (Think Pavlov) If this film teaches us anything (besides being kind to kittens and beware of black cats) is the importance of logic in cartoons. Avery isn't merely laying one gag after another. He is developing the situation, letting it build naturally to a satisfying conclusion. He sets up rules for his characters to follow and bends them without breaking them. The result may be irrational, but it is never illogical, and it's funny as hell.

Bad Luck Blackie is an animated short about an adorable kitten and a mean bulldog willing to do anything to anger and hurt the kitten. Luckily, the kitten finds another cat who can cause bad luck to anyone. With the help of this cat, the bulldog gets a taste of it's own medicine, and the viewers get even more laughs. It's pretty much your basic dog chases cat cartoon, but that excellent twist makes it a lot of fun to watch. From start to finish you'll find that there are tons of smart ironic jokes and lots of laugh out loud slapstick comedy. I can honestly say that I don't often laugh out loud or even crack a smile at these kinds of things, but I found myself trying to control my laughter as I watched late at night while everyone else in the house was in bed. It's just a fun little film to make you laugh, and nothing else. Don't expect writing or acting or anything that you'll remember for the rest of your lives.

I liked this quite a bit, I think anyone who likes any of this stuff will too. I rate it a seven out of ten.

This wonderful Tex Avery short has all the ingredients for a successful cartoon, protagonistic cats, antagonistic dogs, and falling anvils. As in most Avery vehicles, the jokes come rapid fire, all which will leave you in stitches. One of the masters best works.

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. 'Bad Luck Blackie' is another example of an animated masterpiece and one of his all time best. Like the best of Tex Avery, 'Bad Luck Blackie' is a cartoon of amazing quality, is very creative and hilarious, and has a potentially distasteful premise actually done inventively and tastefully.

The kitten is adorable and a character one roots for. The funnier and more interesting character though is the bulldog, who is both scarily formidable and hilarious. The voice work as to be expected is marvellous.

Avery does a wonderful job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour style all over it as can be expected.

Once again there is nothing sadistic or repetitious, instead it's imaginative, wonderfully wild and hilarious throughout from start to finish. The sight gags throughout are an absolute joy and are immaculate in timing.

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.

Summing up, another Avery masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox