A Lecture on Camouflage

During WWII, various artists from the different cartoon units (such as Looney Tunes, Disney and Walter Lanz) all gave their time to the war effort by working on training films (among other things) meant only to be shown to the soldiers. Because of this, the cartoons were not in color but DID have some colorful content...such as swearing and sex jokes! I can only assume that folks thought that if the young men were old enough to die or kill, they were more than old enough for some bawdy humor.

The Technical Fairy First Class is back and he's giving the soldiers a lecture on camouflage. Most of the examples feature Private Snafu and the lecture is only occasionally funny....and so I would not place this among the better films in the series. For that, try one such as "Booby Traps"....now that is filled with laughs.

A fun short cartoon from the Private Snafu series made for use by the U.S. Army during WWII as instructional films for soldiers. The hope was the grunts would learn by watching buffoonish Snafu make mistakes in humorous fashion. In this short, Technical Fairy, First Class uses Private Snafu to illustrate proper camouflage techniques. Typically fine voice work from Mel Blanc. Nice black & white animation with a particularly shocking ending! These shorts weren't made for public viewing so they didn't have to pass the Production Code, which means these cartoons sometimes had risqué subject matter that wouldn't be allowed in a theatrical release. It's an enjoyable short with some funny moments and an ending you won't expect from a 1944 cartoon.

Once again another fine Snafu shot.

This is mainly having to do with how to hide yourself from the enemy with the technique of camouflage.

Technical Fairy does all the talking while Snafu demonstrates. Course he's no good at doing it for one thing.

Throughout the lesson Snafu keeps running and hiding from the enemy. With Technical Fairy Fist Class yelling at him and telling him what to do.

A Good lesson on how to blend in with the scenery when your in war.

My rating for this one 8/10

Many of the Private Snafu cartoons are very enjoyable, being very well-made, entertaining and educational with good morals and interesting historical and instructional material. Even when inept, Snafu is still very much endearing and fun for a vast majority of his cartoons.

To me 'A Lecture on Camouflage' is up there as one of the better Private Snafu cartoons. A great concept, executed in a way that's very funny often (especially in Snafu's complete and utter failure at doing what he's been taught) and also pretty educational. While the ending is shocking and ahead of its time, there is nothing here that's questionable, unintentionally creepy or disturbing.

Actually, my only problem with 'A Lecture on Camouflage' is that part of me wanted it to be longer.

On the other hand, 'A Lecture on Camouflage' is very well-animated though with fluid character designs, detailed and not sparse backgrounds and lively colours/shadings. Carl Stalling always did write outstanding music for the many cartoons he scored for and that is true for 'In the Aleutians', the orchestration is very lush and the pacing is characteristically lively.

Snafu is endearing and amusing, even when so hopelessly inept and Technical Fairy First Class is a great teacher and contrast. The voice work is great, as one would expect from the immortal Mel Blanc.

In conclusion, great cartoon and one of Snafu's better ones. 9/10 Bethany Cox