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3.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 3.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Amature Nite remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
You should definitely watch this if you have six minutes to kill and you like seeing old cartoons where logic just doesn't exist. It’s great for anyone who likes the weird, bouncy animation from the early thirties.
If you’re looking for a deep story or something that makes sense, you’ll probably hate it. It’s just a bunch of gags held together by a thin premise about a talent show.
First off, the title is literally spelled Amature Nite. I don't know if that was a joke or if the guys at the studio just couldn't spell that day.
Oswald is the host and he looks like he’s having a nervous breakdown from the start. He’s trying to be professional but the audience is just... mean.
The audience members are the real stars here. They have these sour faces and they sit there with their arms crossed just waiting to be mad.
It’s a bit like a Twitter comment section but with more throwing of actual objects. One guy in the front row looks like a giant thumb with a hat on.
The first act is a little girl singing. Her voice is so high and screechy it kind of makes your teeth hurt.
The way her mouth moves is super unsettling. It’s like her whole face is made of wet clay.
Then there are these dancers. Everything in this movie bounces. Everything.
The background bounces, the floor bounces, even the air feels like it's vibrating. It reminds me of the energy in Bring Home the Turkey, where everything is just moving for no reason.
There is a part where a hippo (I think it's a hippo?) comes out to dance. The way the fat on her arms jiggles is animated with way too much detail.
The music is just this loud, looping piano and brass stuff. It never stops. It’s like it’s trying to beat you into submission.
I noticed a dog in the crowd who just stares directly at the camera for a second. It felt like he was looking into my soul and asking for help.
It’s not quite as weird as The Jungle Goddess, but it’s definitely in that zone of "what were they thinking?"
There is a gag with a goat eating the scenery. Literally eating the stage. It’s simple but it made me chuckle because it’s so literal.
The crowd eventually gets fed up and starts throwing things. They have a whole supply of vegetables ready to go.
Who brings a crate of tomatoes to a variety show? These people came prepared to be haters.
It feels a lot more aggressive than modern cartoons. There’s a certain violence to it that’s actually kind of refreshing.
I’ve seen Fighting Mad and honestly, the audience in this cartoon is more intimidating than the villains in that movie.
Oswald tries to keep the show going but he’s basically just a target at some point. Poor guy.
The animation style is that classic Lantz era stuff. Very loose. Very jittery. Sometimes the characters' limbs just grow longer for a second and then snap back.
If you watch Wild Waves and Angry Woman, you see a similar kind of chaotic energy, but Oswald has his own brand of frantic panic.
I also spotted a sign in the background that was partially cut off. I think it said something about the acts being bad on purpose?
The ending isn't really an ending. It just sort of... explodes into a mess of limbs and objects.
It’s like they ran out of paper or the bell rang for lunch and they just stopped drawing. I love that about these old shorts.
It doesn't try to be important. It just tries to be loud and fast.
If you want something pretty and calm, maybe go watch High Spots of Hawaii instead. This is the opposite of calm.
Anyway, it’s a neat relic. It’s a bit messy, the sound is kind of crunchy, but it has a lot of heart in a weird, twisted way.
It’s a fun time. Just don't expect it to make any sense at all. 🐰
IMDb —
1918
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