Betty Boop's Ker-Choo: Sneezing My Way to the Finish Line

Is it worth your time?

Look, if you have seven minutes and want to see 1930s animation get absolutely unhinged, sure. Watch it. If you’re looking for a plot that makes sense or doesn't involve biological weapon sneezes, maybe skip it. It’s strictly for people who find the Fleischers' specific brand of surrealism charming rather than, you know, slightly haunting. 🤧

The whole premise is just Betty, Koko, and Bimbo at a car race. It starts off feeling like a normal day at the track. Then Betty starts feeling under the weather. And by under the weather, I mean she develops a sneeze that could probably knock down a small house.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Betty Boop's Ker-Choo (1933) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is fast. Like, really fast. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Pigskin, where everything just needs to be moving at all times. There’s no downtime here. Just engines revving and Betty’s nose twitching.

The sneezing logic is hilarious. Every time she lets one rip, the car just… launches. It’s not physics. It’s just pure, unadulterated cartoon magic. Watching the car bounce around the track while the background blurs into a mess of ink is honestly a trip.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Betty Boop's Ker-Choo (1933) through its definitive frames.

I couldn't help but think about how much more grounded some of the dramas from the same era were, like Shopworn. But there is something refreshing about a cartoon that doesn't care about the laws of gravity or germs. It’s just chaos for the sake of a laugh.

• The sound design on the sneezes is top-tier 1930s absurdity.
• Bimbo looking absolutely terrified while Betty drives is a mood.
• The background art has that weird, wobbly quality that makes you feel like you’re staring into a fever dream.

One weird detail? The other racers are just completely fine with a car being propelled by a woman’s cold symptoms. Nobody protests. They just accept that they’re losing to a woman who is sneezing her way into first place. It’s the kind of logic you only get in these old shorts.

It’s not trying to be a deep work of art. It’s a sneeze, a car, and a win. Sometimes that’s all you need on a Tuesday morning. It’s definitely more fun than sitting through something heavy like A Man of Sorrow, that's for sure. 🏎️💨