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4.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Feathered Follies remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you like feeling confused. If you're looking for a plot that makes sense, keep walking. But if you want to see some truly strange, early animation techniques that look like they were drawn by someone who had never actually seen a bird before, then maybe pull up a chair. People who hate 'old stuff' or cartoons that lack a coherent story will probably want to turn this off within the first three minutes.
The whole thing feels like it's held together by spit and prayers. You've got Harry Bailey and John Foster doing their best, I guess, but the rhythm is just off. It’s like listening to a drummer who keeps missing the beat on purpose.
There’s a specific sequence where the background seems to just give up on life. The lines are shaky, the movement is jittery, and the sound effects are so tinny they might have been recorded inside a soda can. It reminds me a bit of the frantic, low-budget energy in A Desert Hero, though that one at least had some actual jokes.
I found myself rewinding a bit just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. Nope. Just a very strange choice in character design. The birds have human-like teeth in one shot and then just beaks the next. It’s deeply unsettling if you think about it for too long. 🦜
The pacing is all over the place. One minute it's moving way too fast, and the next, it’s just dragging. It makes me miss the tighter editing you see in things like The Auctioneer. It feels like the animators were just making it up as they went along.
It’s not a masterpiece, and it’s not really a failure either. It’s just... there. Like a piece of furniture your grandma gave you that doesn't fit in your apartment but you feel bad throwing away. I walked away feeling like I’d just eaten a bowl of dry cereal. It filled the time, but I’m not sure I’m better off for it. 🤷♂️