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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Flip the Frog remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
So, you’re thinking about checking out Flip the Frog, huh? Good on you. This isn’t something for everyone today, I’ll be honest. If you’re used to slick, modern animation, these 1930s shorts might feel a bit… raw. But if you’ve got a soft spot for animation history, or just enjoy seeing creators figure things out on the fly, you’re in for a real treat. Anyone expecting a polished narrative or even consistent character design will probably find it a slog.
Ub Iwerks, the guy behind this whole operation after his Disney days, was really just throwing stuff at the wall to see what stuck. And you can feel it, you know? Each short feels like an experiment. Sometimes it’s brilliant, sometimes it’s just plain weird. But it’s never boring.
Watching these, it's like peeking over the shoulder of someone inventing a language. The animation is often quite bouncy, especially Flip himself. He’s got this elastic quality, almost like rubber, which allows him to get into all sorts of scrapes and pop right back up. 🐸
One thing that always grabs me is the music. It's so central to everything. These aren't just cartoons with music; they’re often musical shorts where the animation *dances* to the rhythm. There are moments where Flip just breaks into a jig, or the entire background starts swaying along. It’s infectious, even when the plot itself is minimal.
The gags themselves can be pretty simple. A lot of chases, a lot of falling down. But then, every so often, something truly surreal happens. Like in 'The Cuckoo Murder Case,' where the whole setting gets super creepy, or when inanimate objects suddenly come to life for no good reason. It’s **charming in its unpredictability**.
I remember one short where Flip is just trying to get some sleep, and everything in his room conspires against him. The bed springs turn into angry monsters, the alarm clock is a villain. It’s not just a cartoon; it's a *nightmare comedy*. You can almost feel the animators having a blast with how bizarre they could make it.
And let’s talk about the character himself for a sec. Flip is… a bit of a chameleon. Sometimes he’s a suave musician, other times a clumsy adventurer. His design even shifts slightly from short to short, which is a tiny detail but *so* telling of the era. They hadn't quite locked him down yet. It makes him feel more like a concept than a fully formed character, but that's part of the fun.
The backgrounds too. They’re often quite detailed for the time, but then sometimes they’re just… sparse. Like they ran out of time or ideas for that particular shot. It gives the whole thing an almost hand-drawn, unfinished quality that I actually really like. It's not trying to hide its production. It’s just *there*.
Sometimes a scene goes on just a beat too long, maybe a character's reaction lingers. You can feel the animators holding on, maybe seeing if the gag landed, or if the next drawing was ready. It gives it a **very human touch**, you know?
It’s easy to see how these shorts influenced so much of what came after. You can spot little bits of DNA from these early experiments in later, more famous cartoons. They were laying the groundwork, even if they didn't know it at the time.
So, is Flip the Frog a masterpiece? Not in the way we usually think of it. It’s **messy and vibrant and often just plain weird**. But that’s its strength. It’s a document of a pivotal moment in animation, full of raw creativity and a willingness to just try things. It’s a good binge if you're into that sort of thing. Just don’t expect The Sign of the Cross; this is a totally different kind of historical viewing. 🎞️
IMDb —
1919
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