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5.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Hittin' the Trail for Hallelujah Land remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly? Only if you are a completionist for animation history or someone who likes looking at things that make you go 'yikes' every thirty seconds.
Normal people will probably hate it because it’s a 'Censored Eleven' short, meaning it is incredibly racist in that casual, 1930s way that feels like a punch to the gut.
If you like old-timey rubber-hose animation and can stomach the historical baggage, there is some spooky skeleton stuff that is actually kind of neat.
But yeah, most of you should just skip this one and watch something that won't make you feel like you need a shower afterward. 🚿
The movie starts with Piggy and Fluffy on a riverboat, and everything is moving. I mean everything.
The boat is bouncing. The water is bouncing. Even the smoke from the funnel is doing a little jig.
It has that specific 1931 energy where the animators were just happy they could make things move at all.
Piggy is such a weirdly blank character. He just stands there with this vacant stare while he plays the accordion.
The music is actually pretty catchy, which is the annoying part. You find yourself tapping your foot and then you remember what you're watching. 😬
The middle of the short gets actually interesting for a minute when Uncle Tom falls off the boat.
He ends up in this dark place where three skeletons start chasing him. These skeletons are probably the best thing in the whole seven minutes.
They play their own ribs like xylophones. It’s a classic trope, but it’s done with this fluid, creepy grace that stands out from the rest of the choppy animation.
One of the skeletons has a really long neck that just keeps stretching. It's actually a bit unsettling if you think about it too much.
There is a moment where the skeletons are dancing in a circle, and the background just turns into this weird, shimmery grey void. It feels like the movie is glitching out, but that was just how they did shadows back then.
We have to talk about it. The portrayal of Uncle Tom is... well, it's why this movie isn't on TV anymore.
It’s not just the look; it’s the way he’s written to be terrified of everything, shaking like a leaf the whole time.
It’s hard to enjoy the 'artistry' when the joke is just a tired, mean stereotype. It reminds me of the weird vibes in All Wool, though that one isn't quite as loud about its issues.
The skeletons keep singing about 'Hallelujah Land' which is clearly just a code for him dying. It's a very dark theme for a cartoon with a cute pig in it. 💀
The whole thing just sort of stops. They get back on the boat, everyone is happy, and then it cuts to the 'That's All Folks' screen.
It’s very jarring. No resolution, no lesson, just 'okay, we ran out of paper, goodbye.'
It doesn't have the mystery of something like The Thumb Print, it just feels unfinished.
I don't know. It's a weird piece of history. I'm glad I saw it once just to know it exists, but I'm never putting it on again.
If you're looking for a 1930s fix, maybe find something that doesn't involve skeletons trying to drag an old man to the afterlife. Just a thought. 🤷♂️
IMDb 5.7
1928
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