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6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Humpty Dumpty remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're looking for a normal Saturday morning cartoon, turn back now. Humpty Dumpty is not for the faint of heart, or for anyone who actually likes their nursery rhymes to make sense. It’s a bizarre, frantic chase that feels like someone dropped a carton of eggs and decided to film the aftermath.
You’ll probably enjoy this if you’re into early animation weirdness or if you just want to see how far they can push a premise before it breaks. If you prefer movies that don't make you feel like you're losing your mind, well, stay away.
It’s hard to get past the fact that everyone is, well, an egg. It’s not like A Milk Fed Hero where the stakes feel human and grounded. Here, you're just waiting for someone to crack. The tension isn't about the rescue; it's about the structural integrity of the protagonist.
Pinto Colvig is doing a lot of heavy lifting with his voice work, but the animation has that stiff, jerky quality that makes me think of Putting on Airs. Everything feels like it’s vibrating on the edge of collapse.
The pacing is all over the place. One minute we are in a tense standoff, and the next we are just staring at a tree branch for an eternity. It’s the kind of editing that feels like a glitch, but maybe that's just the charm of it? Or maybe it’s just lazy.
Honestly, watching this made me want to go back and watch something more stable, like Gun Law, just to see people who aren't made of shells. It’s an interesting artifact, sure. But is it a 'good' movie? That’s a stretch. It’s just an egg on a wall, doing way too much.
It doesn't reach the heights of something like The Perfect Sap, but it stays with you. Mostly because you're worried about the cholesterol implications of the entire cast. 🥚
