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5.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Poor Little Me remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like vintage animation that feels a little bit off-kilter, sure. It’s perfect for people who enjoy 1930s-era woodland whimsy, but anyone who gets annoyed by outdated caricatures or sudden, unearned moral endings should probably steer clear. It’s definitely not East Is East, that’s for sure.
The whole thing starts with Stinky moping around while everyone else is having a grand old time. It’s genuinely sad in a way that feels a bit too heavy for a short about bunnies. Like, this skunk is really going through it. He’s just singing the blues in the middle of a forest.
Then he finds a hairbrush. I don't know why, but seeing a skunk try to groom himself to fit in with a bunch of rabbits is a real low-point for the character. The way the turtle suddenly decides to move at Mach 10 the moment Stinky approaches is hilarious, though. That turtle clearly had places to be.
The middle act introduces a bobcat who talks in a voice that… well, let’s just say it hasn’t aged well at all. It’s a very uncomfortable choice that kind of sucks the air out of the room. It’s hard to stay invested when the dialogue takes such a sharp, unpleasant turn.
The whole bit with the perfume bottle is a strange piece of logic, too. Stinky gets doused, loses his skunk-power, and suddenly he’s just a regular, boring animal. It’s a bit of a letdown. I kept waiting for him to do something clever instead of just relying on a random piece of human trash he found in the dirt.
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Mickey's Menagerie, but with a lot more existential dread. The ending feels rushed, like the writers just realized they had to wrap it up before the film roll ran out. Stinky just goes back to singing with his siblings like nothing happened. Maybe he’s just a great actor? Who knows.
It’s fine if you want something short and a little weird. Just don't expect it to change your life. It’s a weird, grumpy little relic.
