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7.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Prosperity Blues remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like historical animation that feels a bit like a fever dream, sure. If you are looking for a grounded narrative, you will probably walk away scratching your head. It is a quick watch, honestly.
Prosperity Blues feels like a direct hit of 1930s optimism injected straight into your eyeballs. Krazy Kat is out there selling apples, looking just as miserable as the rest of the world at that point in time.
Then, the mood shift happens. It is so abrupt it almost gives you whiplash. One second we are in the gutter, and the next, everyone is singing about happy days.
The way these characters move is just wild. Their arms stretch like taffy, and their faces contort in ways that probably shouldn't be physically possible. It has that classic, jittery energy you only get from hand-drawn work of that specific era.
There is a moment where Krazy Kat starts smiling, and it sticks. It is not a subtle grin. It is the kind of wide, toothy expression that makes you wonder if he’s actually doing okay, or if the music just forced it out of him.
It reminds me a bit of the weird, disjointed energy in Bright Lights. You get the sense the filmmakers were trying to paper over some real-world anxiety with a whole lot of noise and movement.
The whole thing feels like a commercial for a feeling, rather than a story. It does not try to be profound. It just wants to get you to tap your foot before the credits roll. Does it work? I mean, I am still thinking about those rubbery legs, so maybe it worked too well.
It is not trying to be a deep dive into the human condition. It is just a cartoon about a cat selling fruit. Sometimes, that is enough.