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5.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Radio Riot remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
"Radio Riot," for anyone stumbling upon this old cartoon today, is less a must-see and more a curiosity. If you’re into animation history, or just enjoy the quirky, often bewildering charm of early sound shorts, you might find something to smile at here. But if you’re looking for a smooth, modern cartoon experience, you’ll probably just scratch your head. It's a real time capsule. 🕰️
The whole thing is about how obsessed everyone gets with radio. And I mean everyone. There's this goldfish, right? He's got these little headphones on, really pushing for that big break. You almost feel the movie trying to tell you this fish matters.
Then you've got this spider, just chilling. So lazy. He's got his own tiny radio, just kinda draped over his web, barely moving a leg. It's kinda funny, actually. The contrast between the goldfish's ambition and the spider's total lack of it.
And the mice! Oh boy. Three little mouse-children, and they're just terrified. Every little radio crackle seems to send them into a frenzy. They're clearly not enjoying the radio craze as much as everyone else. Poor things. 🐭
The animation itself is classic early stuff. A lot of stretchy limbs and exaggerated movements. You can tell they were still figuring out how to make sound work with moving pictures. Some of the character designs are pretty neat, though. That goldfish, especially.
What stuck with me was this one bit where the spider tries to catch a fly, but he's so engrossed in his radio program. He totally misses it. It’s a tiny detail, but it says a lot about the whole "radio fever" vibe. Priorities, you know? 🕸️
The voices, too, they’re very much of their time. A bit tinny, a bit over-the-top. Billy Murray, Margie Hines, Walter Van Brunt — they really lean into it. It adds to that authentic old cartoon feeling. It's less about the dialogue, though, and more about the noises and reactions.
Honestly, the "riot" part feels a little understated. It's more like a "radio mild preoccupation." Maybe a "radio mild inconvenience" for the mice. But it's got a certain charm, this short. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in at just a few minutes.
You know, the idea of an ambitious goldfish is just wild. Who thinks of that? The way he bobs his head to the music, it's just so earnest. That alone makes it a worthwhile peek, if only for a moment.
IMDb 5.3
1921
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