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6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Red Riding Hood remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have six minutes and like seeing what people in the 1930s thought was funny while probably being a little bit drunk, then yes. You'll like this if you enjoy that old-school rubber-hose animation where nobody has bones.
You’ll probably hate it if you want a plot that makes any sense at all. It’s mostly just things bouncing to a beat.
I sat down to watch this thinking it would be a standard fairy tale. I was very wrong.
It starts out normal enough with Red walking through the woods, but then we get to Grandma’s house. Grandma isn't sick in bed; she's just old and bored until she finds a bottle of "Jazz Tonic."
I don't know what was in that tonic, but it basically turns her into a flapper girl instantly. She starts dancing around the room like her life depends on it.
The animation here is so wiggly. Her legs move like they're made of cooked noodles, and honestly, it’s a bit hypnotizing to watch.
Then the Wolf shows up, and this is where it gets truly bizarre. He doesn't try to eat her or trick her into thinking he's her relative.
He just sees her dancing and decides, "Yep, I'm gonna marry this lady right now." He puts on a top hat and they start a wedding ceremony on the spot.
It’s one of those moments where you realize movies back then didn't really care about things like "character motivation" or "logic." They just wanted to draw a wolf in a tuxedo.
There is a part where the Wolf's eyes literally pop out of his head and bounce around. It’s a bit creepy if you stare at it too long.
The music is the real star here, though. It’s got that scratchy, tinny sound that makes everything feel like it’s happening in a haunted antique shop.
Red Riding Hood eventually shows up and she is not happy about the wedding. She’s basically the only person in the whole short who thinks this is weird.
She finds a way to stop it, which involves more bouncing and some chaotic chasing. I won't lie, I forgot how it ended about thirty seconds after it finished because so much happened at once.
It reminds me a bit of the weirdness in Stone Age Stunts where the gags just keep coming whether they fit or not. Or even Alice on the Farm, which has that same 'anything can happen' energy.
One thing I noticed is how the background just kind of loops. You can see the same tree pass by like four times during the chase scenes.
It’s a bit lazy, but it adds to the charm of these early Van Beuren cartoons. They weren't trying to be masterpieces; they were just trying to fill time in a theater.
The way the Wolf talks—or rather, the way he makes noise—is pretty funny too. It's less like a voice and more like a series of grunts and whistles that somehow sound like words.
I also loved the weird jittery movement of the furniture. Even the chairs seem to be enjoying the jazz tonic.
If you compare this to something like A Doll's House, it’s like looking at two different planets. One is serious and heavy, and this is just a wolf trying to get hitched to a grandma.
I wonder if kids back then were scared of this or if they just laughed. Some of the facial expressions on the Wolf are legitimately nightmare fuel if you freeze the frame.
But the "Jazz Tonic" bit is what I'll remember. It’s such a specific 1930s trope, like they thought jazz was a physical substance you could drink.
The whole thing feels like it was drawn by people who were having a lot of fun. There’s no polish, just pure energy.
It's definitely better than some of the more boring stuff from that era, like The Dream Doll which feels like it drags on forever. At least this has a wolf in a hat.
I noticed a small error in the animation where the Wolf's tail disappears for a second. It happens right when he's dancing near the bed.
Most people wouldn't care, but once you see it, it’s hard to un-see. It just shows how fast they were pumping these out back then.
The ending is abrupt, but that’s how these things usually go. Red wins, the wolf loses, and we all move on with our lives.
It’s not going to change your life, but it’s a fun little time capsule. Just don't go looking for any deep meaning in the tonic bottle.
Overall, it's just a strange little piece of history. I’m glad I watched it, even if I feel a bit dizzy now.
If you’re into the history of animation, you should definitely check it out. Just don't expect it to make any sense.
IMDb —
1921
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