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7.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Skunked Again remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Look, if you have a soft spot for 1930s animation, Skunked Again is a weird little curiosity. It’s got that jittery, rubber-hose energy that makes modern stuff look way too stiff. But if you aren't into old cartoons, you’ll probably find this one confusing and a bit mean-spirited. It’s not exactly high art, but it is certainly something else.
The whole thing starts with a dirigible, which feels like a very specific choice for 1935. Why a blimp? I guess they wanted to show off the scale, but mostly it just gives the animators a reason to make things fall out of the sky. The skunks getting relegated to a tiny, rattling trailer is actually kind of sad, but the movie plays it for laughs. Poor guys.
Once they reach the North Pole, the logic just kind of evaporates. Everyone starts doing winter sports like they’re in an Olympics hosted by a fever dream. The ice-skating sequences have that weird, sliding motion where the characters look like they’re moving on a treadmill. It’s charming, but also makes you wonder what they were drinking in the studio back then.
The walrus shows up to complain about the visitors, and honestly? He’s the only one making any sense. Who invites a kangaroo to the North Pole anyway? It feels like the writers just threw names in a hat. It reminds me a bit of the frantic pacing in Watch the Birdie, where you’re just waiting for the next thing to break.
There isn't much to analyze here. It’s a short, messy, and loud cartoon. You can tell they were trying to fill the runtime with as many gags as possible, even if half of them don't land. It’s not quite as charming as In My Merry Oldsmobile, but it’s got its own frantic heart. ❄️
Don't look for a deep story. There isn't one. Just enjoy the weirdness of a kangaroo on ice and call it a day. Sometimes, that’s all you really need.