Spring Is Here: A chaotic, fuzzy trip through 1932

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much you like cartoons that look like they were sketched in a whirlwind. If you enjoy the frantic, rhythmic energy of Schoolday Love, you’ll probably find something to grin at here. If you prefer a story that actually goes somewhere, you might feel like you’re waiting for a bus that never arrives.

It’s barely a movie, really. It’s more of a mood board for what animation looked like before it became a polished, corporate machine. Everything bounces. Seriously, I don't think a single character walks in a straight line for more than three seconds without doing a little shimmy.

Notes from the couch

• The sound design is just one long, aggressive chirping session. It’s kind of hypnotic if you let it be.
• There’s a moment with a frog that lasts way too long. It just stares at the screen. It felt like it was judging me for watching a 1932 cartoon on a Tuesday.
• The background art has these weird, smudged edges. It makes the whole forest look like it’s melting under the sun.

It reminds me a bit of the vibe in Soft Boiled, where the chaos is the whole point. You aren't watching for the plot. You’re watching to see how many times a squirrel can fall off a tree before it stops being funny. Spoiler: it stays funny for about two minutes, then you just kind of accept the madness.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Spring Is Here (1932) through its definitive frames.

There isn't any dialogue, just music that feels like it’s constantly trying to catch up to the screen. Sometimes the music gives up entirely, and you’re just left with the sound of the projector hum. That’s probably the best part, honestly. It grounds you. It reminds you that this thing is nearly a century old and somehow survived in a digital file.

The animation style is incredibly loose. It’s messy. Sometimes a character’s hand just disappears into their body for a frame. I don't think they cared. It’s refreshing, in a way. Modern stuff is so calculated. This? This is just people drawing until their wrists hurt.

Don't look for deep meaning. Just watch the trees sway and wait for the inevitable slapstick collision. It’s a short, weird little relic. 🐸