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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Bears and Bees remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have ten minutes to kill and a soft spot for animation that feels like it was drawn by hand in a fever dream, sure. This one is for the completionists of early animation and anyone who likes their slapstick served with a side of schadenfreude. If you need a complex plot or high-stakes drama, you’re going to be bored out of your mind within sixty seconds.
The whole thing kicks off with those two cubs. They’re cute, obviously, but they’re also kind of oblivious. They find the honey, they start digging in, and then the bees show up. It’s a classic setup.
Then the big bear enters. He’s the kind of character you just know is going to have a bad day. He shoves the kids aside with zero hesitation, and honestly, the way he thinks he’s so tough while the bees are clearly about to swarm him is pretty funny. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Broncho Buster, where the chaos just builds until it’s ready to pop.
The bees aren't just angry; they're organized. The way they swarm the big guy isn't subtle, but it works. It’s not exactly The Butterfly Girl in terms of visual grace, but it has this weird, frantic charm that feels very 'of its time'. 🐝
I found myself watching the background more than the main action. The trees have that shaky, hand-painted look that makes me wonder how much coffee the animators were drinking back then. It’s imperfect, a bit jittery, and entirely charming.
The ending is a bit abrupt. The big bear gets what’s coming to him, the cubs skedaddle, and that’s it. No moral, no long goodbye. Just bees, honey, and a sore loser.
It’s a breezy watch. Don't overthink it. Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon, even when it’s from an era where they were still figuring out how to make a character look like they were actually running instead of just vibrating in place. 🐻
