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7.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Butcher Boy remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old-school, rubber-hose animation where physics are just a suggestion, you might get a kick out of The Butcher Boy. It is short, loud, and doesn't waste your time. If you get annoyed by cartoons that rely entirely on slapstick loops, skip it.
Pooch is just trying to get a turkey to a customer. That is the whole setup. Of course, the cat shows up and suddenly the turkey delivery turns into a war zone. It’s wild how much trouble one small cat can cause in a Lantz cartoon.
The animation has that bouncy, slightly jittery energy that makes you wonder how many cups of coffee the animators drank. There is a moment where the cat just refuses to let go of the bird, and the way Pooch flails his arms is pure comedy gold. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Adventurer, though way less serious.
Some of the background art is oddly sparse. Like, did they run out of ink? There are times when the characters are moving against a wall that looks like it was drawn in five seconds. It doesn't really matter though, because you are watching for the chaos, not the scenery. 🐈
The cat is honestly kind of a jerk. You find yourself rooting for Pooch after the third time he gets tripped up. It’s that kind of repetitive gag structure that either works for you or makes you want to close the browser tab. I stuck with it.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a fun little relic. Definitely feels more grounded in its own weird logic than something like Short Kilts. Sometimes you just need to watch a butcher lose his mind over a cat.