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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Champ remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have six minutes to spare and don't mind black-and-white scratches on your screen, The Champ is a fun little trip. You should watch this if you like the 'rubber-hose' style where bones don't seem to exist. You will probably hate it if you need things like 'logic' or 'character development' in your cartoons. 🐱
It’s a Terrytoons short, which usually means it’s a bit more rough around the edges than what Disney was doing at the time. I kind of prefer that though. It feels more raw and less like a polished product.
The whole thing starts with this cat in a boxing ring. He wins, obviously. He gets this big bag of money and walks home to Farmer Al Falfa. The way the cat walks is hilarious. He has these massive boxing gloves on and just sort of bounces along the road. 🥊
Farmer Al Falfa is one of those characters that just feels old. He’s been in so many of these shorts, like The Barber's Daughter, and he always looks like he’s having a mildly bad day. When the cat brings the money, the farmer is happy for about two seconds. Then the mice show up.
These mice are not like Mickey. They are kind of creepy and very organized. They move in these synchronized patterns that feel a bit like a military drill.
I noticed one scene where a mouse just sort of stretches his neck out way too far. It’s one of those bits where the animator clearly just wanted to see what they could get away with. It’s slightly unsettling but also pretty funny.
The way they try to steal the money is just pure chaos. There’s a lot of pulling and pushing. No one really says anything. It’s all just music and sound effects. The music is very 1930s—lots of horns and a rhythm that never stops. 🎺
I think the pacing is a bit weird. The boxing match at the start feels very fast. Then the part in the house feels like it goes on forever. It’s not boring, but you definitely feel the shift. It reminds me of the energy in When Giants Fought, where the action just keeps piling up until you’re not sure who is winning anymore.
One thing that bothered me—and this is a small thing—is that the cat never takes the gloves off. How is he supposed to open a door? How does he eat? He just keeps the gloves on the whole time. 🧤
There is a moment where the mice use a literal mouse trap as a weapon. It’s a bit meta. Or maybe I’m overthinking it. It’s just a cartoon from 1931, after all.
Compared to something like The Wrecker, which has a bit more of a grounded feel (well, as grounded as these things get), The Champ is just pure silliness. It doesn't try to be anything else.
The backgrounds are pretty simple. You can see where they reused some of the drawings for the trees and the fences. It’s got that charming cheapness to it.
I watched this right after seeing The Big Party, and it’s interesting how much more aggressive the comedy was back then. People—and animals—were just constantly hitting each other. 💥
The ending is kind of abrupt. It just... stops. No big moral lesson. No 'happily ever after' for everyone. Just the end of the reel. I actually like that. It doesn't overstay its welcome.
If you’re looking for a deep dive into the human condition, look elsewhere. If you want to see a cat in oversized gloves deal with a mouse uprising, this is your movie.
It’s definitely better than The Texas Kid if you prefer slapstick over slow-moving western tropes. It’s fast. It’s loud. It’s a bit messy.
I’ll probably forget most of it by tomorrow, but I enjoyed the six minutes I spent with it. Sometimes that is all you need from a movie. 🍿
One last thing—the sound quality is a bit fuzzy. It adds to the vibe, I guess. It sounds like a dusty record playing in another room. It’s cozy in a strange way.
Anyway, go watch it if you're bored. Or don't. It won't change your life, but it might make you smile for a second. ✌️
IMDb —
1919
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