Camping with the Gang: A Short, Chaotic Trip to Nowhere

Is it worth the watch?

Honestly, you probably don't need to watch The First Round-Up unless you’re a completionist for the Little Rascals or just really into 1930s kid-actor chaos. It’s not a masterpiece, and it’s not trying to be. If you like seeing a bunch of kids acting like they’re in the middle of a survival horror movie just because they’re two miles from their kitchen, you’ll get a kick out of it.

Folks who hate amateur-hour pacing or kids screaming for no reason should probably steer clear. It’s a loud, frantic little short.

The 'Wilderness'

The whole premise is pretty charming in a weird way. These kids are camping at Cherry Creek, which is basically the backyard of the world. They act like they’re trekking through the Amazon. The way they set up their tiny tent—which looks like it’s held together by hope and maybe a shoelace—is classic.

It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in The Bicycle Flirt, where things move way too fast for their own good. The kids are all over the place. Stymie and Spanky are doing their usual thing, but the real star is the atmosphere once night falls. It’s all fake hooting owls and frogs that sound like they were recorded in a bathroom.

The Panic

Things get genuinely silly when the thunderstorm hits. You can tell the production budget was basically five dollars and a bag of popcorn. The rain looks like someone is just tossing buckets of water at the camera lens from off-screen.

I couldn't stop laughing at the reaction shots. One kid looks so terrified he’s practically vibrating. It’s not exactly the intense mystery you’d find in The Studio Murder Mystery, but it has its own weird, jittery rhythm. ⛈️

• Pete the Dog is the only one who seems to know what’s going on.
• The tent collapse scene is pure, unadulterated slapstick gold.
• Wait, why were they allowed to camp alone in the woods in the first place?
• The sound design is aggressively weird.

It’s not a movie you analyze. It’s just a thing that happened on film. You watch it, you giggle at the bad props, and then you move on. It’s imperfect, sure. But it’s got that weird, specific energy that you just don't see in modern stuff anymore. 🐶