5.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Hunting Season remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're into those super old, slightly unsettling cartoons from the thirties, you might find something to like here. If you prefer your animation to have, you know, a logical plot or characters that don't look like they're melting, skip it. It's essentially a short, punchy revenge fantasy that doesn't waste a single second on backstory.
Everything starts out perfectly normal. Molly Moo Cow is hanging out with these ducks, and the whole scene feels like a fever dream of soft, round shapes and happy splashing. It’s almost too cheerful.
Then the hunter shows up. He’s the classic cartoon villain archetype—all eyebrows and bad intentions—and he starts blasting away. There’s no buildup. Just a guy with a gun looking to ruin a perfectly good afternoon.
The turning point is where things get weird. The animals don't just run away. They actually coordinate, which is a bit terrifying when you think about it. Watching a cow effectively outsmart a human with firearms is the kind of stuff that sticks with you long after the credits roll. 🐄
The animation style is bouncy and loose, but there are moments where the perspective just feels... off. Sometimes the background looks like it’s vibrating. It’s not the smooth, polished stuff you’d see in a modern Pixar film, and honestly, that’s why it’s interesting.
It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Neck 'n' Neck, where logic is secondary to just keeping the chaos moving forward. If you blink, you miss the best parts of the slapstick.
Does it hold up today? Probably not in any serious way. But as a slice of 1930s animation history, it’s a strange, violent, and oddly satisfying little watch. You aren't going to get a deep philosophical message about the state of man, but you do get to see a hunter get exactly what's coming to him.
One weird detail: the way the hunter’s gun interacts with the animals feels totally weightless. Like it’s a prop made of paper. Classic.
If you are looking for something lighter, I’d suggest watching something more character-driven like The Hope, but for sheer, unadulterated cartoon spite, this one takes the cake.
