The Under Dog (1929) - A weirdly charming 6-minute relic

Is it worth the six minutes?

If you have a soft spot for grainy, flickering history and cartoons where characters stretch like they're made of chewing gum, then yes, The Under Dog is worth a look. People who need a plot that makes sense or high-def visuals will probably hate every second of this scratchy mess.

It’s very much a product of its time, which means it's a bit chaotic and the logic is... well, there is no logic. I think that's why I liked it, though. 🐶

The Rubber Hose Vibe

Paul Terry and Mannie Davis were clearly just figuring things out here. The way the main dog moves is so fluid it’s almost unsettling.

In one scene, his legs just sort of spin in a circle like a bicycle wheel before he actually starts running. It’s a small thing, but it made me laugh because it’s so unnecessary.

The backgrounds are pretty sparse, too. Sometimes it feels like the characters are just floating in a white void while a single tree slides past them to give the illusion of movement.

It reminds me a bit of the energy in Motor Trouble, where the slapstick feels more violent than funny. There is a real sense of mean-spiritedness in these early shorts that you don't see as much in modern stuff.

Odd Little Details

I noticed that the sound—if you’re watching a version with the original synced audio—is incredibly tinny. It sounds like the orchestra was playing inside a tin can at the bottom of a well.

There is this one moment where the dog looks directly at the camera. His eyes are huge and kind of empty, and for a second, it feels like a horror movie. 🎥

The pacing is also totaly insane. One minute he's being chased, and the next, he's found a way to win, but there’s no real transition between the two states.

It’s a bit like Wife Savers in how it just barrels through its runtime without stoping to breathe. I kind of wish modern movies had this lack of self-awareness.

"It’s the kind of film that feels like it was drawn on a napkin during a very loud lunch."

Why it stays with you

I think I prefer this over something like Bleak House just beacuse it’s so short and weird. You don't have to invest your whole afternoon into it.

The dog eventually gets his win, obviously. But the way he celebrates is by doing this weird jig that looks like his bones have dissolved.

It’s not a masterpiece, and I wouldn't tell anyone to go out of their way to find a physical copy. But if it pops up on your feed, don't scroll past it immediately.

There is something honest about how clunky the animation is. You can see the hand of the person who drew it, even in the parts that don't look very good.

The bully character is just a generic big dog, but he has this sneer that feels surprisingly real. Or maybe I’ve just seen too many of these and I’m projecting.

Anyway, it’s a neat little time capsule. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. It's just a dog. In 1929. Doing dog things. 🐾