Wood Choppers (1929) Review: A Weirdly Loud Time

Is it worth the six minutes?

Look, if you are looking for Citizen Kane, you’re in the wrong place. 🪵

But if you like watching ink-blot animals hit things with axes to a steady beat, then yeah, sure.

Historians will probably tell you this is a 'pivotal moment' for Terrytoons. I just think it’s a weird little fever dream from 1929.

People who hate old, crackly cartoons should stay far away. You will find it annoying within thirty seconds.

But if you have a soft spot for the the early days of sound, it’s a fun curiosity.

The Vibes

The first thing I noticed is the noise. It’s so loud for no reason.

Every time an axe hits wood, it sounds like a gunshot. It’s almost aggressive.

The background music just loops and loops. It feels like it’s drilling into your skull after a while. 😵‍💫

Paul Terry wasn't trying to be an artist here. He was trying to finish a job.

You can tell because the trees all look exactly the same. It’s like they just copy-pasted the same drawing over and over.

I watched this right after Secret Marriage. Talk about a tonal whiplash.

One is a stiff drama and the other is a goat getting hit in the head with a branch.

I think I preferred the goat, honestly.

Specific Weirdness

There is this one moment where a tree falls down. But it doesn't just fall.

It kind of melts into the ground like a stick of butter on a hot sidewalk.

The physics in 1929 were just... optional? I guess.

And the characters! They have those classic staring eyes. Just two black dots that never blink.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Wood Choppers (1929) through its definitive frames.

It’s a bit creepy if you look at it too long.

I missed the plot because there isn't one. They chop wood. The end.

It reminds me of Billy Jim in a way. Not because they're similar stories, but because both feel like they were made by people who were just figuring out what the audience wanted.

Except Wood Choppers has more slapstick and fewer horses.

• The goat is the best character. He looks very stressed.
• The way the saws move is actually kind of hypnotic.
• There is a bird in the background that doesn't move for the entire scene. Just a frozen drawing.

I wonder if Paul Terry actually liked wood chopping? Or maybe it was just easy to animate?

Probably the second one.

I’ve been watching a lot of these lately, like Everywoman and Fangs of Justice.

Wood Choppers is definitely the shortest of the bunch. Thank god for that.

One scene lingers way too long on a character just walking in place. You can almost feel the animators trying to fill the runtime.

It’s slightly imperfect and messy, but that's what makes it feel real.

Modern cartoons are too clean. This one has grit and dirt and weird lines that don't connect.

Final Thoughts (Not really a verdict)

Don't expect to learn anything. Don't expect to be 'moved.'

It’s just a bunch of drawings doing manual labor. 🪓

It’s better than Children of Destiny, mostly because it doesn't take itself seriously.

If you're bored on a Tuesday, give it a look. Or don't. The world will keep spinning either way.

I think I might have liked it more if I hadn't spilled my coffee during the saw scene.

Anyway, it's a solid piece of history if you’re into that sort of thing.

Just don't blame me if the music gets stuck in your head for three days straight.