Customer Reviews

Hoppity Goes to Town

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This feature length cartoon from the Fleischer studios deserves a larger following. Lavishly produced during animation's first Golden Age, in 1941, it tells the story of a community of bugs whose security is threatened when a fence bordering their lot is destroyed. Quite handsome, even by Disney standards, and very appealing for adults and children. A lively score by Hoagy Carmichael and Frank Loesser is one of the film's charming assets. "We're the Couple in the Castle", the film's theme song, was a hit in its day: few fans are aware it was written for this movie. Many historians consider this film (originally called 'Mr. Bug Goes to Town') superior to the Fleischer's first feature, 'Gulliver's Travels' and I'd agree. This is the kind of magnificent, elegant, and beautifully-rendered animation we see so little of, today. Many technical highlights include a stunning three-dimensional model of the Manhattan skyline during the opening credits and a spectacular climax in which the bugs find themselves caught in the erection of a skyscraper.

The DVD print (which has the 'Hoppity' title clumsily spliced on) is otherwise splendid. Not quite a Technicolor restoration, but lovingly cleaned up, with vivid color and a sharp image. No special features, unfortunately, so this release doesn't rate five stars. But for fans of the Fleischers, of quality animation, or of solid family entertainment, a wonderful addition to your collection.

It will always remain a mystery as to why Max and Dave Fleischer didn't persevere with this format, instead of concentrating on 'shorts' and serials, such as Betty Boop and Superman. Perhaps Hoppity wasn't a box-office smash at the time (1941).

Walt Disney's classic animations have stood the test of time - this beauty has too! The quality of the animation is second to none, the storyline is captivating, and the viewer always cares what is going to happen to the characters throughout.

This reviewer first watched Hoppity when it was shown on British television in around 1963 (at nine years old). I will recall being positively entranced by it all, finding the humorous interludes rib-tickling, the threats to our insect friends seemed all too real, and the sense of joy at their eventual arrival in the 'promised land' was overwhelming.

The BBC (who held the rights then, as they still do at the time of this review) regularly repeated showings for the next eight or so years, at which time the film appeared to suffer 'dating'. The last showing (as I recall) would be in around 1982, since when, it seems, it has gathered dust in the vaults. This is a real shame - I think that, despite the advances in animation technology which have produced such movies as 'Antz' and 'Bug's Life', today's youngsters would appreciate Hoppity's adventures as much as I did all those years ago.

Neither my children nor my grand-children have ever seen the film, and, as the VHS PAL (British) format of 'Hoppity goes to Town' has been deleted, I am very likely to purchase an NTSC version in the near future, and pay to have a copy transferred to VHS PAL.

It will definitely be worth it!

If nothing else, this movie deserves credit as the only successful competition to Disney's animated features of that era. Dave Fleisher, who also did a series of renowned Superman cartoons, does a great job with the background art, and the animation here is smooth as with the Superman cartoons, giving the competition a run for their money. The story is about a group of insects in the big city who must find a new home due to the progress of people. Some of the cartoon insect characters are cute, and some parts very funny, but what stands out the most is the art and animation, making this a must for students of animation or film art. It's not much different from the modern animated features like A Bug's Life, Antz, etc., but they did this one all by hand.

I first saw this full-length Max Fleischer cartoon as a child. I purchased it recently for sentimental value, but our three-year old really enjoys it and asks for it repeatedly. Hoppity is a grasshopper who believes that teamwork and community are important. He's in love with Mr. Bumble's daughter, Honey Bee, and things look good except for two things -- careless humans who are trespassing on the grounds after a gate is broken and the dastardly C. Bagley Beetle, who will stop at nothing to marry Honey and run Bugville. The animation is fun, if not as glitzy as more recent fare, and kids might initially blow it off -- but should soon get caught up in the fun characterizations, interesting story and catchy 1940s music. Children will enjoy the clever visuals while adults can appreciate the word play and references. ("Well jeepers, Mr. Creepers!")

This 85-minute film by a real craftsman has all the potential to be a pleasant surprise for your whole family. Give it a try!

A critical and commercial failure when first released, Max and Dave Fleischer's "Hoppity Goes to Town" (1941) has grown in stature over the years and remains a minor classic among animation buffs. The Fleischers' second (and last) cartoon feature was a decided improvement over the unevenness of "Gulliver's Travels" (1939) and an admirable departure from the Disney storybook formula. Unlike the Disney features of that period, "Hoppity" utilized an original story (partly inspired by Frank Capra's "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town") with a contemporary New York setting. The result is an offbeat comedy-drama that focuses on urban upheaval and its jarring effect upon the residents of Bugville. Beautifully animated and showcasing some memorable songs from Hoagy Carmichael, "Hoppity Goes to Town" is one of the Fleischers' finest achievements. Sadly, the film's poor box-office showing was a contributing factor to the demise of Fleischer Studios in 1942. Though "Hoppity" enjoyed a sporadic home-video release during the 1980s, present-day VHS tapes are rather scarce. If you can find a used copy, it's well worth the investment.

As delightful and charming an adventure for kids and adults alike as you will find! With it's heartwarming tale and beautiful soundtrack this is a movie everyone will want to see over and over again. Follow Hoppity in his quest to relocate his community of bugs and grubs whilst a young songwriter and his wife also struggle to keep a roof over their heads with nothing but a piano and a beautiful song, 'The Couple In The Castle In The Air' keeping them from the streets. Watch as the two stories entwine and delight in a classic happy ending!

True artists make these bugs come to life. A look at life from a 1940's perspecive...not that much different from now. Gives current computer-generated animation a lesson or two, drawn by human artists one frame at a time. Highly recomended by me and my grandson for chldren and adults alike. Also try Gullivers Travels 60th Anniversary Limited Edition for the same reasons listed above.

I first saw this cartoon on TV many years ago, and to now own it on dvd is a dream come true, even though I had to pay a lot more for it than I would normally consider paying for any movie, let alone a cartoon - worth every penny! The artwork, the animation, the characterisations, the storyline - all superb.

With one or two exceptions, I would say that in general cartoon artwork and animation pre-1960 was far superior to that produced post-1960. This one, Hoppity Goes To Town, and from the Golden Age, is as good as any Disney cartoon, and better than some.

Again this film is such a technical and overall improvement to Gulliver that the Fleischer's could have exploited this to be an exceptionally high quality film. Again they continue to be under Disney's spell despite improvement in color keys, personality, and fluidity. The atmosphere is just to reminiscent of Disney though again this is a much better vehicle than Gulliver and in some ways this can actually hold its own against the initial Disney classic features. Despite the fact that this was a flop on the onset of Pearl Harbor this can be taken more seriously than Gulliver from a commercial and technical standpoint and probably would have been taken as such commercially had the war not initiated.

The biggest problem is not so fleshed out characters. Mr.Bug is essentially more reminiscent of Mid-Western Rural Values something more akin to a Disney feature than a Fleischer one. The background characters are more effective because they seem to take on persona's reminiscent of the people they grew up knowing in New York. Though again had the characters been more reminiscent of the personalities they knew growing up in New York this would have been better fleshed. The leading female is an ingenue-type however she seems to show no depth or personality. I have the strangest feeling that had she been more akin to Essie Fleischer's personality Max's erratic wife than she would have taken on this street-smart persona used to better effect. Again they are focused more on technical proficiency than fleshing out the characters which seem to take a direction reminiscent of Hollywood personalities such as James Stewart.

This could have been a semi-biographical picture for the Fleischer's. The bugs could have epitomized these underdogs of society these immigrants that were proud of adapting to this new and alien culture, while the human antagonists were the upper-crust of society that oppressed or disregarded them. Though some of the humans like thew more affluent of New York still have compassion. It could have been a metaphoric piece for the New York immigration wave and overcoming adversity.

Again the technical elements work out much better in this film than Gulliver people such as Graham Place were continuing the push the studio towards technological progress that Disney and MGM had already been synonymous with years earlier. Now they finally have something on par in terms of technical quality to them though again story structure is to loose and personalities not effective as Hoppity is again more reminiscent of what might be seen in a Disney picture so they may have some form of personality but not anything that would work in their element. So like a 1941 critic said "Make no mistake Disney is still the king of animated features", what I say is that at least they were closer to being on par than Gulliver and maybe a third feature really would have had some form of vital importance in the industries history.

This movie was great! I watched it on VHS as a kid, so I was very happy I found it on DVD! It was great quality and had a great picture!!!