Product Details

• Actors: Mel Blanc
• Directors: Chuck Jones
• Writers: Dr. Seuss, Phil Eastman
• Producers: Dr. Seuss, Leon Schlesinger
• Format: Animated, Black & White, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Wea Corp
• VHS Release Date: August 11, 1992
• Run Time: 4 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302499399
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #246,190 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Politically Incorrect!, May 27, 2002

By 

Michael A. Quebec (Union City, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Private Snafu [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Private Snafu" was intended as a training-guide for American soldiers during World War Two. ("Snafu" meaning Situation Normal All F...ed Up!) It also provided "training" for some of Warner Brothers' greatest cartoon talents. Many sight-gags, jokes, & plots used in later Warner's cartoons of the late '40's & 50's were actually lifted from the "Snafu" cartoons. (The TNT in the piano gag used in several Bugs Bunny cartoons & the air-force made of mosquitos are examples of "swipes" from "Private Snafu.") There's a great deal of satire in the writing as well, thanks to Ted "Dr. Seuss" Geisel, who actually wrote most of the scripts.

There's historical significance as well. These cartoons, uncensored, reflect the attitudes America had of the Axis at that time. Many of the words & descriptions would be deemed offensive by today's standards, but it's important to remember the times & the context from which these were made. (It's also important to remember that for every negative stereotype Americans held towards the Germans, Italians, & most especially the Japanese, the Axis held towards Americans, as well as the British, the Chinese, & the Russians!) I"m Asian-American by descent & though if I were to see Asians (actually, in Snafu's case, Japanese, since China was on "our" side) stereo-typed today the way they were in the Snafu cartoons, I would be offended. However, watching the way they're drawn in these (period-specific) cartoons...well, it's kind of funny! (It's a guilty pleasure! And again, let me repeat, this was war! I've seen Axis propaganda & they didn't pull any punches when it came to Americans!)

The animation is excellent. However, since these cartoons were intended for soldiers, they are not recommended viewing for children! (Besides the racial stereo-types, there's plenty of suggestive dialogue & situations. Funny stuff, as long as you're over 10 years old!) However, if you're a cartoon fan, a historian, or if you just like a good (guilty) laugh (& there's lots of that!), then this series is definately recommended!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cartoons go to war, May 24, 2001

By 

ronald tweedie (vallejo, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Private Snafu [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I don't know about you, but I'm fascinated by these propaganda cartoons of the early 40's, and I can't help but wonder what the axis would have done if they had placed as much value on animation as Hollywood did. This tape stands up to repeated viewing. I would highly recommend this tape to anyone with an interest in vintage cartoons.