Van Bueren Studios' Cubby the Bear series comprised of just 17 cartoons made between 1933-1934. As much as it pains me to say it, speaking as a big animation fan, it is not hard to see why the character and the series weren't so popular and didn't last long.
Despite my love for animation, acknowledging that there are a few above mediocre Cubby cartoons and having had a few nice memorable picnics with family and friends in my life, 'Cubby's Picnic' did nothing for me. Picnics are not always done well, either in a fun or interesting way, in animation, but they have never been presented this dully or vaguely. It is not always telling what the setting is meant to be for a start, There are a few salvageable elements. The best thing about it, and this is true of a lot of Van Bueren's output, is the music score. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and full of lively energy that is sorely lacking elsewhere, doing so well with enhancing the action.
'Cubby's Picnic' ends on a surprising note, the only part of the cartoon that resembles any kind of surprise. The magician is reasonably fun but is barely in it.
However, the animation is really not good even for a cartoon not made on a high budget, and it is true for the Cubby the Bear series and Van Bueren in general on the whole. It's static in movement, simplistic in background detail and sloppy in drawing, with the character expressions being pretty expressionless.
Another major problem is Cubby himself, on top of being poorly animated he is one of the blandest, most personality-deprived and most motivation-less characters ever to exist. Honey is not much better, think the love interests for similar early male characters from Disney and Looney Tunes except much blander and with significantly less charm or personality and you have Honey. The supporting characters are neither interesting or funny, only the magician sort of intrigues but cartoon-time is limited.
Nothing here is funny, instead it is rather saccharine, too low on laughs/gags and sloppy in timing. The story is barely existent and doesn't go aimless, even for a Cubby or Van Bueren cartoon it's very disjointed and fails to make any kind of sense. The direction is hardly there either, inexperience is all over the cartoon and the direction also reeks of it.
In short, very dull and weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox
Despite my love for animation, acknowledging that there are a few above mediocre Cubby cartoons and having had a few nice memorable picnics with family and friends in my life, 'Cubby's Picnic' did nothing for me. Picnics are not always done well, either in a fun or interesting way, in animation, but they have never been presented this dully or vaguely. It is not always telling what the setting is meant to be for a start, There are a few salvageable elements. The best thing about it, and this is true of a lot of Van Bueren's output, is the music score. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and full of lively energy that is sorely lacking elsewhere, doing so well with enhancing the action.
'Cubby's Picnic' ends on a surprising note, the only part of the cartoon that resembles any kind of surprise. The magician is reasonably fun but is barely in it.
However, the animation is really not good even for a cartoon not made on a high budget, and it is true for the Cubby the Bear series and Van Bueren in general on the whole. It's static in movement, simplistic in background detail and sloppy in drawing, with the character expressions being pretty expressionless.
Another major problem is Cubby himself, on top of being poorly animated he is one of the blandest, most personality-deprived and most motivation-less characters ever to exist. Honey is not much better, think the love interests for similar early male characters from Disney and Looney Tunes except much blander and with significantly less charm or personality and you have Honey. The supporting characters are neither interesting or funny, only the magician sort of intrigues but cartoon-time is limited.
Nothing here is funny, instead it is rather saccharine, too low on laughs/gags and sloppy in timing. The story is barely existent and doesn't go aimless, even for a Cubby or Van Bueren cartoon it's very disjointed and fails to make any kind of sense. The direction is hardly there either, inexperience is all over the cartoon and the direction also reeks of it.
In short, very dull and weak. 3/10 Bethany Cox
