ironhorse_iv Review of Red Hot Riding Hood

Red Hot Riding Hood (1943)

'Red Hot Riding Hood' is howling good time! It's worth the watch!

[7/10 · 5 May 2018]

Released with the 1943's Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie 'Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case', Frederick Bean Avery, better known as Tex Avery 1943's animation short 'Red Hot Riding Hood' is one of the most wacky cartoon ever. Without spoiling too much of it; the animation short is seduction, lovely, adventurous, yet also dangerous, furious, and violence. It's a cartoon of the extreme. A rare taboo beast, in the back in the days of the Hays Office Code. Although, there have been many semi-sexy adult- oriented animation adaptations of the classic fairy tale, 'Little Red Riding Hood', before this short, like Van Beuren Studios 1931's short, 'Red Riding Hood', Fleischer Studios 1931's 'Dizzy Red Riding Hood' & Warner Bros, 1937's 'Little Red Walking Hood', which Avery also produced before leaving for MGM. None of them, stands the test of time, like this classic 7 minute film about a socialite playboy, literal and figurative wolf (Voiced by Frank Graham) trying to woo the heart of a beautiful nightclub singer (Voiced by Sara Berner). The reason, why, is, the unique way, the fame animator, portray sex & lust. Avery's complex parodic style of humor is really fast-pace, mostly relied on sight gags, wild takes, continuous fourth-wall breaking & hysterical fast animation. Its high energy & outrageous over the top howling mad. A style of comedy that works for adolescence and adults. A huge attention grabber! No wonder, why it stood out even if some of the humor do fall flat, like the dated cigarette girl, joke. I just glad, it's not really the slow burn, happy go lucky ground, toddler cartoons that was more common at the time. That would had been highly boring. Thank goodness, Avery's humor and perfect comical timing set the new tone of well-rounded comedy that is still used today by animators & filmmakers, alike. There is no better, example of that, than the hybrid films of 1994's 'The Mask' & 1988's 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' whom directors, were highly influence by Avery's works. However, there are some flaws in this animation short. One is the musical dance number. While, I did find, 'Miss Hood', attractive as hell, her singing voice provide by sultry singer Connie Russell, did not match with her normal voice, done by Sara Berner. It was very pitchy and off-key. Very jarring. Not only that but the 1941's song 'Oh Daddy' by Bobby Troup that they play in the background, were not the best choice for the film, as it barely relate to the piece. If anything, 1925's 'How Could Red Riding Hood (Have Been So Very Good)?', written by A.P. Randolph, suite the movie, better, even if that song is kinda banned from the public (except in instrumental versions), due to possible sexual connotations at the time. As for the sexual visuals; while, it's true that Miss Hood is portray as a sex object in the film. It's still nice to see, the woman here, is not portray as victim or weak. If anything, the way, she says 'no' and smash the wolf with a lamp, was very powering for the women at the time. As for the wolf, unwanted lust. It's not really that bad. It's pretty tame, compare to today's standards of cartoony versions of horny jerkoffs. Still, it did rub the wrong way with the Hays Code, at the time, to the point that MGM release a censor version, where the wolf doesn't react in highly cartoony wild way to Red's dancing. Thank goodness, an army officer at Washington, D.C, spoke out, against it, as he found that type of censorship, unnecessary, and asked Louis B. Mayer for uncut ones to show to military audiences overseas in World War II. However, the film's original conclusion with the shotgun wedding was sadly, not as lucky. It was never shown to the public. The same, with the other, alternate endings; in fear of the film promoting bestiality between a woman and a wolf. Instead, the movie went with the suicide angle; which today is pretty hard to watch. Honestly, if I had a choice on how the movie should end. I would had choose, seeing the grandma chasing the wolf, around & the black circle coming in, than the others. At least, that ending would been, somewhat tasteful. Despite that, the film is one of Avery's most famous cartoons, to the point that, two other sequels shorts were made: 1945's 'Swing Shift Cinderella' & 1949's 'Little Rural Riding Hood'. However, sadly, this cartoon, along with all other subsequent cartoons featuring these trios, was initially banned from television, judged as being too provocative. Only, recently, it just been release, online. Still, they are often, hard to find, even in the age of YouTube. As for DVDs copies. They are also very rare. Hopefully, one day, the short would be, a little more available to the public. Overall: While, this short is not really suitable for small children. It's still a nice animated film from Tex Avery. 'Red Hot Riding Hood' is a shining example of some of the best, the golden age of animation can bring to the table. It really did strike, when the iron was red hot. What a hoot!