Van Beuren cartoons are extremely variable, especially in the number of gags and whether the absurdist humour shines through enough (sometimes it does, other times it doesn't), but are strangely interesting. Although they are often poorly animated with barely existent stories and less than compelling lead characters, they are also often outstandingly scored, there can be some fun support characters and some are well-timed and amusing.
'Cowboy Cabaret' is for me among the worst of the 1931 batch and one of the worst Aesop's Fables/Van Beuren cartoons. It tries too hard to be cutesy which Van Beuren have rarely been successful at, and there is very little of the absurdist and surreal humour that can be seen in their best efforts, or at least it's not done right. There are a couple of decent things but they are far overshadowed by everything else that 'Cowboy Cabaret' does badly wrong.
Best asset about 'Cowboy Cabaret' is the music score, pretty much the best thing consistently of Van Beuren's output. Sometimes even the only good thing. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action.
A few neatly synchronised sound effects here and the horse is a quite amusing character if very underutilised.
Coming onto the numerous criticisms, the animation is not good, in fact it is downright bad most of the time with erratically sloppy character designs in particular while the simplistic background detail and lack of fluidity and crispness are just as difficult to ignore.
Story is very slight to the point of non-existence and suffers from very sluggish timing, the pace was in serious need of a kick in places. When there is any hint of a story, it comes too late, is very formulaic, still lacks energy and the villain lacks menace or fun and is instead pretty stock.
Likewise with endearing or memorable characters, the characters here are neither with a very bland lead . Not to mention very poorly animated.
Generally the cartoon is very low on laughs, actually none of it is remotely amusing and it all feels rather disorganised. Nothing is inventive, never rising above the forgettable and there is not much absurdist about them. This is a reiteration of a lot of the average and less Aesops Fables/Van Beuren cartoons that have been reviewed by me, but this is due to them having the same strengths and drawbacks.
All in all, another weak Aesop's Fables/Van Beuren cartoon. 3/10 Bethany Cox