Die fröhlichen Anties

One of Freleng's superlative musical cartoons, it's also his most unheralded. Why?? It seems, in fact, that many viewers don't realize this is a musical--the kind of picture Freleng did best. The ants may be devilish, but there's a real work ethic behind their activities. DAZZLINGLY INVENTIVE gags, dreamed up by Friz himself (despite the official credits, Mike Maltese & Tedd Pierce didn't write this cartoon at all--according to Leonard Maltin's "Of Mice & Magic," Freleng's musical cartoons were planned entirely by the director himself). Gorgeous animation from Gerry Chiniquy (the sandwich construction sequences; the lady ants' parasol dance; the Russian dance; and the ants' triumphant gallop back into their hole), and also by Virgil Ross (the climactic "Time Waits For No One" number).

Merrie Melodies were always a big part of my childhood. The Gay Anties is one of my favourites, and one of Fritz Freleng's best cartoons. It is beautifully animated, with luscious colours and backgrounds and the character designs are well-done and very sweet. The music is just wonderful, my favourites being the lyrical opening, the ants' Russian dance and Time Waits for No One, while the dancing is cute and matches the music perfectly, like the horse kicking its legs in the beginning. The Gay Mounties is very funny as well, the ants at the picnic stealing the food while familiar territory was amusing as are the ant's upward skiing struggle, the sandwich constructions, the lady ants' parasol dance and the ants' triumphant return to the anthill but the standout was the Russian dance for me, beautifully characterised and unexpected. I even liked the Time Waits for No One rendition, the song is wonderful and while the singing is like a chipmunk's in a register that may irritate people understandably it is also adorable. The ants are all endearing as well, I usually don't like ants but there are few cartoons around that show ants despite being absolute pests having a sense of cuteness without being overly-so. All in all, one of Freleng's best and one of my favourites as well. 10/10 Bethany Cox