Way Back When a Razzberry Was a Fruit

Fleischer's 'Stone Age' series is not much seen these days and the reasons are numerous, but what they mostly come down to is the fact that they are not particularly good. This one, however, is excellent. I attribute much of the pleasure to the handling of the work by animation director Seamus Culhane. He seems to have worked at every animation studio and done an excellent job under every regime. Check out his Woody Woodpecker 'Barber of Seville'.

But a good script is absolutely necessary, and a very good one is provided here. It's a little thinner on the gags than usual for Fleischer, but the best one concerns a stone-age hunter with whom the narrator constantly breaks the fourth wall, as they argue over noises, from the narrator's voice scaring off the quarry to the quality of sound effects. This one is probably the best of the bunch.

Am saying that because the "Stone Age" cartoons, twelve altogether from 1940, were made when Fleischer Studios were in a big decline in the early 40s. With a few not bad exceptions, a vast majority of their output from this period were barely average and often downright weak. The worst of the "Stone Age" cartoons, one of Fleischer Studios' worst series of cartoons, were among the studio's all time worst.

So expectations were not high at all when first watching 'Way Back When a Razzberry was a Fruit', especially considering that the previous cartoons with 'Way Back When' in the title were so mediocre at best. But did so anyway having always respected the previous reviewer's work here and often been on the same page in terms of opinions. Found myself really pleasantly surprised by 'Way Back When a Razzberry was a Fruit'. One of the best "Stone Age" cartoons easily, being one of the very few above average ones ('Granite Hotel' being another), and one of the decent exceptions of Fleischers' declining period.

'Way Back When a Razzberry was a Fruit' is not what one calls a great cartoon. The story is very paper thin and very predictable when there are signs of any. Parts can be pretty corny.

There are times where the pacing isn't great either, with a sluggish start, but that aspect is better done than the other cartoons in the series as you don't feel the length then some as you do with some of the others.

On the other hand, 'Way Back When a Razzberry was a Fruit' is one of the series' best-looking cartoons. Most of the series is not very well animated at all, but there is a lot more detail and finesse than usual and there are imaginative moments. The music is full of character and vibrantly orchestrated, it is the one consistently good aspect of the series and the best thing of all the previous cartoons. It's one of the best things here too. Great use of sound effects, especially in the breaking the fourth wall parts (yes you saw right).

Pretty much a vast majority of the series is very low on the gag count and is not funny, remotely amusing even, or appealing. Here in 'Way Back When a Razzberry was a Fruit', there are more gags than usual and while not original they are actually amusing and not near as fatigued as most of the series. The breaking the fourth wall at its best was pretty inspired. The characters are less dull and less annoying than usual and the narration has corny moments but is generally entertaining and clever and love its character interaction with the hunter. The delivery is great too, that is another consistently good thing in the series.

Don't let the silly title put you off. This cartoon was surprisingly good and one of the very few entries in the series that is actually recommended. 7/10