Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.
'Hollywood Canine Canteen' is one of Robert McKimson's more interesting early, and overall even, cartoons. It may not be McKimson at his very finest, being made during his early years when he was still finding his style and was yet to create characters like Foghorn Leghorn, but it is very good, well made and entertaining. Can totally see where the previous reviewer is coming from with it, and agree with them actually, feeling more like a Frank Tashlin cartoon (actually mistook it for Tashlin on first viewing), the premise is familiar territory for Tashlin while being somewhat unusual for McKimson.
There is really not much to criticise with 'Hollywood Canine Canteen'. Providing one doesn't mind that the cartoon is, like a lot of caricature cartoons, a series of canine caricature gags and sequences and that familiarity with the people (even if just the names) being caricatured is in order (got most of them, though a couple went over my head, so was okay on that front). Its weak point really is that there is a slight sense of McKimson still finding his feet.
Although a couple went over my head (the caricatures in the snack bar sequence for instance and a few other sequences where the caricatures are unknown), being unfamiliar with them, the caricatures were so much fun to spot and the way they were caricatured was inspired. Laurel and Hardy, Leopold Stokowski, Abbott and Costello, Bing Crosby and the big band of famous musicians like Benny Goodman, to name a few. Have to love the canine names, corny but very amusing.
Animation is excellent, it's fluid in movement, crisp in shading and very meticulous in detail. The story may be predictable, but it's beautifully paced with never a dull moment and strongly structured.
Carl Stalling's music is typically superb. It is as always lushly orchestrated, full of lively energy and characterful in rhythm, not only adding to the action but also enhancing it.
Energy throughout is full of liveliness and the voice acting, Mel Blanc having the lion's share, is stellar.
In conclusion, a lot of fun and very well done, plus interesting if still-settling-feel early effort for McKimson. 8/10 Bethany Cox
