The Crunch Bird

Yes, it's based on a joke. (Hey, it's a SHORT animation film, right?) Yeah, it's from 1971, with 1971 technology, audio, acting, drawing, and dialog.

Still, it was humorous in its day.

As a theater manager in the mid-70s, I sometimes showed this prior to our main features (back before you PAID to see ADVERTISING on the big screen) and the audience always roared.

I'm not so harsh on this as some.... in those days we definitely needed a big laugh to escape the real world, even if for only a few minutes.

Give Crunch Bird a fair shake for what it is... a short piece of fluff that entertained the audiences of the day.

P.S. I can't speak to the points regarding the Academy selection, not having seen (or having seen but not remembered) the other contenders.

Yep it's true! The first thing you do after watching is scratch your head and ask yourself "how did THIS win an Oscar"? Then You chuckle and realise it doesn't matter and this is a funny short. Worth watching! And what else really matters huh?

Considering that the work is from 1971 and still makes me laugh, despite having a simple plot, it surprised me. Not as funny or with deep messages as other Oscar-winning animated shorts but still good.

I don't understand what I just watched! Or how it won an Oscar.

The animation was crude, even cruder than animation done decades ago, and didn't really add anything.

The story was poor. The humour stale. The voice acting limited.

With the 94th Academy Awards coming out this weekend, it's time to look back on the shortest animated short film that ever won the Oscar. Made by late UPA animator Ted Petok, The Crunch Bird remains the most brief short film in history at the Academy Awards.

Made in Detroit, Michigan and based on a crude joke, not even Petok himself could've predicted this brisk cartoon would have been awarded with so much prestige. In fact, based on Petok's background in commercials, the short was made as a gag to be put on the end of a car dealership commercial. However, this gag short about a woman trying to find a birthday present for her husband became a hit at small theaters to the point of boosting Petok's company and even spawning a sequel four years later. It really shows you how one small seed could end up being the biggest seed of all.

While not seemingly possible today with what's to be expected from the more "elite" award ceremonies, this brief segment alone is worth so much attention. After over 50 years in the spotlight, it remains a historical artifact for different reasons than ever intended. After all, two minutes can often say more than two hours.