Born to Peck

Perhaps the most wistful and angst-ridden of the Woody Woodpecker cartoons, "Born to Peck" is about an aged Woody reminiscing about his life as a woodpecker, how he was a virtuoso at pecking wood, even tormenting his parents about it, since he'd destroy every crib they had him in. However, his beak is no longer able to penetrate wood, and he becomes suicidal -- when he does revive his spirit, he is inspired again to peck, but picks on the wrong kind of tree in an ironic twist ending.

. . . are three of the words that can be used to fairly describe BORN TO PECK. This picture begins by depicting Woody's grandfather with a grizzled gray beard longer than he is tall. What could be sadder than that? Plenty. When the stork drops off Woody's egg at the home of his hen-pecked dad, his mom immediately abandons him and storms away forever with her gang of Woody's six older sisters. Woody soon hatches, and immediately intuits countless ways to torment his sire. There is no hint that a properly respectful father-son relationship will ever develop, and the pair do not even have a single catch session to enjoy America's pastime. Then, suddenly, Woody suffers through a montage which concludes by finding HIM in a geezer Old Timer's beard, stumbling toward his open grave. Does BORN TO PECK segue into an implausible Happy Ending along the lines of A CHRISTMAS CAROL or IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE? Doubtless the answer to this question could be taken as a "spoiler."

Was very fond of Woody Woodpecker and his cartoons as a child. Still get much enjoyment out of them now as a young adult, even if there are more interesting in personality cartoon characters and better overall cartoons.

That is in no way knocking Woody, because many of his cartoons are a lot of fun to watch and more and also still like him a lot as a character. 'Born to Peck' is one of his best but is an atypical effort for him, taking a more poignant and sombre as well as more reflective and nostalgic tone rather than the wonderfully chaotic and riotous one that one usually sees in a Woody Woodpecker cartoon.

'Born to Peck' sees Woody at his most likable and least intentionally obnoxious. One actually feels incredibly sorry for him and is moved by his heart-breaking plight.

As ever, the animation is very good. The characters are well drawn, but even better are the rich colours, meticulously detailed backgrounds and smooth backgrounds.

Music is another strength here. It's characterful, lushly orchestrated and is not only dynamic with the action it even enhances it. The story is not predictable at all, and is perhaps the only Woody Woodpecker cartoon to make me tear up, unheard of usually. The ending is suitably ironic.

In conclusion, one of Woody's best even when completely different to usual. 10/10 Bethany Cox