Betty Boop’s Museum (1932)

Betty Boop’s Museum Review

Betty Boop’s Museum is a 1932 animated short film from the Betty Boop series. It is a a very strong short.

Koko is recruiting customers for a 50-cent sightseeing tour of the museum. Betty is Koko’s only passenger. Betty gets locked inside by accident. The skeletons from the displays come to life and chase Betty, until she is finally rescued by Bimbo. This horror-inspired short isn’t as inventive as you’d expect from its setting. The second half with the musical number felt too standard and not as surreal as the rest.

But the first half is terrific. There are moments here that were undeniably creative and unique. The skeletons coming to life produced some terrific imagery and so did the famous statues changing shape and positions. The animation is brilliant, benefiting from stupendous designs inside the museum. The score is lively and vibrant too. Betty is very well realized here with some memorable dialogue and an inherently likable personality that made her a heroine easy to root for.

Betty Boop’s Museum has an inferior second half, but the first half is terrific. Betty is great here and the inventive animation was a real treat.

My Rating – 4