Bimbo’s Initiation (1931)

Bimbo’s Initiation Review

Bimbo’s Initiation is a 1931 animated short film from the Talkartoons series.

Bimbo is initiated into a secret society. The initiation process is very painful and scary, but eventually it ends with him meeting Betty Boop herself. This is one of the greatest Talkartoons due to the sheer inventiveness that it possesses in visuals and plot scenarios. I did wish for a stronger ending as it was a bit too abrupt and odd, but Betty herself was quite memorable and Bimbo’s infatuation with her is always amusing.

Bimbo’s Initiation features absolutely stunning animation. I watched the version on YouTube that was fixed, so it looked especially polished and stark. The character movements were so well accompanied with classical music and fantastic sound design. The scary house that Bimbo enters is so well imagined and every single scenario that he finds himself in was so well thought out and quite creepy. The movie at times reminded me of ‘Alice in Wonderland’, that’s how imaginative and creative it was in its world building. The cult figures with their repeated line asking for initiation were the highlights.

Bimbo’s Initiation is one of the best Talkartoons without a doubt. It features superb sound, excellent score and stunning animation. It’s one of the most creative and unique cartoons of its era.

My Rating – 4.6