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Top Ten Merry Melodies of the Late 1930s List

The Merry Melodies series significantly progressed during the late thirties. Whereas the first half of the decade was characterized by forgettable characters and an over-reliance on musical numbers, this period focused on crazy antics, goofy humor and authentic storytelling which are all the things you would expect from this famous series. That led to a lot of truly great entries to choose from so without further ado here are ten best Merry Melodies from 1935 to 1939.

10. Daffy Duck in Hollywood

Rarely as amazing as its title would suggest, this Daffy Duck outing still is pretty strong. There are some weaker scenes, but we get some great ones such as the one where a fat lady wins a beauty pageant. That stole the show for me. The overall story is also very entertaining as watching Daffy screw up with film directors and make his own ridiculous, crazy movie was a lot of fun.

9. I’m a Big Shot Now

I tend to dislike gangster flicks, even those made during the 1930s which is my favorite decade. However, there is no denying that this film is excellent. Certainly its first half is weaker and slower, but the second half fixed that with some very memorable scenes with the standout one being the final shootout and those aviary forces. The action is superbly executed and inventive here whereas its animation is splendid too.

8. Daffy Duck & Egghead

Though obviously scattershot in humor, this Daffy Duck entry is still superb owing to a variety of reasons. One is Egghead as he is so good here that he’s actually the best he’s ever been. Another reason is that apple shooting sequence which is hilarious. But I also just loved witnessing The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down sung for the first time. That was an interesting, refreshing choice that paid off and led to an unforgettable moment.

7. The Little Lion Hunter

The Little Lion Hunter was an unexpected delight for me. It is a movie about a boy following a bird and the majority of it has no high action whatsoever, but it’s still so intriguing owing to instantly iconic characters in Inki and the Mynah bird. The ending has a hilarious, perfectly executed gag, but the movie is also superbly scored and phenomenally animated with outstanding character design.

6. Little Red Walking Hood

I adore this parody of Little Red Riding Hood. This is as great as Merry Melodies parodies can be as the wolf character is such a scene stealing creation. The film is fast paced, repeatedly funny and consistently inventive. The scene where the granny has to answer a call and the wolf stops the chase is hilarious, but I also admired its twist with Egghead being the hero. That was unexpected and it worked. It’s a truly hilarious parody.

5. Page Miss Glory

This 1936 entry in the series rises above the majority of others from the same year mostly thanks to its sheer originality. The plot is very authentic and interesting and it’s also very well executed technically speaking. Its Technicolor animation is simply stunning while the imagery is very memorable and the hotel is very well utilized as a setting. The film features great world building and intriguing storytelling.

4. Cinderella Meets Fella

The funniest gags in this Cinderella parody are the cuckoo trying to stop the clock and the Fairy Godmother who is a drunk lady who visits booze pubs regularly. The gag in which she pulls vodka instead of a magic wand from her purse is simply hilarious. Cindy herself is too young, but the film is still great owing to a lot of instantly recognizable, very humorous moments. It’s the best parody movie from Warner Bros. so far.

3. Pigs Is Pigs

The twist ending in Pigs Is Pigs is getting tired by now. However, it is still the best Silly Symphony-like film from the studio so far thanks to a memorable central character and one great gag in its ending. It showcases the dangers of gluttony so well while still retaining a fun spirit and a great sense of humor which all of the best Merry Melodies have and this one is no exception.

2. I Haven’t Got a Hat

This film did not get the second spot for its importance although that certainly played its part as it’s the first ever portrayal of Porky Pig himself who populates almost the entirety of my late 30s Looney Tunes list. But the film is great in terms of plot and humor as seeing all these kids in a talent show definitely felt like an advertisement for the series, but was still hugely entertaining and well executed with Oliver Owl and Little Kitty being the highlights after Porky.

1. I Love to Singa

I Love to Singa is simply a fantastic remake of ‘The Jazz Singer’ which actually trumps that film in terms of quality and lasting appeal. It has a great message about respecting different talents and hobbies and it is superbly scored, so well acted and wonderfully animated with very pleasing colors to it. The film also never forgets to be funny as its judge is hilarious when he throws the contestants under the door. For all those reasons, this 1936 Merry Melody is my number one pick for this particular period.

Honorable Mentions:

Country Boy – Besides its problematic pacing, this Peter Rabbit flick is still gorgeously animated, quite funny and superbly scored throughout.

Hare-Um Scare-Um – The dog was underutilized here, but the Bugs Bunny prototype is hilarious and its multi-punch ending is particularly memorable and effective.

The Coo-Coo Nut Grove – This celebrity parody is not the best of its time, but it still features two hilarious portrayals of Clarke Gable and Katharine Hepburn.

I Wanna Be a Sailor – This childhood favorite of mine features one hilarious line of dialogue (“Sissy!”) while also having memorable characters and strong animation work.

A Day at the Zoo – This inventive short is very well narrated and with an interesting structure to it. The monkey yelling at the old lady stole the show as it was incredibly funny.