Onlinewsma
Absolutely Brilliant!
TaryBiggBall
It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.
Casey Duggan
It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny
Rosie Searle
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
Horst in Translation ([email protected])
"Chicken Little" is a cartoon from 1943 that runs for almost 9 minutes and has its 75th anniversary this year. It's a Disney production as you can see by the names who made it (Geronimi etc.) and the voice actors (Nash etc.) that all worked prolifically during that time. This one here really is a prime example of cartoons reflecting the current political climate as these were the days of WWII and you can either interpret the fox as Hitler and the title character as one of his aides or you see the fox as ideology and Chicken Little as Hitler. I personally would go with the former. Anyway, the ending shows you that the times of unrealistic feel-good happy endings are over as the people need to make the right decisions themselves and if they don't, then tragedy is inevitable. Also you rarely see psychology as such a dominant aspect in a Disney cartoon. Sure you could argue if the fat rich male cock really should be considered the good guy or if he represents other values worth despising, but lets just accept it this way. I think comedy-wise it may be nowhere near Disney's finest from this glorious era, but in terms of contemporary relevance and symbolisms, metaphors etc. this is an absolute must-see, so maybe it is even a better watch for (film) historians than for cartoon lovers. Anyway, I give it a thumbs-up without hesitation. Go see it.
OllieSuave-007
I first watched this cartoon short when it was part of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, in an episode titled "Man Is His Own Worst Enemy." It was also my first time learning of the Chicken Little story. It was, honestly, a pretty sad story to watch, seeing Chicken Little and the rest of the bird family meeting an untimely fate in the hands of Foxy Loxy. Some of parts of the short was, though, pretty entertaining to see when Chicken Little and friends think the sky is falling, thereby, running around frantically. The characters were zany and the animation was great.Overall, it's not a bad story. It gives children a harsh reality that not every story has a happy ending and that life could be pretty complicated.Grade B-
MartinHafer
This Disney short is a bit preachy, but in its original incarnation, it was a lot more obvious and a lot more dated. That's because Walt felt that the obvious references to WWII would date the film. In hindsight, although the film isn't perfect, it does hold up pretty well today.This is a retelling of the old story of Chicken Little. It's pretty obvious that it was meant to be a metaphor for spreading and believing rumors during wartime, but no mention is made of the war--just Chicken Little and all his stupid poultry friends believing ANYTHING that the wicked Fox tells them. I give this one a 7 despite the dated theme. Why? Because the Fox is a great character and I loved the very dark and twisted ending. Well worth your time.One negative, by the way, was the film's use of repetitive animation. Like the lower quality Hanna-Barbera films of the 60s, you see the same images again and again--in the hopes that the audience wouldn't notice this. I certainly did.
didi-5
I remember reading the 'Chicken Little' book as a child but this cartoon turns it on its head with one eye on the time it was made, 1943, during the Second World War.The sly and hungry Foxy Loxy reads from a text which describes how to lie and cheat your neighbours - in this case to persuade Chicken Little and others than the sky is falling, and so the world is about to end.It showcases the power of propaganda, panic and persuasion to achieve an aim (Foxy of course wants a hearty supper of chickens and ducks). Cocky Locky is the political leader who gets depicted as a fool, while Henny Penny and her cronies spread gossip and hysteria.A clever cartoon, perhaps too sophisticated for children, but enjoyable on some levels to a younger audience with a bit of forethought, a bit like 'Animal Farm'.