I Love to Singa (1936)

Too much of everything

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Tex Avery's 'I Love to Singa' is a cartoon which confounds expectations about both Avery's work and Warner Bros. cartoons in general. At this early stage in their development, the Merrie Melodies series of cartoons were an attempt to rival the prestige colour cartoons of Walt Disney, often by emulating them. Thus 'I Love to Singa' is full of cute, wide-eyed characters and a sweet, slow-moving plot. However, it's what Avery does with these character that makes 'I Love to Singa' a mini-masterpiece. A parody of 'The Jazz Singer', 'I Love to Singa' stars a baby owl named Owl Jolson, a jazz lover born into a family of classical musicians. When an over-zealous Papa Owl throws his son out for insisting on singing jazz, Owl Jolson goes on to win a radio talent contest and, subsequently, the approval of his family. This thinnest of plots is infused with enormous appeal through Avery's mixture of strikingly handsome, warm visuals and hilarious character comedy. The cartoon is nearly stolen by a stammering hillbilly bird and his laboured rendition of Simple Simon but ultimately 'I Love to Singa' belongs to Owl Jolson, a character who manages to be cute without being cloying. Every time he opens his mouth to sing, 'I Love to Singa' positively lights up. While you won't find any of the anarchic humour associated with Warner Bros. or the 100mph pacing and exaggerated reaction shots associated with Avery here, what you will find is an exceptional example of great storytelling and charming character comedy. 'I Love to Singa', while too sweet for some viewers, is a true classic in my eyes and I adore it more ever time I see it.

This is a great takeoff on Al Jolson and "The Jazz Singer." It's also a nice tribute to the famous entertaining of yesteryear.In this version of the famous film, we have owls playing the parts. Papa Owl, a strict sort, is pleased when his wife has four eggs. When they hatch, it's immediately discovered one is a "Caruso," the next is a violinist like Fritz Kreisler, the third is a Mendelsohnn. Daddy is thrilled until the fourth one hatches and the chick is - horrors! - "a jazz singer, a crooner." Mama Owl faints, but Papa reassures her "we will teach him to sing like we want him, too.You can guess the rest. If you're familiar with the story of The Jazz Singer, you should get a real "hoot" out of this animated short which has a very sweet ending to it as young "Owl Jolson" wins 'em over on the "Jack Bunny" radio broadcast.

Directed by the great Tex Avery, "I Love to Singa" is a superb Warner Bros. cartoon featuring some great swing music. The story is about a musical owl family, the father of whom is Prof. Fritz Owl, a teacher of strictly classical music with absolutely no tolerance for jazz. He and his wife bear four sons, the first three of whom humorously pop out of their eggs sporting tuxes and displaying their immediate gift of being able to sing or play classical music. The fourth son, named Owl Jolson, sports a red coat & blue bow tie and, to his parents' horror, sings jazz! His favorite song is "I Love to Singa," which he happily sings & swings throughout this wonderful cartoon.Here are my favorite moments from "I Love to Singa." Owl Jolson's parents are hilarious in their horrified reactions to his being a jazz singer; the mother faints and the German-accented father angrily calls him a "crooner," a "hotcha," and a "falsetto" before kicking him out of the house. At the G-O-N-G broadcasting station, one of the contestants is an overweight hen who sings the first line of "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" before getting the gong and almost getting stuck in the chute! When the delightful Owl Jolson shows up at the radio station, he dances & sings his old swinging standby - what else? - "I Love to Singa." "I Love to Singa" is a fun little cartoon with a great story and terrific music. It's also nice to see in the end that Owl Jolson's parents finally welcome the fact that they have a jazz singer in their family.

The first time I ever saw this Warner Brothers short was @ a pizza parlor over in Irving, Texas. It always makes me laugh when the little owl heads over to radio station G-O-N-G! Jack Bunny is the host & judge of the talent show. It's kind of a spoof of the old Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show, complete with a gong. Today, people would think of it as The Gong Show Meets American Idol with Jack Bunny as a cross between Simon Cowell & Chuck Barris! When the owl saw his family @ radio station G-O-N-G, the father had a change of heart, just before Jack Bunny's about to gong him off! I Love To Singa is a clever movie & it doesn't deserve the G-O-N-G!