Snafuperman (1944)

Don't Believe the Hype

Absolutely brilliant

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

. . . the hapless grunt discovers that you cannot beat Hitler with musical spoons. (Even a Chamber Orchestra will not do the trick, as anyone who's seen one of those Death Camp Porn Movies will realize.) Like the Fourth Plane on 9-11, Snafu takes dead aim on the U.S. Capitol Dome, but his Technical Fairy Godfather First Class says, "Let's Roll!" and puts a stop to the Mayhem. (This is in sharp contrast to a Trumplestiltskin-run America, where Trumpenstein would simply encourage a would-be Dome-Shattering Snafu to "Have at it!"--as he's suggested dropping Bowe Bergdahl riding a bomb Slim Pickens-style on Afghanistan--and we can ALL languish UNDER THE DOME if the Trumpster takes on the role of "Big Jim" and moves into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Jan. 20, 2017.) This SNAFUPERMAN animated short shown to most incoming members of the Army Air Corps (as the U.S. Air Force was known during World War Two) also is infamous for inspiring the Real Life last words of notables such as designated future U.S. President Joseph Kennedy, Jr. and band leader Glenn Miller, who echoed Snafu's exclamation as their Time Ran Out: "Messerschmitts--a whole Mess of Messerschmitts!"

Arguably the most famous Private Snafu short, due to it being a parody of Superman. For those who don't know, Snafu was a moronic soldier character that appeared in many black & white instructional shorts made for use by the military. The idea was to teach soldiers how to properly follow safety procedures and the like by showing them what would happen if they didn't. Snafu was a putz who rarely did what he was told, insisting he knew better. This time Snafu dismisses studying his field manual, claiming he isn't going to beat the Nazis with books but rather a "bellyful of lead." This causes a very funny 'fairy godmother' type of character to show up and give Snafu the powers of Superman in order to fight the Nazis. Despite his newfound powers, Snafu is still a screw-up who almost bombs the Capitol building! This one was directed by Friz Freleng with the great Mel Blanc providing Snafu's voice. It's not quite as racy as some of the other Snafu cartoons but it is amusing and the animation is nice. If you're a Superman fan, this probably has an added bit of appeal for you. Not the best Snafu but enjoyable.

This one is when Snafu is tired of studying field manuals and charts to fight enemies. He wished he could be a Superhero.So with luck Technical Fairy First class comes in and offers him a wish.Snafu became a superman only he was still the same height and has no muscles.He's now able to fight off the enemy with no problem.But as always Snafu ends up screwing up things. He makes a lousy hero too.this short has a good lesson in Studying field manuals and charts are better than going out and kill the enemy with no sense of plan.

SNAFUperman is a piece of American history. These short cartoons would be good little spoofs on their own but are now a great way of showing Americas use of propaganda in the second world war.Private Snafu a private in WWII is turned into SNAFUperman(A pun on Superman) by his technical fairy, first class. He refuses to read his manuals and by god it shows. The whole point is that Superman is fictional and it'll take more than Supermen to win the war.These cartoons are little treasures and should be saved for future generations. I used SNAFUperman as a great source in learning about attitudes towards the war not in my home country of England but in those far away from me.Perfect