Inki and the Minah Bird (1943)

Wow! Such a good movie.

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

A different way of telling a story

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbera and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons. Actually appreciate it more even through young adults eyes, thanks to a broader knowledge.Chuck Jones is one of the greatest geniuses in animation history, or at least to me and many others, but 'Inki and the Minah Bird' while still a watchable effort is not one of the best representations of him by any stretch. Once his style was properly found, when his cartoons became much funnier, wittier, more inventively animated and iconic characters introduced and made household names, Jones did go on to much better things. 'Inki and the Minah Bird' having said that is an interesting look at him in his relatively early days.Although Inki is kind of cute and the interaction with the animals is amusing, people are not going to take kindly to the unappealing visual design of the character or the less than flattering stereotypical behaviour. Just to say though, there are far more offensive cartoons and characters about. 'Inki and the Minah Bird' is more mildly amusing rather than laugh-a-minute or among the funniest cartoons around, and there could have been a little more variety in the gags.Story-wise, 'Inki and the Minah Bird' is likable and lively in pace but it is pretty predictable and occasionally does try too hard to be cute that it comes over as sugary.However, the rest of the animation is very good. It's beautifully drawn, very detailed and the colours are vibrant, complete with some great expressions for particularly the lion and shots.Carl Stalling's music score is typically lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms, it's also beautifully synchronised with the action and gestures/expressions and even enhances the impact. All of those things Stalling was an unparalleled master at in animation, or at least in my view. There are great use of sound effects.'Inki and the Minah Bird' is amiable and amusing enough, the timing is lively and the animals add a good deal. The funniest and most interesting character in the cartoon is the lion, whose rapport with Inki is the highlight. Really like the character of the Minah bird, namely for the perfectly synchronised movement and hopping to Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture cleverly slowed down.Overall, nice and watchable but unexceptional. Doesn't see a genius of his craft at his best or on top form. 6/10 Bethany Cox

. . . We Americans of (The Then) Far Future of Our Time of Tribulations under the Putin\Rump Administration. Warner's always prophetic Animated Shorts Seers unit (aka, The Looney Tuners) picture Red Commie KGB Chief Vlad "The Mad Russian" Putin as a not-so-ferocious mangy lion sporting dentures throughout INKI AND THE MINAH BIRD. The short would-be hunter Inki serves as Warner's stand-in for Putin's White House Sock Puppet Don Juan Rump, of course. The strange Bromance between Vlad and Don Juan is best illustrated from about 4:20 to 4:40 of this cartoon, when the pair are first shown hugging, followed up by Inki climbing into the lion's mouth. Inki emerges from this cozy position wearing the lion's dentures, which is Warner's shorthand way of conveying the idea that Rump is merely Putin's mouthpiece. Stalking this pair of Evil Doers throughout the story is the Minah Bird, none other than our fearless Special Counsel Bob Mueller. Warner includes several scenes in which this trio disappears into Cyclonic Blur of Whirlwinds, denoting God's Punishment (through Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Jose) for the hypocritical White Holy Rollers (who, according to a 9/7/17 USA TODAY analysis, are in the third stage of mourning--i.e., bargaining--on the Kubler Ross Scale, meaning that they've all signed on the dotted line with Satan by voting for and stubbornly continuing to support the despicable Putin\Rump Administration, as that Team of Demons does its best to destroy what's left of the American Empire), and the necessity when Mueller emerges with the Whole Truth (as the Minah Bird winds up this cartoon wearing the lion's dentures) of appeasing God by publicly giving ALL the Highly Treasonous Quisling Traitors their well-earned Joan of Arc-Style Roasting!

HITTING THE APPROACH from what could be described as a different angle, this cartoon short subject is as mysterious and even bizarre as any one reeler could be. Introducing us to this new character, young Black Native boy, Inki, the production team hits the ground running. Or rather we should say walking; as the pace is noticeably slower than a more typical LOONIE TUNES/MERRIE MELODIES bot of output.THERE IS SORT of triangle of competition established between little Inki, an over-aged male Lion with dentures and this surreal minah bird. Whenever there is some fast-paced action sequence pitting the little man vs. the king of beasts, the slow and deliberately easy paced minah intervenes passively; his moving through each scene, keeping cadence to the 'tune' of Felix Mendelsohn's THE HEBRDIES (aka FGINGAL'S CAVE Overture).THERE SEEMS TO have been some blacklisting of this cartoon because of the caricature of Inki as being stereotyped and not acceptable in this modern era of ours. This we believe is the bunk.THE CHARACTER DESIGN of the little hunter is a fine example of the merging of some great character traits. True, this little native boy is inept with his hunting; but, that is an expected flaw in the young and inexperienced, regardless of whatever the ethnicity, race or national origin.WE VIEW THE design and handling of the character as innocent fun; that has not even the most remote bit of bigotry in its inception. Inki is a dark skinned little cherub, with all the foibles of the young and inexperienced.

Genre: Cartoon short with no dialogue, African girl and lion.Main characters: Inki, the lion and the minah bird. What happens: A lion wants to eat an African girl called Inki. There is also a rather confusing Minah bird. Is he on Inki's, or the lion's side..?Message: Erm…My thoughts: I agree with Lee Eisenberg, this is rather mean on poor African people!! :-( I like how the main character, Inki (who is an African girl) is quite a nice main character, but they still portray her rudely and make a younger audience not like her very much just because she's HUNTING!! GRRR CHARLES M. JONES!! I don't like the lion very much and I think the minah bird is ALL RIGHT (I suppose). Personally I prefer Charles M. Jones's Looney Tunes cartoons in the future.If you want to watch this anyway, then I recommend the website YouTube. Just type in "Inki" on the space in the main page and you're there. I wish Charles M. Jones had been nicer to Inki in this short. So there. Recommended to: People who are interested in old cartoons and/or people who are just messing around on You Tube.