Great Film overall

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

A cleverly animated and fun cartoon featuring of bunch of insects and bugs out on the town one night, singing and dancing, as well as watching a live theater featuring a villainous spider and a damsel-in-distress fly. The fireflies serving as light bulbs are also a clever touch.Grade B-

As someone who loves or at least really likes a vast majority of the Disney Silly Symphonies, Woodland Cafe was always one of those that fascinated me as a kid and I still have a lot of affection for it now. The definite highlight for me was definitely the music, although I have always found the music consistently great in the Silly Symphonies I don't think I have seen a Silly Symphony in a while that has had music as upbeat and catchy as Woodland Cafe. The dancing and choreography are just as fun and energetic, really makes you wish you were there too doing the same thing. The animation is wonderful, with beautifully coloured backgrounds and the bugs are equally vibrant and engaging. It is difficult to pick a favourite scene(or even a couple) when everything just grabbed your attention all the way through, though the scenes when a waiter pulls a stem off a cherry and pours the juice out into glasses for an elderly bee and with the show between the female fly and the male spider always did stand out. I have seen the issue of the stereotypes being raised on numerous occasions. I won't deny it, the characters are stereotypical, but considering that the cartoon is a spoof on the "Harlem" musicals of the time and that I didn't find them offensive at all(in fact they were somewhat affectionate to me), that wasn't a problem. So in conclusion, a cartoon that I have always found fascinating and still love to this day. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Only in the golden age of animation would you see bugs portrayed as swingin', jivin', jazz-lovin' critters. Woodland Cafe, which was sadly among the last 10 Silly Symphony cartoons to be produced, is one of the finest cartoons I have ever seen, with it's swingin' beats, it's cool characters (they don't really need to say much to make the short fun), and the way that it's just all-around fun. Notably, if you ever somehow see it on TV (it'd take a miracle for that to happen, mind you), there is some selective editing here and there; unlike most cartoons it's hard to really pick out exactly what is edited out, except for a scene with a ladybug smoking behind a curtain. All in all, this is one of the best cartoons of the series.

This short is an example of The Mouse at their best! There was a time when Disney was, without a doubt, the best there was. 1937 was a good year for Uncle Walt and his studio. With Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and shorts like this one, it was a banner year. This is a quintessential example of Silly Symphonies-a near seamless blend of music to animation. Good to see it in-print. Well worth getting. Most highly recommended.