So much average

Powerful

Fresh and Exciting

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

After Władysław Starewicz fled revolutionary Russia, he moved to France, where he continued to make cartoons. One was "Les grenouilles qui demandent un roi" ("The Frogs Who Wanted a King" in English). This one features frogs who have a democracy but want a king. Jupiter first sends them a tree, but later sends the poor suckers a stork! Oh, the humanity! One of the things that these sorts of cartoons make clear is that cartoons don't have to be "cute" stories for children. Lots of the early cartoons were downright bizarre (it was Walt Disney who decided that cartoons should be for the tykes). In the meantime, this is a pretty fun cartoon. Check it out.

The Frogs Who Wanted a King or Frogland is Ladislaw Starewicz's most cautionary tale about people wanting government to solve their problems that I've ever seen. The ironic thing is that they pray to the god Jupiter for their answers. Jupiter responds first by sending a tree stump and then a stork. Neither works out and the stork is especially dangerous to the amphibian creatures! The frogs have some human qualities when we see them dress in the latest fashions of the day and we see some take pictures or use a movie camera when the stork arrives! Like I said, this short is very much a political allegory more suitable for adults than children. In fact, I first saw this on the Rhino VHS that had Bambi Meets Godzilla. That alone should tell you what to expect here!

Many animation buffs consider Wladyslaw Starewicz the great forgotten genius of one special branch of the art, puppet animation, which he invented almost single-handedly -- and, as it happens, almost by accident. As a young man Starewicz was more interested in entomology than the cinema, but his unsuccessful attempt to film two stag beetles fighting led to an unexpected breakthrough in film-making, when he realized he could simulate movement by manipulating beetle carcasses which he would photograph one frame at a time. This discovery led to the production of Starewicz' amazingly elaborate classic short The Cameraman's Revenge, which he made in Russia in 1912, at a time when motion picture animation of all sorts was still in its infancy.The political tumult of the Russian Revolution caused Starewicz to flee to Paris, where one of his first productions (coincidentally?) was a dark political satire variously known as "Frogland" or "The Frogs Who Wanted a King." A strain of black comedy can be found in almost all of Starewicz' films, but here it is very dark indeed, aimed more at grown-ups who can appreciate the satirical aspects than children, who would most likely find the climax upsetting. (I'm middle-aged and found it pretty upsetting, myself.) And indeed, prints of the film intended for English speaking viewers of the 1920s were given title cards filled with puns and quips in order to help soften the sharp sting of the finale.Our tale is set in a swamp, the Frogland Commonwealth, where the citizens are unhappy with their government, and have called a special session to see what they can do to improve matters. They decide to beseech Jupiter for a king. The crowds are impressively animated in this opening sequence -- it couldn't have been easy to make so many frog puppets look alive, simultaneously -- while Jupiter, for his part, is depicted as a droll white-bearded guy in the clouds who looks like he'd rather be taking a nap. When Jupiter sends them a tree-like god who regards them impassively the frogs decide that this is no improvement, and demand a different king. Irritated, Jupiter sends them a stork.Delighted with this formidable new king who towers above them, the frogs welcome him with a delegation of formally dressed dignitaries. The Mayor steps forward to hand him the key to the Commonwealth as newsreel cameras record the event. To everyone's horror, the stork promptly eats the Mayor and then goes on a merry rampage, swallowing citizens at random. A title card dryly reads: "News of the king's appetite spreadeth throughout the kingdom." When the now-terrified frogs once more beseech Jupiter for help, he loses his temper and showers their community with lightning bolts. The moral of our story, delivered by a hapless frog just before he is eaten, is "Let well enough alone."Considering the time period when this startling short was made, and considering the fact that it was made by a Russian émigré at the height of that beleaguered country's Civil War, it would be easy to see this as a parable about those events. Starewicz may or may not have had Russia's turmoil in mind when he made 'Frogland,' but whatever prompted his choice of material the film stands as a cautionary tale of universal application. Frogland could be the Soviet Union, Italy, Germany or Japan in the 1930s, or any country of any era that lets its guard down, seeks a "strong leader," and is then overwhelmed by tyranny. It's a fascinating film, even a charming one in its macabre way, but its message is no joke.

This one is more appropriately titled, "The Frogs That Wanted a King." Probably one of the more spectacular animated shorts I've seen, as a land full of frogs look to find unity and peace in their environment by asking God (looks like Zeus in this one)for a king. God gives them something alright, but in turn, the reproachful frogs criticize God for what he sent down. God rises in anger and reacts by bestowing the land of frogs with a king that proves to be more of a supernatural Hitler than anything else! Great fun, this political allegory hits it right on the mark. Ladislaw is incredible, and you don't have to buy all his shorts in separate installments. There is one DVD that will do the trick.