An Arrow Escape (1936) User Reviews (3)

Robin Hood makes good

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 5 June 2018]

The Terrytoons are oddly interesting, mainly for anybody wanting to see (generally) older cartoons made by lesser known and lower-budget studios. They are a mixed bag in quality, with some better than others, often with outstanding music and with some mild amusement and charm and variable in animation, characterisation and content.

1936, like all the other years for Terrytoons, saw a hit and miss batch, more so than the other years even. Of which 'An Arrow Escape' is one of the high middle ones ranking it in correlation with the rest of the Terrytoons and one of the high middle 1936 cartoons. It is an unexceptional but above average cartoon that has the same amount of problems as it has the amount of strengths. 'An Arrow Escape' is also worth a watch, completest sake is the main reason to see it but it's not the only reason.

Best asset is the music, which predictably is incredible. It is so beautifully and cleverly orchestrated and arranged, is great fun to listen to and full of lively energy, doing so well with enhancing the action. The ambitious, elaborate detail in the backgrounds is still great to see, as is more fluidity and visual appeal than usual, and some synchronisation is neat.

Enough amusing moments and there is zest and natural charm. The characters carry the cartoon nicely, especially a suitably merry Robin Hood.

However, some of the animation in transitions is a bit crude.

Likewise, the story is paper thin and formulaic, not much new. Gags could have been more and a few better organised. The cartoon tends to veer towards being too melodramatic and a lot of it is pretty predictable.

Altogether, above average. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Operatics

[boblipton · 5/10 · 20 July 2014]

Maid Marian's father the King orders her to marry whoever wins the joust in the morning, despite her vehement protests. Good thing Robin Hood shows up.

Paul Terry's staff liked to spice up their melodramatic cartoons about standard themes with some light opera scores and this is one of those. There isn't much Robin Hood-ish about the characters in this black and white cartoon except for the beginning, where he shoots an arrow through a keyhole to annoy the parent and at the very end where he leads the pursuers into what seems to be Sherwood Forest, where his Merry Men assault them with arrows, but it's pretty much a decent if undistinguished black-and-white effort for the era.

My favorite black-and-white Robin Hood cartoon

[ja_kitty_71 · 8/10 · 4 January 2017]

This cartoon is the only black-and-white "Terrytoon" that I really love. It is also my favourite out of the three Robin Hood cartoons, where Maid Marian is the daughter of the nasty king. The king tries to marry off his daughter for money, but Robin Hood eventually saves her. The king announces a competition within the cartoon, and the winner will marry Princess Marian. But a masked Robin Hood interrupts the tournament and takes his sweetheart away.

I find myself captivated by this cartoon, as I take joy in adding a humorous element to its early dialogue exchanges. So anyway, this is my favorite black-and-white "Terrytoon." That is all I have to say. And just because of my 8 out of 10 rating, it doesn't mean this cartoon can still be a favorite of mine.