Target Snafu

During WWII, the US government financed a series of Private Snafu cartoons. Using a wonderful sense of humor, they were able to convey important messages to the troops--and the films were not shown to the general public. You can tell this in a few of the films, as the humor is a bit more adult than you could have gotten away with in theaters. Today, you can find these shorts on DVD as well as for free downloads at archive.org.

Interestingly, I've noticed that there were different directors for the Snafu films. In this case, it's Friz Freleng--of Looney Tunes fame. Not surprisingly, the film looks exactly like a black & white Looney Tunes film--and the effect is heightened by the familiar Looney Tunes music by Carl Stalling. And, the film is narrated by Robert C. Bruce--a guy who narrated tons of cartoons for this same company! With all this excellent talent, it's no surprise that the film is cute and enjoyable--and gets the message across that the troops need to be vigilant against mosquitoes and the illnesses they transmit. It's done in a clever way--showing the bugs going through basic training just like people--and only the finest and most virulent are chosen! While Snafu only appears at the very end, it's worth watching.

All of the Private Snafu cartoons are interesting watches, and most of them are fun too. Target Snafu is not one of the best of the Private Snafu cartoons(Spies and Booby Traps are my favourite) but anybody who's already familiar with the cartoons and likes them should be able to enjoy this one. What wasn't quite so good in Target Snafu here is that there is a real sense that you've seen it all before. Not the concept, despite the whole series following the formula of Snafu being the most inept soldier in the army and the jokes revolving around his many mistakes it was always well incorporated and the series generally does a great job making the humour feel varied and fresh. It was more to do with some of it having some similarities to Malaria Mike from the previous year, so it didn't feel as fresh or as imaginative. Snafu is still very funny and endearing but considering that he makes a late appearance he felt underused and the cartoon could have set up the story quicker than it did. Target Snafu is very well animated though, movements flow smoothly and the black and white is crisp in alternative to primitive. It's not the best animation in the entire world, but at least it looks good and at least it holds up. Carl Stalling rarely disappoints as a composer, and his music for Target Snafu doesn't either, so rhythmically energetic the orchestration that it rouses the spirits right from the start and doesn't stop, the orchestration too as typical of Stalling is beautifully done and clever. While Target Snafu may be unexceptional story-wise it's anything but in the humour department. There are much more daring Private Snafu cartoons about but the cartoon hardly feels too safe either. The gags are continually funny and not rushed or drawn out but even funnier is the deliciously witty narration, brilliantly delivered by Robert C. Bruce. Again Snafu is endearing and the mosquitoes are well-done adversaries. Mel Blanc was remarkably consistent as a voice actor but his peerless ability to give so much personality(ies) to multiple characters in every cartoon shines in another set of stellar vocal characterisations. Overall, while there are better in the series Target Snafu is still more than worthwhile. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Another entry in the Private Snafu series made for use by the US Army during World War II. This one's directed by Friz Freleng and focuses on malaria and soldiers taking proper safety precautions against mosquito bites. This is at least the third Snafu short I've seen about the same subject. Malaria was undoubtedly a major concern for the soldiers in the Pacific at the time. This one is mostly just a narrated series of gags about mosquitoes as their own army with enrollment, training, and battle plans. It's all very cute and fun. The black & white animation is quite nice. Snafu doesn't even show up until near the end where we get get another shot of his bare backside, one of the most frequent ways the series took advantage of its not having to worry about the Production Code's censorship.

This shows the Mosquitoes as soldiers training to give human soldiers malaria.

And it so happens that Sanfu is their main target.

This short has some similar gags you'd find in other Looney Tunes.

Only downer is that they already made a short about why it's important to wore repel-et and sleep with bug nets at night.

Should of been something else than Mosquitoes.

Perhaps Snafu invading Berlin, or having him try to fight off Nazis or something other than this.

This Snafu Toon is alright, just expected better is all.