Despite Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and his cartoons being popular and well received at the time, they have been vastly overshadowed over time by succeeding animation characters. It is a shame as, while not cartoon masterpieces, they are fascinating for anybody wanting to see what very old animation looked like.
Of the 1931 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons up to this point (so between 'China' and this), the only real above average or more cartoons were 'The Farmer', 'Country School', 'The Bandmaster', 'Radio Rhythm' and this. The others were average or less, 'Northwoods' in particular being pretty weak, though none were terrible.
'The Hunter' is one of the better 1931 Oswald cartoons. Although with more to it than the stories of most of the Oswald cartoons that year, the story is somewhat predictable and the timing occasionally could have been sharper.
However, the animation is good. It may occasionally lack refinement, but most of it is smooth and detailed with Oswald's movements, gestures and expressions still very much natural. Drawings are fine and there is little if any choppiness or incompleteness.
Even better is the music, so catchy and has such an infectious energy that toe tapping and singing along is likely to happen. While not exactly imaginative, other cartoons have similar concepts and do more with them, the gags are still very amusing and much of the pacing is lively with good synchronisation.
Oswald has lost none of his endearing factor and the support characters are pretty fun.
All in all, one of the better 1931 Oswald cartoons and a good one. 8/10 Bethany Cox
