10/10
Despite stereotypes, Bob Clampett's Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs is his masterpiece
6 July 2008
This cartoon, Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs, has a unique place among the Warner "Censored 11" cartoons: This one is highly inventive and very entertaining! Oh, yeah, there's some unflattering stereotypes here like Prince Chawmin' having a couple of dice for front teeth and the Queen being an ugly Mammy character (who seems to speak with a male voice) so jealous of So White she intends to have her "blacked out" but otherwise, it's so full of the fast pace of gags typical of Bob Clampett that you can't help but laugh your behind off! And wait till you see Chawmin's face after constantly trying to bring So White back to life with his kisses! Or the Dopey-looking dwarf's energy that he gives when doing the same thing! There's also great use of jazz music that livens the short considerably. Perhaps the most interesting thing to point out here is that the storytelling Mammy in the beginning and end is Dorothy Dandridge's mom, Ruby, and So White is her older sister, Vivian. There's also a dated reference to killing Japs that I can excuse because of the wartime setting. So for all that, if you want to watch Warner Bros. cartoons at their wackiest as done by the highly creative Bob Clampett, I highly recommend Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs, stereotypes and all!
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