Techno-Cracked (1933) User Reviews

Flip discovers the law of unintended consequences.

[llltdesq · 8/10 · 29 October 2003]

This is a very good early Flip the Frog short. The title refers to a movement in the 1930s that was called Technocracy and believed technology was the answer to everything. Here, Flip tries to save himself some effort by building a robot to do chores, most immediately mowing the lawn. Unfortunately for Flip (there almost always is an "unfortunately for Flip" in these-that frog has really bad Karma!), the robot is extremely literal in nature and trouble rapidly follows. Toward the end, the cartoon becomes horrific in nature and the pace picks up notably. Semi-spoiler, sort of:

At times in the short, the head of the robot resembles a Jack-o-lantern, markedly so when it grows angry with Flip and starts chasing him with less than friendly intent.

The short switches from comedy to horror late in the game and does so well. In this one, Flip even has something approaching a personality. Well done cartoon. Well worth watching and glad to see it in print. Most recommended.

The Grass-Cutting Robot Is A Hoot!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 28 May 2008]

Flip is a lazy frog who just wants to lounge around in his hammock. But being the great inventor he is (at least in this cartoon), he has it rigged up so that another animal below is running on a treadmill which gently rocks the hammock.

When his old-lady employer catches an eyeful of Flip is up to, instead of mowing the lawn as he is supposed to be doing, she gives him the business. Flip is not happy. One thing leads to another and he winds up inventing a robot, a machine that will cut the grass for him.

That's where the bulk of the cartoon and the laughs begin. The robot is a real hoot, human-like more than anything else. The ensuing battles between Flip and this robot are very good with clever sight gags involving what the robot mows. Good stuff, with another totally-wacky ending that you'd see in an early '30s cartoon.

Flip the Frog's world of robots

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 7 June 2018]

Ub Iwerks's Flip the Frog series of cartoons was short lived, only lasting from 1930 to 1933. On the most part the Flip the Frog cartoons are not great or cartoon/animated masterpieces and it is sort of understandable as to why Flip didn't make it bigger. However they are far from terrible ones either and do hold some interest, enough of them even being good.

Despite not being historically significant like 'Fiddlesticks' was, 'Techno-Cracked' for me is among the best Flip the Frog cartoons, as well as being one of the most original and creative of the series. It is a very good cartoon, it is not perfect but there are things here that improve quite a bit and done much better than many other Flip the Frog cartoons.

A lot of good things in 'Techno-Cracked'. The animation is very good good, with beautifully detailed backgrounds, nice shading and characters that aren't drawn too crudely. The music makes even more of an impact, it is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, full of lively energy and not only adds brilliantly to the action it enhances it.

There are more sight gags than a good deal of Flip the Frog cartoons, and they are very creative, beautifully timed and very funny. Maybe not always hilarious but they are some of the best gags of the series easily. There is a nice natural charm, a good deal of zest, it is one of the most energetic Flip the Frog cartoons, and it is certainly among the least sentimental Flip the Frog cartoons, which is a good thing.

Characters are lively. The atmosphere is what sets 'Techno-Cracked' apart from the rest of the series, and concept-wise it is one of the series' most imaginative.

Flip is a bit bland still though, he never was one of animation's most compelling, most interesting or personality-filled lead characters.

Occasionally, the drawing is slightly erratic.

Otherwise, this is very good and one of Flip's best. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Another Impressive Entry in the Flip Series

[Michael_Elliott · 25 March 2016]

Techno-Cracked (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Flip the Frog is out in the summer day relaxing when his wife (or mom?) comes and yells at him for not mowing the grass. Flip starts the job but then sees a mechanical man in a magazine so he decides to build on himself. Once built he sends the man to do the mowing with not-so- good results.

TECHNO-CRACKED is another very good entry in Ub Iwerks' Flip the Frog series. As I go through the series I'm really shocked that it's not better known or remembered by film buffs today as it's quite good, features a nice lead character and the animation itself is very good. The best thing about the series and this short is its creativity, which is on full display here. The mechanical man loves extremely good and the scenes of it learning to mow are very good.