The Dirdy Birdy (1995) User Reviews

Dumb stupid and violent--and that's why I liked it!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 17 August 2008]

This is one of many films in a sub-par collection of animated shorts entitled "Avoid Eye Contact: Volume One". Unlike most of the shorts, this one was rather funny. Apart from the Plympton shorts and GOODNIGHT NORMA...GOODNIGHT MILTON, this was about the best short in the set--even though it's very crude and crudely drawn.

The story is about as simple as you'll find in a cartoon and makes no sense. Still, if you ignore the simplicity and just watch it, you'll no doubt like it--especially if you like Tex Avery or Itchy and Scratchy.

The film begins with a cat sitting on a tree branch. Along comes a very mutated looking bird who moons the cat. The cat tries to ignore the stupid bird, but he makes it pretty tough. So, again and again, the cat destroys the bird in a wide variety of sadistic and funny ways. Yet, despite this, the bird keeps coming back--until, that is, the Angel of Death appears. What happens next you'll just have to see for yourself.

The tone of this cartoon is pure 6th grader, as seeing a bare butt accompanied by stupid music will put off the ultra-serious out there. However, if you can't look past this, the sadistic qualities of the toon make it worth a look.

This is sick, twisted and depraved-in other words, very funny!

[llltdesq · 8/10 · 18 October 2002]

This short, brought to you by the man who developed Courage the Cowardly Dog, no less, is like what I would expect a collaboration between Tex Avery and R. Crumb to look like, if they were both doing copious amounts of caffinated beverages, that is! It's even lewder than Avery and moves about as fast (nobody does Avery as fast-or as funny-as the man himself, though countless animators have tried. This is perfect for Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted, but I got it on the generally tamer Festival of Animation, Vol 3. It's an excellent tape, well worth getting. As for Dirdy Birdy, if you are easily offended, you may want to pass on this short, because your head might explode! Recommended to anyone who likes Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted. Anyone else, it may be too much for you to handle!

Silly, but amusing

[Rectangular_businessman · 7/10 · 16 December 2023]

A very silly, but entertaining animation made by John Dilworth, creator of Courage the Cowardly Dog, about a very ugly bird in love with a cat. And said bird only knows how to express his love via mooning, always receiving a good beating as a response.

Apparently, this was originally intended to be part of the What a Cartoon Show!, but it was deemed to inappropiate for Cartoon Network, so Dilworth ended making The Chicken from Space instead.

I'm frankly glad things worked out in that way, since Courage was one of the best series Cartoon Network ever had, and while The Dirdy Bird was amusing, I doubt it would have worked as series. (Perhaps it could have been a series of shorts aired between commercials)

One Of The Funniest Animated Shorts, Ever.

[OldeSkool · 7 July 2002]

I remember seeing this short in '95 at SPIKE AND MIKE FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION. An infectious piece of film that will have the most jade film watcher laughing. Sure it's one-noted, but it's works. I came across several years ago on a compilation tape of shorts featured on the Spike & Mike tour. I don't know if it's till in print. Do yourself a big favor by tracking down this short. You won't be sorry.

Why isn't this cartoon better known?

[tarwaterthomas · 10/10 · 3 September 2020]

I saw this quite a few years ago, and then just a few days ago. It's still as good as ever. There's a strange-looking bird with two mismatched eyes hitting on a lovely tree feline, and how does the birdy show his love and affection? By showing his bare behind to the sound of an infectious laughing song. And how does the tree cat show her reaction? By hitting the aviary creature with a massive fist, an enormous boot, a blowtorch (after which the remains are mailed off and birdy returns in a package), and a dip in a radioactive compound that causes instant disintegration. That part of the animated short is screamingly hilarious. Where it gets really sad is when the birdy romances the tree cat repeatedly, only to find out that it's a wooden cutout of same. You find yourself feeling for the dirdy birdy. Haven't we all been the dirdy birdy at one time or another, having a crushy crush on a beautiful girl only to be spurned. And not politely. Any one of us in this situation would have gotten the response, "No, I don't want you and I wish you were dead. Now go away and stay the $%@! away!" That's the message I took away. Your reaction might be different. But you're going to enjoy this animated short. I sure did. And by the way, the tree cat does give in. THE DIRDY BIRDY is on YouTube. Catch it.