While not one of my favourites, Ub Iwerks was responsible for a lot of interesting work. Especially when working with Walt Disney, his oldest friend and one of his best, and co-creating one of animation's most famous characters in Mickey Mouse. His career since opening his own studio had interest value but the quality was variable, often being successful in the animation and music but wanting in the story and variable in gags, lead characters and tone.
1933 to 1936 saw twenty five cartoons, mostly based on famous fairytales and familiar stories, as part of Iwerks's "ComiColor" series. The "ComiColor" series is very much worth watching and interesting, as is the case with many series some cartoons are better than others but there are no real animation nadirs. 1934's 'Don Quixote' is a pretty good pleasant watch, with a few issues but a lot of big strengths.
'Don Quixote' is slight and is at times a little silly. The insanity jokes do go overboard slightly, regardless of them being funny which they are, and the ending is going to go either way.
However, 'Don Quixote' has enough freshness to stop it from being stale. It avoids the over sentimental factor and is never dull.
There are amusing gags, that aren't too corny and never repetitive, it's very charming, endearingly wild at times and there is a genuine likeability and cuteness. The characters drive 'Don Quixote' well, with a very interesting and fun titular character whose antics can be surprisingly inventive.
Furthermore, the animation is great. Meticulously detailed, fluid in drawing, vibrant in colour and often rich in imagination and visual wit. The music is cleverly and lushly orchestrated, is infectiously catchy and adds a lot to the cartoon.
Overall, pretty good. 7/10 Bethany Cox