How sad is this?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Although Max Fleischer's Gulliver's Travels got a cold critical reception upon its original release in 1939, it did well enough to give the studio another feature to produce. This second feature ended up as Mr. Bug Goes to Town, a more original and modern tale set in New York City as opposed to being based on some other form of medium. Sadly, the film did poorly at the box office due to the events of Pearl Harbor, not helped by the inner feud that went on between Max and Dave Fleischer. Soon afterwards, Paramount forced the Fleischer brothers to resign from their own studio by contract, thus causing the defunct of the Fleischer Studio and the reformation of Paramount's own Famous Studio....so yeah, the film was met with nothing but trouble upon its release...and yet, it's better than Gulliver's Travels.Set in a vacant corner in Manhattan called the Lowlands, the bugs that reside there deal with humans interfering with their homes, whether by dropping cigarettes on it or by doing all sorts of ruckus. Upon his arrival, Hoppity the grasshopper finds hope of a new garden home around the house of two humans, Mary and Dick. However, the crooked C. Bailey Beetle wants the Lowlands and Hoppity's sweetheart Honey all to himself, so it's up to Hoppity to save the bugs and their own homes. Unlike Gulliver, the story has enough momentum and entertainment value to warrant a watch, as we get to see just enough of the bugs to feel sorry for them and to want them to have better lives. As such, when the film gets suspenseful, it's hard not to want Hoppity to succeed in saving the critters and to win over the nasty beetle. Not to mention, we also feel sorry for the aforementioned humans since Dick is trying to write songs for Broadway to get his career off and to keep his house in solitary confinement, making the film surprisingly relatable. In addition, the third act is the most suspenseful part of the film, and while it does get a little too overwhelming, it produces the right amount of hysteria when the bugs flee from their grounds getting destroyed. It's no wonder the story is more appealing than Gulliver, it's more relatable to those who deal with similar issues in real life.As for the characters, while most of them aren't exactly fully fleshed out, they're still charming enough to root for. Hoppity is the kind hearted soul who wants what's best for his folk, Honey is the sweat hearted love interest, her father Mr. Bumble is the lovable old squirt whose always looking out for himself and others, and...well, that's all there really is to them. They're certainly not unlikeable, they're just not the most memorable characters around, but at least they're good natured and want everyone safe and sound. On the other hand, the antagonistic C. Bailey Beetle is quite the devilish conman who will always try to get what he desires, and it's not hard to scorn the insect when he performs his dastardly deeds. Although, his henchmen Swat the fly and Smack the mosquito are the most entertaining characters in the whole film, mainly from their bumbling comedic nature and witty banter. So yeah, the characters may not be three dimensional, but the horrible outcomes that happen around them make it hard not to feel for them.As for the animation, the film manages to recreate a solid looking New York street of the 1940s by presenting a world smaller than ours, making the perspective more visually interesting. Where the humans are more realistic in both movement and design, the bugs have a more cartoony presence that makes them a lot of fun to watch, complete with lively acting and humorous facial expressions. This is a much better contrast between realistic and simplistic characters, since it creates two different species in their own separate realities rather than trying to make realistic and cartoony humans exist in the same world like Gulliver. Not to mention, the bigger stuff like skyscrapers, shovels, leveled dirt and water look exceptionally well crafted, showing how much hard work hours were put in crafting equipment during the days of consistent hand-drawn animation.Now I will admit, I don't remember too many of the songs, as most of them didn't leave too much of an impact. The only one I remember is "Katy Did, Katy Didn't", which is a very upbeat and jazzy song reminiscent of jazzy show songs of the 1940s, with jive lyrics and smooth choreography. The rest, while not terrible, feel more like an after thought that mostly blend in the background, and they didn't offer enough memorable melodies or lyrics to sing along to, but that's just me.It really is a shame that the Fleischer studio ended when it did, because judging by this film, they really could've progressed making more brilliant works. Overall, Mr. Bug Goes to Town is a vast improvement over Gulliver's Travels with a more engaging story and stakes, more consistently smooth animation, better laughs and a touching tribute to Broadway. Sure most of the characters aren't all that special and the songs could've had more substance, but the fact that the film details the daily struggles that some people suffer from in the world, whether their houses getting wrecked or having to leave their home due to financial turmoil, really speaks to me. It's unfair to see anybody have to suffer with such a loss, and everyone deserves a chance to live a free and well mannered life like you and I. Give this film a watch to understand just how devastating the loss of a home can truly be.

After seeing 'Hoppity Goes to Town' for the first time a couple of days ago, it really stuck with me. Fleischer has done a lot of fantastic stuff, and 'Hoppity Goes to Town' is among their better and most under-appreciated efforts. Anybody who loves 'Gulliver's Travels' (count me as one) will love this.It is a shame that it was relatively forgotten, but very fondly remembered by those who loved it as a child. 'Hoppity Goes to Town', to a young adult who saw it for the first time on recommendation, has been one of my biggest pleasures recently and one of my best first time viewings in a long time. The animation is really wonderful, with lots of luscious colour, haunting but also dream-like atmosphere, imaginative and incredibly detailed backgrounds and beautiful drawing. The three-dimensional visuals are put to inventive and jaw-dropping effect.The music score is delightfully whimsical and rousing, while the songs are truly lovely and just as memorable as the ones in 'Gulliver's Travels'. The script has humour and pathos, without overdoing the comedy or dissolving into cheesiness and it is often very sweet, moving and heart-warming without falling into maudlin sentiment. Somewhat agree that the breaking into verse was not always necessary but it didn't really bother me.With the story, it is simple but incredibly charming and really warms the heart and uplifts and touches the viewer. The pacing is deliberate, especially in the first part, but never to interminable dullness, and the final act was pretty exciting. The characters are nicely done, with a very likable protagonist and a main villain that both intimidates and entertains. The voice acting is good too, with the always dependable Jack Mercer enjoying himself in particular.Overall, an animated classic that despite being fondly remembered is unjustly neglected. 10/10 Bethany Cox

What I liked best about this feature-length animated film from 1941 is the great feel it gives for the early 1940s. It's the songs, the clothing, automobiles, buildings lingo of the day, etc. You feel like you've stepped back into time.From reading some of the reviews here, I see this was a hard-luck film, being released a couple of days before the Pearl Harbor attack. Wow, no one would be interested in going to the movies for a feature-length cartoon during those eventful and shocking days, I'm sure. Too bad, because the folks missed some nice animation would have really impressed back then, almost 70 years ago. The colors are nice, drawings are good and story involving as we root for the bugs led by "Hoppity" and and his beautiful girl "Honey" to make it happily-ever-after and out of harm's way. It's also about all of them finding a grassy spot they can live and not worry about humans trampling them.There is a nasty villain, though - "C. Bagley Beetle" - and two of his henchmen. Those helpers ("Swat, The Fly" and "Smack, the Mosquito") are comedians, complete with their Brooklyn-ese accents! The story is a familiar one where a nasty old man wants to marry the sweet young thing and uses unscrupulous means to force her hand. The good guy, meanwhile, has the decked stacked against him but in the very end, of course, prevails.My favorite part - this will sound worse than what it was - was when good-guy "Hoppity" got temporarily electrocuted and he danced in black-and-white. That was fantastic animation! You know, it's a good thing I didn't see this as a very little kid; I would have been afraid to play outside and squash all those nice bug-people! You never know what (or who) is in that grass beneath your feet!

This film used to play occasionally on daytime TV when I was a child. I must have seen it at least three times. Made by the same team (Gordon and Fleischer) that brought us "Gulliver's Travels", it's a charming little movie with a plot very similar to the later Pixar film "A Bug's Life." I remember first learning the name Hoagy Carmichael when I read the credits as an eight-year-old (my mother was astonished to know that I had heard of him.) If "Hoppitty" were ever released on DVD I would buy it in a heartbeat. I don't know anyone else who has ever seen it, though, which necessarily limits the amount of outcry over this deep injustice to a great little movie.