Symphony in Slang (1951) User Reviews

How's Tricks? What's Cooking? We Find Out In Classic Of Visual Description

[stp43 · 9/10 · 25 August 2003]

Rich Hogan and Tex Avery took on cliches and catchphrases in this highly stylized 1951 short on a happy-go-lucky guy who must explain his life story to Angel Webster before being admitted to the hereafter.

The humor comes from the hipster's use of cliches and catchphrases that are hilariously given literal illustration by Avery and company, from getting up with the chickens, slinging hash, being shorthanded, and so forth. The cartoon is not only a masterpiece of visual description, it is a landmark experiment in limited animation, uncharacteristic of Avery for that time as he uses still poses to extract laughs, notably the shorthanded cook, chewing the rag, and going through red tape.

You'll be beside yourself with anger at first, but hotfoot it to see how slang will make you die laughing, even if the cat has your tongue.

Greetings, Gate

[boblipton · 9/10 · 13 November 2021]

A jitterbugger shows up at the Pearly Gates, and tries to tell St. Peter the story of his life. But he speaks only in slang, which Peter interprets literally.

It's a very nice example of Tex Avery's ability to fill a cartoon with so many gags that you can't help but laugh. Some are good, some are unremarkable, some are very funny, but the sheer volume keeps you laughing throughout.

Like many of Avery's cartoons, you get the impression that the structure of the story is determined by the fact this is a six-minute cartoon, and he could keep it up for hours on end.

a tiny bit dated but such fun!

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 7 June 2006]

This is a great Tex Avery cartoon that suffers slightly from its age. That's because the film creates literal representations of all the "hip slang" that the main character says--and I mean LITERAL! The problem is that this guy died and is trying to explain his life to the guys at the Pearly Gates but they have absolutely no idea what he's saying. Phrases such as "chew the rug" and "cat got your tongue" are completely beyond these heavenly beings. And these hip phrases (for the early 1950s) come one after another after another. So much that you barely have time to even think about them because the next one comes so quickly. A few modern kids might be stumped at what these phrases actually mean, so I advise kids to watch this with an old person to act as translator!

"What's da matter? Cat got yer tongue?"

[Popeye-8 · 10/10 · 21 December 2000]

Rich Hogan was hugely underappreciated as the hidden fuel to Tex Avery's fire. Here, he proves himself to be George Carlin's comedic father, with his schizoid tribute to our mangled "mother tongue". The images that come to mind every time I hear "She sent me a cable, so I sent her a wire"; or especially "I was up against it, but I carried on" will delight me forever. A visual triumph, but mostly because Hogan's turn of a phrase works so well. Indescribably essential viewing.

In many ways, a typical Tex Avery cartoon but also different

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 13 February 2001]

This cartoon is typical of Tex Avery in that there are a lot of sight gags, but is atypical in that the running monologue is as important to the humor as the sight gags are. Avery cartoons tend to be more weighted towards visual gags and placed less emphasis on verbal humor, but the premise of the short-how slang would seem to someone who didn't understand what was meant-required a more verbally oriented approach. In less rational moments, I wonder what Avery would make of some modern expressions. Then I go lie down until the feeling goes away. Recommended.

A very funny short.

[JohnnyJohnHildegaard · 9 August 1999]

Symphony in Slang is a clever MGM cartoon created by the surrealtic Tex Avery. Which also the short is also surrealistic. They find a dead guy on heaven tell his story to Noah Webster and they don't get his language (slang). Things like "I was with a silver spoon in my mouth" or "I was really in a pickle, the proprietor drew a gun on me, but I gave him the slip, and hid in the foot hills". It's very creative. Tex Avery has always been a great creator of animation.

More comparisons and metaphors than you can stomach almost

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 26 March 2019]

"Symphony in Slang" is an American cartoon from 1951, in color of course and this one is almost 70 years old now and runs for slightly under 7 minutes as they usually do. It is still easy to find today thanks to the involvement of director Tex Avery, who made this one not in the latter stages of his career, but still way past his most prolific days. Rich Hogan wrote the story and this is from the final works of his career, even if he lived on for several decades still at that point. John Brown does the voice work for all the characters here and that is a rare occurence because despite being a prolific actor, cartoons were really not his thing and this is an exception. I kinda liked his voice. Actually it was more entertaining than the hipster's pretty forgettable physicall appearance. Hipster vs. Webster you could say as the man at the entrance of the heavenly gates needs work from the dictionary guru Noah Webster (also long deceased of course) in order to understand what the new guy is talking about at all. And even Webster struggles with the man's constant use of very visual language. Not graphic or so. So the film is told in its entirety like that. We see what things would actually look like if these weren't just proverbs. I will give you some examples: We see a piano player playing by ear, so he actually uses his ear instead of his fingers. Then we see a woman being the mother of several little ones. And there are no children depicted, but several numbers, well "ones" only of course. I think that is enough. You are getting the idea. I think it is okay for this running time, still with the weaker jokes, it gets a bit repetitive, but most of the jokes are fine and also to understand for somebody who isn't a native English speaker like myself. There are also several really obvious inclusions like the fact that he laughed himself to death, even if that did not really fit in this context. A bit of a pity that the final one with the cat did nothing for me as I simply did not know the phrase. Maybe it's me, maybe it has aged in a way where people today are just not using it anymore in general I am not sure. But it doesn't matter anyway. Little fun cartoon we have here that linguists may really enjoy the hell out of it. Feel free to depict that visually in front of your imaginary eye too. And then go watch these 7 minutes. Thumbs up!

Tex Avery's Symphony In Slang Is my All-Time Favorite. It is An Animation Masterpiece

[63x927is58401 · 10/10 · 2 May 2006]

Tex Avery is my all-time animation writer & director. Symphony In Slang is my all-time favorite cartoon. If I could , I would rate it one-hundred stars. Cartoon writer, Rich Hogan done the best work in Symphony In Slang, putting together at least sixty slang clichés & the animation that shows as the voice, John Brown, perfectly said numerous slang terms, throughout this all-time classic cartoon. Tex Avery's mind of continuous & numerous creations throughout his career, at any studio, is definitely that of an animation genius. Tex Avery's works & animation creations are extremely unique, especially during his fourteen plus years at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In my dictionary, Symphony In Slang is Extremely & Hysterically Humorous, from beginning to end!

****:perfect 4 stars,the BEST tex avery short ever.

[PJS-5 · 10/10 · 26 April 1999]

A wonderfully hilarious short from the man who brought you the outrageously funny "Droppy series",the humor was incredibly well placed in as sight-gags,the animation I'd never really had any problem with classic Tex Avery shorts,& it's a clever parody to a semi-average lifetime (except for the shipwreck & such but they tried to place in a little bit of originality in),you may think I'm nuts but actually I think this whould make an awesome movie(get someone like Woody Harrelson or Harry Anderson for the part of the guy who tells the story),true the films humor might get a little too overused if you see it enough but I always found it enjoyable.

Slang has never been used this brilliantly or hilariously

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 18 October 2017]

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons.

Also have much admiration for Tex Avery, an animation genius whose best cartoons are animated masterpieces and some of the best he ever did. 'Symphony in Slang' to me is one of his best, certainly among his funniest and cleverest. The limitations in animation at the time shows at times in some lacking in finesse backgrounds, but Avery still makes the most of these limitations, with so much colour, a lot of visual imagination and characteristically unique character designs that it is easy to overlook. The entertainment value, creativity and clever construction are constant from start to finish.

Characterisation is spot on and John Brown gives a bravura vocal performance.

Typically, Avery does a wonderful job directing, with his unique, unlike-any-other visual and characteristic and incredibly distinctive wacky humour styles all over it as can be expected.

Once again there is nothing sadistic or repetitious, instead it's imaginative, wonderfully wild and hilarious, as is characteristic of Avery on form. Am not a fan of slang usually, but it is used brilliantly and had me in hysterics, even the more clichéd ones.

Some limited backgrounds aside, the animation is colourful with some inventive expressive moments. The music, courtesy of Scott Bradley, is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed, a lot of the action is even enhanced by the music.

Altogether, another Avery classic with the most inspired use of slang to be found anywhere. 10/10 Bethany Cox

fun and imaginative

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 8 May 2021]

A new fellow arrives at Heaven's Gate. The guardian is unable to understand his new slang and brings him to Noah Webster, the master of the dictionary.

This Tex Avery short reminds me that he's the one who coined the phrase What's Up Doc, a local teen slang from his school days. This is fun and imaginative. I love the cat closing.

A Real Hoot--Where's the Owl?

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 5 September 2019]

This is so clever. Even though some of the slang is dated, it still works very well considering it was made 68 years ago. A hip young man is passing through the pearly gates and speaking to St. Peter, floors him with endless expressions that are taken literally. What I enjoyed was its non-stop presentation and gentle humor.

Hilarious!

[NellsFlickers · 10/10 · 10 February 2022]

This was recently shown on TCM and both my mother and boyfriend wanted to watch it a second time, they thought it was so funny! I actually remembered bits of it from my days in front of the TV as a kid, which is amazing as I hadn't seen it in about 30-35 years! I don't want to ruin it for anyone, so I'll just say if you love puns, even old ones, you should love this cartoon. Even if you've never heard of the sayings they use, the "descriptions" are funny enough to make you laugh!

This picture deserves high marks for illustrating . . .

[pixrox1 · 9/10 · 3 August 2022]

. . . how a potentially humorous concept--in this specific case, "hipster speak"--can get befuddled if the person executing the project is totally inconsistent in exemplifying or incapable of understanding the class of things which he is supposedly lampooning. However, of more immediate concern as of August, 2022, in addressing SYMPHONY IN SLANG, is its potentially sacrilegious premise--that is, Saint Peter stumped at the Pearly Gates. Today there's a nationally syndicated radio show called something like Ground Hero, hosted by Clive, Clyde or Saint Louis. During his Aug. 2 show, C. S. Lewis said that the papal person and all of his followers are a Satanic Cult out to capture the World money supply, and micro-manage everyone by economically punishing and rewarding people for how they behave. Now that this nefarious clique has turned a branch of the U. S. government into the High Kangaroo Court, I suppose SYMPHONY IN SLANG can be excused for ridiculing this Doomsday Cabal.

Watch all the literal gags fly by in Symphony in Slang!

[tavm · 9/10 · 24 April 2021]

I had first seen this Tex Avery cartoon from M-G-M on the Tom & Jerry show on weekday afternoons during the late '70s. In this one, a man enters Heaven puzzling St. Peter and Noah Webster with his various slang terms when telling his life story. I'll just now say that the literal gags come fast and furious with each slang word the guy mentions and one would have to watch this cartoon more than once to get all of them! Anyway, this was one of the most hilarious of Avery's shorts I've ever seen! So on that note, Symphony in Slang is highly recommended.

Fast and furious wordplay

[gbill-74877 · 8/10 · 21 July 2021]

More cleverness from Tex Avery, this one involving wordplay. After a brief setup that has a hipster showing up at the Pearly Gates in Heaven and speaking in a way that makes St. Peter seek out Noah Webster for help, a string of roughly 95 visual puns follow, a breakneck speed of one every four seconds or so. The man tells his life story and in every clause of every sentence we see a clip of what the words could mean if taken literally. "I was beside myself with anger," he says, and we two of him sitting there, with a fiery red fellow labeled "anger." Some of them are pretty corny but there's no time to groan because it's on to the next one, something I liked about it. Light and playful fun.