Alley to Bali (1954) User Reviews

A strange experiment

[agj8012 · 7/10 · 1 May 2010]

This is one of the strangest Woody Woodpecker cartoons of the fifties. A woman needs to offer an idol two living creatures, so she goes after Woody Woodpecker and his "friend" Buzz Buzzard. She uses her attractive nature in order to lure Woody and Buzz over to the idol. Woody and Buzz narrowly escape the idol, only to have Buzz kill an octopus in the end(if you want to find out how, watch the cartoon). I don't know what to think of this cartoon. It's pretty good, but I have seen numerous Woody cartoons that are ten times better than this one. The thing that makes it notable is that I really can't compare it to any other cartoon that I have seen. It is surprisingly dark for a Woody Woodpecker cartoon, and has really eerie background music. It isn't really funny, but it is entertaining in a really strange way. There are a few missed opportunities in this cartoon, but then again, what cartoon doesn't have a few. All in all, a decent cartoon

Woody Woodpecker at his darkest and strangest

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 4 August 2017]

Was very fond of Woody Woodpecker and his cartoons as a child. Still get much enjoyment out of them now as a young adult, even if there are more interesting in personality cartoon characters and better overall cartoons.

Both Woody and Buzz Buzzard come off well here and both are easy to root for in their situation. Woody's personality is toned down from his usual manic one but it does suit the story and it certainly does not make him a jerk. Buzz is a formidable and entertaining partner, but an ally here and not an enemy. The two work well together even though 'Alley to Bali' is a very atypical effort, no wild energy or the like here.

As ever, the animation is great. The characters are well drawn, but even better are the rich colours, meticulously detailed backgrounds and smooth backgrounds. The setting is different, looks great and has an authentic air.

Music is another strength here. It's characterful, lushly orchestrated and is not only dynamic with the action it even enhances it, there is also an eerie atmosphere that is again well suited. There is one amusing moment with Buzz and the bad breath.

However, 'Alley to Bali' is not the first time that a Woody Woodpecker cartoon has been different from the norm, 'Born to Peck' was atypical and that was a great cartoon, nostalgic, reflective and very moving, that saw a different side to Woody. With that being said, it is a case of different not coming off well.

For a Woody Woodpecker cartoon there is very little that's funny or clever, apart from Buzz and the bad breath. This is Woody at its darkest and strangest and the darkness and disturbing elements were taken too far, and the cartoon does drag.

In conclusion, while a change of pace is admirable 'Alley to Bali' didn't really work. 5/10 Bethany Cox

No Americans in their right minds should ever . . .

[pixrox1 · 7/10 · 12 June 2023]

. . . set foot outside the friendly confines of our U. S. Homeland, especially in such Stone Age barbaric regions as Middle Mongolia, Madagascar, Mexico, French Guinea, French Hen, France, Cuba, Colombia and Canada. ALLEY TO BALI echoes this dire warning, showing how there will NOT be any U. S. diplomats to rescue wandering Americans from man-eating plants, voracious volcanoes and hip-swinging hussies. If Americans were like cats, with 13 lives to live, maybe a foolhardy Yank could afford to risk one in Bali, Belize, Botswana or Belgium. However, anyone restricted to their current life would do well not to risk a day in Russia, Rome, Romania or Red China. To quote Dorothy Gale, "There's no place like Home."

Creepy and atypical WW cartoon

[PeachHamBeach · 4/10 · 10 July 2013]

I give points for originality of story and setting, but this is one weird-ass Woody Woodpecker installment! Homer Brightman, who came up with most of the later WW story lines and even did lots of good Disney cartoon stories, somehow got a wild hair up there somewhere and came up with this bizarre tale. A seductive Balinese lady tries to secure a "human" sacrifice for an evil volcano god by luring Woody and Buzz Buzzard, two navymen in town, into the pit. The music is interesting and disconcerting at the same time. It's just a very dark, atypical cartoon for Woody, and it's disappointing to realize that a character/series that began with "Knock Knock" could end up with something like this in its filmography.

Again, the setting is an interesting place and culture and the story is unusual, but it's not particularly funny or clever, so what's the point of it, except to remind us that cannibalism (long pig) is still prevalent in some cultures, and that some civilizations, like the Aztecs, believed in mean, hateful, easily angered gods who demanded the deaths of a few in return for letting the many live? Ick :(~

This was a really dark episode

[blondcutie1972 · 4/10 · 21 March 2015]

This episode was creepy for a Woody cartoon, the fact the angry god wanted "long pig" is disturbing enough, but the fact the Balinese woman lured Woody and Buzz to their deaths was really disgusting, i saw this years ago when i was a kid and even back then i thought this episode was on the creepy side. That god temple reminds me of the one from the Ghostbusters movie. The part when Woody and Buzz were sitting in frying pans like a couple of sausages is a bit unnerving and sick, What were the writers thinking when they made this creepy episode? The only funny thing about this cartoon was whenever Buzz kissed someone they turned brown from his bad breath.