The Little Lion Hunter Review

The Little Lion Hunter is a 1939 animated short film from the Merry Melodies series. It is a phenomenal short.

This is the first film starring Inki and Mynah bird. Inki is a black boy who explores the wilderness and gets in trouble with the lion. Mynah bird is this very odd, voiceless, mysterious bird who eventually rescues him from the lion but kicks him in the butt in that hilarious end gag. The film is great for featuring very memorable characters. I liked the lion and Inki is very cute and endearing though obviously caricatured.

But obviously the bird is the highlight as such a mysterious, very intriguing and memorable presence. Great character design as well. I loved this bird so much. The cartoon is a bit slow at first, but pleasantly atmospheric, very well scored and with some fun antics and memorable action. It truly is the most original Merry Melody in quite a while, maybe even the most original so far.

The Little Lion Hunter is a very authentic, intriguing short with unforgettable, mysterious Mynah bird and a fantastic ending.