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Just perfect...

Brilliant and touching

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

This is a notorious Looney Tunes cartoon from celebrated exponent Robert Clampett, one of a handful of 'outrageous' efforts from The Golden Age Of Animation which were subsequently banned. Of course, as can be gleaned immediately from its altered title, it's a modernized all-black retelling of the Snow White fairy-tale with rampant (but not really offensive) racist – and even sexual – attitudes that were prevalent during the wartime era. As ever with the classic Warners style of animation, the short moves at breakneck speed – throwing in a plethora of visual and verbal gags along the way, while being held firmly together by a constant and wholly agreeable jazz soundtrack (complete with half-sung and rhyming dialogue). All in all, however, given its reputation and prolonged suppression, I wouldn't count it among the best or even funniest shorts that Warners produced under the "Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies" banner.

This has got to be one of the best cartoons they refuse to show.Like 'Clean Pastures' is boat-loaded with black stereotypes talking in 40's jive. Unlike same, it's got no real positive message here. Unless you count the overabundance of patriotism.It's a re-telling (from 'Mammy' to 'baby' in the wraparound.) of the Snow white legend. The evil Queen was hoarding everything that was being rationed during the war. And of course Prince Chawmin' was a zoot suiter.The seven dwarfs were a bunch of night club dancer types, except for the one shuffling one. And watch for the quick anti-Japanese quip.Yes, it can be a tad racist. And the WWII humor is dated as hell. But still a lot of laughs to be had. That is as long as you aren't TOO sensitive.

Although it has some interesting commentary on the war and is certainly a good tool for teaching and sparking discussion about American race relations, it is certainly not something that I think deserves the outright praise that some of you have been giving it.It is still wrought full of stereotypes (specifcally the over-sexualized black female and the hyper-sexed black male pimp) that are sadly still represented far too often today in music videos, movies, and the like.This is a good cartoon, but not for its entertainment value, but for its close-up on racism as it stood during that era and a representation of how racial stereotypes masked as entertainment are enacted today (and often in modalities directly targeting children).

After reading through all of the other comments, my review won't be either eye opening or original. My aim is to pile on the accolades. Easily one of the greatest if not the greatest cartoon ever made as well as my personal favorite. The animation and the music are both fantastic. When I finally got a copy of "Coal Black" some years ago I watched it at least ten times in a row. It's that amazing. Yes, the racial caricatures are disturbing by todays "standards" and I wouldn't show it anywhere at anytime, but it does have its place. And it's place is in front of anyone who loves classic animation and can view it within the context of the times in which it was made. Director Bob Clampett loved the African American music he included. There isn't a single frame that had any intent what so ever of offending anyone. The problem here is that there's absolutely NO WAY to animate an African American cartoon character without coming across as racist. Just think about it. You couldn't draw a racist depiction of a white person if you tried. In fact, it's rather impossible. Even if you set out to do so and tell everyone that's your intention, it simply can't be done. So the fact remains that any cartoon drawing of an African American will always come across as a demeaning caricature. Ironically, it was black comedians themselves such as Steppin Fetchit (real name Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry!) who created the stereotypical black characters in the first place. They were meant to be FUNNY and not reflections of reality. Unfortunately though, stupid white Americans came to accept these comedic characters as what African Americans were really like. It's every bit as idiotic as thinking that all white Americans are actually like Elmer Fudd or Red Skelton's Clem Kaddiddlehopper! Too bad, because great cartoons such as "Coal Black and De Sebben Dwarfs" continue to be hidden from view and kept away from all but the most fanatic of animation fans who take the time to go out and hunt them down.