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Support Your Local Serpent

Name: Support Your Local Serpent
Director: Arthur Davis
Released: 1972
Duration: 6 min

Representation Score

3.1/10

Limited

1972

Director

Arthur Davis

Runtime

6 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Support Your Local Serpent is a traditional animated short centered on physical comedy. The plot follows the Blue Racer's failed attempts to catch a Japanese Beetle through various slapstick mishaps. The film lacks intentional narrative architecture regarding identity or social hierarchy. Since the characters are non-human entities engaged in situational comedy, the story avoids complex thematic exploration. Ultimately, the film functions as a standard genre piece, prioritizing physical gags over any meaningful representation of diverse human experiences or social structures.

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Category Breakdown

Does Support Your Local Serpent have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film centers on a slapstick chase between a snake and a beetle. There are no representations of same-sex relationships or non-cisgender identities.

How does Support Your Local Serpent portray gender?

Fair

Since the main characters are anthropomorphized animals, there are no depictions of gender hierarchies. The narrative remains gender-neutral throughout the comedy.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Support Your Local Serpent?

Limited

The antagonist is called a 'Japanese Beetle,' which is a biological term rather than a socio-cultural reference. There is no racial blending or diverse casting in the film.

How does Support Your Local Serpent represent religion and culture?

Fair

The short follows a standard slapstick structure without criticizing Western institutions or religion. It stays focused on situational comedy.

Does Support Your Local Serpent include disability representation?

Minimal

Physical mishaps, such as falling into fertilizer, are used for humor. There are no depictions of disability or neurodivergence, nor do characters with disabilities have significant roles.

Present on Screen

The film offers a clear, focused slapstick narrative driven by physical comedy.
Using anthropomorphized animals allows for a gender-neutral comedic framework.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks depth regarding diverse identities or social representation.
The story avoids complex themes, resulting in a lack of cultural or ideological engagement.
Physical mishaps are used strictly for humor rather than exploring disability or ability to act.

Official Synopsis

The Blue Racer is trying to catch Japanese Beetle. He first tries to catch him by hiding inside a hose, however, plan is backfired when Japanese Beetle turns on the faucet. Then he tries to catch him by hopping, but again, plan foiled because he ran across a rolling roller. While chasing the Beetle again, Blue Racer runs into a venus flytrap, which spits the snake out (the flytrap claims that it tasted awful). The Blue Racer decided he needs to fly in the air to catch the bug and sucks a can of helium, and floats in the air. However, when he opens his mouth, he flys off in the air and falls into a bag of genuine fertilizer.

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