A good deal of the pre-Production Code Betty Boop cartoons are daring and creative, with content that makes one amazed at what's gotten away with. While the later Betty Boop cartoons made after the Code was enforced are still watchable and exceptionally well-made, they are so toned down, with the risqué and surreal edge and creativity of the pre-Code cartoons gone, that they feel bland.
Fleischer were responsible for some brilliant cartoons, some of them still among my favourites. Their visual style was often stunning and some of the most imaginative and ahead of its time in animation. The character of Betty Boop, one of their most famous and prolific characters, may not be for all tastes and sadly not as popular now, but her sex appeal was quite daring for the time and to me there is an adorable sensual charm about her. The good news is that she has not lost her charm, she is still cute and her comic timing is decent.
The animation is rich in detail and beautifully and meticulously drawn and the music is infectious, lyrical and dynamic. The voice acting is fine.
Unfortunately, that is pretty much all 'Making Stars' has going for it. It is not hard to see why it is seen as offensive, the acts are stereotypically characterised and not in a way that's funny, imaginative or cute and parts like the "Hi De Ho" one are not in good taste. 'Making Stars' has more problems than it being offensive though.
If anybody enjoyed the pre-code Betty Boop cartoons for being wonderfully surreal and for its daring risqué content that was ahead of the time back in the 30s and wouldn't be seen a lot now in cartoons, they will be disappointed here. Both are completely absent here, as well as any creativity, humour and only Betty shows any signs of cuteness. The story is non-existent and has very little energy due to the material being so lacking.
Overall, a misfire and unless one is a Betty Boop cartoon completest easily skipable. 3/10 Bethany Cox