This newest installment in the popular anime franchise has a lot to recommend it. I came into this film not having ever seen or read this franchise before, yet I was I able to grasp the basics I needed to know easily. It very quickly set up what these characters personalities are as well as given us some strong world building. Though there is some strong action here, the focus is always on the story and characters. However, the action scenes that are here are wonderful. They are over the top and fun in the absolute best anime way. There is no doubt that these violent and wild action scenes are simply a lot of fun. They also heavily work because we care about these characters. These are very well developed and at times complex characters that very much feel like real people. The storyline does at times revolve around a romantic plot that is frankly quite uncomfortable. I have no doubt this will turn many off from this film (as it did for me at first). However, it is handled as tastefully as it can be, and the film acknowledges that it is uncomfortable.
The main flaw with this movie however is simply too much exposition. There are times when an expository scene shoves so much information at us at once that it is hard to keep track of everything being said. Towards the last act this becomes very common, where there is constantly dialogue that is explain things to us and introducing new ideas. When this information is important, this can become a major flaw.
Though not perfect, this is a good movie that is welcoming to newcomers.
2023's Godzilla Minus One managed to be the best film in the whole Godzilla franchise. Because of this, I was both excited about this direct sequel but well aware that it probably wouldn't live up to the previous movie. While Minus One is still my favorite Godzilla film, Minus Zero is a very strong sequel.
Like many sequels, this film tries to up the ante by making the scale feel bigger. This works surprisingly well here. The action scenes here are truly fantastic. The climatic fight scene is incredibly well done. The effects and scale are fantastic here, creating a true treat for the eyes and ears. However, even with this the filmmakers never forgot the human story at the heart of this film. The human characters are mostly carried over from the previous movie, and they are still wonderful here. You truly care about them and their plights. In both the quieter scenes and the big action set pieces these characters are the film's focus. Because we care about them so much, there are some very emotional moments here. One of these moments even comes during the climatic action scene, showing how the emotion and the spectacle perfectly co-exist and complement each other here. Also very emotionally effective is anything involving the little girl. She truly pulls at your heartstrings and one of the first scenes with will simply melt your heart.
This film does have a few flaws. It could be shorter and there are too many characters to keep track of at times. Still, these are small flaws considering how great the film is.
A truly wonderful follow up to a truly wonderful movie.
This film tells the story of how Sylvester Stallone came to create Rocky.
Anthony Ippolito is absolutely perfect in the lead. There are many times that you simply forget that you are not watching Sylvester Stallone. His performance goes far beyond simple imitation. He doesn't just look and sound like Stallone, but he becomes the famous actor. This allows the emotional scenes to hit surprisingly hard. It is rare to find a biopic that can actually make you feel emotional, but this film does just that. That is because like Rocky, this film offers an underdog story that makes it hard not to root for. Because of this we feel upset when things look like there is no hope and want to stand up and cheer at the ending.
However, this movie does have some flaws that are common to biopics. There is some corny dialogue and humor that simply does not fit in a movie that is supposed to tell a true story.
Though not perfect, a great lead performance and some emotional moments make this well worth watching.
Run Time: 11 minutes. Studio: Pathé Frères. Directors: Albert Capellani and Lucien Nonguet. Cast: Julienne Mathieu. Cinematographer: Segundo de Chomón. Original Title: La belle au bois dormant.
As some regular readers of my blog may already know, the early 20th century was filled with films that provided condensed tellings of literary classics. It was a time when audiences were admittedly more well-read than today. People knew these stories and showing the highlights was all that was needed. For those of us used to full complete stories in our films, this can feel more than a little alienating today. Not shockingly, the films of this type that hold up best today are the ones where the story is still well known to modern audiences or where the story is simple enough that it can still be followed in a condensed version. This 1908 film version of Sleeping Beauty falls into both of those categories.
I am sure most of you have at least some familiarity with the basic story. If you aren't, however, here is how it goes. On the birth of a new princess the fairies in the kingdom each give her magical gifts. However, one evil fairy gives her a curse instead. The girl will one day prick her finger on a spinning needle and fall asleep for 100 years. When this happens, a young handsome prince comes to her rescue.
As stated, before the simplicity of this tale makes the story much more accessible to modern viewers. Though this is still a condensed and simplified version of this classic story, you can still follow it without having to know the source material. However, the focus here is not on the story but the spectacle. This is a very handsome looking film. What will be surprising to many people who are unfamiliar with this era of film is that it is in color. Like other color films of this time, the color was hand painted onto the images themselves. This was a painstaking process but one which works extremely well. While the color may not be realistic, this is a fairy tale and it doesn't have to. The color perfectly captures the mood and atmosphere. It also just simply looks beautiful like a vintage painting. The sets are fantastic. They are incredibly well detailed and enhance the fantasy setting perfectly. The costumes are also perfect for this type of fairy tale story. Visually this film is a fairy tale come to life in the best way possible.
For anyone wishing to watch this lovely film you can do so below.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning and happy Halloween. Once again it is time for some spooky cartoons.
Today's spooky cartoon selection begins with our favorite friendly ghost, Casper, in Fright From Wrong (1956).
Next, we join Superman in The Mummy Strikes (1943). This is the 14th out of 17 theatrical cartoon shorts staring the famous DC superhero produced at first by the Fleischer Studios and then its successor Famous Studios.
Now for the silent Felix the cat cartoon, Switches Witches (1927).
Now for a true classic starring Porky and Slyvester, Claws for Alarm (1954). This was the second of two cartoons (both directed by Chuck Jones) featuring Sylvester as the cowardly cat that must protect his owner Porky for murderous mice (the first being Scaredy Cat (1948)). Unlike other appearances of Sylvester, here the cat is treated more like a real cat and has no ability to speak. Chuck Jones would use this basic formula again for Jumpin' Jupiter (1955). That film would again feature Sylvester as a cowardly cat that must protect Porky. However, in that cartoon he would protect his master from a space alien rather than mice. Claws For Alarm would later be used in the feature length compilation movie, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for something completely different here is a completely serious cartoon short of the 1950's, The Tell-Tale Heart (1953). This film is not surprisingly from the UPA studio. The UPA studio at this time sought to move away from the violent slapstick of Warner Brothers or MGM cartoons, or the more realistic "illusion of life" featured in many Disney cartoons. They often experimented with what could be done with the color and design in animated films. These films often experimented with flat backgrounds, purposely limited animation and abstract color schemes that reflect the emotion of a scene rather than what something would really look like. As is true of all cartoon studios that do a lot of experimenting, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. Tell-Tale Heart is one of the most successful and one of the most extreme experiments. Most American audiences at this time had never seen an animated short quite like this and many would never see something like this again. When a 1954 article in Home Movies talking about the Cannes Film Festival got to Disney's Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953) winning a prize, the writer had this to say, "It is unpardonable however that Disney should so openly and fully steal the style of the cartoon developed by the most excellent groups of artists, Steven Bosustow's UPA. It was no secret this was the case among those as the festival as UPA is well known and well respected in France. It is a shame that UPA recent and excellent 3D cartoon, The Tell-Tale Heart could not be shown at the festival, for it most certainly won the prize awarded to Disney." This cartoon is placed at 24 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
It's time to attend Betty Boop's Halloween Party (1933). This is pure pre-code Betty at her best with fast paced action, bizarre cartoony gags, an energetic music score and a heck of a lot of charm. The following are two exhibitors' reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. "BETTY BOOP'S HALLOWEEN PARTY: Betty Boop Cartoons—Good cartoon and sound. It's just a toss-up which is the best cartoon, "Mickey Mouse," "Betty Boop" or "Popeye the Sailor," with "Popeye" slightly in the lead.—S. H. Rich, Rich Theatre, Montpelier, Idaho, Town and Rural Patronage." "BETTY BOOP'S HALLOWEEN PARTY: Talkar- toons—Better than the average Betty Boop. Good short for any program. - H. E. Newberry, Y.M.C.A. Theatre, Ware Shores, S.C. Small Town Patronage."
Next comes one of the earliest of Disney's Silly Symphonies, Hell's Bells (1929). What is amazing about this film is that it is animated by only three people. Wilfred Jackson animates the scene introducing the devil and his court, the scene with the devil's band, the pool of lava, the three dancing bats, the devil king applauding and ringing the bell, the imps carrying the bowl of fire to the devil king, the devil feeding the three-headed dog and the devil pursuing the imp. Ub Iwerks (who also directed the cartoon) animates the opening and closing shots, the single dancing bat and the devil king falling from the cliff and being devoured by the flames. Les Clark animates the serpent swallowing the bat, the dragon/cow and the devil threatening an imp. Animation for this film was done from September to October 1929. Its New York opening was at the George M. Cohan on November 10-16. It played along with the feature film, Song of Love (1929). However, its Los Angles opening would have to wait until it played at the Fox Boulevard theatre, February 20-26, 1930. It would play alongside the feature film, The Cock-Eyed World (1929).
Of course, a Halloween tradition for cartoon fans is the Treehouse of Horror episodes of The Simpsons. Here is a delightful segment from the very first Treehouse of Horror.
Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used Walt Disney’s Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt
In this film, a single fisherwoman is treated as a joke by all the citizens of her village. With hopes of getting the villagers off her back, she asks the basket weaver to make her a husband. The weaver makes her a living man made out of wicker that is deeply in love with her. To her surprise, she falls for him as well.
Even with its raunchy sense of humor and frankness about sex, this story is first and foremost a fable in the traditional vein. This takes place in a world that immediately sets itself up as some place distinctly different from our own. Like many fairy tales, this story takes place in what is obviously the past. However, where and when this past we are seeing is not specified. Setting it apart from any specific time or place makes the fantasy easily more acceptable. When the film starts, we see a wedding that resembles our own weddings but has different traditions that don't really exist in our world. Immediately we are thrown into a world that is quite different from our own yet still holds a mirror up to our society. Because of this, the movie can make commentary on gender roles and marriage without ever sermonizing to us, the way a realistic film set in modern day might. This also allows for us to believe any fantasy concept that the story has for us without any questioning.
This movie also has a really sweet heart to it. There is something that is automatically charming about the main romance. Despite the emphasis on their sex lives, the love they feel for each other has an almost pure and innocent feel to it. This is especially true as it is contrasted with the more traditional marriages we see from the other characters (which provide a cynical representation of what a traditional marriage looks like). As the film goes on, we care more and more about this relationship. This makes some scenes quite touching and moving.
The film also benefits from an extremely strong cast. The fisherwoman is a type of role we have seen Oliva Colman play before, but she is so perfect for it that you may not care. Bill Skarsgaurd is wonderful in the role of the wicker husband, giving a real humanity to this other worldly creation. Peter Dinklage is ideally cast as the wise basket maker with his voice perfectly fitting the fable-like feel to this film.
However, as much as the story works, the raunchy humor often falls flat. Despite the amount of comedy here I only laughed a couple times. Most of the jokes are very raunchy but that does not automatically make them funny. Simply having characters talk graphically about sex and ogle the wicker man's giant penis is not funny in and of itself. Some scenes feel raunchy just to be raunchy without actually adding anything to the story or providing any laughs.
This film was directed by the team of Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. It is their second feature film as directors. The first was the sci-fi comedy Save Yourselves! (2020).
Though as a comedy it may fall flat, this is a very charming and intelligent fable.
This film tells the origin story of the Batman villain Clayface. Actor Matt Hagen is massively scarred just when his career is fully taking off. He becomes a test subject for an experimental treatment that will restore his face. However, when the side effects allow him to morph his face into anyone, he uses this for revenge against those that had wronged him.
What makes this movie work so well is Matt Hagen, himself. This movie does a wonderful job of exploring how this character goes from being a tragic figure to a full-on supervillain. This transition happens gradually but completely believably. As this happens, we go from rooting for him to being terrified of him. Having a character be essentially both our protagonist at times and our villain at others can be a difficult feat to pull off. However, this movie does a great job at this. Much of this is due to Tom Rhys Harries performance as the title character.
As body horror, this movie does an excellent job as well. There are many moments that will turn your stomach. They are truly grotesque in the best possible way. None of this feels unnecessary though. Each grotesque and gory scene comes out of the story and characters rather than being there simply for shock value. As such there is an emotional and narrative effect to each of these scenes that makes the movie all the more effective and scary.
If I were to fault this movie, it would be heavily in its first act. The filmmakers seem to be rushing to get to the point where he is scarred and volunteers for the experimental treatment. As such everything before that goes by much too fast. There is a lot of exposition in these early scenes that feels clumsy and forced as if the filmmakers just want to get this information out of the way.
An R-rated horror movie based off a Batman villain was a risky move but one that certainly paid off.
In this movie, a family moves to the country. Their Christmas-obsessed next-door neighbors at first seem extremely friendly and welcoming. However, it turns out they are much darker and dangerous than they seem.
With such an over the top and silly premise, it would seem that the film would either be hilarious or so bad it would be kind of entertaining in unintentional way. Yet it is actually neither. Instead, it is just simply bland and forgettable. The movie never embraces its absurdity the way it should but instead simply seems too sanitized. The humor often focuses on safe easy jokes that would be better fitting for a sitcom than a high-concept dark comedy. That is when there actually are jokes. There are many moments in which the film expects the absurdity of the premise to single handedly carry the comedy. Yet the movie never goes far enough with its absurdity for this to work. Because of this we are left with a comedy that has no laughs at all. A game cast is obviously trying their best with the material, but no one can make this script work. Beverly D'Angelo gives a ridiculously over the top performance that should have been hilarious. Yet the script gives her nothing that could ever be considered funny. Donald Faison gives a very good comedic performance as the guy who simply doesn't want to be there. Again, though he is not given any real jokes.
The character are also simply terrible here. The main family have very little if any personality beyond their roles as father, wife and son. The Kringles are supposed to be master manipulators that at first appear charming. Yet they are creepy from the get-go and it hard to understand how anyone could fall find them charming.
There is no reason this should have been as bad as it is.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Mighty Mouse in TheElectronic Mouse Trap (1946).
Next comes Mickey Mouse in The Haunted House (1929). Despite its spooky setting, this film was released closer to Christmas, premiering in movie theaters on December 2, 1929. Still the spooky setting is very effective, and this sense of atmosphere makes it one of my favorite early Mickeys. Though legendary animator and pioneering Disney director, Ub Iwerks had by this time mostly been dedicating himself to the Silly Symphony shorts rather than the Mickey Mouse, you can see some of his work here. However, this is in reused footage from the famous first Silly Symphony, The Skelton Dance (1929), which was released earlier the same year. This film did run into trouble with the state censors though not for any of the creepy parts. Instead, they objected to gags involving a chamber pot and an outhouse.
Next comes the Columbia Color Rhapsody cartoon, Snowtime (1938). If you have ever wondered where snow comes from, this very educational film should answer all your questions.
Next comes Yankee Doodle Donkey (1944). This film stars Spunky the donkey and is his first appearance without his mother Hunky. The Hunky and Spunky cartoons were made for the Fleischer Studio. When the Fleischer Studio was replaced by Famous Studios, the characters would at first disappear for a few years. Starting with this film, Famous Studios would bring back Spunky without Hunky. As well as giving Spunky a couple of solo cartoons, the young donkey would also play a major role in the Casper cartoon, Boo Kind to Animals (1955).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes a classic Norman McCabe directed Daffy Duck cartoon. Though he only directed three Daffy cartoons, Norman McCabe more than proved himself as a perfect match for this character. Though his Daffy was still wild and crazy, Norman's cartoons gave him a more fully formed personality than previous directors did. Besides just the personality these films were extremely high energy cartoons that were extremely fun. Norman McCabe would continue working with the Looney Tunes characters well past the golden age of Looney Tunes, as he would be a timing director for the TV shows, Tiny Toon Adventures (1990-1991), Taz-Mania (1991-1995) and The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries (1995-1996). So, enjoy Impatient Patient (1942).
Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, Jack's Shack (1934).
Next comes an early example of one of Disney's Silly Symphonies, Arctic Antics (1930). Like all Disney cartoons of this era, this short film benefits from an incredible cast of animators. The opening scene with the bears and seals was animated by Frenchy de Tremaudan. Wilfred Jackson, who would go on to direct some of the finest Silly Symphonies shorts animates more of the bears and seals as well as the penguin leader and the little penguin during the march. Dave Hand, who would later be the supervising director for the Disney feature films, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942), animates the bear cub on the ice cake and much of the penguin march. Les Clark, one of Walt's future Nine Old Men and one of the best Mickey Mouse animators, animates the large bear on the ice cake and a penguin doing a dance by himself. Norm Ferguson, whose animation would help define the character of Pluto, animates the operatic walrus (reused animation from the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Wild Waves (1929)) and the penguins dancing in a chorus line. Ben Sharpsteen, who was the supervising director for the Disney feature films Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the four dancing seals, the seals applauding (reused animation from the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Wild Waves (1929)) and the walrus with the fish. Dick Lundy, who would go on to be a great Woody Woodpecker director, animates the seal dancing by himself and the seal balancing a fish on his nose. Johnny Cannon animates the seal squeezing the walrus' nose. Jack King, who would go on to direct some wonderful Donald Duck cartoons animates more of the penguin march. This short film would make its TV debut on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 17, 1956.
Now to close with a song.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald https://mediahistoryproject.org/
This movie involves a young man who is eaten by a whale. He is trying to survive in that whale and escape before he is completely swallowed.
The main reason to watch this movie is Austin Abrams performance. Once again, he is simply fantastic here. He has to spend much of the film being the only person on screen. Yet he holds our attention perfectly and hitting every needed emotional beat. The visuals are also surprisingly good here. The idea seems very visually limited, but the filmmakers find a way to make it feel cinematic. There is a lot of imagination on display in these scenes as well as a real sense of claustrophobia.
Despite its virtues this is far from being a classic. Spending the majority of the movie inside a whale leads to a very repetitive experience and can honestly get kind of boring at times. The father son drama at the heart of the story never truly connects as it just follows typical story beats in a bland and forgettable way. The main problem with the film though is that it takes itself too seriously. The plot is ridiculous and silly. To make this kind of plot work, the film needs to fully lean into this silliness or to embrace a sense of fantasy. However, what we get here treats the story in a completely earnest way, while trying to also present itself as something realistic.
Despite a strong lead performance and great visuals, on a narrative level there is nothing to make this story stand out.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing In the Sweet By and By. This song came about because of a friendship between composer, Joseph Webster and poet, Dr. Sanford Fillmore Bennett. One day Webster was depressed and Dr. Bennett recognized this. Dr. Bennett asked his friend what was wrong. Webster replied, "Oh nothing. Everything will be alright by and by." These words brought up an idea in Bennett and he wrote down three verses and a chorus to this song as soon as he could. He handed it to his friend saying, “Here is your prescription, Joe.” Webster loved the lyrics and wrote music for them in practically no time at all. Dr. Bennett later said, “It was not over thirty minutes from the time I took my pen to write the words before two friends with Webster and myself were singing the hymn.” The hymn was first published in 1868 and went on to great fame since. This version of the song comes from Roy and Dale's 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.
This is followed Loretta Lynn with Standing Room Only. This comes from her 1968 gospel album, Who Says God is Dead.
Afterwards is Barbara Mandrell with Have Thine Own Way Lord. This hymn was written by Adelaide A. Pollard. It was partly inspired by how in 1902, she heard an old woman praying at a prayer meeting, "It really doesn't matter what you do with us, Lord -- just have your way with our lives." Adelaide wanted to be a missionary in Africa, but this was not happening as quickly as she would have hoped it would happen. Not long before writing this song, she tried to raise funds to go to Africa but this proved not as successful as she had hoped. This lead her to follow into what she called a "distress of soul." It was then that she attended this prayer meeting, heard that prayer and wrote this hymn. She eventually did become a missionary in Africa, even if it was only for a brief time. This comes from Barbara's 1989 gospel album,Precious Memories: 20 Hymns and Gospel Classics.
Then comes Bobby Bare with Church in the Wildwood. This recording comes 1967 album, A Bird Named Yesterday.
Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1948 recording of The Old Rugged Cross. The song dates back to 1913 and was written by evangelist, George Bennard. Actually, the first verse was written in 1912. It was written while Bennard was a part of a series of revival meetings in Albion, Michigan. He was worried about the complete disregard for the gospel around him and wrote this verse as a repose. Of writing it Bennard said, "I seemed to have a vision ... I saw the Christ and the cross inseparable." The song wouldn't be completed for several months, when he was leading meetings at a local church in Pokagan, Michigan. He played it for Rev. Leroy (the sponsoring pastor) and his wife, Ruby Bostwick, both of whom found themselves moved to tears. It was then incorporated into a service at that church on June 7, 1913. The song has the same effect today as it must have back then.
Afterwards is Ricky Skaggs with I'm Ready to Go. This comes from his 1999 gospel album, Solider of the Cross.
Today's musical selection closes with Gene Autry with his 1937 recording of There's a Goldmine in the Sky.
Now for the 29th episode of The Lone Ranger TV series.
Now for a message from the Reverand Martin Luther King Jr.
Book of Jonah
Jonah Flees From the Lord
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.
Jonah’s Prayer
17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2 1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:
“By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion
4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday Morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with our good friend Porky Pig in Porky and Gabby (1937). The credited director on this short film is Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney's former right-hand man and co-creator of Mickey Mouse. However, it is believed that the two credited animators Bob Clampett and Chuck Jones co-directed this film with Iwerks. This cartoon marks the first appearance of Porky's short lived sidekick Gabby Goat.
Next comes the Fleischer Brothers' Animated Antics cartoon, Bring Himself Back Alive (1940). Running from 1940 to 1941 this series of cartoons only lasted for 11 shorts.
Next comes a classic and often overlooked Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, More Kittens (1936). This short film is a bit of a sequel to the previous Silly Symphonies short, Three Orphan Kittens (1935) as this movie features the same kittens who were the stars of that cartoon. The voice of the maid in this movie was by Lillian Randolph. Cartoon fans might recognize her as the voice of Tom's owner in the earlier Tom and Jerry films. Fans of classic Christmas movies will know her as Annie the maid in Its a Wonderful Life (1947). Like all Disney cartoons of this time, this film features a wonderful cast of animators. Frenchy de Tremaudan animates the kittens' opening and closing scenes with the maid and them in the laundry. Ward Kimball, who would become one of Walt's Nine Old Men, work on some of the best Disney features and even direct some great cartoon shorts, animates the kittens first meeting the dog. Leonard Sebring, a wonderful animator who spent most of his career doing uncredited work for both Disney and MGM, animates the kittens drinking from the dog's bowl and them with the turtle. Bob Stokes, who worked for a wide variety of studios (Disney, Van Bureun, Warner Brothers, MGM, Ub Iwerks) though mostly uncredited, the scene with the kittens, the fly and the dog together. Bob Wickersham animates the kitten and the fly on the branch and the kittens with the bird. Frank Thomas, who would also become one of Walt's Nine Old Men, animates the fight inside the dog's mouth, the kittens chasing the bird up the clothesline and the dog hiding the kittens. This cartoon premiered at the Majestic in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Christmas day, 1936 with the feature film, Polo Joe (1936, starring Joe E. Brown). It made its TV premier on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on December 6, 1956.
Now for the Talkartoon short, The Bum Bandit (1931). This film stars Bimbo the dog but is notable today for featuring an early version Betty Boop (though the character has a different name and a very different voice).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes Gandy Goose in Spring Fever (1951).
Next is the silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, Burglar Alarm (1923).
Next comes a classic Mickey Mouse film, The Delivery Boy (1931). This short film, like all of the 1930's Mickeys, features a wonderful cast of animators. Johnny Cannon animates the opening scene with Mickey riding the delivery wagon and the scene with the dog playing the accordion. Rudy Zamora, who would later direct many of the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons of the 1980's, animates Minnie washing her clothes. Jack Cutting animates the underwear washing itself. Norm Ferguson (who as an animator helped define the character of Pluto) animates the first scene of Mickey and Minnie's dance, Pluto getting his feet caught in the tar and doing his little dance and the two workers with the dynamite. Frenchy de Trémaudan animates the gag with the goat. David Hand, who would later be the supervising director on the feature films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942) animates Mickey climbing into the pants, the scene with the hornets and the birds whistling and dancing. Future Donald Duck, Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director, Dick Lundy animates the second scene of Mickey and Minnie's dance. George Lane animates the instruments nearly falling on the animals and them running away. Tom Palmer, who would later direct a few cartoons for Warner Brothers and Van Beuren, animates Mickey and Minnie on the Piano. Les Clark, one of the best Mickey Mouse animators, animates Mickey and Minnie playing the trombone, trumpet and drum as well as the gag with the turtle and the mule. Future Looney Tunes and Donald Duck director, Jack King animates the ending sequence from when Pluto picks up the dynamite to the end.
Now to close with a song.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
