Movie Review: A Magnificent Life

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made but rushed animated biopic. 

The brilliant French animation director  Sylvain Chomet's new film tells the story of the life of filmmaker and playwright Marcel Pagnol. The result is a good movie, even if it doesn't reach the heights of the director/writer's previous work. 

Like all of Sylvain Chomet's work, this film is a visual treat. His signature visual style is all over this movie. You can recognize one of this director's films by looking at one single frame and his unique style works perfectly for this film. Every single frame is simply lovely to look at. 

This movie is also very entertaining with much of the filmmaker's wit and creativity throughout. The comedic moments are quite funny, and the whimsical moments feel magical. The dialogue is smart crisp and intelligently written. All of this works towards this movie's main charm. It fully captures a love and passion for film and theater in a way that fully captures our imaginations.     

This movie does have a major problem though. That is that the hour and a half runtime is too short for a biopic. Because of this the story can often feel very rushed and supporting characters are rarely fleshed out. The scenes about the main character's romantic life especially fell flat because we never got to know anything about any of his love interests.

All in all the things that work are so well done that they overcome any of the movie's flaws.   

Movie Review: Hunting Matthew Nichols

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A superior horror movie.

This film resembles a documentary and anyone who goes into this film blind make think it is a real documentary as it starts (the documentary filmmaker is so technically flawless and convincing). This "documentary" is being made by a woman who is still haunted by the unexplained disappearance of her brother 23 three years earlier. To get a sense of closure she decides to find out what happened for herself. However, the closer she looks the more it seems like something supernatural occurred. 

What makes this film work so well is that it is in no rush to scare you. It takes its time building things up slowly before anything scary actually happens. The early scenes of this film make you fully believe that you are in fact watching a crime documentary. The creepiness builds up slowly beginning with just little hints that something supernatural might me be happening. Because of this by the time we reach the climax, we are already fully immersed in the dark and eerie world of this movie putting us fully on the edge of our seats. Unlike many horror movies though, this climax fully lives up to the buildup. The climax of this film is truly terrifying, and you will leave the theater feeling very uneasy. The unease of this film is helped by the filmmakers using jump scares and gore sparingly, so that when they do see these, they are much more effective. 

As well as a horror film, this movie also functions as a character study. Our main character is very relatable character. She becomes increasingly obsessed with knowing the truth. She may know that she is putting herself in danger and may be scared but she is not capable of leaving well enough alone, even if she may know better. The character is expertly played by Miranda MacDougall. 

Markian Tarasiuk directed this film, and he plays the filmmaker who helps the main character make this film. He is also excellent in this role, and his presence helps blur the line between documentary and horror.  

This is a must watch for any horror fan and even for those who don't usually like horror but appreciate good filmmaking. 

  

  

Cowboy Church #262

 Hello, my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.

Today’s musical selection begins with the King of the Cowboys and The Queen of the West, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus in the Morning. This song reminds us that we are not only to leave a small part of the day with Jesus as our focus but all day long as well as everyday. We should wake up each morning with Jesus on our mind and go to bed each night the same way. While few of us will succeed with this every day, we will find that each day we do it will be an enriching day that will makes us grow as a person. This song comes from Roy and Dale’s 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.

This is followed by Tammy Wynette with I'd Like to See Jesus (On the Midnight Special). This recording comes from her 1978 album, Womanhood. 

Afterwards is Conway Twitty with In Loving Memories. This comes from his 1973 gospel album Clinging To A Saving Hand / Steal Away.

Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. . This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.

Then comes Tompall Glaser with Where No One Stands Alone.  This song was written by Mosie Lister, one of the most influential and important gospel songwriters of the 1950's. Mosie was also one of the founding members of the gospel singing group, The Statesmen Quartet. Not long afterwards he left the band and performing to concentrate on songwriter and that is when he wrote many of his finest compositions, including this one.

Next is Johnny Cash with Seal it in My Heart and Mind. This song was written by John himself. It is unknown where John actually recorded this. However, it would be released posthumously in 2006 in a two-disc set called Personal File. This set was made up of previously unreleased recordings that include just John and his guitar. 

Today's musical selection ends with Roy Acuff with Jesus Died For Me. This comes from Roy's 1963 gospel album, Hand-Clapping Gospel Songs. 

Now for the 6th episode of The Lone Ranger TV show. 

Now for a message from Pastor Greg Laurie. 

Psalm 89

A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;

    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known

    through all generations.

2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,

    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

    I have sworn to David my servant,

4 ‘I will establish your line forever

    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”

5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,

    your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?

    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?

7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;

    he is more awesome than all who surround him.

8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?

    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

9 You rule over the surging sea;

    when its waves mount up, you still them.

10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;

    with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.

11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;

    you founded the world and all that is in it.

12 You created the north and the south;

    Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.

13 Your arm is endowed with power;

    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

    love and faithfulness go before you.

15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,

    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

16 They rejoice in your name all day long;

    they celebrate your righteousness.

17 For you are their glory and strength,

    and by your favor you exalt our horn.

18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord,

    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Once you spoke in a vision,

    to your faithful people you said:

“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;

    I have raised up a young man from among the people.

20 I have found David my servant;

    with my sacred oil I have anointed him.

21 My hand will sustain him;

    surely my arm will strengthen him.

22 The enemy will not get the better of him;

    the wicked will not oppress him.

23 I will crush his foes before him

    and strike down his adversaries.

24 My faithful love will be with him,

    and through my name his horn will be exalted.

25 I will set his hand over the sea,

    his right hand over the rivers.

26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,

    my God, the Rock my Savior.’

27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,

    the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

28 I will maintain my love to him forever,

    and my covenant with him will never fail.

29 I will establish his line forever,

    his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 “If his sons forsake my law

    and do not follow my statutes,

31 if they violate my decrees

    and fail to keep my commands,

32 I will punish their sin with the rod,

    their iniquity with flogging;

33 but I will not take my love from him,

    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

34 I will not violate my covenant

    or alter what my lips have uttered.

35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—

    and I will not lie to David—

36 that his line will continue forever

    and his throne endure before me like the sun;

37 it will be established forever like the moon,

    the faithful witness in the sky.”

38 But you have rejected, you have spurned,

    you have been very angry with your anointed one.

39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant

    and have defiled his crown in the dust.

40 You have broken through all his walls

    and reduced his strongholds to ruins.

41 All who pass by have plundered him;

    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.

42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

    you have made all his enemies rejoice.

43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword

    and have not supported him in battle.

44 You have put an end to his splendor

    and cast his throne to the ground.

45 You have cut short the days of his youth;

    you have covered him with a mantle of shame.

46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?

    How long will your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how fleeting is my life.

    For what futility you have created all humanity!

48 Who can live and not see death,

    or who can escape the power of the grave?

49 Lord, where is your former great love,

    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked,

    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,

51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,

    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

52 Praise be to the Lord forever!

Amen and Amen.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy Trails to you until we meet again.

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #274

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester and Tweety in Tweet and Lovely (1959). This is one of my favorite Sylvester and Tweety films. Voice actor Mel Blanc would later write, "Sylvester has always been a favorite of mine. He's always been the easiest character for me to play. When I was showing the first model sheet for Sylvester with his floppy jaws and generally disheveled appearance, I said to Friz Freleng, 'A big sloppy cat should have a big shthloppy voice. He should spray even more than Daffy.' While recording Sylvester cartoons my scripts would get so covered in sylvia I'd repeatedly have to wipe them clean. I used to suggest to actress June Foray, who voiced Tweety's vigilant owner Granny that she wear a raincoat to the sessions." 

Next up comes the Terry Toons short, The Hopeful Donkey (1943). Like When Mules Leave Home (1934) last week, this is also a Terry Toons adaption of the Brothers Grimm story Town Musicians of Bremen. However, this short borrows nothing more from the previous cartoon than the same source material. Both cartoons are charming takes on the classic children's story.  

Now for the Fleischer Screen Songs cartoon, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (1930). The title song was written in 1918 by composer John Kellette and lyricists James Kendis, James Brockman and Nat Vincent (under the pseudonym Jaan Kenbrovin) The song premiered in the Broadway musical The Passing Show of 1918 (Jul 25, 1918–Nov 9, 1918) where it was sung by Helen Carrington. In 1919 the song would become a number one hit for Ben Selvin's Novelty Orchestra. 

Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, Beanstalk Jack (1946). 

Now for a commercial break.

Next is the new Three Stooges cartoon, Kangaroo Catchers (1965). The Three Stooges not only appear in live action before and after the cartoon, but they also voice themselves in the animated cartoon.

Some of Disney's best and funniest cartoon shorts are those that teamed Mickey, Donald and Goofy as a comedy trio. Next up I have the second of these cartoons and the first one in color, Mickey's Fire Brigade (1935). This movie opens with the title card burning away in flames, a creative touch by effects animator Cy Young. In this short Mickey is the fire chief, a role he had played earlier in The Fire Fighters (1930). Two of the animators on this film are Bill Tytla (possibly my favorite Disney animator) and Grim Natwick, both of whom had joined the studio in 1934. They animate the majority of the scenes with Clarabella Cow. The scene where Goofy tries to take a coffee break is animated by Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman, who would later become a specialist at animating the character. Jack Kinney, who would go on to direct some of the funniest cartoons to ever come out of the Disney studio, animated Donald's struggles with flypaper and pails of water. It is common for cartoon fans to think of the old Disney shorts as being slow moving and sentimental, however that is not the case here at all. This is a fast moving and very funny film that puts a smile on my face every time. The following is from an issue of The Film Daily (dated Sept. 5, 1935), " 'Mickey's Fire Brigade,' is to have its premiere in the New York theatrical sector this evening when it opens at the Rivoli Theater with the new Samuel Goldwyn production, 'The Dark Angel.'" A review in National Board of Review Magazine stated, "Noisier and less clever than most of this series but still better than most of its kind." A review in The Film Daily states, "This is one of the liveliest and funniest of the Walt Disney cartoon creations." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "MICKEY'S FIRE BRIGADE: Mickey Mouse—One of the best of the Mickey Mouse series. Running time, eight minutes.—M. H. Harrington, Avalon Theatre, Clatskanie, Ore. Small Town and Rural Patronage." This theatrical cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on October 31, 1956.

Up next is the Mickey Mouseworks cartoon, Pluto Vs. The Watchdog (1999). This cartoon would later play in the House of Mouse episode, Donald and the Aracuan Bird (2002).

Now let us 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

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.

Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by David Gerstein and J.B. Kaufman

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Mickey's_Fire_Brigade

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/the-passing-show-of-1918-6965

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/mickeys-fire-brigade-1935/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

 

Movie Review: They Will Kill You

 

Michael's Movie Grade: D

A rather bland and forgettable horror flick. 

This movie has a young woman go into a dangerous hotel to save her sister. The hotel is run by a group of immortal satanists, who wish to sacrifice her to the devil. 

This story offers nothing that you have not seen before. In fact, the story even has many similarities to Ready or Not 2, which is still in theaters. This movie tries to do many of the same things that the other film did, but it just doesn't pull it off. While the violence is still very over the top here, it lacks the sense of fun that the gore in that other film has. Here the gore is often used for gross out humor. Unfortunately, that humor is often more gross than it is funny. Despite this being a horror/comedy, there is not a single moment that actually comes off as funny. Every comedic moment seems to be trying too hard to be funny and just simply missing the mark. When it comes to the horror, there are a couple creepy moments early on in the film but after this the movie is devoid of any real scares. I got the sense that the climax was supposed to feel creepy but it frankly it looked and felt too fake to garner any real scares. Like Ready or Not 2, this movie revolves around the relationship between two sisters. Unfortunately these sisters are bland characters and their relationship never feels as real or believable. 

Skip this movie. 

Movie Review: Forbidden Fruits

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A fun and campy horror-comedy. 

In this film a new employee at the mall, gets a chance to work with the coolest girls in the mall. She soon stumbles onto that these girls are witches and that is the least of their dark secrets. 

This movie has a campy and self-aware aesthetic that is simply a lot of fun. This movie has a great look to it from everything to the sets to the appropriately flamboyant outfits the girls wear. The look perfectly mixes campy over the top fun with a sense of foreboding, which captures the feel of the film perfectly. The four main characters are all perfectly cast. The four leads (Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp) have such great chemistry together and it is a joy to watch them play off each other. This is an asset in both the film's more serious and comedic moments. Speaking of the comedic moments, there are plenty of really funny jokes here. The best are the ones about a girl's favorite movie being Psycho, while she is dating a guy named Norman. While a few of the comedic moments may fall flat, the humor certainly hits more than it misses.  

Unfortunately, this movie falls into the same trap as many horror and suspense films. It does a great job building up a sense of dread and darkness. However, all this lacks a payoff that lives up to the buildup. The payoff here simply is not dark, twisted, fun, creepy or shocking enough to feel like anything but a letdown compared to what came before. 

Even if the movie doesn't fully stick the landing there is still a lot of fun to be had here. 

Charlie Chaplin Minus the Makeup

 Here is a fun little page from a 1919 issue of Film Fun magazine, showing some nice pictures of Charlie Chaplin outside of his Little Tramp costume on set. Enjoy these very cool images. 

From another 1919 issue of Film Fun magazine here is an enjoyable comic featuring Chaplin's Little Tramp character. 

Now for a film Charlie Chaplin made the same year these issues were released. A Day's Pleasure (1919). This is often considered to be a lesser Chaplin film because it bears a great resemblance to Charlie's cruder early work than to the more mature work he was making at this time. However, as you will see here lesser Chaplin can still make a pretty good comedy. 

Movie Review: Project Hail Mary

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very engaging sci-fi flick.

This movie involves a scientist and schoolteacher who is sent to space to help save the sun. He meets an alien whose sun is also dying and the two work together to save the universe. 

What makes this movie work so well is the relationship between our main character and Rocky the alien. This relationship is surprisingly quite touching. The first scenes with them together are played comedically with the two characters having trouble communicating with one another. Though this comedy persists, the filmmakers masterfully move from broad comedy to very touching emotional moments very gradually. When we reach the finale, we care about these characters and their friendship so much that we are genuinely moved by it. Rocky is also simply a great character. He has a great design and his ways of communicating in the characters' early scenes together are very clever. 

This movie also makes great use of flashbacks, going back and forth from him in space and everything that led up to him being there. These flashbacks are fantastically paced throughout the film, revealing to us little by little why he is actually up there. As we learn these various things about his life on Earth, the emotional impact of the film becomes more effective. These flashback scenes also include a rather touching romance that makes the conclusion to these flashback scenes all that much more emotionally effective. 

This movie is filled with humor. One can argue that there is almost too much humor here and that sometimes it shows up in scenes that should be played straight. On the other hand, a lot of the humor is really funny.    

On the downside, this movie is full of plot holes and little things that don't make sense and the runtime is simply longer than it needs to be. 

Overall, a very strong movie. 

Movie Review: The Pout-Pout Fish

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

A decent enough kids movie. 

Based on the popular children's book, this film tells the story of a pout-pout fish, who feels like an outsider because he has a face that constantly looks like he is miserable. However, when he accidentally destroys the home of a little fish, who is naturally optimistic and looks for the good in everyone, the two bond and create a friendship that change how he views the world and those around him. 

This is a very basic children's film that tells its story in a very basic way. There is nothing here that you haven't seen a million times before. However, the actual storytelling is pretty decent. The two main characters, while not exactly complex, are quite likable and there is a real sweetness to their friendship that is kind of heartwarming. The character arc for the title character is quite well handled. The way he begins to see the good in others happens gradually and believably. Though this is obviously made on less of a budget than a Pixar or DreamWorks film, the art style is very pleasant and fits the story perfectly. 

This film was based off a short story, and it shows. This film feels like a short film that has been stretched to feature length at times. The action climax especially feels out of place with everything that has come before. There is also a lot of humor here that tries too hard and ends up falling flat. 

This is far from a new animated classic, but it has its charms. 

Movie Trailer: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

 

Video Link: Why Disney Sent Mickey Mouse to Hawaii - West of Neverland

 

Cowboy Church #261

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of cowboy church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Have You Read the Bible Today. It is important for each of us to read our Bible each and every day. The Bible is not just some book, it is the living breathing word of God. It is easy for our faith and Christian walk to become idle and stagnant and the easiest way for this to happen is to simply not read our Bible. Taking some time each day to read the Bible is the best way for our faith and our walk with God to continue growing and maturing.  This recording is the B-side of a 1955 Little Golden Record by Roy and Dale. The A-side was The Bible Tells Me So. 

This is followed by Tammy Wynette with May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You. This comes from her 1969 gospel album, Inspiration. 

After this comes Chelsea Moon and Uncle Daddy with How Deep the Father's Love for Us. This comes from their 2010 album, Hymn Project, Vol. 1.

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with You'll Never Walk Alone. This recording was made in a church using a real church pipe organ. Playing that pipe organ was Benmont Trench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers fame. There was a plan for Johnny Cash to make a whole album in a church with an organ before John passed away. In the liner notes for the Unearthed box set, producer Rick Rubin remembered, "Yes it was one of our future plans. We have a whole lot of stuff that was still left to do. This was one of two songs we recorded in a church in L.A. with Johnny singing live -because we wanted it to sound like he was in a church - and Benmont Trench from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers playing the church organ. He played the hands and the feet and the church organist pulled all the stops because it was a complicated instrument and unique. We decided to use just one of the songs on The Man Comes Around, and Johnny preferred the other one, 'Danny Boy.'" Tench remembered (in the same linear notes), "It was a really remarkable experience, because the way the organ is set up is so you can see the preacher through a mirror for your cues. I could see Johnny sitting in the chair the preacher sits in when the choir is singing, and he was in the center, facing the congregation, with headphones on. It's hard to paint into words, but the record will tell you what it was like. Indescribably moving." 

Then comes Vern Gosdin with Jesus Hold My Hand. This comes from his 1985 album, Time Stands Still.

Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Power in the Blood. Though it may be simple doctrine that we have heard since Sunday school, I hope we never forget how much power there truly is in the blood of Jesus. No matter what temptations and struggles we may face in life, Jesus' blood spilled on Calvary's cross has overcome all of it. With man something may be impossible but with God all things are possible. 

Today's musical selection ends with Blind Wille Johnson with his 1930 recording of Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right. 

Now for the 5th episode of The Lone Ranger TV series. 

Now for a sermon from Martin Luther King Jr. 

Psalm 97

1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;

    let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;

    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him

    and consumes his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world;

    the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

    before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

    and all peoples see his glory.

7 All who worship images are put to shame,

    those who boast in idols—

    worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and rejoices

    and the villages of Judah are glad

    because of your judgments, Lord.

9 For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;

    you are exalted far above all gods.

10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,

    for he guards the lives of his faithful ones

    and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

11 Light shines on the righteous

    and joy on the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,

    and praise his holy name.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #273

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester in A Kiddie's Kitty (1955). It is worth noting that after Tweety and Sylvester first teamed up in Tweetie Pie (1947), Tweety would not again appear apart from Sylvester (apart from small cameos), yet Sylvester would make many cartoons without Tweety. This is one of Sylvester's solo cartoons where he is not trying to catch the little yellow bird. Also, unlike most classic cartoon characters Sylvester was a fully formed character from his first appearance on movie screens and has not really changed since. Looney Tunes director and animator, Robert McKimson later said of Sylvester, "He had a juicy voice, you know. He's the closest, I would say, that Mel [voice artist Mel Blanc] would come to have an original voice and then fitting the character to it. Of course, Daffy Duck's voice is the same as Sylvester's only sped. So, I guess when Mel recorded Daffy it sounded like Sylvester." Looney Tunes director Friz Freleng [who directed this movie] talked about how he and layout artist Hawley Pratt designed this character, "I designed Sylvester to look subtly like a clown. I gave him a big red nose and a very low crotch, which was supposed to look like he was wearing baggy pants." Despite the little girl, Suzanne only appearing in this one cartoon, she would go on to appear as a back-up feature in many Looney Tunes themed comic books from Dell Comics. (Thanks to Top Cat James for bringing this to my attention in the comments for a previous post). 

Next is Mighty Mouse in The Silver Streak (1945). 

Now for the early color Merrie Melodies cartoon, The Cat Came Back (1936). While it may be far from what would later become the Warner Brothers cartoon style, this Friz Freleng directed short is very charming and fun. The film would be reissued to theaters twice. The first time was July 15, 1944, and the second time was June 5, 1954.

Up next comes the Terry Toons short, Why Mules Leave Home (1934). This cartoon is based off the Brothers Grimm story Town Musicians of Bremen. This was not the only cartoon based off that story. Walt Disney directed a silent version, The Four Musicians of Bremen (1922), Ub Iwerks directed the Comi-Color cartoon The Bremen Town Musicians (1935) and there would be a Soviet animated short film entitled The Bremen Town Musicians (1969).

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next is the last black and white Silly Symphony, Bugs in Love (1932). This is a rather typical Silly Symphony of its time, following the well-established formula of animated characters having a grand time to music until the villain of the piece appears and tries to wreck their fun. As you can guess by the title this film's story involves various bugs. Bugs were a common site in the early Silly Symphonies and the newspaper comic strip. In fact, the newspaper comic strip featured a complete remake of this cartoon. Animation of this film was done from March 30 - May 3, 1932. The Silly Symphonies were a series that at this time was constantly improving and audiences and exhibitors quickly took note of this improvement. For evidence here is an exhibitor's review from 1934 (two years after the film's original release), "BUGS IN LOVE: Silly Symphonies—An old Silly Symphony. Not as good as the new ones. Running time, one reel. —A. B. Jefferis, New Piedmont Theatre, Piedmont, Mo. Small Town Patronage." Of course, the Silly Symphonies were quite appropriately one of the most popular cartoon series of the time. The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "BUGS IN LOVE: Another great Silly Symphony. Give it extra billing. —Charles Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa." Not everybody was so impressed with the series though as shown through the following exhibitors review from The Motion Picture Herald, "BUGS IN LOVE: Silly Symphony—This is just an- other Walt Disney cartoon comedy. Nothing good about it; just ordinary and is only fair entertainment. We have only played one good comedy of this series and every time we hope the next one will be better. Disappointed in these. Running time, nine minutes. - J. J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C., General Patronage." The film had its New York opening from December 11-16, 1932, at the Roxy playing alongside the feature length movie Me and My Gal (1932). This cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club that aired on January 26, 1956. 

Now for The New Three Stooges cartoon, Call of the Wile (1965). In this cartoon, a mountain lion pretends to be a stuffed head hanging on the Stooges' wall. The same thing happened in Elmer Fudd's house in the Warner Brothers cartoon, What's My Lion (1961). 

After Saludos Amigos (1942) and The Three Caballeros (1944), the Disney studio planned to make a third South American themed feature film with Donald Duck. Known at the studio as the Carnival feature. That film really began production during the spring and summer of 1945. Like the previous movies, this would have been an anthology film that would have been separated into four different segments, that would essentially resemble Disney's cartoon shorts. When World War 2 came to an end, there would be no longer be a reason for such a film and the project was quietly abandoned. However, one portion of this film would reach the screen. This was Blame it on the Samba, which would become part of Melody Time (1948). As previously mentioned, this short would feature a live action, Ethel Smith. During the 1940's the U.S. government pushed its Good Neighbor policy by having many entertainers on both sides of the border serve as Goodwill Ambassadors and one of these was U.S. born Ethel Smith. Born in Pittsburgh (on November 22, 1902), at a young age Smith discovered Latin music and became a huge fan. In the mid-1930's she discovered the electric organ, a relatively new instrument and used it to play the Latin music she loved. By the late 1930's she was performing in Latin America. With this in mind, she became a perfect good will ambassador. In 1940 she gained an engagement at the Cassino Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. She was so popular that she would be repeatedly held over, and she was there when the Disney studio visited Rio de Janeiro in August 1941 for the making of Saludos Amigos. While there is no definitive proof that anyone working at Disney came into contact with Ethel Smith, the Disney artists did often have meetings at the Copacabana and in December 1941 Smith sent a custom designed Christmas card to Walt and his wife Lillian. In the summer of 1944, she was in Hollywood working for MGM and performed Tico-Tico (which was a very popular song for her) for the Ester Williams movie, Bathing Beauty (1944). In late 1944, Disney artist Norm Ferguson was trying to bring together musicians for the Carnival feature, and he felt that with Ethel Smith now in Hollywood, she would be a perfect choice. The studio contacted her in early 1945. Mary Blair began working on various costume sketches for her with different costumes representing different countries. This was because it was considered to have appear in each segment and have her music connect the various segments. In February 1945 a Hammond organ was installed on the sound-effects recording stage. She recorded the Mexican song, La Parranda and the Cuban number Cachita paran pan pin. Norm Ferguson had hoped to use the Brazilian song Cavaquinho, yet the copyright status seemed a mystery. Ethel recorded various other songs as possible substitutes for Cavaquinho, but the studio was able to get the rights in May 1945. Disney lyricist Ray Gilbert would be assigned to write new English lyrics for this tune, and the result was Blame it on the Samba. Though this segment would eventually be put on a shelf when the Carnival feature was shelved as a whole, it would later see the light of day again. Ethel Smith was becoming an even bigger star due to supporting performances in live action movies and the option of Disney studio to use her services lasted up until spring 1947. In late 1946 production on the Blame it on the Samba sequence was revived. There was a proposed version of the sequence that at least made it to the storyboard stage, that would have featured both Ethel Smith and Carmen Miranda. In that version, Donald Duck and Joe Carioca went to a theater where both artists were performing. The two crash backstage where Smith is performing and end up in Miranda's dressing room. Later both artists go on stage to perform Blame it on the Samba. Donald and Joe Carioca are still backstage, where Donald is still lovestruck by a kiss from Carmen Miranda. Joe tells Donald romantic tales of Rio and Donald's mind transports the duck to a surreal fantasy world. This lovely dream would morph into a nightmare involving matchboxes and a performance of the Bonfire Ballet. This in turn would turn into a celebration of Brazil's Festa de sao Joao Brazil festival. It is not known if this plan was from before the project was originally shelved or after. There were also plans to have all three Caballeros appear in this segment but eventually Panchito was dropped due to the sequence having nothing to do with Mexico. This is when the Aracuan Bird would be added to the action.

Now let us 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

South of the Border with Disney by J.B. Kaufman.

Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman.

I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://looneytunes.fandom.com/wiki/The_Cat_Came_Back

https://looneytunes.fandom.com/wiki/Suzanne

 

  

Movie Review: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B-

This horror-comedy sequel is over-the-top, gory and a lot of fun.

Ready or Not was not exactly the type of movie that needed a sequel. However, if there was going to be a sequel, I am glad it was one as fun as this. This film up the ante on both the stakes and the gore. In fact, this movie delights in its over-the-top gore. Yet this is exactly the kind of gore that I like. The movie provides the type of gore that is too cartoon-y and over-the-top that it is hard to actually be grossed out, but it instead just becomes part of the silly fun. This is perfect for a movie like this that always has its tongue firmly in its cheek. Speaking about this the movie is often quite funny. I won't say that I was laughing out loud through the whole thing but the moments that made me laugh, really cracked me up. 

Still the heart of this movie comes from the relationship between the first movie's protagonist Grace (Samara Weaving) and her sister Faith (Kathryn Newton). Though the sibling drama can get a little repetitive at times, it could also be quite touching at others. This relationship brought an emotional core to an over-the-top film about satanists trying to kill Grace to gain power over the whole world. What really makes it work though is the chemistry between Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton. These two always feel like real siblings and the play off each other extremely well, whether the scene calls for comedy, sibling drama or bloody action. 

For the first two acts this movie is quite unpredictable with some very good surprises. However, in the final act, there is a twist that makes everything that comes after extremely predictable. Also, with this being a horror-comedy, there are no moments here that are actually scary. I have seen kids movies that are scarier than this. 

Not a perfect movie but still a lot of fun. 

Super Mario Brothers Super Show Coming to ME-TV Toons

 

I hope you are ready to get hooked on the brothers. The Super Mario Brothers Super Show is coming to ME-TV Toons starting on March 30th, just a couple days before The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters. 

This show featured a mixture of live action and animated segments. The live action segments featured wrestler "Captain" Lou Albano as Mario and Danny Wells as Luigi. These segments took on a sitcom like format featuring the brothers in their day job as plumbers. Along the way they would meet such guest stars as Donna Douglas (pretty much reprising her role from The Beverly Hillbillies), Cassandra Peterson (AKA Elvira), Ernie Hudson, Magic Johnson, Cyndi Lauper, Maurice LaMarche (as Inspector Gadget), Danica McKellar, Sgt. Slaughter, Vanna White, Moon Zappa and more. The animated segments included cartoons based off the Mario Brothers video games and the Legend of Zelda video games. Both the live action and animated segments are full of a certain corny 1980's charm that will still appeal to Nintendo fans of all ages. 

This show ran from September 4 to December 1, 1989 and would be followed by two sequel shows, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990) and Super Mario World (1991). It also received a bizarre spin off show titled King Koopa's Kool Kartoons (1989).

The show will air on the channel weekdays at 8am (7am central). 

Video Link: Roy Rogers & Smiley Burnette, "Sing a Little Song About Anything" in "Billy the Kid Returns" (1938)

 

Conway Tearle - A Merry Hamlet

 Conway Tearle is one of the many actors of Hollywood's golden age who had a massive career, yet whose name is well forgotten today even by many cinephiles. Yet during the silent era and the early talkie era, he had quite a career. It is believed that he appeared in 96 films and was once considered the highest paid movie actor. His movie career began with The Nightingale (1914) starring Ethel Barrymore (also in her film debut) and ended with Romeo and Juliet (1936) starring Leslie Howard, Norma Shearer and John Barrymore. In between this he appeared in such movies as Stella Maris (1918) (starring Mary Pickford), Atonement (1919), Lilies of the Field (1924), The Great Divide (1925), Dancing Mothers (1926) (featuring Clara Bow's screen debut), Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929),  Vanity Fair (1932), Stingaree (1934), Klondike Annie (1936) (starring Mae West) and The Preview Murder Mystery (1936). 

Like many film actors of the era, Tearle also starred in many plays. Here is a list of just some Broadway productions he was in. 

Abigail (Feb 21, 1905 - Apr 1905)

A Marriage of Reason (Apr 01, 1907 - Apr 1907)

The Smoldering Flame (Sep 23, 1913 - Sep 1913)

The Fugitive (Mar 19, 1917 - May 1917)

The Mad Dog (Nov 08, 1921 - Nov 1921)

Dinner at Eight (Oct 22, 1932 - May 1933)

Living Dangerously (Jan 12, 1935 - Jan 19, 1935)

Antony and Cleopatra (Nov 10, 1937 - Nov 13, 1937)

Here is an article from a 1918 issue of Photoplay magazine about Conway Tearle. If you have any trouble reading these pages, click on them and you your touch screen to zoom in. If you don't have a touch screen, click here.

Now enjoy a feature length movie featuring Conway Tearle, Sing Sing Nights (1934). 

Resources Used

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/conway-tearle-61984

https://www.nytimes.com/1938/10/02/archives/conway-tearle-60-dies-on-the-coast-stage-and-screen-actor-is-the.html