Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #203

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a yuletide favorite, Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952).  This movie features a great cast of animators including, George Kreisl, Fred Moore, Bill Justice, Volus Jones, Blaine Gibson and Dan MacManus. Dan MacManus animates the opening scene of the cartoon. Fred Moore is recognized as one of the greatest Mickey animators of all time and he gets to show that off here as he animates Mickey chopping down the tree, Mickey decorating the tree, Mickey with the Christmas gifts, Mickey's reactions to Pluto's antics, Mickey holding the chipmunks and him and Pluto looking out the window. Bill Justice and Volus Jones animate much of the Chipmunks. Justice also animates the cameo of Minnie, Donald and Goofy at the end. George Kreisl animates much of Pluto's antics. Blaine Gibson animates very little in this movie with the tree lights going off and on. Pluto's Christmas Tree was a rare Mickey Mouse cartoon directed by Jack Hannah, who mostly directed Donald Duck cartoons. However this is not too surprising as this cartoon features two of Hannah's creations, Chip and Dale (whom the director most often used as adversaries for Donald). Hannah had directed an earlier Mickey Mouse cartoon that co-starred Chip and Dale with Squatters Rights (1946). Despite Hannah being one of the main directors of Disney shorts during this period, these marked the only two Mickey shorts he actually directed.

Next we join Little Roquefort and Percy the Cat in Seasick Sailors (1951). While these Terry Toons shorts, never quite lived up to Tom and Jerry, they could be a lot of fun on their own terms, as is the case here. 

Up next is one of my favorite of the early Merrie Melodies cartoons, The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives (1933). I love the atmospheric feel to the early scenes in this cartoon. There is a delightful amount of detail in these opening moments. I also simply love the title song. Despite being a Christmas cartoon, this movie was released to theaters on January 7, 1933, just barely missing Christmas. The animation of the dolls singing, and dancing was reused from an earlier Merrie Melody, Red Headed Baby (1931).

Now for a silent movie starring KoKo the Clown, Egg Cited (1926). 

To read the article below, just click on the page and use your touch screen to zoom in. 

Pictures and the Picturegoer, 1924

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Now it is time for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

Next we join Daffy Duck in Scrap Happy Daffy (1943). This movie marks Daffy Duck's last apperance in a black and white cartoon. It is also simply a delightful film. The short is directed by Frank Tashlin, who would go on to direct many live action feature films. His Looney Tunes are some of the most cinematic and feature wonderful filmmaking. The use of editing and montage here are excellent and hold up to many of the great live action films of the time. Yet this is also simply a very funny cartoon, including one of the funniest fade-out/fade-ins in the history of cartoons. This cartoon appears in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.

Now for Popeye in Floor Flusher (1954). 

While it is easy to say that the DePatie-Freling cartoons of the mid and late 1970's were not on par with the studio's cartoons of the 1960's and early 70's without any sense of doubt, A Pink Christmas (1978) is a huge exception. This TV special is about as good a cartoon as the studio ever made. This dialogue-less special is somewhat based on O. Henry's The Cop and the Anthem. The Pink Panther has often been compared to Charlie Chaplin, mostly because he is a pantomime character. This though is probably the most Chaplin-esque film the cartoon cat ever stared in. It beautifully combines comedy and pathos, and the idea of a poor tramp like character looking for food of course has roots in Chaplin as well. In fact, this film borrows a gag from Chaplin's The Gold Rush (1925) (involving shoveling snow). It succussed very well. It is both very funny and very moving.





 

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 

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck 

http://afilmla.blogspot.com/search/label/Shorts_RKO?updated-max=2006-08-26T01:00:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=25&by-date=false

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #111

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a later Famous Studios, Popeye cartoon and one of my favorites from that era. The film is Spree Lunch (1957). Instead of fight over the affections of Olive Oyl, here Popeye and Bluto are restaurant proprietors fighting over Wimpy as a customer (something I believe to be pointless because I doubt he really pays for a hamburger on Tuesday). The story recalls an earlier Fleischer Popeye Customers Wanted (1939) in which they similarly fight over Bluto as a customer (though owning penny arcades instead of restaurants). While Wimpy had played a role in quite a few Fleischer Popeyes, in the Famous Studios era he was rarely used at all and most of time when he was it was in reused clips from Fleischer cartoons. This makes it rather refreshing to see him not only in this cartoon, but playing a prominent role. Sadly since the theatrical Popeye cartoons were coming to an end around this time, this film marked the last appearance of both Wimpy and Pluto in a theatrical Popeye short. 





 

Broadcasting, 1961


Next comes an extremely funny, silly, crazy and somehow still kind of sweet animated short film from The National Film Board of Canada, The Big Snit (1985). This short was placed at 25 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.

Next comes a black and white Looney Tunes short that I have always had a real fondness for, Porky's Bear Facts (1941). This cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng and while it is not as completely crazy as the black and white Looney Tunes directed by Tex Avery, Bob Clampett or Frank Tashlin it does certainly have moments that show what was quickly becoming the studio's signature sense of humor. Characters break the fourth wall and silly visual gags certainly find their way in at times. Yet at the same time the film feels more grounded and story driven than some of the studio's other efforts at this time. The story itself is somewhat of a takeoff on The Grasshopper and the Ants (which Disney had made a Silly Symphony based around in 1934). In typical Warner style the ending here goes completely against the moral of the story. Like many Porky cartoons of this era, Porky's role is very minimized. The truth was most of the directors were getting tired of working with the pig and this made him become a supporting character in his own cartoons for a while. A reviewer in The Film Daily was not that impressed with this cartoon stating "Rate it just as fair." A reviewer in the Motion Picture Daily found the true main character of the film quite likable stating, "An engaging character that shiftless bear." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "PORKY'S BEAR FACTS: Looney Tunes — Fine. Vitaphone is our best bet for good cartoon fare. Running time, nine minutes.—Fred C. Allen, Princess Theatre, Piedmont, Ala. Small town patronage."

Ub Iwerks is a legend of animation if their ever was one. His work with Walt Disney (the two co-created Mickey Mouse) in the 1920's remain some of the highlights of Disney history and it is hard to imagine where Disney would be without Ub. However thoughts on the cartoons he himself heading after leaving Walt prove not to be as popular with cartoon fans. While I do agree that none of this work reaches the height of the best of his Disney work, I personally feel there is a lot to enjoy about these cartoons and that includes his Flip the Frog cartoons. Up next is one of those, The Cuckoo Murder Case (1930). The following is a review from Motion Picture News, "Fifteen or more series of animated cartoons on the market at one time make the going tough for this type of short. That is unless they are turned out with the cleverness of 'Cuckoo Murder Case,' one of the Flip the Frog subjects produced by Ub Iwerks. Here the cartoonist takes the usual mystery slant but sends it over with loads to spare. The answer is in the treatment. Iwerks has Flip go through the most amazing contortions. This shows real thought."  

Charles Nichols' Pluto cartoons are not the most popular among cartoon fans. They often get get criticized for being too cute, tame and safe. That is why it is great to see a Pluto cartoon directed by him that is as wild crazy and surreal as what Jack Hannah was doing with Donald Duck and Jack Kinney was doing with Goofy. Plutopia (1951) remains one of my favorite Pluto cartoons because it is just so cartoony. I love this short so much and I hope you do as well. 

Next comes one of the great silent Out of the Inkwell shorts, Cartoon Factory (1924).

Last but not least is Tweety and Sylvester in Tweet and Lovely (1959).  

Thanks for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #79

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Mickey Mouse film, Mickey's Rival (1936). The titular character is a mouse named Mortimer. Those of you who know your Disney history will know, that Mortimer was a name that was considered for Mickey. This was Mortimer's first appearance though he bared more than a little resemblance to Mr. Slicker a character that appeared in the Micky Mouse comic strip. Though Mickey's Rival was his only appearance in a theatrically released short film, it was not his only appearance in animation. He became a reoccurring character in the television shows, Mickey Mouse Works (1999-2000) and House of Mouse  (2001-2003). He also has a role in the direct to video movie, Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) and has appeared briefly in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006-2016) and Mickey and the Roadster Races (2017-present). Outside of animation he has been used very often in the Disney comic strips and began to appear in them around the same time he made his debut in movie theaters. Mortimer's design is said to be based off of Walt Disney and those who have seen pictures of a young Walt, will find this easy to believe. The ending to Mickey's Rival has Mickey and Minnie simply shaking hands. However it was originally planned for Mickey to have a buzzer on his hand to play a Mortimer type prank on Minnie. Though this would have been out of character for Mickey at this time it would have fit perfectly in with the Mickey Mouse of the late 1920's. A review in The Motion Picture Herald stated "The subject is less complex than many of the recent Disney fabrications but wholly entertaining." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Rival: Mickey Mouse - We find that the bad characters often frighten our small children and they go out into the foyer until it is passed over. - Harland Rankin, Plaza Theatre, Tilbury, Ontario, Canada, General Patronage." The following is another exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Rival: Mickey Mouse—Played this the second time as it is one of the best of the Mickeys.— C. L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa. General patronage." A review in The Motion Picture Daily stated, "Clever animation and fast-moving, but there have been better Mickey's. For instance 'Alpine Climbers.'" The following is from a 1936 issue of The Film Daily, "United Artists' latest Walt Disney release, 'Mickey's Rival', introducing Mortimer Mouse, will open at the Radio City Music Hall with 'Swing Time' on Thursday, and at the Rivoii Theater with 'The Last oi the Mohicans.'"

The following is from a 1930 issue of Close Up.

Up next is another classic Disney cartoon from 1936, this one being a Silly Symphony, Three Little Wolves (1936). When talking about Disney sequels many quote Walt as saying "You can't top pigs with pigs." This quote refers to the sequels that the Disney studio made to Three Little Pigs (1933). Yet for sheer entertainment value, I personally love these sequels and my favorite of the bunch is Three Little Wolves. Humor-wise this is probably the best of the cartoons staring the three pigs and their wolf nemesis. The working titles of this movie were Wolf in Sheep's Clothing and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. The latter of those working titles should give you an idea of the basic story here. Like how The Big Bad Wolf (1934) put the characters into the story of Little Red Riding Hood (Little Red Riding Hood was a working title for that film), Three Little Wolves places them in the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. This cartoon was very popular upon its release. It was the first Disney film to be held over for multiple showings at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. It first played with The King Steps Out (1936) from May 28 - June 10th, 1936. Then it played with Private Number (1936) from June 11-17, 1936. Its world premiere was at the Majestic in Dallas Texas with Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times (1936) (how much I would have loved to see these two great films together in a theatre) from April 18-24, 1936. It was also held over there and played again with Captain January (1936) from  April 25- May 1. A review in the Motion Picture Herald stated, "The subject is a sheer triumph for Disney, who must have known the hazard involved in returning the Three Little Pigs in a manner to circumvent the almost inevitable anti-climax expectable in view of their original success. 'The Three Little Wolves'  is the eminently qualified result. It is immensely satisfying, manifestly advertisable, altogether excellent." A review in The Film Daily stated "In anticipation of the natural and provocative question: 'Is it as good as The Three Little Pigs?' - the answer is emphatically 'Yes!' Although 'Pigs' has the edge because it is the original, for all commercial purposes the sequel should be better. Benefitting from the well publicized reception given its predecessor, 'Wolves' is the only cartoon subject that can command as much fan interest as the return appearance of a feature production star." Some of Frank Churchill's music for this cartoon was reused in the wartime training film, Stop That Tank (1942).

Motion Picture Herald, 1936

The Film Daily, 1936

The Film Daily, 1936

Next is a classic silent Out of the Inkwell film, Koko Backtracks (1927). Like most of these shorts this movie cleverly combines animation and live action, as Koko the clown once again battles with his live action creator and often times rival, Max Fleischer (played by himself). Of course one of the joys of these movies for animation buffs is that they can actually see Max interacting with his characters. The joke of Koko making the outside live action world move backwards looks forward to a later Betty Boop film, More Pep (1936). In that short Betty also interacts with a live action Max and the world around him and accidently makes the live action world outside speed up to ridiculous speeds. The idea idea of Koko wreaking havoc on the outside world was a common theme in the Out of the Inkwell films.

Today's selection continues with a later Popeye from Famous Studios, Insect to Injury (1956). Though Famous Studios at this time most stuck to the formula of Popeye fighting Bluto over Olive, this was an exception. It is also one of the best Popeye's of this late era.







Today's cartoon selection ends with a delightfully strange Columbia Krazy Kat cartoon, Cinder Alley (1934).

Thank you for joining me, come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then peace, love and cartoons.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #30 - Silent Edition

Hello again my friends and happy Saturday morning. As always we are going to greet this morning with some classic cartoons. This week however I will be focusing specifically on silent era cartoons. So enjoy. 

We will start our look off with one of Walt Disney's great Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons. This one is a delightful gem called The Fox Chase (1928). Walt must have liked the idea of a comedic fox chase cartoon, as he would use it twice more. These cartoons would be the Silly Symphony, The Fox Chase (1931) and the Donald Duck and Goofy cartoon, The Fox Chase (1938). All three of these cartoons end with a similar gag involving a skunk. This cartoon is an excellent fast paced cartoon of the kind us silent cartoon fans should except from the Oswald series. The animators on this film were Ub Iwerks, Rollin "Ham" Hamilton and Hugh Harmon. Hugh Harmon would later direct a Looney Tune entitled Bosko's Fox Hunt (1931), which would also be about a comedic fox hunt and feature Rollin "Ham" Hamilton as an animator. 

Next comes a classic Russian stop motion film, directed by one of the all time greats of stop motion, Ladislas Starevich. This is The Cameraman's Revenge (1912). This short is a material farce starring very realistic beetles. There is a reason these animated beetles look real. They are. Starevich used dead beetles for his stop motion animation here. This is an excellent film and in my mind one of the classics of silent animation, so enjoy.

Though Felix is often associated with his bag of tricks and high pitched voice of the 1950's TV cartoons. The character is actually 100 years old and starred in many great silent cartoons, before he ever got his bag of tricks. This cartoons were some of the funniest and most creative cartoons of the silent era. Case in point, Felix Goes West (1924). Though only Pat Sullivan gets credit on this cartoon, Otto Messmer was extremely important to the creation of the character and his cartoons. It is a shame he never received on screen credit for his contribution.



One of the most popular cartoon characters of the silent era not from the U.S. was Jerry the Troublesome Tyke. This British dog's cartoons more often than not, excellent films. One of his best cartoons was his very first one, a self titled cartoon from 1925. This cartoon has the very clever premise, where Jerry tries to apply for a job as a cartoon dog. This meta type of humor was surprisingly to those who know little about silent cartoons, not very unusual at this time. Therefore it is hard to this was ahead of its time, but it certainly holds up excellently today.

    
 We close with one of the Fleischer brothers' excellent Out of the Inkwell films. So enjoy, Modeling (1921).



Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more classic cartoons.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #29

Happy Saturday morning again my friends. That is right it is time for more classic cartoons. 

We start off with a classic Betty Boop cartoon, Ha Ha Ha (1934). Before the Fleshier Brothers made Betty Boop cartoons they made a series of silent cartoons called Out of the Inkwell. This cartoon certainly takes influence for that series. In the beginning of the cartoon we see in live action an inkwell and a board to draw on. From this a live action hand comes and draws Betty on that board. This is how Koko the Clown entered in most of the Out of the Inkwell cartoons. Speaking of Koko, he plays a supporting role in this cartoon. He actually was a supporting player in many of the Betty Boop cartoons of the 1930's. The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald (dated May 12, 1934). "Ha! Ha! Ha!: Betty Boop cartoons - This is another good cartoon from Paramount featuring Betty Boop and assisted by Koko. Betty as the dentist and Koko as the patient are very funny and will please everyone in your audience. Just the kind of entertainment we like and want more of them. Running time eight minutes. - J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, NC, General Patronage."


Next comes the last of the great series of cartoons of the 1940's teaming Donald Duck and Goofy together, Crazy With the Heat (1947). These cartoons are delightful all the way, with Goofy's obliviousness to his circumstances (however bad they may be) playing off of Donald's insane temper. This just gets Donald more and more annoyed as the films get funnier and funnier. This is a rare Disney cartoon short directed by Bob Carlson, who mostly worked as an animator by the studio. With how funny this film is that certainly seems a shame. A review in The Film Daily called this cartoon, "Exceptionally good." I can't argue with that.




Now comes a really late Merrie Melodies cartoon staring Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales, Mucho Locos (1966). This cartoon is what is known as a cheater meaning it uses clips from various older cartoons, similar to a TV clip show. One of the clips used is from Robin Hood Daffy (1958). Since in that cartoon Daffy co-starred with Porky and the pig appears in the clip, this marks the last use of Porky in a Looney Tunes or Merrie Melody. Despite this he doesn't say a word. The last cartoon where the pig played a major part was Corn on the Cop (1965). This cartoon is the only Warners cartoon in which Herman Stein does the music. Stein was much more prolific as a composer from live action movies and TV. This cartoon hardly marks the characters' finest hour, but it is entertaining in a weird way.




Since I mentioned the Out of the Inkwell series when talking about our first cartoon, I feel it is appropriate to end with an Out of the Inkwell cartoon. So enjoy, Bedtime (1923).






Thank you for joining me come back for more classic cartoons next week.

-Michael J. Ruhland