Guess what my friends, today is my birthday. I am officially 33 years old.
I celebrated my birthday yesterday with a small group of good friends. We all went to my personal favorite place in the world, Old Town Music Hall to see the classic silent Alfred Hitchcock film, The Lodger (1927). Though this was Hitch's third film as a director, it is the movie that the master of suspense would refer to as the first real Hitchcock film. Not only is it his first suspense movie but it is the film that would introduce many of the themes that would play a major role in his most popular work. The film was accompanied live on the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, which was being played by the wonderfully talented musician, Robert York. Some of my friends had never seen a silent movie before and I am very happy to report that they very much enjoyed it.
Of course, I have long been a fan of Hitch's British films, many of which hold their own with his more famous Hollywood work.
As someone who is passionate about both movies and country music, I love that I share my birthday with both Turner Classic Movies and Loretta Lynn.
On the topic of Loretta Lynn, I still consider Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) to be the best musical biopic.
Also mentioning TCM, I am extremely excited about the TCM Film Festival, later this month. The schedule is already up and there are tons if great films lined up. /
Though TCM is still my favorite TV channel. However, METV Toons is now running a close second. This new channel is truly a godsend for cartoon fans everywhere. This is the type of cartoon channel; I have wanted to exist for my whole life. Rather than being aimed at kids, this channel is aimed at an audience that I fall perfectly into. This is the audience of film buffs who love cartoons. It is filled with cartoons that range from beloved classics to compete obscurities.
On the subject of animation, lately I have also been on a real Disney kick, especially old school Disney.
I am of course always on a silent comedy kick.
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What is a better way to end this post than with one of the greatest short comedies ever?
I am assuming that most of my readers are fans of the classic Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons. These are some of the cleverest and most fun cartoons ever made for television and still hold up perfectly today. The characters and catchphrases still constantly live in us cartoon lovers.
Well good news my fellow Hanna-Barbera lovers, more Hanna-Barbera classics are coming back to TV. Coming to the wonderful METV Toons (one of the favorite TV channels of any true cartoon lover) is a new block entitled House of Hanna-Barbera. This block is three hours of classic TV cartoon shorts staring our favorite Hanna-Barbera characters. Included in this line up are Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss, Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse, Secret Squirrel, Atom Ant, Touche Turtle, Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har, Winnie Witch, Pixie Dixie and Mr. Jinks, Wally Gator, Hokey Wolf, Yakky Doodle, Magalia Gorilla, (Ping-Ping-Ping) Ricochet Rabbit, Squidly Diddly, Peter Potamus, Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey, Breezly and Sneezly, Precious Pup and The Hillbilly Bears as well as the theatrically released Loopy de Loop shorts.
This program will have a prime time premiere on February 16th. After that it will play every weekday at 11am and Sunday at 1pm.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In this episode the teams compete in a "touch the tip of the pyramid" race and a camel race in Egypt as well as an armored foot race and a race to save the princess.
There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. The highlight is the two events in the Sherwood Forest. The Really Rottens having to be courteous and gentlemanly (both of which are taken into account for the events) is a wonderfully clever idea. Not only this but good use is made out of it. The contest to rescue the princess includes some of the greatest slapstick of the episode. Doggy Daddy's plan to reach the princess is downright hilarious. Having Daisy Mayhem be the fair delicate princess is a great gag in and of itself. Both of the environments that the teams compete in allow for some especially wonderful background art.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In this episode the teams compete in a motor scooter race and a canal boat race in Italy as well as hang gliding, skydiving, and a hot air balloon race in Kitty Hawk.
This episode is simply a lot of fun. There is some great slapstick and clever gags here. I love how Mr. Jinx uses meece power to power his scooter. There is also some delightfully corny dialogue that I love. I especially love Doggy Daddy's line about all roads leading to Rome. The Kitty Hawk events though feature the best bits of slapstick here. Mildew Wolf being along for Daisy Mayhem's glide as well as Yogi's problems with the hang glider are wonderful slapstick gags. Sometimes the lead up to the slapstick gags are just as much fun. Once again, the teaming of the tiny Yakky Doodle and the giant Grape Ape is funny before anything even happens. Even with this the punchline to the gag is even funnier. There is even some good (though limited) character animation here and the facial expressions on Yakky cracked me up. Scooby-Dum always makes me smile and I loved his little bit in the parachuting scene, which makes a decent gag delightful. This episode also has a delightful closing gag.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In Athens the teams compete in a pole-vaulting contest and a discus throw. In the Ozarks they compete in a rail cart race and a keel-boat race.
This is simply a lot of cartoon fun. The slapstick throughout here is delightful. The great slapstick humor begins with the very first event. Yogi Bear's pole vault going out of control and the way Mumbly misses the bar are both hilarious. Another great gag in this episode comes before the slapstick even starts. Tiny little Yakky Doodle competing in the discus throw, when the discus is larger than him is funny in and of itself. The punchline itself is delightfully clever. This episode also is delightful because of great settings. Both the Ozarks and Athens prove to be prefect settings for Laff-A-Lympics events. They both have a good sense of atmosphere, and the background art is wonderful here. The background art is always a treat in Hanna-Barbera cartoons of this time but the artwork in the Ozarks scenes is especially lovely looking.
This is a wonderful bit of cartoon silliness that is a pure delight to watch.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In Florida the team competes in boat racing, water skiing and in China they compete in a rickshaw race, a ping pong tournament and gymnastics.
Once again, this episode provides all the corny fun that you expect from this series. There is plenty of good slapstick throughout. Probably the highlight is the rickshaw race which is full of delightful slapstick gags. I especially love how the Scooby snacks are used to entice Scooby to go faster and the great slapstick gags involving Yogi and Boo-Boo. The gymnastics event is another delightfully clever slapstick moment. The gag with the Grape Ape is especially fun, as is the Really Rottens' various attempts at cheating. This episode also features a lot of delightfully corny dialogue. I really like the interview with Wally Gator as well as many of the silly corny puns.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In this episode the constants compete in a bicycle race and "capture the flag at the top of the Eiffel Tower" in France, as well as a boomerang throw and a kangaroo race in Australia.
This episode is tons of fun. The slapstick gags here are simply wonderful. Quick Draw McGraw's bicycle ride and Grape Ape's way of capturing the flag at the top of the tower are great highlights here. The way the Blue Falcon wins the boomerang throw is very clever as well. There is also some delightful character animation with the dancing kangaroo that Scooby-Dum is riding. The settings in this episode (especially during the kangaroo race in Australia) allow for some of the wonderful background art that populates Hanna-Barbera cartoons of this time period. This episode also does a good job keeping a sense of excitement with keeping the scores very close all the way through.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In the Sahara Desert the teams compete in a drag race and try to fill up an empty oasis. In Scotland the teams compete to capture a picture of the Loc Ness Monster and in a three-legged kilt race.
This episode is full of just the type of corny fun that we have come to expect from this series. There is plenty of delightfully silly slapstick and corny puns throughout. The highlight is the teams looking for the Lockness monster. This bit is filled with all the Hanna-Barbera slapstick one could hope for. This is especially true as because when you involve monsters, you get to see Scooby and Shaggy doing what they do best. Wally Gator and Snooper being underwater also adds to the slapstick fun of the event. The ending of that event is perfect slapstick. The three-legged kilt race is also a highlight. The idea of having the giant Grape Ape and the tiny Yakky Doodle being tied together is a delightful clever idea. The magic that Babu uses to get him and Scooby-Dum to help them in the races also leads to some good slapstick. I also like that this episode does a great job of keeping you guessing who is going to win and actually has some surprises in that department.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In Acapulco, the teams compete in a diving contest, an underwater relay race and a speedboat race. In England the teams climb Big Ben, hunt a fox and have a polo contest.
Again this episode is full of the silly corny fun that I love about these 70's Hanna-Barbera cartoons. There are delightfully silly slapstick gags. This is especially true in the fix hunt scene which is a classic cartoon chase at its best. The speedboat race also has some great slapstick with Pixie, Dixie and Mr. Jinx as well as in the Big Ben scene with Shaggy using the anchor to reach the top and finding himself sein a Harold Lloyd type of situation. The episode is also full of delightfully corny puns. These puns might not be laugh out loud funny, but their sheer corniness makes me smile. Also delightful is Jabberjaw's cameo. I also really like that the scores between the three teams stay pretty close to each other making the games more exciting. This episode also benefits from some great background art during the Acapulco scenes.
As a Hanna-Barbera fan, I admit that there is always something warm and cozy about seeing Hanna-Barbera characters from different series appearing together. Because of this Laff-A-Lympics holds a special place in my heart. This series featured three teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing against each other in Olympic type events. These three teams were the Yogi Yahooeys, the Scooby Doobies and the Really Rottens. The Yogi Yahooeys consisted of many of the studio's earlier funny talking animal characters. The Scooby Doobies consisted of characters from the studio's mystery solving and crime fighting cartoons. The Really Rottens were the villains of the show and the only team where many of the members were created for this show. Snagglepuss and Mildew Wolf served as our hosts and the judges.
In this first episode, the team competes in the Swiss Alps in such events as Downhill Skiing Contest, Free Style Figure Ice Skating, and 4-man Bobsleigh Race, as well as in Tokyo in Sumo Wrestling, Tennis and Baseball.
This is a truly delightful episode. Watching all these characters interact with each other is always a lot of fun. With this series' focus on cartoony slapstick, there are a lot of gags throughout and most of them are a lot of fun. The wrestling match with the giant Grape Ape playing for the Yogis is tons of fun. Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels' sled coming apart and Dynomutt's use of his robotic legs during a tennis match add to fun. I also love Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble with their delightful cameo as they help coach Scooby-Dum in baseball. This episode is also full of delightfully corny puns. While I wouldn't say these puns made me laugh out loud, they made me smile because of how they embraced the corniness. Yet my favorite comedic moment comes from the appearance of Mumbley's mom.
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 Triple Trouble (1948). This short film is a delightful parody of old melodramas.
Next we join Betty Boop and Bimbo in Minding the Baby (1931). This short film is part of the Talkartoon series before Betty got her own cartoon series. This marks the first time Betty's name appears above the title.
Continuing today's selection of classic cartoons is Popeye The Sailor Meets Sinbad The Sailor (1936). This is the first of the three Popeye two-reel specials (plus the first color Popeye) and one of the most popular Popeye cartoons. Running at 17 minutes this is twice as long as the usual Popeye film, yet the filmmakers work this to their full advantage. It never feels too long and the extra time lets the filmmakers put in a more atmospheric fantasy like feel to this cartoon. This would be the first Popeye nominated for an Academy Award and received the 17th spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. A review in The Film Daily called the cartoon "Top Notch." However not everybody was so impressed by this film as evidenced by the following Exhibitors reviews from The Motion Picture Herald. "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor series - Good color but did not bring extra business like Paramount said it would. -Fisher & Bichler, Mattray Theatre, Strasburg, N.D." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor special - Worth twice as much as regular Popeye but no more. I paid more and that makes me a dissatisfied customer. - W. H. Brenner, Cozy Theatre, Winchester, Ind. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor: Popeye the Sailor cartoons - This much Balley-hooed two-reeler, all color, third dimensional cartoon failed to come up to the entertainment value of the single reel black and white Popeye series. - M.R. Harrington, Avalon Theatre, Clatskanie, Ore. - Small Town and rural patronage."
Up next is Porky Pig in Timid Toreador (1940). This is one of the few Looney Tunes cartoons with two directors credited. The credited directors here are Bob Clampett and Norm McCabe. This is Norm McCabe's first director credit. The two would also share a director credit for Porky's Snooze Reel (1941).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for a classic silent Aseop's Film Fables short, Anti-Fat (1927).
Next is a Toby the Pup cartoon, The Milkman (1931). While Charles Mintz was producing Krazy Kat cartoons for Columbia, he decided to create a separate series of cartoons for RKO, these starring a character named Toby the Pup. To head this series Mintz handed the duties to Dick Huemer, Art Davis and Sid Marcus. Dick Huemer had been a major contributor to the style of the Fleischer studio earlier and this is probably why these shorts have a Fleischer-type feel to them. Huemer, Davis and Marcus would later be the major creative factors for Columbia's Scrappy cartoons (also produced by Mintz).
Now for Mickey Mouse in The Barnyard Broadcast (1931). Radio had become incredibly popular by 1931 and was ripe for a cartoon parody. This short film pokes fun at many things about radio that many people watching this in movie theaters would recognize, including the NBC chimes, which had already become a signature for NBC.
As a huge country music fan, I can't think of a better way to end this post than with this country classic.
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
The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin
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 David Gerstein and J.B. Kaufman
In this movie Yogi and Boo-Boo wake up after hibernation and find a basket outside their cave. They open it and find three little bears. The little bears are always hungry, and Yogi and Boo-Boo do the best they can to keep them fed. Meanwhile Ranger Smith learns that the park is going overbudget, and they will have to close. Because of this he has to tell the bears that they all have to go to the zoo. Yogi is not happy about this, and he plans a big escape for him and the four other bears. They escape but everywhere they go, the ranger is on their trail.
There is quite a bit to enjoy about this movie. Yogi and Boo-Boo are just as likable here as they ever were. Even Ranger Smith is very likable here. He is the antagonist, but he is not the villain. Though he is trying to stop Yogi and the other bears, he still does not hate them and has times where he feels sorry for them. He is simply a guy doing his job. This is why I have always liked this character and this film captures this perfectly. He The story is a very charming one. It fits the characters perfectly. It also feels like a classic Yogi Bear story but still perfectly fits the longer length. This movie never really drags and remains charming for the whole runtime. The 93 minute (or two hours with commercials) goes by incredibly quickly. Since the movie is inspired by the classic shorter length cartoons, the more episodic storyline fits perfectly and all the little fun adventures are very enjoyable. The film also benefits from some very handsome background art and some fun cameos from other Hanna-Barbera.
The comedy in this film is the type that will make you smile but rarely laugh out loud. While there is no problem with comedy that is charming rather than hilarious, it is easy to miss the real laughs that the classic Yogi cartoons have. Still there are no jokes here that ever fall flat and it is hard not to appreciate that.
The biggest flaw of this movie is that the little bear cubs don't really add anything. You could do this story just as well with just Yogi and Boo-Boo and the film wouldn't be missing anything. Another problem is that the little girl bear cub feels like the filmmakers trying too hard to be cute. She is never as cute as the filmmakers think she is. The songs in this film are also quite forgettable. The ending is incredibly rushed and forced.
This film is part of Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10, a series of 10 made for TV movies starring Hanna-Barbera characters. The supervising director was Ray Patterson and the writer was Neal Barbera (the son of Joseph Barbera), both of whom also made Yogi & the Invasion of the Space Bears (1988), another one of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 movies.
In this movie, Yogi is a tour guide leading a group of Hanna-Barbera cartoon animals (Boo-Boo, Snagglepuss, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Augie Doggie, Doggie Daddy) on a tour that includes going to see the legendary airplane, the Spruce Goose. However, they soon find themselves trapped in the airplane. On their attempt to find a way out, they end up traveling the world with Yogi as the pilot. The gang decides to use the Spruce Goose to help various animals that are in trouble. On one of their adventures, they run into the villainous Dread Baron and his dog Mumbly. They pretend to be reformed but they are really after the Spruce Goose for themselves.
There is a lot to enjoy about this movie for Hanna-Barbera fans. Like many cartoon fans, I simply get a warm feeling when watching these movies that include many of the Hanna-Barbera characters. It gives me the feeling of visiting old friends. It also helps that these characters play off each other very well. I very much enjoy the little exchanges between Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw. This made me wish that these characters got to play off each other more often. I also love the little touch of Augie Doggie's hero being El Kabong and that he never catches on that he is really Quick Draw McGraw. This perfectly capture that beneath his genius Augie Doggie is still a little kid. The environments that they visit are a lot of fun and there are some great atmospheric backgrounds in these scenes. The Dread Baron and Mumbly are wonderfully fun villains. There is always something that is so enjoyable about villains that simply enjoy being villains. These characters are especially a lot of fun in over the top and gleeful villainy. It doesn't hurt that they get the best comedic moments in the film. Most of the humor here is not as laugh out loud funny as the original cartoons with these characters, but it is charming. This is more the type of humor that will make you smile or chuckle rather than laugh out loud. While this may keep it from reaching the comedic heights of the best adventures of these characters, the very silly sense of humor is still a quite a bit of fun for Hanna-Barbera fans. The storyline (which is somewhat similar to an episode of the TV show, Yogi's Gang) may be simple but it is also quite charming.
The main problem with this film is that the episodic nature can make it feel a little overlong at times. The whole artic segment adds little to the main story and can feel a bit like padding.
The movie's supervising director is Ray Patterson. Patterson was a former Disney animator having worked on the Disney feature films, Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941). He first worked with William Hanna and Joseph Barbera on the Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts. In the 1960's he would once again work for Bill and Joe at the Hanna-Barbera studio. He would stay at Hanna-Barbera for many years and become a director for many of the studio's movies and TV shows. The film's writer was Dennis Marks. This was the first of three feature films he would write that starred Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters. The other two would be Jetsons: The Movie (1990) and Tom and Jerry: The Movie (1992). Unlike this movie, both those films would be released theatrically.
As this film starts Ranger Smith is dreading Yogi waking up from hibernation and making his spring and summer miserable. Yogi naturally does just this and neither Ranger Smith nor any of the park rangers under him can seem to stop Yogi. However, the park rangers are not the only ones keeping a close eye on Yogi. A race of aliens ruled by an evil king are watching him as well. The aliens kidnap both Yogi and his little buddy Boo Boo and create many copies of both Yogi and Boo Boo to take over the Earth. Now that the evil king has these robotic clones, he shoots the real Yogi and Boo Boo into outer space. The real Yogi and Boo Boo must stop these aliens from taking over the world.
What makes this movie work so well is despite having a larger scale storyline than the classic Yogi Bear shorts (though the classic Yogi Bear short, Space Bear (1960) has a somewhat similar (but still smaller scale) story), the focus of his film is similar to that of the classic shorts. That is to say that this film focuses on silly cartoon comedy. All the gags involving the Yogi and Boo Boo clones being loose in Jellystone are reminiscent of the classic Yogi cartoons in the best way possible. There is lots of great slapstick in these scenes. However, what makes this slapstick work so well is the reactions from Ranger Smith. He is the perfect straight man to all this cartoon comedy. As well as being true to the spirit of the classic cartoons, this movie also is more visually attractive than the average Yogi cartoon. The background artwork in the scenes during Cindy Bear's song number or when Cindy is climbing the mountain is simply fantastic. These scenes are lovely to look at while still being true to the spirit of Yogi bear. Of course, the main attraction to a Yogi Bear movie is seeing the characters we love. This film perfectly understands why we love these characters and they have rarely been more likable than they are here. Not only are the characters likable as individuals but their interactions with each other are also delightful.
This movie does have its flaws though. One is that the songs are bland and mostly forgettable. There is little to make them stand out among the songs in other Hanna-Barbera movies. The Space Bear Shuffle song is almost embarrassingly bad. Also Boo Boo having a crush on a space bear feels like a wasted opportunity as it is incredibly rushed.
This movie was directed by Don Lusk and Ray Patterson. Don Lusk had previously been a Disney animator working on some of Disney's best animated features and shorts. His work with Hanna-Barbera began as early as the 1960's. Ray Patterson had worked with William Hanna and Joseph Barbera all the way back in their Tom and Jerry cartoons of the 1940's. The film was written by Neal Barbera, the son of Joseph Barbera, who also wrote another made for TV Yogi Bear movie, Yogi's Great Escape (1987) and the theatrical Hanna-Barbera feature film, Rock Odessey (1987). This film also marked the last film for voice actor Daws Butler (the voice of Yogi Bear). This film is also part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10, a series of 10 made for TV movies starring famous Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters.
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 A Swiss Miss (1951). In this short film, Mighty Mouse must once again save Pearl Pureheart from the evil Oil Can Harry.
Next, we join Porky Pig in Meet John Doughboy (1941). This short film was made and released before the United States entered World War 2, but it is obvious that it was on the horizon.
Now for a truly classic Disney short film, Pluto's Judgement Day (1935). This cartoon was released as part of the Mickey Mouse cartoon series, but the true star of the film is Pluto. Pluto would not receive his own cartoon series until 1940. The writers who brought us this cartoon were Joe Grant and Bill Cottrell. The same year this film came out this story team also brought us the Silly Symphonies shorts, Who Killed Cock Robin and Three Orphan Kittens. This cartoon made it TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 4, 1958.
Next is the Ub Iwerks Comi-Color cartoon, Old Mother Hubbard (1935). Ub Iwerks had previously been Walt Disney's right-hand man playing a major role in the creation of Mickey Mouse, animating on Walt's Alice Comedies and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons and directing the earliest Silly Symphonies. When distributor Pat Powers offered Ub the chance to head his own studio he left Walt (though he would later return). Ub's own studio would never receive the success that the Disney studio did, but he turned out some films that still delight cartoon buffs to this day. His Comi-Color series was a thinly veiled imitation of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons, adapting many classic fairy tales and similar stories. However, these cartoons are a bit odder than the Silly Symphonies and there are some jokes in these movies you would not see in a Disney cartoon.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for a classic silent film, Koko the Kop (1927).
Popeye proved to be such a popular cartoon star, that while Fleischer Studios was putting him in their black and white cartoons, they also put him in three special longer length color cartoons. While these cartoons were still short films and not features, they were over twice the length of the average Popeye short. Up next is the last (and probably least appreciated) of these films, Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939).
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.
Even after Lou Costello passed away and Bud Abbott retired, Eddie Sherman (Abbott and Costello's manager) kept looking for new projects for Abbott and Costello. In 1965 he watched The New Three Stooges cartoons where the real Stooges provided voices for cartoon versions of themselves. He felt there were possibilities in an animated version of Abbott and Costello. Sherman sold this idea to Lee Orgel, president of Jamar Productions. Orgel than sold the idea to Hanna-Barbera, who recently made a similar show with Laurel and Hardy. Joe Barbera originally did not want Bud Abbott to voice himself, instead wanting a younger actor in the role. However, Orgel talked him into it by convincing him that having the real Bud would add some authenticity to the project. Orgel also had to convince Joe Barbera that Stan Irwin should voice Lou Costello (Joe wanted Vegas comic, Shecky Greene to voice Lou). Irwin had worked as a stand-up comic and had done a Lou Costello impression that Lou himself loved. Irwin's connection to Lou Costello ran even deeper than that. Irwin had performed the famous Who's on First routine with Lou Costello at some charity performances at the Biltmore Theater in Los Angles. 156 TV Abbott and Costello cartoons were made. Next is the 106th of these cartoons to air, Texas Jack (1968).
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoons selection begins with Mighty Mouse in Sunny Italy (1951). This short film typical for a Mighty Mouse cartoon of this time being presented in an operetta like style with a beginning that parodies old movie serials.
Next comes a wonderful Daffy Duck film, The Daffy Duckaroo (1942). This cartoon was directed by Norman McCabe, who I always feel was underrated as a Looney Tunes director. Some of his Looney Tunes shorts are truly excellent, but because most of his cartoons were in black and white and feature a lot of topical gags about World War 2, his cartoons rarely get the exposure that other Looney Tunes directors do. He would return to the Looney Tunes universe well after the golden age as a timing director on such TV shows as Tiny Tunes Adventures, Taz-Mania and The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. I personally love McCabe's version of Daffy. He is as wild and crazy and energetic as Bob Clampett and Tex Avery's version of the character is, but he also has a few traits of the later Daffy that Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng would use.
Next is the film debut of Chilly Willy, a cartoon appropriately called Chilly Willy (1953). Those familiar with the character may notice that his design is quite different here. In the character's very next cartoon, I'm Cold (1954), Chilly would look like the character we know today. This cartoon was directed by Paul J. Smith. After this cartoon, the Chilly Willy films would briefly be directed by Tex Avery and then Alex Lovy. The next Chilly Willy cartoon directed by Paul J. Smith would be Robinson Gruesome (1959).
Now for a silent short film from the Out of the Inkwell series, Koko's Storm (1925).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Ferdinand the Bull (1938) began production as a Silly Symphony short but in the end the Disney studio released it as a Special. Unlike many Disney cartoons of the time which were either original stories or based off stories that dated quite a ways back, this film was based off a contemporary story. The book had been published in 1936 and though there was controversy for its pacifist themes, it became a real best seller, even outselling Gone With the Wind. Walt bought the rights to the book in October, 1937. Albert Hay Malotte, who wrote the score for this cartoon, would co-write a song called Fernand the Bull with Larry Morey. Though this song does not appear in the film it was used to promote the cartoon. The matador seen in this cartoon is a caricature of Walt Disney himself. The scene in which the matador enters was animated by Ward Kimball, who included himself as the little man carrying the sword. Animation for this cartoon would be reused by Disney in a wartime training film, Stop the Tank (1942), the Goofy cartoon, For Whom the Bulls Toil (1953) and the feature length, Fun and Fancy Free (1947). The following is an article in Boxoffice Magazine (Dated January 7th, 1939). "Sioux Falls, S.D. Manager Joe Floyd of the Granada covered nearly all the angles for the RKO-Disney short, 'Ferdinand the Bull' the subject rated a holdover. A 14 foot cutout of Ferdinand, was used in the lobby illuminated by two Klieg lights. Another large cutout was anchored a sound truck which blasted announcements and played the show's records. Four illuminated billboards were used with two thirds of the space given over to the Disney picture. Window displays were especially made by Floyd and there were 12 in select locations. A feature of the advertising was a teaser campaign: newspaper space was in editorial columns were large throughout the run. There were extra announcements on the radio and records of 'Ferdinand the Bull' were broadcast several times through station KELO, which reaches about 150,000 persons."
Next is Betty Boop and Bimbo in Bimbo's Express (1931). This short film has everything I love about Fleischer cartoons of this era. The whole film is full of delightfully surrealistic and weird gags that I simply adore.
Now we join our old friend Scrappy in Playing Politics (1936). After this film I fully support Oopy for president.
Let us by singing a song we all know together with the Screen Songs cartoon, The Lone Star State (1948).
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin
Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
A smarter than your average made for TV movie, starring a smarter than your average bear.
I love Hanna-Barbera cartoons. So, seeing all these characters together as almost one big family, and in a movie centered around Christmas, just makes me feel warm inside. It doesn't hurt that this is an excellent film in its own right.
The songs used in this film were used in previous Hanna-Barbera Christmas themed work. The songs Christmas Time is Here Again and Making Much Ado About This Christmas both come from the TV special Casper's First Christmas (1979), while the song Hope was previously used in both A Christmas Story (1972, Not to be confused with the popular live action movie) and A Flintstones Christmas (1977), however here they do work much better. They fit in the movie perfectly and only enhance the audience's enjoyment in the film.
The film's director was Ray Patterson, who had worked as an animator for William Hanna and Joseph Barbera since the days of Tom and Jerry. He became one of the first non-William Hanna and non-Joseph Barbera directors for Hanna-Barbera cartoons. He directed many other made for TV movies for the studio, and even the theatrical feature GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986). Nearly all of the already existing characters were voiced by their original voice artists Daws Butler and Don Messick.
This film is fantastic. The characters are very lovable. The writing (by Willie Gilbert) is great. The humor is quite good. However, it does have faults. For instance, the villains are not that interesting, and feel like they have been done before too often. However, the rest of the film is so good that any problem won't get in the way of you enjoying the movie a lot. Overall, this is an excellent film and a Christmas tradition for me.
For more Michael's Christmas Movie Guide, click here.
This birthday things look brighter than they did last year. A major reason for this is that I can once again go to the movie theater. Like many film buffs, the movie theater is a second home to me. Not even those movie pests can ruin it for me.
Besides movie theatres I used to spend much of my time volunteering at a horse stable. Unfortunately this is not back for me yet. Because of Covid they are currently limiting the amount of people there. However I know that one day this will come back for me and I can't wait for that day. It is still strange not to have horses being a big part of my life though. Still in the meantime I can cheer myself up by watching videos of horses on YouTube.
Just in time for my birthday, here are a couple of classic cartoons about birthdays.
As a country music fan, I am honored to share my birthday with a true country music legend, Loretta Lynn. She released a new album this year and I love it. Here are a few highlights off the album.
Speaking of Lorretta, Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) is still the best movie about a singer's life.
I have been having a blast this year watching classic cartoons each morning on Me-TV, it is truly a delightful way to start the day.
What better way to celebrate a birthday than with some good laughs. And where better to go for laughs than Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin.
Lately I have been watching a lot of D.W. Griffith's short films for Biograph. If you are a movie fan and have not seen these shorts, you must watch them.
I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all. James 1:17
You crown the year with your goodness; your paths overflow with rich food. Psalm 65:11
Certainly the faithful love of the Lord hasn’t ended; certainly God’s compassion isn’t through! They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
Many of you are aware that Scooby-Doo! met The Three Stooges in an episode of The New Scooby-Doo! Movies. However Scooby wasn't the only Hanna-Barbera character to meet The Three Stooges. That smarter than your average bear, Yogi also meet the threesome. However there were two major differences. One was that this was not animated and the second was that The Three Stooges were voiced by themselves here. This was released as a record album rather than a cartoon episode. The record album came from Hanna-Barbera Records in 1966, and is very similar to the style of an old radio show, with the story being told through narration. Both the Stooges and Hanna-Barbera were no strangers to record albums. Hanna-Barbera made plenty of similar albums on their label that lasted from 1964 to 1967 and The Stooges had been releasing record albums since 1959. This would mark The Stooges last record album. A often forgotten but very enjoyable part of the comedy team's career.
This is a very enjoyable album that is just as silly as it sounds. The jokes consist of very corny puns, but the makers of this album are completely aware of this and take great joy and just how corny these puns can get. Along with these corny puns is some silly but clever satire on the mad scientist trend in movies and TV. Both Yogi and The Stooges are completely in character and this should make the album a delight to fans of both. I hope you enjoy this album as much as I did.
