Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Oswald the rabbit in Everybody Sing (1937). Many animation histories end Oswald's story with when Walt Disney learned that he did not actually own the rights to this character he created, which lead to him creating Mickey Mouse. However, the rabbit's story does not end here. He would appear in many cartoons afterwards, first produced by Charles Mintz and then Walter Lantz (later of Woody Woodpecker fame). In the earlier Walter Lantz Oswalds, the character was very recognizably the same character that Walt Disney used. However, in the later ones (including this film), he was redesigned to the point where he no longer looked like the Walt Disney character. Though this is technically an Oswald cartoon, the rabbit actually receives quite little screen time here.
Next comes Cubby Bear in Mischievous Mice (1934). This short film is one of three that Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising made three shorts for the Van Buren studio after leaving Warner Brothers (where the made the earliest Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). The first two of these (Cubby's World Flight (1933) and Gay Gaucho (1933)) received a theatrical release. However, this third film didn't. In the late 1940's Hugh Harman Productions did however release a print of this film with music from the studio's Industrial film, Easy Does It (1946). Enjoy.
Next comes one of my favorite cartoons from director Norm McCabe, Daffy's Southern Exposure (1942). I absolutely love the way this film treats Daffy. He is very much in his early wild and crazy mode. But at the same time there is a bit more to him than just being crazy. He is also the type of duck who is always simply looking for a good time and will ignore the warnings of others if they try to get in the way of him having fun. Still even when getting his comeuppance, he never learns any sort of lesson and remains the same duck he was the beginning of the cartoon. This is a fun characterization for Daffy, especially as he is still fun of the pure energy that makes the early Daffy so popular. This is just as much of a fully formed character as the one we would see in the later Chuck Jones classics of the 1950's. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "DAFFY'S SOUTHERN EXPOSURE: Cartoon- Good black and white cartoon. Enjoyed by people that saw it. —Conrad H. Tapia, Chief Theatre, Casa Grande, Ariz."
Now we join Donald Duck in Donald’s Happy Birthday (1949). This short film made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled At Home with Donald Duck (1956). It later appeared on an episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color entitled Kids is Kids (1961).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next, we join Popeye in Greek Mirthology (1954). This short film is the Hercules story as told by Popeye. The cartoon was directed by Seymour Kneitel, who started working with Popeye when the Popeye theatrical animated shorts began in the mid-1930's. He would continue working with the character through his 1960's TV cartoons.
Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, The Old Oaken Bucket (1941). The following is a review from Showman's Trade Review. "No wonder quartets continue to sing of 'The old oaken bucket that hangs in the well,' if the story behind it is as pleasant and delightful as the animators have made it here. The bucket is an elevator which lowers the hero, a frog, to his sweetheart, whom he takes to his sweetheart, whom he takes to neighborhood amusement park, where they try the parachute jump, the tunnel of love, the roller coaster and other 'thrills' before returning home. While this is no
'Great shakes' as a cartoon, it is still entertaining, and a good subject to brighten any program. Paul Terry produced."
Next is the Pink Panther in Pink Arcade (1978).
Let us close with a song.
Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
A moving and thought provoking Japanese sci-fi film.
This movie takes place in the not-so-distant future, where through AI and robotic technology people can get a cybernetic version of lost loved ones. A couple who lost their 7-year-old son gets a cybernetic version of their son. The mom immediately accepts this as their son, while the dad finds it insulting that his son was replaced by (in his words) "a Roomba."
This film is not necessarily a movie for everyone. It's a slow paced and meditative film, that will bore some and fascinate others. Yet for those of who love these types of movies, this is where much of its charm comes from. This movie talks on some weighty subject matter including how we deal with grief, the nature of AI and what makes us human. All of this subject matter is handled in a very intelligent way. Unlike many films featuring AI as a major plot point, this film actually has subtlety in its messaging. The AI version of the young son is not dumb, evil or unsympathetic. However, he is also not their son. Even if outwardly, he looks and acts like the son, deep inside he is something else. The movie doesn't treat him as subhuman but rather just something different from humanity. We like and care for this character, but it becomes increasing obvious that he never quite fits in with the human world. This shows brilliantly that while it has it purposes, AI can never truly be a replacement for humanity. This all leads to an emotional and thought provoking third act, that even the most seasoned movie goers won't see coming. As we see how this AI cyborg is outwardly seemingly human but still can't fully be a replication of humanity makes the audience think about what it is that actually makes us human. Like all great movies, this film doesn't give any easy answers to such questions. The theme of grief is brilliantly explored with how the parents immediately react to this new kid. The mother is immediately willing to accept this cyborg as the reincarnation of her child before even getting to know him. The father on the other hand isn't willing to even get to know the child before dismissing him. They are not reacting to the child itself but instead are reacting to preconceived notions that are formed by how they are grieving the loss of their son.
Though this quiet, mediative, slow-paced film may not be for everybody, it is a very smart and captivating movie for those willing to give themselves over to it.
The stage play combines the myths of Orpheus/Eurydice and Hades/Persephone into a beautiful moving story.
As someone who has never really kept up with popular stage plays, despite always enjoying them, the way I do with movies, I came into this knowing pretty much nothing about the play coming into this movie. I honestly wasn't expecting a whole lot but found myself blown away. Everything about this play was incredible. The storyline is incredibly smart and finds the heart of these myths and understands why they can still speak to an audience today. I found myself deeply moved by this story and wanting to shed a few tears sometimes. The acting is fantastic from the main characters to the bit parts. The musical numbers are incredible. They are catchy and fun but listening to them closer shows the real depth and emotion put into this film. This play can often be simply one musical number after another. Yet the musical numbers tell the story so perfectly, that this feels like the natural and only way to tell this story. The sets and costumes are fantastic, giving this a larger than life feel. As a film, the camera work is fantastic and keeps what is clearly a filmed stage play still feeling like something truly cinematic. Despite this being obviously a stage play, I got so immersed in the story and characters that there were moments I forgot I was watching a filmed stage play. It felt so real to me.
I am keeping this review short because I hope you go into this film knowing as little as I did. Just known you are in for a real treat.
In this film, an ice cream man gives kids some demonic ice cream that turns them into zombies that kill all the adults in town.
This premise could have easily resulted in some genuine scares or some real laughs. Unfortunately, in place of these we simply get loads of gore. As soon as the story gets underway it becomes pretty much nothing but gore. The humor comes completely from kids killing people in gory ways and turning this into childish games. This is a very one joke idea that quickly wears out its welcome. Perhaps in a short film this could have been funny but in a feature film it is simply tiresome. As horror this doesn't work because with the constant gore there is no time to stop and build any sense of dread or suspense causing it to be simply not scary.
Adding to this is that the characters are all one note horror movie tropes that always feel more like plot points than real people.
There is one moment that kind of worked for me and this was a parody of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. Unfortunately this was just one moment in an otherwise dismal excuse for a horror film and a comedy.
The Bride of Darkseid (Part I) is the first episode of Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show. This version of Super Friends introduced both new heroes and new villains, notably Darkseid. With these new villains, the stakes were raised as our heroes faced greater danger than previous Super Friends series. More importantly, this series has Adam West himself as the voice of Batman.
In this episode, the Super Friends meet the new superhero Firestorm, who is really college student Ronnie Raymond and college professor Martin Stein fused into one being. The team lets Firestorm join the Super Friends. However, Darkseid shows up from his home of Apokolips to Earth with plans of making Wonder Woman his bride.
This is a pretty good start to the series. Firestorm is great addition to the team. His powers provide some fun and creative action sequences. His personality is well formed from even this first episode. Even his crush on Wonder Woman allows for some fun interactions. While we don't spend enough time with Darkseid for him to feel like anything but a typical 1980's cartoon bad guy, his voice and design make him already a great villain. He also proves to be a great threat to our heroes. The artwork in this episode is also great. The background art is as wonderful as it always is in these Hanna-Barbera cartoons. As well as this the art style change when Ronnie and Professor Stein combine into Firestorm is very effective.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of cowboy church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus Loves the Little Children. Jesus would state, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." There is no doubt that Jesus did love the little children and he loves us big children too. If we will humble ourselves and become like little children, the blessings he has for us are immeasurable.
This is followed by Ricky Skaggs with The Darkest Hour. This comes from his 1999 gospel album, Solider of the Cross.
Afterwards is Willie Nelson with It's Not for Me to Understand. Willie talked about this song in his book, It's a Long Story: My Life, "The questions raised by the Bible - questions that had been entertained by deep thinkers like Khalil Gibran and Edgar Cayce - had no easy answers. I imagined a blind boy in a school yard, listening to the other children play. Again, the questioning began ... 'It's Not for Me to Understand' became one of the key songs and led to even more pleadings on my part. The sign came in the form of the lyrics. I don't feel that I wrote them. More accurately, I have to say that I felt like I channeled them." This song comes from one of Willie's best albums 1971's Yesterday's Wine. Willie himself would say, "I thought Yesterday's Wine was my most honest album to date."
Next comes Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs and Johnny Cash with Jordan. This comes from Emmylou's 1980 album, Roses in the Snow. This album found Emmylou going in a more bluegrass inspired direction than her previous albums. It also featured her working with some of the all time country and bluegrass greats. As well as Johnny Cash and Ricky Skaggs, this album also finds Emmylou collaborating with Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Linda Rondstant, The Whites and Tony Rice.
Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. This song should remind us of how blessed we truly are. It is the things we take for granted each day that are our greatest blessings. Sometimes we need to stop and simply thank God for these blessings. The narrator of this song is not thankful for any big event in his life, but rather for all the little blessing he receives every day.
Afterwards is Jim and Jessie with An Old Account Settled.
Today's musical selection ends with Alan Jackson with Love Lifted Me. This song was written by James Rowe in 1912 and was based on two stories from the book of Matthew. One was asleep in the boat with the apostles during a storm. As the apostles were terrified of the storm, they couldn't understand how Jesus was so calm that he could take a nap. They wake Jesus up from his nap and Jesus simply tells the storm to stop and it does. The other story also involved the apostles, Jesus and the sea. It was about how when his eyes were fixed upon Jesus, he was able to walk on the water, but he lost the ability when his faith faltered and he looked away. Still Jesus was a faithful friend and lifted Peter into a boat. This recording comes from Alan's second gospel album, Precious Memories Vol. 2.
Now for the 22nd episode of TV's The Lone Ranger.
Now for a sermon from the Reverand Martin Luther King Jr.
Jude
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People
3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.
11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
A Call to Persevere
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Doxology
24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with our friend Little Roquefort in City Slicker (1952). This is a take on the classic country mouse and city mouse story with some delightful slapstick twists of course.
To follow on the country mouse/city mouse theme, here is an especially great Silly Symphony from Disney, The Country Cousin (1936). Like many Disney films of this time this short is especially notable for its great animation. Some of the best Disney animators worked on this cartoon. Probally the one who has been singled out the most has been Art Babbitt for his excellent animation of the drunken mouse. This is appropriate because this animation is a highlight of the film. Still there is much more great animation to be found. In fact Cy Young's animation of the traffic montage was so good that the studio reused it later in the Mickey Mouse cartoon,Mickey's Delayed Date (1947). The opening animation of the country mouse leaving for the city was by Milt Schaffer. Johnny Cannon animates the two mice meeting as well as the country mouse finding his way into a light socket and the film's ending. Marvin Woodward animates the scene with the mouse trap. Les Clark (a future member of Walt's nine old men and expert Mickey Mouse animator) gets to shine with his animation of the mice on the table and the country mouse after eating hot mustard. Future Donald Duck director, Jack Hannah doesn't have much to animate in this film. He only animates the plates falling on the floor. Paul Allen animates the two mice parachuting and some of the action with the cat. This cartoon won the Academy Award for best animated short film. It won the Academy Award for Best Cartoon Production. The cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled, From Aesop to Hans Christian Anderson (1955).
Now for the Talkartoons cartoon, The Robot (1932). This film stars Bimbo, who started off as a starring character but would later become a supporting character for Betty Boop, whose stardom would eclipse his. You can see a primitive early version of Betty in this film.
Next is the Terry Toons cartoon, Uncle Joey (1941). The title character is a caricature of comedian/actor Joe E. Brown. A review from the National Board of Review Magazine stated, "A cute cartoon about a mouse and a cat. The cat isn't as wicked as cartoon cats usually are, but he gets worsted anyway."
Now it is time for a commercial break.
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.
Next comes one of my favorite early Bugs Bunny films, The Wabbit Who Came to Supper (1942). One of the things you will notice first about this cartoon is how the characters are drawn. Bugs will often go off model in a way you would never see in a later short (around 1944 this would come to an end). Elmer is also in his heavier set design. Bob Clampett had redesigned the character for his cartoon Wabbit Twouble (1941) and that design would stick for four more cartoons (including this one). The design was based off of Elmer's voice artist, Arthur Q. Bryan. Yet there is so much to enjoy about this cartoon that you won't care how the characters look. Director Friz Freleng is known for how perfectly he could time a gag and this is incredibly evident. There are also plenty of incredibly clever gags from writer Michael Maltese (who would go on to form a writer/director partnership with director Chuck Jones that would result in some of the funniest and most famous cartoons of all time). Many of these gags would take cartoon logic to ridiculous and hilarious extremes. A review in The Film Daily called this short, "Tremendously hilarious." A review in The Exhibitor stated, "This has many humorous moments, even if not ranking with the best of the B.B. series. However with that title and his popularity, this offers an opportunity." The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Wabbit Who Came to Supper: Merrie Melodies Cartoons- Good. This series is taking off fast. They are asking when we are having our next 'carrot eating rabbit.' - A.H. Goldson, Plaza Theatre, Chicago, Ill."
Next comes the Color Rhapsody cartoon, Lucky Pigs (1939).
Now to close with a song.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
