Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #301

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with  our good friend Porky Pig in Porky and Gabby (1937). The credited director on this short film is Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney's former right-hand man and co-creator of Mickey Mouse. However, it is believed that the two credited animators Bob Clampett and Chuck Jones co-directed this film with Iwerks. This cartoon marks the first appearance of Porky's short lived sidekick Gabby Goat. 

Next comes the Fleischer Brothers' Animated Antics cartoon, Bring Himself Back Alive (1940). Running from 1940 to 1941 this series of cartoons only lasted for 11 shorts. 

Next comes a classic and often overlooked Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, More Kittens (1936). This short film is a bit of a sequel to the previous Silly Symphonies short, Three Orphan Kittens (1935) as this movie features the same kittens who were the stars of that cartoon. The voice of the maid in this movie was by Lillian Randolph. Cartoon fans might recognize her as the voice of Tom's owner in the earlier Tom and Jerry films. Fans of classic Christmas movies will know her as Annie the maid in Its a Wonderful Life (1947). Like all Disney cartoons of this time, this film features a wonderful cast of animators. Frenchy de Tremaudan animates the kittens' opening and closing scenes with the maid and them in the laundry. Ward Kimball, who would become one of Walt's Nine Old Men, work on some of the best Disney features and even direct some great cartoon shorts, animates the kittens first meeting the dog. Leonard Sebring, a wonderful animator who spent most of his career doing uncredited work for both Disney and MGM, animates the kittens drinking from the dog's bowl and them with the turtle. Bob Stokes, who worked for a wide variety of studios (Disney, Van Bureun, Warner Brothers, MGM, Ub Iwerks) though mostly uncredited, the scene with the kittens, the fly and the dog together. Bob Wickersham animates the kitten and the fly on the branch and the kittens with the bird. Frank Thomas, who would also become one of Walt's Nine Old Men, animates the fight inside the dog's mouth, the kittens chasing the bird up the clothesline and the dog hiding the kittens. This cartoon premiered at the Majestic in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Christmas day, 1936 with the feature film, Polo Joe (1936, starring Joe E. Brown). It made its TV premier on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on December 6, 1956. 

Now for the Talkartoon short, The Bum Bandit (1931). This film stars Bimbo the dog but is notable today for featuring an early version Betty Boop (though the character has a different name and a very different voice). 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next comes Gandy Goose in Spring Fever (1951).

Next is the silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, Burglar Alarm (1923). 

Next comes a classic Mickey Mouse film, The Delivery Boy (1931). This short film, like all of the 1930's Mickeys, features a wonderful cast of animators. Johnny Cannon animates the opening scene with Mickey riding the delivery wagon and the scene with the dog playing the accordion. Rudy Zamora, who would later direct many of the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons of the 1980's, animates Minnie washing her clothes. Jack Cutting animates the underwear washing itself. Norm Ferguson (who as an animator helped define the character of Pluto) animates the first scene of Mickey and Minnie's dance, Pluto getting his feet caught in the tar and doing his little dance and the two workers with the dynamite.  Frenchy de Trémaudan animates the gag with the goat. David Hand, who would later be the supervising director on the feature films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942) animates Mickey climbing into the pants, the scene with the hornets and the birds whistling and dancing. Future Donald Duck, Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director, Dick Lundy animates the second scene of Mickey and Minnie's dance. George Lane animates the instruments nearly falling on the animals and them running away. Tom Palmer, who would later direct a few cartoons for Warner Brothers and Van Beuren, animates Mickey and Minnie on the Piano. Les Clark, one of the best Mickey Mouse animators, animates Mickey and Minnie playing the trombone, trumpet and drum as well as the gag with the turtle and the mule. Future Looney Tunes and Donald Duck director, Jack King animates the ending sequence from when Pluto picks up the dynamite to the end. 

Now to close with a song. 

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

Resources Used

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald 

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

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

 

Movie Review: Never After Dark (Nebâ Afutâ Dâku)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A superior Japanese haunted house movie.

In this movie, a young psychic who (along with the ghost of her dead sister) helps ghosts cross to the other side is hired by some new homeowners to get rid of a ghost in their house. At first this seems like a rather routine case, but she soon finds herself in over her head as this is a much more dangerous case than she has ever faced before. 

The haunted house film is almost as old as cinema itself, yet this movie makes it feel new and fresh. There are plenty of twists to this story that keep making you guess what is going to happen next. Not only do these twists take you by surprise but they also change our perception of what came before. There are no twists here that simply exist to have a twist. Rather they are here to advance the story. 

Of course, the most important element of any haunted house film (even more than being scary) is the sense of atmosphere. This film is dripping over with atmosphere. Unlike many modern scary movies, this film doesn't simply give you one scare after another. Instead, it takes its time between scares. There are even decent size stretches here without any traditional scares. This works fantastically as it actually pulls us into why this house is so scary and just how much danger our hero is in. The setting doesn't feel like just another haunted house but rather something that has its own personality. There is also much time setting up how the rules of this world work. This not only makes the world feel more real but also sets up the finale to be as intense as it is. 

The scares themselves are fantastic. While they may not be constant, they are no less effective. The ghost, himself is truly terrifying. This is captured perfectly by his look, his demeanor and his horrifying motives. With how much time the film uses building up this villain, he does not disappoint when he is actually on screen. I usually don't find jump scares all that effective but there are a few that got me here. They are very well done and effective. Part of the reason for this is that they are less frequent than in other horror movies, making you not constantly except them. 

This is a truly great horror movie that I hope gets the love it deserves.  

What's New Scooby-Doo: Wrestle Maniacs (2005)

 

A fun episode. 

In this episode, the gang decides to see a popular wresting competition. However, when a monster attacks the wrestling stadium, they have another mystery on their hands.  

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. The mystery is quite good and has some good surprises. The humor hits the mark consistently. Velma actually gets the slapstick highlights here in some very funny moments. All the characters are the charming characters we love, and each gets their time to shine. There is no point where the characters are dumbed down for the sake of a joke (a major flaw of this series).  

Unfortunately, the monster is kind of forgettable. The design is neither that creepy nor memorable. Since the monster or ghost is the main thing people remember about Scooby episode, this can make you forget this one exists.

This was not the first Scooby episode to be titled Wrestle Maniacs. The title had previously been used for a 1990 episode of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. 

The song used in this episode is All Twisted by the alternative rock band, CIV. This song comes from their 1995 album, Set Your Goals. 

Though not the most memorable episode, it is a lot of fun. 

 

What's New Scooby-Doo: Go West Young Scoob (2005)

 

A really fun episode. 

In this episode, the gang visits Cyber Gulch, a tourist attraction that uses robots to create a western experience.

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. The western setting is delightful and helps this stand out from other What's New Scooby-Doo episodes. The idea of a town of malfunctioning robots instead of a person behind a mask, make this feel very unique. The mystery is also very well done. There are quite a few suspects here and all of them would be perfectly believable as the bad guy. The reveal is a bit of a twist, and it is a very good one. 

This episode does have the same problem that a lot of episodes of What's New Scooby-Doo have. That is that the humor often falls quite flat. None of the jokes really land here and there is hardly a real laugh to be found. 

This episode was written by Ed Scharlach. This was his first time writing for Scooby-Doo. However he go on to write more episodes of this series as well as the direct to video movies, Scooby-Doo! and The Loch Ness Monster (2004), Aloha Scooby-Doo! (2005) and Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy (2005). 

 The episode was directed by Chuck Sheetz, one of the show's producers as well as a director of several episodes. 

The song Haven't Been Myself in a While was written and perfromed by the punk rock band, CIV. It appeared on their 1998 album, Thirteen Day Getaway. 

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #300

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

Today's cartoon selection starts with Gandy Goose in Peace-Time Football (1946). Why Gandy is on a team called The Mice that otherwise is only mice is not a question I know the answer to. 

Next comes the Fleischer Screen Songs cartoon, I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (1931). The title song was written in 1909 by lyricists Will M. Hough and Frank R. Adams and composers Joseph E. Howard, Harold Orlob. In 1909 the song was already being recorded by the popular crooner Henry Burr. Over the years such artists as Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Danny Kaye, Ray Charles, Bobbin Darrin, Dean Martin, George Hamilton IV and Anne Murray.  

Next is the early Porky Pig cartoon, Plane Dippy (1936). This is the movie in which we learn Porky's full name, Porky Cornelius Washington Otis Lincoln Abner Aloysius Casper Jefferson Philbert Horatius Narcissus Pig. I'm sure you all will memorize that name. As well as Porky this film also has some other characters that also premiered in the Merrie Melodies cartoon, I Haven't Got A Hat (1935) such as Little Kitty (who plays an important role here). Comic fans may also notice that the character of Professor Blotz looks extremely similar to a character from the Mickey Mouse comic strip, Professor Ecks. Though this movie is directed by Tex Avery, don't except the pure insanity of his later cartoons, as this was still early in his directorial career and he hadn't fully developed his style yet. Still this cartoon has many very funny gags in it, I especially love Porky writing his name. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "PLANE DIPPY: Looney Tune—This is a very comical cartoon. Above the average.—Paul J. Pope, Avon Theatre, Geneva, Ala., Small Town and Rural Patronage." 

Now for a Columbia Phantasy cartoon, Polly Wants a Doctor (1943). This short film was directed by former Disney animator and future Hanna-Barbera animator Howard Swift.

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Most Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons follow the same basic formula and therefore feel very repetitive. Boo Moon (1954) is a delightful exception and my favorite Casper cartoon. This short film features our hero heading to the moon and meeting and befriending a bunch of tiny men and even becoming their protector. If this sounds like Gulliver's Travels to you, then the similarities were certainly not lost on the filmmakers either. This film uses similar designs (and even reuses some) to the Lilliputians from the Fleischer Brothers' animated feature length movie version of Gulliver's Travels (1939). This was also the first and only Casper cartoon to be released in 3-D, however most of us today know it much better in 2-D.

Now for an early Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, The Faithful Pup (1929). 

Up next is the Mickey Mouse cartoon, The Castaway (1931). This was the first cartoon to be directed by Wilfred Jackson who would direct some of the best Disney cartoons of the 1930's. Jackson had become a director hugely through a misunderstanding. He wanted to animate a whole short by himself and he asked Walt if he "could handle a picture" himself. Instead of animating a cartoon by himself he would up directing The Castaway. According to Jackson, "we never did get this misunderstanding cleared up." Walt ended up very unhappy with the finished film and Jackson remembered overhearing Walt and Roy Disney having a conversation about it. Roy said, "But Walt, it doesn't look like a Disney picture. I don't know if we ought to release it." Walt replied, We've got to release it to meet our schedule Roy." Despite this the cartoon is actually pretty good and should delight Disney and movie fans of all ages. This movie also marked the first time Frank Churchill would do a musical score for a Disney film. He would later score music for such Disney features as Snow White (1937), Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942)

Now to close with a song. 

Resources Used

Working With Walt: Interviews With Disney Artists by Don Peri

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

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

Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in its Golden Age by Michael Barrier

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

What's New Scooby-Doo: Fright House of a Light House (2005)

 

A delightful episode. 

In the season three premiere of What's New Scooby-Doo, the gang investigates when a ghost of a lighthouse keeper is haunting an old lighthouse. While investigating the gang meets a young sleuth who is a lot like Velma only seemingly even better at her job. Velma naturally grows jealous of this young woman. 

There is a lot to enjoy about this episode. The lighthouse ghost is an excellent Scooby villain with a great and memorable design. The character is creepy in a way that perfectly fits the lighthearted fun of this franchise. The mystery of who is behind the mask is quite well done and love how well it uses misdirection. There is a wonderful sense of atmosphere here and the background art is gorgeous to look at. Velma's jealousy of the new young sleuth also adds a lot of fun.  

This episode was written by George Doty IV, who wrote quite a few episodes of this show as well as the direct to video movies, Scooby-Doo! and The Loch Ness Monster (2004) and Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy (2005). The episode was directed by Chuck Sheetz, one of the show's producers as well as a director of several episodes. 

The song in this episode is called High Five. It was performed by the rock band Calibretto 13 and appeared on their 2000 album, Enter the Danger Brigade before its use in this episode. Here the full version of this song below. 

 

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo: The Incredible Cat Lady Caper (1982)

 

A fun Scooby and Scrappy short. 

In this short, Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy try to stop The Cat Lady Burglar.

There is a lot to enjoy about this short. The villain is a lot of fun. Her design is quite good and her device that allows her to communicate with cats makes her feel like a comic book villain in a good way. Much of the story could have made a good golden or silver age superhero comic book. This gives it a fun and unique feel among Scooby adventures. This episode also has some strong action and chases. The humor is never laugh out loud funny, but it is charming. Scooby trying to volunteer Scrappy by saying Scrappy's catchphrase put a smile on my face for instance. 

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This is a unique and fun little Scooby adventure.