Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #293

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Bugs Bunny in Bugsy and Mugsy (1957). This film was a semi-remake of the Slyvester cartoon, Stooge for a Mouse (1950). Bugsy and Mugsy would later be remade as the Dogfather cartoon, Heist and Seek (1974).

Next comes the silent Out of the Inkwell film, Koko Plays Pool (1927).

Now for the Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, Farm Foolery (1930). While this may seem crude compared to what Disney was doing at the same time, there is a certain charm to that. The music is fun and some of the gags are quite creative. The final gag is bizarrely surreal in the best way. 

Next comes Donald Duck in Contrary Condor (1944). This short film was directed by Jack King, who directed most of the Donald Duck cartoons at this time. For a while in the community of cartoon and Disney lovers, the Jack King Donald Duck cartoons were rarely given the accolades they deserve because more attention was paid to the later Donald shorts that Jack Hannah directed. However luckily today many Disney fans are reevaluating this and realizes what wonderful films, the Jack King Donald cartoons are. Contrary Condor is just one of the many examples of how great of a cartoon director Jack King was. However, this film also works because of a wonderful team of animators. John McManus animates the opening moments as well as Donald tossing the dummy and the mom diving after it. Judge Whitaker animates Donald yodeling while climbing the mountain, Donald's first meeting with the mother, Duck applauding the small bird's flight, the small bird gliding and landing, Donald's landing and Donald contemplating a new plan. Nick Nichols animates Donald discovering the nest and hiding in the egg, the hatching sequence, the small bird being jealous, the little bird snaping Donald off the limb, Donald's "flight," the mother applauding, the mother missing the dummy as it falls into the water and the closing sequence. Paul Allen animates the mother pushing the small bird off the limb, the mother encouraging Donald to fly and Donald trying to escape with the egg until the small bird intercepts it. George Nicholas animates the small bird falling and trying to fly. Don Townsley animates the small bird lowering its legs like landing gear and the mother's card trick. Hal King animates the mother attempting to push Donald off the limb and Donald faking a bad wing, Marvin Woodward animates the mother trying to trick Donald with the berry. The working titles for this film were Contrary Condors, Egg Collector and The Colombian Condor. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Donald Duck provides plenty of laughs in his attempt to swipe an egg from a condor's nest. When Donald emerges from his hiding place in an empty egg shell which a mother condor mistakes for an unhatched egg she accepts our fine feathered hero as one of her own. Her attempts to get Donald to fly are extremely humorous. The Technicolor cartoon is aces." 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now we join our good friend Farmer Al Falfa in Flying Oil (1935). This is a delightfully silly, surreal and creative cartoon.

 Now for an early Disney Silly Symphony, The China Plate (1931). This short film was directed by Wilfred Jackson, who would later co-direct such Disney features as Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953) and Lady and the Tramp (1955). Even at this stage, Disney cartoons had all star casts of animators and this short is no exception. Joe D'Igalo, who would work not only for Disney but also for Warner Brothers, MGM and Fleischer Studios (where he would work on both of their feature films (Gulliver's Travels (1939), Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941)), animates the teacup and teapot as well as the cherries being delivered to the mandarin. Johnny Cannon animated the mandarin eating and sleeping, the geishas dancing, the boy fishing and dragon swallowing the rock. Jack Cutting does much less here only animating the orchestra. Frenchy de Tremaudan (who animated on many of the best Disney shorts of the 1930's animates the first scene with the girl, the dragon eating the mandarin, capturing the girl and fighting with the boy. Rudy Zamora, who would have a long career in animation and would direct episodes of the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons of the 1980's, animates the scene with the boy and the girl with the butterfly. Future Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director Dick Lundy would animate the fight between the mandarin and the boy. Ben Sharpsteen, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941), animates the couple being chased by both the mandarin and the dragon. David Hand, who would later be the supervising director for such Disney features as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942), animates the scene involving the couple and the mandarin at the bridge. Future Donald Duck director (who directed the Donald cartoon earlier in this post) animates the couple dislodging the rock and in the boat. Walt Disney himself provides the laugh for the boy. Six years after this picture the Disney story department proposed a Japanese themed Silly Symphony that would be similar to this short, but that film was never made. 

Next is probably the most famous Humphry the bear cartoon, In the Bag (1956). One reason this cartoon is so well remembered is because the very catchy song. As late as Cars 3 (2017), Disney movies would even include references to this delightful song. In the Bag marked the last Disney short made for CinemaScope and after this film the cartoons would go back to a regular aspect ratio. This theatrical cartoon made its TV debut in the Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color episode, A Square Peg in a Round Hole (1963). 

Now to 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  

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

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 

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/In_the_Bag

   

Movie Review: Hot Spot

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

I have been a fan of Polish director and writer Agnieszka Smoczynska since her brilliant first movie, The Lure (2015). This film doesn't live up to her best work, but it isn't terrible either.

In the future the whole world is connected to an AI system to survive. When a cyber witch threatens the system, a detective is assigned to stop her. 

More than just your average AI storyline, this movie has a lot to say and says it all very well. This film delves into not just how much we rely on AI but how we sacrifice our humanity to it. The characters seem either robotic or animalistic, showing how their entire humanity is being controlled. It is when they disconnect that they are able to truly allow their emotions, yet they are so deeply controlled that they cannot function beyond primal instincts when disconnected. 

With such a talented filmmaker as Agnieszka Smoczynska at the helm, naturally this movie is overflowing with atmosphere. The world building is quite well done and there are moments that are filled with creativity that remind you of the director's best work.

Unfortunately, this movie does have lots of flaws in it. The pacing is far from great as it somehow manages to move at a slow pace, while still making many plot points feel rushed. Though I love Agnieszka Smoczynska's creativity there are times when the quirkiness can feel more than a little forced. There is also a tonal unevenness that is quite jarring at times as the movie goes from silly and fun to deadly serious and artsy. However, the worst flaw is the sound mixing. I don't know what happened here but often times the sound mixing makes it hard to follow anything the characters are saying as there is too much happening that is distracting from the dialogue.  

This is an intelligent and thought-provoking story that is brought down by a flawed execution. 

Movie Review: The Wrong Girls

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

An uneven but quite funny, dumb comedy. 

In this film, a marijuana addicted college dropout (Kristen Stewart) is mistaken for someone else and ends up in possession of an experimental drug. When her and her stoner roommate (Alia Shawkat) take some of this drug, they find themselves on the run from some very dangerous people. 

This is not a sophisticated film by any means and there is no deeper ambition here than to get some silly laughs. With this it is definitely a success. This may not be constantly funny, and quite few jokes fall flat. However, when the jokes hit, the film gets really funny. Much of this is due to Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat's performances. These two make a truly perfect comedy team. They play off each other perfectly and it is such a joy to watch them together. When it comes to this over-the-top style of comedic performance, the result can either be funny or incredibly annoying. However, these two actresses strike the right balance of being annoying to other characters but never to the audience. If you put two lesser actresses in the leads, then the whole film wouldn't have worked. However, these two make the dumb low brow comedy quite funny. At the same time there is a real sweetness in their friendship. I was surprised to find myself soon really caring for these characters. 

As stated before not all the comedy works here. Like many high concept comedies this film starts out not that funny but gets funnier once the story truly gets underway. The girls being able to hear their cats speaking to them after taking the drug is a joke that gets old quick. These cats (voiced by Seth Rogan and Kumail Nanjiani) are never as funny as it feels like they are meant to be. 

This marks the feature length directorial debut for Dylan Meyer (who also wrote the film). I think it is safe to say we might have a very talented emerging comedy director with her. 

Not every joke hits but this film is still a delightful comedy. 

 

Movie Review: The Rivals of Amziah King

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent and surprisingly original movie.

In this film, a charming man who is brilliant when it comes to his job (he is in the honey business), and gifted bluegrass musician runs into his estranged foster daughter. The two quickly become reacquainted and he teaches her everything he knows about the honey business. 

This is a rare movie that never seems to be copying any other movie but instead just simply does its own thing. Watching this film, you can't really think of any other movie that it is like. This is a rare thing in today's age and even if it isn't perfect this originality should be appreciated. The film constantly changes genres, going from being a dark comedy to a serious thriller to an uplifting charmer. Because of this, you never know what is going to happen next. My story summary only covers the beginning of the story because midway through this film has a major twist that completely changes the story being told. Yet the surprises don't stop here, the story keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. At the same time the story keeps getting more complex. The characters themselves often make us unsure whether we are supposed to root for them or be disgusted by them. Yet regardless of what we are feeling towards them at any moment, they remain gripping to watch. The performances of Matthew McConaughey and newcomer Angelina LookingGlass add so much to this. That this is Angelina LookingGlass' first movie is shocking as she holds her own perfectly with the much bigger stars. 

Another reason to watch this film is the soundtrack. In one scene the foster daughter states that she doesn't listen to much bluegrass and doubts she can get into it. However, when the foster father's band starts playing, she finds herself completely immersed in the music. The same thing will happen to anyone watching this movie who thinks they don't like bluegrass. The bluegrass filled soundtrack is so energetic and immersive that it is hard for anyone not to get into it. 

This movie's flaws are not with the story or characters but rather with the filmmaking. The editing and the cutting between shots simply doesn't work. One gets the idea that director/writer Andrew Patterson is trying to make this film feel visually original as well. However, the result comes off as distracting and takes you out of the movie instead. There are also moments of gore here that seem to exist simply as cheap shock value. This just simply was not needed. 

Despite any flaws, this is a truly original movie that will truly win you over. 

    

Movie Review: The End of Oak Street

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

An okay dinosaur flick.

In this film a suburban family sees a bright light shine above their house accompanied by a mysterious noise. After this they find their whole neighborhood is now being overrun by dinosaurs. 

This film does have a corny B-movie charm. The movie never takes itself too seriously and that is what keeps it entertaining despite its flaws. There is a certain cheesy charm to watching a family on the run from dinosaurs or seeing dinosaurs destroy a suburban neighborhood. It helps that the dinos are visually impressive and they are given many scenes which create some good tension. When the movie focuses on this it is actually quite fun. 

However, this movie tries to be a family drama at the same time as being a dinosaur action flick. One can feel that director/writer David Robert Mitchell is trying to channel Steven Speilberg's most popular efforts of the 1970's, 80's and early 90's (the film is even set in 1982) by mixing family drama, danger and fantasy. One can see shades of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. and Poltergeist (which may not have been technically directed by Spielberg but which bears his personal stamp) here, yet this movie does reach the same heights as those classics. The reason it doesn't is simple, the human characters never feel real to us. They are simple archetypes without anything more to them. In other words, they are bland as can be. A talented cast (lead by the always wonderful Anne Hathaway) does their best but are still unable to make these characters even slightly interesting. It doesn't help that these characters (even ones that are supposed to be very smart) keep making decisions that are incredibly dumb, even by monster movie standards. 

I don't know this for certain, but it feels like a lot was cut out of this movie before its release that would have made certain parts make more sense. Whether this is the case or not there are many times where a plot point or a character shows up and then doesn't seem to have a reason for being there. The son has a crush on a young girl and that girl later joins the family in surviving the dinosaurs. Yet this girl ends up contributing nothing to the story and that the son has a crush on her is never followed up. It is hard not to wonder if there are a bunch of deleted scenes that would make this character's inclusion make sense. 

One thing that is truly outstanding about this film is Michael Giacchino's score, which gives this movie a real epic and retro feel that fits the film perfectly. 

This movie makes for an enjoyable trip to the movies, even if it is far from a great film.   

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #292

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

Today’s cartoon selection starts off with Three For Breakfast (1948). This movie is one of director Jack Hannah’s cartoons where he puts Donald Duck against Chip and Dale. Hannah had a gift for comedic timing and many of the Disney films that he directed were excellent slapstick outings. This film is a clear example of that and is simply a really funny cartoon. This film would make its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled The Donald Duck Story (1954). 

Next comes Kiko the Kangaroo in The Hay Ride (1937). For Castle Home Movie prints this film was renamed, Danger on Thin Ice. Though the Terrytoons studio would later give us Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle, before this the studio had multiple failed attempts at creating a cartoon star. Kiko was one of these attempts. 

Now for the silent Out of the Inkwell film, Toot Toot (1926). 

Now for the Columbia Color Rhapsody cartoon, Little Rover (1935).

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a true Disney classic, Alpine Climbers (1936). Though this film teams Mickey, Donald and Pluto, it follows the same format as the Mickey, Donald and Goofy cartoons that Disney made around this time. Like those films, here each of the characters goes his separate way and has a separate adventure. Mickey tries to collect an eagle's egg. Donald tries to pick flowers. Pluto has a run in with a St. Bernard dog (designed by Joe Grant). This other dog actually has a name, and that name is Bolivar. The character however is unnamed in the film, nor would he ever be used again in an animated cartoon. Instead, the character would be named in the Disney comics. He started appearing in 1938 in Al Taliaferro's Donald Duck newspaper comic strip. Bolivar would soon become the family dog of the duck family and would even be a reoccurring character in Carl Barks' beloved Donald Duck comic books. Despite this being an odd name for a cartoon animal the name had almost been used before. A cartoonist named Pinto Colvig (best known to cartoon fans today as the original voice of Disney's Goofy) was interested in entering the making of animated cartoons when sound came to the movies. He felt due to the fact that he was a cartoonist, who was also capable of doing various voices and playing multiple musical instruments, he felt sound cartoons were a wonderful opportunity for him. He created a character named Bolivar the Talking Ostrich. Teaming with Walter Lantz (later of Woody Woodpecker fame), he made a film with this character called Blue Notes (1928). In this film, the animated ostrich interacted with a live action Pinto Colvig. Unfortunately, this film is considered lost and despite Colvig's best efforts, a series never materialized. Colvig would however talk much about this ostrich in later years, however Lantz would barely ever mention the character. It may be possible that Al Taliaferro named the dog character after Colvig's ostrich character, but there is no real proof either way. Alpine Climbers would be reissued to movie theaters in 1948. The short film would make its TV debut on an episode of TV's Disneyland entitled, The Adventures of Mickey Mouse (1955). The following is a review of Alpine Climbers from a 1936 issue of World Film News. "I laughed immoderately at the latest Mickey Mouse, Alpine Climbers. The spectacle of the frozen Pluto getting tiddly with his savior, a St. Bernard with a handy keg around his neck is wonderful. - Ian Coster" 

Next is the Columbia cartoon, The Crystal Gazer (1941). This very strange short film was directed by Sid Marcus, who would later write cartoons for Warner Brothers including the first Tasmanian Devil cartoon. 

Now for the only Betty Boop cartoon in color, Poor Cinderella (1934). As you can see here despite much merchandise today picturing Betty as having black hair, this cartoon shows her to be a redhead instead. This movie is also the odd man out when it comes to Betty Boop films for another reason as well. This is because the cartoon is in many ways a more serious picture that is actually intent on telling a somewhat straightforward version of this classic fairytale (perhaps it is appropriate that this is part of the Color Classics series instead of the regular Betty Boop series). This cartoon also features an original song, and this song was published as sheet music as well as appearing in this cartoon. Film historian and critic Leonard Maltin states that Mae Questel (the usual voice of Betty) was not used here for the song, but another singer was used instead. I do not know who this other singer is so if any of you do, please let me know. The following are two exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald. "POOR CINDERELLA: Betty Boop— Betty Boop in the best example of color cartoon work we have had. Running Time, 10 Minutes. - M.P. Foster, Granada Theatre, Monte Vista, Colo. General Patronage." "POOR CINDERELLA: Betty Boop Cartoon— First of Paramount's colored cartoons and it is a wonderful creation. Look for the third dimensional allusion [sic]. If the rest of Paramount's colored cartoons come up to this one everybody will be satisfied. - L.G. Tewksbury, Opera House, Stonington, Maine. Small Town Patronage." 

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

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

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Three_for_Breakfast

https://leonardmaltin.com/the-other-cartoon-cinderella-betty-boop/

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Movie Review: Cookie Queens

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

An okay documentary. 

This documentary follows four girl scouts as the each try to reach a certain cookie selling goal that they set for themselves. 

The best thing about this documentary is the four main girl scouts themselves. They are all very likable and have a charm about them that comes through on camera. We can see a bit of ourselves in each of them and it is enjoyable to spend time with them. Ara is especially adorable and sweet. She was definitely a little scene stealer and there is a moment towards the end that is quite sweet and heartwarming. 

This was supposed to be a very uplifting movie that would make us cheer. However, perhaps I am too much of a cynical adult, but I found it anything but. This movie actually made me kind of hate the girl scouts as an organization. Being pushed to sell so many cookies at such a young age by a company that takes most of the profits seems wrong to me. The pressure obviously takes a real toll on them. Some of them are having their childhood's taken away for them by being pushed to do a job that would be this reviewer's personal hell (then again, I am an introvert). Meanwhile their parents (some who aren't well off financially) have to pay for any cookies their children can't sell. This movie briefly touches on these problems but refuses to truly delve into them. Instead, it just goes back to trying to be a feel-good family film. It is hard to feel uplifted when you are so angry at the reason these girls are setting these goals. It doesn't help that many of the so-called uplifting scenes, are so obviously staged. There were moments where the audience is being so obviously manipulated that they are put off rather than charmed. The above-mentioned scene with Ara is the only heartwarming scene that doesn't feel manipulative. It helps that that scene has little to do with the selling of cookies and instead focuses on the sweetness of one little girl. 

While the girls were charming and likable, I would have preferred a more honest and less cowardly documentary on the Girl Scouts.