Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. You guessed it, it is time for more classic cartoons.
First up is one of the most famous and all together best of the Mickey Mouse short films, The Brave Little Tailor (1938). This cartoon was a comeback of sorts for Mickey, whose popularity had been overshadowed by the likes of Donald Duck and Pluto, who were the real stars of the Mickey cartoons of the time. This movie however would put the mouse front and center. The basis of the story came from the Brothers Grimm's story The Gallant Tailor. This story had already been kicking around the Disney studio for years, and a Silly Symphony short based on it was planned in 1934. Walt always having a special fondness for the mouse and seeing great potential in the film made sure this cartoon received special interest and care in its production. This was a case of Walt's dedication to the art of filmmaking. This short film was going to have all the lavish production values of a feature, even though that guaranteed that it would not turn a profit. This movie would also feature a line up of some of the greatest Disney animators of the era including Fred Moore, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnson, Les Clark, Bill Tytla (my personal favorite Disney animator) and more (to see who animated what click here and scroll down to the cartoon's title). In later years Walt would still talk about The Brave Little Tailor in meetings and story conferences stating that he wished he could make more Mickey pictures as good as this one. The cartoon receives the 26th spot in Jerry Beck's excellent book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. Beginning on September 15, 1938, Disney art would be on display in Julien Levy Galleries of New York for a three week exhibit. Most of the art would be from this film as well as the feature length Snow White. The following is a quote from an article in The Film Daily discussing this, "Mr. Levy head of the art galleries in question, is convinced that the Disney drawings are definitely a new form in American caricature that from an art point of view will be of lasting value." More art from The Brave Little Tailor would be on display in The Hotel New Yorker for Mickey's tenth birthday party celebration on September 27, 1938 (today, the mouse celebrates his birthday on September 18th).
In our next film for this morning, the late Gene Deitch will educate us in How to Avoid Friendship (1964).
Again I feel why the Van Beuren Studios are so often forgotten today is that while their cartoons are quite entertaining, the characters have mostly been forgotten today, because they were rather forgettable. For example the following film stars Waffles the Cat and Don the Dog. The Haunted Ship (1930) is a fun and entertaining little movie, if not a very memorable one. Notice how there is little difference between these characters and the Studio's own Tom and Jerry (not the cat and mouse but a human duo with the same name). The Tom and Jerry films would start the very next year.
I personally really enjoy the Columbia Fox and the Crow cartoons and I wish that more of my fellow cartoon fans were fans as well. Next is one of the favorite of The Fox and Crow films, Slay it With Flowers (1943). The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald. "Slay it With Flowers: Color Rhapsodies - These Fox and Crow cartoons are developing a following here. This one is quite good. - W.V. Nevins III, Alfred Co-op theatre, Alfred, N.Y."
Though the Speedy Gonzales and Daffy Duck cartoons are far from the best films the Warner Brothers cartoon studio put out, but I find them enjoyable on their own weird merits. The last film for today is one of these, Chili Corn Corny (1965). I personally like the ending of this cartoon.
Thank you for joining me come back next week for more animated treasures until then peace, love and cartoons.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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