Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #83

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with one of Bob Clampett's great color Merrie Melodies, A Corny Concerto (1943). This is an unusual film as it is written by but not directed by Frank Tashlin. Tash had been working at the Disney studio after having been a director at Warner Brothers. After coming back to Warners, he found himself briefly in the writing department before returning to the director's chair (taking over Norm McCabe's unit). Appropriately this movie is a Disney parody. A Corny Concerto is a parody of Fantasia (1940). However while this cartoon certainly has its fun with Fantasia there is definitely more than a little respect for Disney's ambitious feature. This cartoon while not as elaborate as a Disney feature, the look of this cartoon is definitely more elaborate than the average Merrie Melodies short. Even as a fan of Fantasia I have to state that the satire is dead on here. Probably the best bit of satire is Elmer Fudd serving in the Deems Taylor role, as he captures the part visually, but is still Elmer Fudd and hilariously lacking the sophistication of Taylor. This movie also has one of the few times Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig share the screen in the golden age of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies and even though neither speaks, they work off each other very well. 

Next up is an early black and white Silly Symphony, The Cat's Nightmare (1931). You may notice the video below titles the cartoon, The Cat's Out. J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's excellent book on the Silly Symphonies explains this, "Modern sources have sometimes identified this film as The Cat's Out. This was the working title and survives today in an original vault print. However the finished film was copyrighted and released as The Cat's Nightmare." Interestingly this movie played on The Mickey Mouse Club under both names (The Cat's Out on January 23, 1956 and The Cat's Nightmare on February 27, 1956). Whatever the name this is a darn good cartoon. It contains all of the atmosphere that enhances so many of the early Symphonies (especially the ones with a spooky theme). It may not quite be The Skelton Dance (1929), but it is a good film in its own right. Speaking of The Skelton Dance the animation of a rooster crowing (by Wilfred Jackson) is reused from that more famous Symphony. A review in The Film Daily states, "Right up to the high standard of this popular animated cartoon series." The following is a review from the Motion Picture Herald, "A clever piece of cartoon work, typical Silly Symphony number. The theme is as the titles suggests, and the animators have taken full advantage of its laugh making possibilities." However a review in Motion Picture Reviews warns us, "A Halloween spooky atmosphere is so well done that it might frighten a sensitive child."

Motion Picture Herald, 1937

The next cartoon may seem like a run of the mill average Terry-Toon from the late 1930's, but it is actually one of historical importance. It is the last one in which Paul Terry would serve as a director (he co-directed with John Foster). The cartoon is Bugs Beetle and His Orchestra (1938). The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Bugs Beetle and His Orchestra: Terry-Toons - We would rate this cartoon from Educational as being fair. It is done in the new tint and tone process and, while not real color, we think it is an improvement over the old black and white cartoons. At least the dirt and scratches don't show up so bad. Running time, seven minutes - George W. Pettengill Jr., Cameo Theatre, Mattawamkeag, Me., Rural patronage." 

Let us end today's cartoon selection with A Fractured Fairy Tale. 

-Michael J. Ruhland