On paper it would seem that this film should be boring. It is slow paced, three hours long and most of the conflict is internal. Yet this movie is anything but boring. I sat in the theater captivated by everything that was happening on screen. When the end credits started rolling, I found myself profoundly moved by what I just saw and amazed that three hours had passed by. Much of this is due to the characters. All of our main characters are far from one note and each one proves themselves to be more than meets the eye. Even the characters that at first seem like they would be walking stereotypes, prove to be so much more. For instance there is one character who at first seems simply like his role is to be the young 20-something kid who only thinks of himself. Yet there is so much more to his character than that. He had worked with the main character's late wife and was in love with her himself. Rather than this becoming simply a wedge between them or him holding this against the main character, like a lesser film would do, this is what makes him feel a deep emotional connection with our main character. Over the course of the film this leads to some shockingly deep and moving moments between the two. Our main character is an actor/director on the stage, who years later is still dealing with the death of his wife. Yet there is more depth than him simply missing someone he loved. He is left to deal with many complex emotions and is afraid to face his real self or the part of him he has been hiding from himself for so long. His relationship with the woman who is driving him to and from work is also not simple. It would be easy to just make this character a friend who lends him emotional support when he needs it. However, there is much more to this than that and she needs emotional support just as much as he does. All this would of course fall apart if the cast wasn't up to the task of the emotional subtlety. However everyone in the cast is perfect in their roles and it does not take long into this movie until you simply except all these characters as if they were real people. They become more than characters in a movie, but our friends. It has been said that movies should make you feel like you are not watching a movie but instead that you are observing real life. Well that is what I felt watching this film. This is a true emotional experience that made me feel like I was falling in love with movies all over again.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the San Joaquin singing Ridin' Up the Glory Trail. This song comes from the group's 2005 album, Way Out Yonder. This is followed by Willie Nelson with his self-penned gospel song, In God's Eyes. Speaking about this song Willie stated, "I needed to remind myself that, although I've strayed from the straight and narrow, I never strayed from my core beliefs. In 'In God's Eyes,' the next song in the sequence, I made that very point." This song comes from Willie's 1971 album, Yesterday's Wine. About this album Willie would state, "I looked up and simply began asking questions. Rather than keep those questions to myself, I put them into songs. The songs became my own particular prayers, my own personal reflections. I strung those prayers and reflections together in a loose-fitting suite. Music critics were throwing around the term 'concept album' - like the Beatles' Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club or Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. I suppose you could say this new notion of mine came together as a concept album. Rather than trying to write a bunch of hit singles, I simply followed the natural path taken by my mind." Next comes Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Wings of a Dove. As strange as it might seem, as both of them later became two of the most important Hollywood stars when it came to preaching the gospel, Roy and Dale had not always been Christians. Dale later talked about when she gave her life to the Lord, "Being a stepmother was no picnic in those early years. Roy was working long hours at the studio; I felt alone - frightened, on edge and at a loss for how to handle it. My son Tom suggested that I might find the answer in church. To this day he denies it, but I believe that he and the minister conspired one Sunday night to reach me. Dr. Jack MacArthur's sermon that night was 'The House That is Built on the Rock." He told the congregation that a home built on the rock of faith can take anything that comes against it and survive. I felt certain that he was speaking directly to me, and when he finished his sermon and invited listeners to step forward and accept Christ, I yearned to go to that alter. But I did not. I fought the feeling. I was afraid of confessing my sins. "Why didn't you go?" Tom said seeing the conflict in my eyes. 'Give him your life and let him give you the peace you've sought for so long.' 'Tom I am a Christian,' I argued I've been since I was ten. Isn't that enough?' My defense sounded hollow even as I spoke the words. I simply didn't have the courage to go down that aisle. 'Give me until next Sunday,' I said to Tom, stalling for time. 'I need to think.' My son's eyes filled with tears of pity for me. He turned away. I went home and felt more alone than ever. Roy was away on a hunting trip. That night I fell to my knees at the bed and cried as I have never cried before in my life. As I cried a dam broke; out poured a long and stammering confession. All those years of my life flooded past my eyes, and I shuddered at all the sins I saw. I had let so much slip away; I had been so blind to the things that really mattered; I had wanted to use Christ only as an ace up my sleeve against the possibility of future punishment and damnation. 'Forgive me, Lord God!' I cried "Let me live until next Sunday and I will go down that aisle.' I did live and when the time came, I nearly bounced from my pew so I could come clean with God. I didn't shout out all my life's misdeeds/ I simply remembered them before Him. I asked Him to come into my heart, to take my life and use it for his glory. As I got up from my knees that day, I felt as though a crushing burden had been lifted from my back and shoulders. When I left church, the sky was a brighter blue than it had ever been; flowers were bursting with colors I had never seen. Every tree along the road home sang to me; branches waved with glee; I was ecstatic." I know this quote is much longer than those I usually use on this blog, but I found the story so powerful as I was reading it, I needed to share the whole thing. I hope this story blesses you the way it did me. Though Roy was originally skeptical about her new faith and even had his doubts whether there was a God, one day he would go to church with Dale and be so moved that he walked down that aisle himself and gave his life to the Lord. Next comes Johnny Cash with I Talk to Jesus Every Day. This song has an important message that is very simple but one that we all need to hear sometimes. Sometimes it is too easy to go a day without praying. We think what the harm in can be going just one day without praying. The problem is that one day has tendency to turn into many more days. I have fallen into this trap and so have many of you. I know when I have fallen into it that is when I start thinking less and less like a Christian, until I become undistinguishable from someone who doesn't know Christ. However, the more I pray, I the more I think and act like a Christian. Therefore, it is important for all of us to remain in prayer, so we don't fall down this messy trap. This song comes from Johnny's 1971 album, Man in Black. This is followed by Lorretta Lynn singing Amazing Grace. This hymn was written by John Newton in 1772. It is no considence that John Newton wrote this hymn, as he was someone who badly needed God's grace. Looking at his life before he gave it to God, there is not much to find that is admirable and in fact some of what we see is downright horrific. He played a part in one of the darkest (if not the darkest) parts of American history. He was a slave trader. To say that slavery in the United States was a tragedy and a horrible part of our history is an incredible understatement, and this man was a part of that horrific system. Later he even admitted that he treated the human beings that he was bringing over harshly. If there is anyone, we in our humanness would think is beyond God to reach it would be this guy. Yet God did reach him and being God completely changed him. He not only abandoned his job, but he gave his life to God's ministry and helped fight slavery every step of the way. If God could do this with him who is to say that any of us or anyone we know could possibly be out of God's power to reach. Afterwards is Tennessee Ernie Ford with his 1956 hit song, That's All. This song was written by Merle Travis, who wrote Cousin Ernie's signature song, Sixteen Tons. Next is The Statler Brothers with King of Love. This song was written by the group's bass singer, Harold Reid and appeared on their 1969n gospel album, Oh Happy Day. Today's musical selection ends with the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy.
Up next comes a 1948 episode of the Roy Rogers radio show entitled The Case Of The Mysterious Puppet.
Next comes C.S. Lewis' essay, The Funeral of a Great Myth.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. - Colossians 3:14
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4
Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemaih 8:10
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing. Proverbs 10:28
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you. Isaiah 12:6
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5
Thanks for joining me come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Resources Used
It's a Long Story: My Life by Willie Nelson and David Ritz
Happy Trails: Our Life Story by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a classic Bugs Bunny short, 8 Ball Bunny (1950). This movie marks the second and final classic cartoon short to feature Playboy Penguin, who had previously appeared with Bugs in Frigid Hare (1949). Both of these cartoons were directed by Chuck Jones. Old movie buffs will delight at a running gag that is a reference to John Huston's The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). This running gag has a caricature of Humphry Bogart (voiced by Dave Barry) asking Bugs, " Say, pardon me but, could you help out a fellow American who's down on his luck?" The real Bogart asked this question multiple times in John Huston's classic feature film.
Up next comes Willie Whopper in Jungle Jitters (1934). The following are some exhibitors' reviews from The Motion Picture Herald. "Jungle Jitters: Willie Whopper - This is a good cartoon comedy that pleased all who saw it. This is one of the best of this series of Willie, and if all were as good as this one, this would be one of the best shorts on the market. Running Time 9 Minutes, J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, Oxford, N.C. General Patronage." " JUNGLE JITTERS: Willie Whopper—Another Willie Whopper. Running Time, One Reel, - J. Glenn Caldwell, Princess Theatre, Aurora, Mo. Small Town Patronage." "JUNGLE JITTERS: Willie Whopper— This is a very poor cartoon. Running time one reel. J.A. Verchot, Opera House, Abbeville, S.C. Small Town Patronage." "WILLIE WHOPPER: Just ordinary cartoons that our patrons are tiring of. - A.E. Christian, Wayne Theatre, Monticello, Ky. Small Town Patronage."
The Film Daily, 1933
Now we join the Pink Panther in Pink-Come Tax (1968).
Up next is Mickey Mouse in his second western movie The Catus Kid (1930). This cartoon marks the first time Marcellite Garner voices Minnie. She would continue to voice Minnie throughout the decade and into the begining of the next decade. Her last time voicing Minnie would be for Out of the Frying Pan and into the Firing Line (1942). There is also some reused animation for an earlier Oswald the Lucky Rabbit short, Sagebursh Sadie (1928). This animation involves a gag involving a lasso. This movie also marks the first time a Disney cartoon had the dialogue and sound effects prerecorded.
Now for a commercial break.
Up next is Sylvester and Tweety in Muzzle Tough (1954). About the Sylvester and Tweety cartoons, director Friz Freleng stated, "Tweety doesn't do anything. He can't even put a hat on because his arms are too short. And he's got such a bug head. The comedy comes out of Sylvester and his determination, his stubbornness to get the bird no matter what happens to him. Still everybody says 'Oh I love that Tweety.' Audiences are funny. They never love the characters that really get the laughs." Despite Friz's comments Tweety does have some pretty funny lines in this film.
Next is Green Lantern in the first of his TV cartoons for Filmation, Evil is As Evil Does (1967).
Now to close with a song.
Resources Used
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
There is nothing here you have not seen a million times before. A man who has become a bit selfish has to make a road trip with a dog. He at first dislikes this dog and views her as a burden. However, over the course of the trip he grows to care for her and grows as a person as well. As you can tell this in many ways is your typical buddy movie mixed with your typical dog movie and you have to have never seen either type of film before to not know what is going to happen next at any time. Still just because something is not original doesn't mean it can't be effective and this movie work where it needs to. The film can really shine in the scenes about the bond between our two main characters. You truly believe these two characters through every step of their relationship from enemies to best friends. Despite having seen it before, there are a few moments that are genuinely touching. Plus, the scenes towards the end really do pull on your heartstrings. The interplay between the two can also get a few good laughs. Although the main human character can be selfish, he never becomes too unlikable. Part of this is due to a certain charm that Channing Tatum (who also co-directed this movie) brings to the role even during the most selfish scenes. There are a few moments where the character almost crosses that line between likable and unlikable, but he never actually does cross it.
There are however two things I really disliked about this movie. The first is our main human character's attempts to seduce women. These are the few times in which he almost crosses the line into becoming unlikable. However this is not the only problem with these scenes. They are also full of very unfunny comedy and awkwardly written dialogue. To make matters worse, these scenes could have been cut and the movie would lose nothing story wise or emotion wise. I also really didn't like this movie's attempts at social commentary. They feel completely forced in and out of place here.
This may not be a great movie, but it does provide one with a fun trip to the movies and sometimes that is exactly what you want.
This movie knows exactly what it wants to be and does that very well. Going into this movie you except an Indiana Jonesstyle adventure movie and you get just that here. As the film starts, we jump directly into an action scene that is quite exciting and a real visual treat, sure it is quite over the top, but this is a movie after all. From here you know exactly what to except and the film keeps delivering this with all the excitement and visual delights. The movie has quite a few action-packed set pieces and each of them works perfectly. We are joined along this ride with some delightful main characters. Our protagonist is the definition of a likable thief. He has an easy-going charm and clearly enjoys what he does. At the same time for the majority of the film he is not motivated by greed, but by a sense of adventure and devotion to his brother. He also has more of a sense of ethics than some of his fellow thieves and this makes it easy to root for him. It does not hurt that he is played delightfully by Tom Holland, who is simply always likable. His partner is not as new to the treasure hunting game as our main character and as such he is jaded and finds it hard to trust anyone. Yet underneath this you really get the feeling that this character is not the terrible person he often pretends to be. He simply has been hurt too often to take a chance to be hurt again. Yet the character does not come off as simply jaded, but someone who you can easily see how he can charm people into helping him. The differences and similarities between these characters creates some great chemistry as well as some very fun banter between the two. Plus Mark Wahlberg has great chemistry with Tom Holland and it is a joy to watch these two share the screen. This movie also has a delightful sense of humor. It isn't always laugh out loud funny but the humor really does put a smile on your face and adds a lot to the fun of this film.
On the downside this movie will seem very familiar to anyone who has watched enough movies. The movie clearly borrows from National Treasure, the Fast and Furious films, the Indiana Jones series and even the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Partly because of this it is rare when you get to the point that you don't know what is going to happen next. The film also has some very weak and bland villains, that feel like pale imitations of the villains of those movies previously mentioned.
As a lover of old school country music, I am naturally very happy whenever a modern country singer pays tribute to their roots. So naturally I love Brennen Leigh's new song, If Tommy Duncan's Voice Was Booze. For those of you who don't know Tommy Duncan was the lead singer of the classic western swing group, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. In true tribute fashion, this song is pure old school western sing, that would have not felt out of place in the 1940's. About western swing, Brennen Leigh stated, “I’ve been obsessed with western swing music since I was a kid and it’s always been an influence. My records in the past have ranged from bluegrass to country music to folk, but I’d never fully explored swing until now.” Hugely influenced by groups like Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys and Asleep at the Wheel, it was only a matter of time until she started to record some western swing music herself. This will be the first song on her upcoming album, Obsessed With the West which will be released on May 6th. Enjoy.
Have Rocket Will Travel is a movie I have had a fondness for since I first saw it as a teenager. Unlike with Laurel and Hardy (who I was introduced to through their Fox films), I was introduced to The Three Stooge through what is considered to be their best work and that is the Curly and Shemp short films. I had read some books on the Stooges before seeing the later Curly Joe features, so I knew they were not held in the best regard among Three Stooges fans. Yet when I saw Have Rocket Will Travel I was amazed at how completely delightful it was. Maybe this isn't up there with their best shorts but there is a lot to enjoy about this movie.
Even with being so late in their careers this movie represents a turning point in stooge history. In 1957 their long running series of comedy shorts came to an end. At this point it looked like their movie career had come to an end. But then something unexcepted happened. Just as many classic cartoon shorts had found a new life thanks to children's shows on TV, the same thing was happening with The Three Stooges shorts. Soon this exposure to many kids through TV made the Stooges major TV stars and their films would make for some of the highest rated programs on TV. Naturally Columbia Pictures, who made their shorts wanted the Stooges back so they could make more films with them. This time instead of making short films, the studio would make a series of feature length movies. Have Rocket Will Travel was the first of these movies.
This movie also marked the first Stooges film with Joe DeRita (or Curly Joe) in the role of the third stooge. When their career as short subject stars ended, Joe Besser was the third stooge. However, after the shorts had ended the boys decided to make some personal appearances throughout the country. Joe Besser's wife had suffered a heart attack and he did not want to leave her side. They departed on great terms, but the group still needed three members to be The Three Stooges. For a while the group had contemplated retiring. Larry said about this, "Moe and I thought of retiring after Columbia let us go. Moe was thinking of quitting show business altogether since he was pretty well off. I was thinking of managing apartments." However this idea was abandoned when the shorts reached a new popularity on TV. The search for a new stooge was on. Larry found the answer when he saw a show in Las Vegas called Minskey's Follies of 1958. Joe DeRita was in that show and after seeing him, Larry felt he would be a great choice. Many stories have surfaced over the years of Joe DeRita having been considered for this role as far back as when Curly suffered a stroke in 1946. Joe denied these stories stating, "It sounds good. It adds a lot of romance to the story. Around 1958, Moe and Larry wanted to do some personal appearances and they contacted me for the very first time about working with them. We meet at an agent's office and I agreed to work with them."
This film features our heroes as janitors at a space center. When a scientist friend of theirs (Anna-Lisa) finds her job in trouble, the boys do everything they can to help. Moe being a bit of an amateur scientist devices a plan. Unfortunately, this doesn't turn out too well and the boys find themselves on Venus. Here they befriend a talking unicorn and try to save the planet from an evil alien computer.
This movie features plenty of the classic Stooge comedy we have all grown to love. Many of the slapstick bits here are truly funny and remind Stooge fans of why they fell in love with the boys' comedy in the first place. Like many of the best Stooges films the storyline simply exists to give us an excuse for various comic set pieces. There is the boy's digging and exploring the rocket, the boys trying to make rocket fuel, the boys losing and trying to find some keys (reminiscent of a skit the boys did as supporting characters in the musical feature, Swing Parade of 1946 (1946)), the robot chase and the big party at the finish (similar to the one in the Stooges short, Hoi Polloi (1935)). Each of these set pieces is perfectly set up for gag possibilities and each takes full advantage of these possibilities. While not always as laugh out loud funny as the short films with Curly and Shemp, each of these set pieces kept a smile on my face all the way through. None of the jokes miss and most of them are quite delightful. There are even a few laugh out loud moments in this picture. The slapstick energy keeps the movie moving at a fast pace and even though this is a feature film, it doesn't feel any longer than one of the boys' shorts.
The sci-fi elements are as corny as possible but there is something quite charming about this corniness. The movie never takes itself seriously and never demands that we take it seriously either. Because of this we enjoy these sci-fi elements in the same way we enjoy say the 1966 Batman show and movie or the Superfriends cartoon and that is that there is something simply charming about unabashed corniness that can't really be explained.
The title song (written by veteran film composer and former member of Kay Kyser's band, George Duning along with Stanley Styne) is also ridiculously catchy and I can never count the number of times this song has been stuck in my head. Not surprisingly because of this sing the soundtrack was a surprise hit. This would be the first of many record releases by the boys, who would not only make soundtrack albums, but also novelty and children's records.
Like many of the feature films starring classic comedy teams, there was felt the need to be a romantic subplot. Unfortunately, the one here is very weak. Both of the characters are very bland and there is little chemistry between them. Most of the dialogue in these scenes feels too mushy and forced. It is hard to imagine anyone actually caring about these two getting together. When it comes to romantic subplots this certainly is no A Night at the Opera (1935). Luckily this does not take up too much screen time and never feels too intrusive.
This movie marked the feature film debut for Anna-Lisa. Still most of her career would be spent playing supporting roles in various TV show episodes. She appeared on such shows as Maverick, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Death Valley Days. Her romantic interest is played by Robert Colbert, whose film career was just beginning at this time. Like Anna-Lisa, the majority of his career was spent on TV. One of his most interesting TV roles was as the forgotten Maverick brother Brent Maverick. After James Garner left the show, Brent Maverick was created as a replacement for Garner's character Bret Maverick. Not only was the name of the character only different by one letter but this new character had the same personality and dressed the same. Colbert understandably not wanting to be compared with Garner was unhappy with this role and the character only appeared in two episodes. Colbert worked with another Maverick brother in the feature film A Fever in the Blood (1961) which also featured Jack Kelly (Bart Maverick).
This movie's director was David Lowell Rich and this marked the only time he directed the boys. He too would spend much of his career working on TV shows. These once again included an episode of Maverick. Other shows he worked on included, The Barbera Stanwyck Show, Wagon Train, Route 66 and The Twilight Zone. He ended his career with a long strecth of made for TV movies in the 1970's and 80's.
Resources Used
The Three Stooges Scrapbook by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer and Greg Lanburg
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the San Joaquin singing The Boss Is Hangin' out a Rainbow. This is a cover of a Sons of the Pioneers song, and the sing was written by Bob Nolan, one of the founding members of that group and one of my favorite songwriters. This version of the song come from the Sons of the San Joaquin's 1992 album, A Cowboy Has to Sing. Up next is Roy Rogers with Read the Bible and Pray. The bible tells us that we are constantly on a spiritual battlefield and that the way to constantly wear the armor of God. Since this is spiritual armor, we apply it spiritually. The way to do this is to stay in the word of God and keep our minds on the things of God. One of the best ways to do that is to read the bible every day and to pray often. This is followed by Elvis Presley with his 1957 recording of Peace in the Valley. As much as Elvis is known as the King of Rock and Roll, perhaps no other type of music was nearer and dearer to his heart than gospel music. This was the music he grew up with and that continued to have a major influence on him through all the years. Elvis has been quoted as saying "I know practically every religious sing that's ever been written." There is no doubt that these songs moved him very deeply. After Elvis had made his first two appearances on TV's The Ed Sullivan Show, he was clearly a very controversial figure. These performances consisted of pure rock and roll music and Elvis shook his hips to them in a way that was considered much too suggestive for the 1950's. Many groups were quick to condemn this as a horrible influence on the kids and some even claimed it to be demonic. Yet Elvis' third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was quite different. This time Elvis did not perform rock and roll but instead did a gospel number in a slow and traditional manner. The song was Peace in the Valley and the performance was a huge success. Elvis had never done a studio recording of any gospel songs, but fans of the performance quite writing letters requesting a recording of Elvis singing Peace in the Valley. RCA quickly rushed Elvis to make a four-song gospel EP entitled Peace in the Valley. This EP of course included the title song, as well as Take My Hand Precious Lord, It is no Secret and I Believe. The EP was a huge success and gospel music would soon play a major role in Elvis' singing career. Next is Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt with Farther Along. This is from the first of two albums the group made together, 1987's Trio. The second of these albums would be 1999's Trio II. This is followed by Johnny Cash singing Children. This song comes from the soundtrack album for John's movie The Gospel Road. This movie was a passion project for John and something he pushed strongly for despite not being a filmmaker himself. To direct he got Robert Elfstrom, who had made the documentary film, Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music. Elfstrom was a self-proclaimed agnostic, but he enjoyed working with John so much that he agreed to do the movie. About this film John stated, "The devil has plenty of movies these days... I felt I was obliged to make one for Jesus." Now we join The Osborne Brothers with their 1969 recording of Jesus Sure Changed Me. Today's musical selection ends with the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1948 recording of The Old Rugged Cross. The song itself dates back to 1913 and was written by evangelist, George Bennard. Actually, the first verse was written in 1912. It was written while Bennard was a part of a series of revival meetings in Albion, Michigan. He was worried about the complete disregard for the gospel around him and wrote this verse as a repose. Of writing it Bennard said, "I seemed to have a vision ... I saw the Christ and the cross inseparable." The song wouldn't be completed for several months, when he was leading meetings at a local church in Pokagan, Michigan. He played it for Rev. Leroy (the sponsoring pastor) and his wife, Ruby Bostwick, both of whom found themselves moved to tears. It was then incorporated into a service at that church on June 7, 1913. The song has the same effect today as it must have back then.
Now comes an episode of Gene Autry's Melody Ranch radio show that first aired on September 17, 1949.
Next is C.S. Lewis' essay, Evil and God.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Galatians 6:1-5
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. John 15:1-27
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. Matthew 4:23
Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:11
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life. Proverbs 6:23
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 Sylvester and Hector the bulldog (named Butch in this cartoon) in Pappy's Puppy (1955). If the storyline of this movie seems very familiar that is because it is quite similar to much more often seen Tom and Jerry cartoon, That's My Pup (1953). However, to the credit of this short it never copies or steals gags from the aforementioned Tom and Jerry cartoon. Considering how many cartoon shorts there were from all the American cartoon studios being released to movie theaters at this time, it is quite possible that the similarities are coincidental. Strangely enough this movie actually features less dialogue than the Tom and Jerry film.
When disccussing the Disney shorts, No Sail (1945) seems to be hardly ever mentioned. However if we are to judge a cartoon purely on the amount of laughs it brings than this is clearly one of the finest shorts to ever come out of the Disney studio. This movie is directed by Jack Hannah, one of Donald's main directors. Though at this time he was rather new to directing (this is only his third movie), he had been a writer on many Donald Duck cartoons before becoming a director. This is probably why he shows such a clear understanding of Donald's character in this film. Donald starts off the cartoon with childlike excitement and then the second things go wrong this excitement turns into despair, when Goofy keeps his easy going happy go lucky attitude regardless of all that is going wrong, Donald's emotions quickly turn to rage. This is not just simply a duck with anger issues but a childlike character who can change his emotions at a drop of a hat and this is always the best way to handle a character like Donald. I must also say that out of all the shorts that team Donald and Goofy this movie gets the chemistry between these two the best.
Home Movies. 1945
Next we join Barney Bear in The Unwelcome Guest (1946). The following is a review from The Showmen's Trade Review, "One of the most delightful characters that ever graced the imagination of a cartoonist's pen is delineated in this Technicolor short in the form of a playful skunk who threatens the life of placid berry picking Barney Bear. For children this should prove to be a barrel of fun; for the elders it might bring them back to a world less strewn with sorrow." Notice that Barney is reading a book entitled, Red Hot Riding Hood.This is also the name of another MGM cartoon. The book appears to be as racy as the cartoon.
Up next is an early Looney Tunes cartoon, Bosko the Lumberjack (1932). Watching this movie, you will probably feel that it more closely resembles an early Disney cartoon than a later Looney Tune and that was true of all the Warner Brothers cartoons of this era. In his landmark book Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon, film historian Leonard Maltin quotes animator Jack Zander, "We were doing something and Hugh Harman [who co-directed the early Warner Brothers cartoons with Rudolf Ising] said 'You remember that scene in the Disney picture where Mickey Mouse did do-and-so?' I said 'You want me to do almost the same thing?' and he said 'No I want you to do exactly the same thing.'"
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next we join the Pink Panther in Cat and the Pinkstalk (1978).
The famous cat and mouse duo were not the first cartoon characters to be named Tom and Jerry. In the 1930's the Van Beuren Studio made a series of cartoons starring two human characters named Tom and Jerry. For understandable reasons for later TV showings of these cartoons the characters were renamed Dick and Larry. Though these characters are forgotten by the average cartoon fan today, their films still hold up quite well in my opinion. They have a strange surreal feel to them that I simply love. You may wonder if William Hanna and Joseph Barbera ever commented on these characters. Well Joseph Barbera commented on this in his autobiography My Life in Toons: From Flatbush to Bedrock in Under a Century. There he wrote, "Historians of animation might point out that one of Van Beuren's justly forgotten series featured a pair of characters named Tom and Jerry. This was the era of rubber-limed animation - when as far as movement was concerned arms and legs might as well have been worms - and Van Beuren's Tom and Jerry, humanoid if not precisely human, bore a far closer resemblance to the funny papers' Mutt and Jeff than to the cat and mouse Bill Hanna and I would invent in 1940."
Let us close by singing one altogether.
Thanks for joining me, come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your all melodies merry.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin
My Life in Toons: From Flatbush to Bedrock in Under a Century by Joseph Barbera
Though this movie is advertised as a romance, there is actually a lot more to the film than that. As well as a romance this film is a wonderful character study and a very intelligent commentary on our culture today. Even though this film is from Norway this commentary will speak to anyone, whatever country they live in. That is because these themes are universal and, in some ways, timeless but still completely of today. As a woman in her late 20's and early 30's (she starts the movie as 29 and ends it as 30), our main character feels like she should have her life in order or at least heading in some sort of direction. But as someone without a clear mapped out plan for her life or any huge accomplishments, she feels like she is a failure and that she is not as much of an adult as she wants to be. This is something clear and relatable to nearly everyone watching this film. We live in a society that for better or worse clearly states that you always have to be working towards some goal and that by a certain age, you should have already figured that out. Just think of how many times you have been asked a question resembling, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" (only the wording changes when you do grow up). Yet the truth is most of us don't always have a clear path and feel inferior because of it. At one point a character says to our main character that he wants her to see just how wonderful she is, and we want the exact same thing for her. Despite this movie focusing on her romantic relationships, the person she truly struggles to love is herself and that is where much of the best drama stems from. This is not to say these romantic scenes don't shine though. The movie mostly focuses on two of her romantic relationships and these are both excellently handled. Not only do she have a charming chemistry with both of these men, but there is depth behind these relationships, that make them far from the one-note type of romances we are used to seeing in countless romantic comedies. There are multiple little subtle facets behind these relationships just as there are in any relationship between two people. This can lead to some very effective tearjerker moments. In fact this may be the most I teared up in a movie theater in quite a while.
Now all that I have written so far may make this film sound pretentious and overly serious, but neither could be further from the truth. Even with all this going on the movie is in many ways a comedy and it is a really funny one. The comedy can range from sophisticated to childish or from insightful to slapstick. Regardless of the type of comedy used, it is all very funny. I laughed out loud watching this many more times than I thought I would and I could definitely hear those in the theater with me laughing too. Yet (with the possible exception of a scene involving drug hallucinations) all of this comedy moved the story forward beautifully.
When you see Liam Neeson's name above a movie title, you exactly what to except and this movie gives you exactly that. His films for thew last few years have been extremely similar and this one really follows suit. Liam's character works for bad people, discovers that they are corrupt and using him and he gets revenge. There is nothing new or shocking here, but no one bought a ticket for this movie excepting groundbreaking cinema. I for one knew what I was getting and enjoyed watching it.
Much of what makes these movies work is the main character. The character is very likable and easy to sympathize with. This is both because of the position the script places him in and due to Liam Neeson's natural charm. It is easy to see why Neeson is so often typecast in this type of role and that is because he is darn good at playing it. He is excellent at the action and suspense scenes, but he also incorporates enough humanity to make us truly care about this character. This along with how truly evil the villain (Aidan Quinn) is, makes it hard to not root for this guy and when that happens, we find ourselves enjoying the clichés instead of groaning at them. The action scenes are also quite excellent. Director Mark Williams (who also directed Neeson in Honest Thief (2020)) paces the action scenes very well without ever letting them either drag or feel rushed. Instead, they are exciting and fun the whole time. The story while cliché is fun and proves to be enough to hang the action and character moments on.
If I had one thing I hated about this movie, it would certainly be the scenes with our main character's granddaughter (Gabriella Sengos). These scenes felt too cutesy and if there is anything I don't want in a Liam Neeson thriller it is cutesy. These scenes were so obviously meant to make us go "aww" and want to see our hero be able to spend more time with his adorable granddaughter. Yet it is so obvious in its intentions and clumsy in its execution that it can come off as feeling emotional manipulative.
This is not high cinematic art by any means, and no one is going to leave in awe of what they just saw. Yet this film is not trying to be anything spectacular, and no one is excepting that from it. Instead, this provides audiences with an enjoyable trip to the movies and sometimes that is enough.
Most artists if they have been around as long as Willie Nelson has, would be slowing down their careers and only releasing new music occasionally. Luckily for country music fans, Willie Nelson is not most artists. He has consistently been releasing new music over the past few years and much of it has been of very high quality. Fortunately for all of us, he is releasing a new album on April 29th (which is also his 89th Birthday. entitled A Beautiful Time. This album will feature five new original songs written by Willie and Buddy Cannon(who is producing the album), as well as covers of such songs as The Beatles' With a Little Help From My Friends and Leonard Cohen's Tower of Song.
To let us know how also this album is going to be, he released one of the songs from the album ahead of time. The song is titled I'll Love You Till The Day I Die and is written by Chris Stapleton and Rodney Crowell, both of whom have had very successful county music careers themselves.
An excellent adaption of Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery.
This movie is old fashioned in the best way possible. In many ways it feels like this film could have easily been taken from the 1960's or 1970's. It has the same focus on the internal conflict of the characters and slower but completely sure of itself pacing that the best films from that era did. Yet at the same time, this movie does not feel in anyway like a rehash of the 1978 adaption of the same source material. This movie makes some changes that give the film a different feel from that previous adaption while still keeping everything that made the source material so compelling. While of course if you have seen the previous movie or read the original book you know who done it, this movie still keeps you glued to the screen. Part of this is due to Kenneth Branagh's masterful directing. Every scene is as Hercule Poirot would say methodically planned. Everything about the pacing and the visual look of the film is so perfectly thought out and that gives the film a charm that I found irresistible. The cast in this movie is also perfect. This movie provides Gal Gadot and Russell Brand with some of their finest roles. Though this character existed long before this movie, the role Gal Gadot plays seems tailormade for her and fits everything about her screen presence like a glove. Russell Brand on the other hand is nearly unrecognizable and it is easy to forget you are watching him. He plays this unusual role really well, showing he may be more versatile as an actor than many of us give him credit for. Yet the show is stolen by Kenneth Branagh, himself. He is clearly having the time of his life playing the world-famous detective and enjoying each of the eccentricities. Yet at the same time he plays the more serious side of this character with a real sense of depth and humanity.
On the downside there is a lot of dialogue here that is simply too on the nose. While I don't except a film like this to be subtle, it also does not need dialogue that clearly spells out everything a scene is trying to say. This is especially true when it comes to Poirot's character arc. Though we know what the character is going through early in the film, time and time again the dialogue just simply tells us what we already know. However for how great so much of this movie is that fault can easily be forgiven.
If you are a fan of murder mysteries than this movie is highly recommended.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Riders in the Sky with Cowboy Camp Meeting. This is a cover of a Sons of the Pioneers classic and was written by one of the founding members of The Sons of the Pioneers, Tim Spencer. This version of the song comes from Riders in the Sky's 2011 album, Land Beyond the Sun. This is followed by 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 Faron Young's 1958 recording of I Know Who Holds Tomorrow. This song was written by Ira Straphill a pastor who traveled the United States spreading the gospel. He did much of his traveling with his wife, Zelma. Zelma would however later decide the ministry was not for her and left Ira. She would also succumb to many temptations including addiction and other men, which added much pain to their realtionship in later years. This caused Ira to fall into a deep depression as he tried everything to keep the two's marriage afloat and nothing seemed to be working. He wrote this song in a very dark time for him. He was driving and all the sudden began to hum a tune. Next thing he knew he was singing this song. As soon as he got home, he went straight to his office to write down this hymn. This makes the hymn's meaning all the more powerful. No matter what we face in our lives or how bad things may seem, we can always have hope because we know who holds tomorrow. After this comes Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Have You Read the Bible Today. This song is the B-side of a 1955 Little Golden Record (which features The Bible Tells Me So as the A-side). The song also has an important message for us. If we are to be true Christians and desire to truly follow God, then we should spend some time each day in his word. This will keep our minds focused on what is truly important in life and keep us knowledgeable about how God wants us to live our lives. Next is Johnny Cash singing Jesus Loves Me. This clip comes from an episode of John's TV show that aired on March 3, 1971. Here he sings the song to a group of children including his own son, John Carter Cash. Many of the network executives tried to dissuade John from preaching the gospel on his show, but John knew that the secret to his success was being open and honest to his audience about who he was, and this included his Christian faith. Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1948 recording of Power in the Blood. This is followed by Glen Campbell with Standing on the Promises of God. This hymn was written by Russell Carter in 1886. Working as a sheep herder he developed a heart condition. This led him to pray much more often, and he began to get closer to God every day. When he was healed, he vowed to "stand on the promises of God" and wrote this song. Today's musical selection ends with Third Day with Long Time Comin'. This is country-rock at its best.
Up next is Helen Scroggins, George Jones' sister, talking about her famous brother.
Next comes C.S. Lewis' essay, Myth Became Fact.
For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. Jeremiah 30:17
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. Jeremiah 33:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:9
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:20
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Resources Used
It's a Long Story: My Life by Willie Nelson and David Ritz
Happy Saturday morning my friends and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with the bridging sequences from The Bugs Bunny Show episode, Bad Time Story (1961). For those of you unfamiliar with this show, it featured new animated sequences with Bugs Bunny hosting where he would introduce various theatrical Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts. This episode featured the shorts, Bewitched Bunny (1954, directed by Chuck Jones), Robin Hood Daffy (1958, directed by Chuck Jones) and Tweety and the Beanstalk (1957, directed by Friz Freleng). The bridging sequences were directed by Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng. This episode marked the first episode of the second and final season and was the first episode to have a title.
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Next up comes Swing Social (1940). This was the second cartoon for MGM that William Hanna and Joseph Barbera directed, the first being Puss Gets the Boot (1940), which debuted the characters of Tom and Jerry. According to Joe Barbera's autobiography, My Life in Toons, despite Puss Gets the Boot getting nominated for an Oscar after that short, producer Fred Quimby told Bill and Joe, "I don't want you to make any more pictures with that cat and mouse." He added, "We don't want to put all our eggs in one basket." Joe talked about this movie in particular in My Life in Toons, "But with that remark, we were sent off to work on a variety of totally unpromising characters around whom we made a couple of terrible cartoons. The first of which, called 'Swing Social,' featured a cast of catfish in blackface doing black songs. Now like all cows and at least most birds, fish don't work in cartoons, zero exclamation point. They float suspended in space, which makes for singularly boring animation, they are ugly, and you wouldn't think of cuddling up to one. Even worse is what we tried to do with the black dialect in this picture. There was an all black musical in town - with a terrific cast - whom we hired to do the voices. Unfortunately, Bill wrote the black dialect in the way a white man thinks a black man talks and the actors strained to read and sing the lines in that stilted Stepin Fetchit manner." Considering all the years that had passed and the many cultural changes from 1940 to 1994 (when Joe's book was released) it is no surprise that he looked back on the racial stereotypes in a cartoon he worked on before with disdain. It certainly differs from the less stereotypical roles black characters would have in later Hanna-Barbera TV productions by quite a bit. His disdain for fish characters though is interesting since in 1992 the Hanna-Barbera TV studio would produce a short-lived adult cartoon series called Fish Police which starred (you guessed it) fish. Joe's opinion of this movie differs from that of a review in a 1940 issue of the Motion Picture Herald which stated, "'Swing Social' is one of the liveliest, funniest and most completely entertaining color cartoons to appear this season." The following are two exhibitor's reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Swing Social: Cartoons - Very good cartoon. I hope Harmon and Ising will get back in the stride of two years ago an imitate more colored characters as they are entertaining and help the colored houses. - John W. Warner, Plaza Theatre, Greenville, N.C. Colored Patronage." "Swing Social: Cartoons - This is an excellently excuted color cartoon but it proved boring to a group of college students. They are more apt to be intrested in swing then anyone else around here, and, if they didn't like it, I don't know who would. It is very difficult to understand the talk in it. - W. Varick, Nevins, III, Alfred Co-op Theatre, Alfred, N.Y. Small college town and rural patronage."
Next we join Flip the Frog in Fire Fire (1932).
Up next is the final film Chuck Jones directed with his classic characters, the coyote and the roadrunner, Chariots of Fur (1994). While many of Chuck's cartoons of this era can feel a little underwhelming next to his earlier work, this movie feels completely like classic era Chuck Jones and stands up extremely well. This movie played in theaters before the feature film, Richie Rich (1994).
Now it is time for a commerical break.
Next comes a real classic, Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953). Though this is a Disney cartoon, it does not visual resemble what one excepts from a Disney film. This short has a stylized look that was clearly inspired by what the UPA (Mr. Magoo, Gerald McBoing Boing) was doing at the time. This movie was very much legendary Disney animator (and one of the infamous Nine Old Men ), Ward Kimball's brainchild. Though C. August Nichols receives a co-director, he soon had little to do with this movie leaving all the creative decisions to Ward. Ward later remarked, "I was the one who did that picture all the way." As well as the high stylized look this short also uses limited animation. This is not limited animation used for budgetary reasons (like so many Saturday Morning Cartoons) but an artistic choice. Ward later commented on this decision stating, "you have to hold drawings. Watch and you'll see that sometimes the mouth just moves or an eye blinks. That is the difference between full animation and limited animation." Some at the Disney studio did not approve of the look or movement in this cartoon, with Ward even stating that for some it was "regarded as sacrilegious for Disney at the time." Iwao Takamoto for instance would state, "I believe that Ward in a sense took advantage of Walt's growing interest in live action during the early 1950's and that Walt was away from the studio more than he had been previous. This is how [Ward] was able to produce things that Walt would have never been in favor of, such as 'Toot Whistle, Plunk and Boom' which … was drawn in that stark, modern UPA style that Walt tended to disparage." However some were inspired by the short. Director Jack Hannah would even use similarly flat stylized designs in a few of his future cartoons. As this movie was almost finished. Walt Disney got a call from Darryl Zanuck (head of 20th Century Fox) who asked if they had any cartoons to go with his Cinemascope features. Walt said, "Well, I'll look around." Walt approached Ward Kimball about releasing this film in Cinemascope to which Ward replied, "We're almost finished with it but ok I'll go back and redesign some of the gags for the bigger screen." It turned out to be a much more complex and daunting task than this though. Kimball would state about these changes that they "would have to change the size of the celluloid sheet on which we make our drawings and paintings - from 12 1/2 by 15 1/2 inches to 12 1/2 by 31 inches." He also learned the difference between making a cartoon for Cinemascope. He would later state, "In Cinemascope cartoon characters move not the backgrounds. Because there is more space, the characters could move about without getting outside the visual angle … characters could no longer perform in one spot against a moving background but are moved through the scenes." Still Ward was able to meet the deadline. The movie was a huge success winning the Acedmy Award for Best Animated Short Subject. However since a live action Disney nature documentary short was also nominated for an award that night, Walt came up and accidentally thanked the "Naturalist photographers who have played such a great part in making the nature films." This movie receives the number 29 spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Next comes one of Hanna-Barbera and Larry Harmon's Laurel and Hardy TV cartoons, Boot Hill Bill (1967). The idea for this series originated with Larry Harmon (Bozo the Clown). He had this idea set in motion years before the show actually aired as evidenced by the following article from Box Office (dated May 29, 1961).
“New York- Although Oliver Hardy is dead, the team of Laurel and Hardy will be revived in the form of animated cartoon characters to be produced by Larry Harmon, who created the character of Bozo the Clown. Harmon, who owns more than half of the California studios in Hollywood, acquired the rights to produce the Laurel and Hardy cartoons from the Hardy estate and from Stan Laurel. Harmon said in New York last week that he planned a series of two-reelers and then would switch to full length features. Initially, however, he will make a series of half-hour Laurel and Hardy programs for television starting in the fall. 'The team of Laurel and Hardy is famous throughout the world’, Harmon said, citing statistics to prove that the pair has played to more people than any other motion picture characters on Earth. When the news first came out that he had acquired the rights to the team for animated cartoons, he received phone calls from every country, asking for distribution and exhibition rights. As an example of their popularity, he said, ‘a maharaja in India has figures of famous persons carved in stone. Laurel and Hardy are among them.’ Harmon said he had no set distribution deal for the theatrical release of the pictures but that Jayark Films Corp. would handle the television sales. The theatrical stories will be new and written especially for the medium. They will not be remakes of their past successes. All of them will be in Eastman color.”
The theatrical animated shorts and features never happened. However much later Harmon would co-direct and co-produce the live action feature, The All New Adventures of Laurel & Hardy in For Love or Mummy (1999). Larry Harmon would voice Stan Laurel in these cartoons, while Jim McGeorge voiced Oliver Hardy. Interestingly Jim MacGeorge played Stan Laurel in the Get Smart episode, House of Max (1970).
Up next is a classic silent era, Out of the Inkwell film, The Cartoon Factory (1924)
Now let's 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 Bros. Cartoons by Jerry Beck Will Friedwald.
The 50 Greatest Cartoons Edited by Jerry Beck
The Life and Times of Ward Kimball: Maverick of Disney Animation by Todd James Pierce.
My Life in 'Toons: From Flatbush to Bedrock in Under a Century by Joseph Barbera
