Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Chariots of Fur (1994). This movie marked the final Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon to be directed by Chuck Jones, who directed the duo in their best films. Though many of the later day Chuck Jones cartoons, don't live up to the film's he directed from Warner Brother during the golden age of American animation, this cartoon is about as close as he came to recapturing the magic of those cartoons. This is truly a delightful movie, that almost feels like it could have been released during that era. This cartoon was released before the feature film, Richie Rich (1994).
Now for a silent movie starring Dinky Doodle, The Hunt (1925). The live action man in this movie is Walter Lantz, who would later produce the Woody Woodpecker, Andy Panda and Chilly Willy cartoons. Lantz also directed this film.
Next we join those beloved chipmunks, Chip and Dale in Two Chips and a Miss (1952). This cartoon was part of duo's brief lived solo series of theatrical shorts. This series only lasted three cartoons with the other films being, Chicken in the Rough (1951) and The Lone Chipmunks (1954). This cartoon made its TV debut in the Walt Disney Presents episode, The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale (1959).
Next comes a rare two-reel cartoon from Fleischer Studios, The Raven (1942). This cartoon came towards the end of Fleischer Studios, in fact 1942 was the last year cartoons would be released from that studio. One of the writers credited for this movie is Pinto Colvig, who Disney fans may know as the original voice of Goofy.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Up next is a great Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, The Cookie Carnival (1935). This movie marks the first Symphony to be directed by Ben Sharpsteen. Sharpsteen would go on to become the supervising director of Disney features like Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941). This is also the first Symphony for animators Bill Tytla (my favorite Disney animator) and Grim Natwick. Tytla is best known by Disney fans for his work on feature films like Snow White (1937), Pinocchio and Dumbo. He played a major role in animating the Dwarfs for Snow White, Stromboli in Pinocchio and the elephants in Dumbo (including the titular character). In this movie Tytla animates the boy cookie singing to the girl cookie as well as the angel and devil food cakes. Grim Natwick had before joining the Disney Studio had played a role in the development of Betty Boop. Here he animates a long scene (with some assistance by Eddie Strickland and Frank Thomas) in which the boy cookie gives a makeover to the girl cookie. This was some of the best animation of a female character done at Disney by this time. Because of this he would often be cast with animating female characters. Among those female characters would be the star of the studio's first feature film, Snow White. The following is an exhibitors review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Cookie Carnival, The: Silly Symphony - I do not like this one. It might be OK for nursey but not for grownups. Just a bunch of candy men, etc. the usual hokum. Running time, eight minutes, —Paul J. Pope, Avon Theatre, Geneva, Ala., Small Town and Rural Patronage."
Now it is time for Woody Woodpecker in Solid Ivory (1947).
Next comes another real classic, Falling Hare (1943). This cartoon features one of the few characters to get the upper hand of Bugs, the gremlin. Despite only appearing in this one short, the character has proven quite popular and has appeared in quite a few Looney Tunes spin offs. The original title for this movie was going to be Bugs Bunny and the Gremlin. However, since Disney was working on an animated feature film about Gremlins (a movie that would never be finished), the studio took the word Gremlin out of the title of this cartoon to appease the Disney studio. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Literally and figuratively, Bugs Bunny, already a prime favorite among current cartoon characters, gets off to a flying start in the distribution season just started. The buck-toothed, long-eared clown meets up with a gremlin and both find themselves aloft in an airplane, with Bugs or what's left of him being darn glad to get back to earth. There are plenty of laughs throughout. The tough Bunny, if this initial '43-'44 offering of his producer Leon Schlesinger, is any criterion, is in for a further rise in popularity among fans who like humor. Of course, the reel is in Technicolor. It was supervised by Robert Clampett and animated by Roderick Scribner. Warner Foster wrote the story and Carl W. Stalling handled the musical direction." This movie amounts to one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons and it is appropriately in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.
If you have trouble reading the following pages click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in.
Showman's Trade Review, 1946
Next is a cartoon that has become a bit of a cult classic, The Sunshine Makers (1935). This movie was directed by Ted Eshbaugh whose uniquely bizarre cartoons have made him a favorite among many animation buffs.
Today's cartoon selection ends with The Simpsons in their short for The Tracey Ullman Show, House of Cards (1987).
Thank you for joining me. Come back week for another selection of classic cartoons. 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 Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
https://mediahistoryproject.org/
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