Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection starts with a delightful silent movie starring Felix the Cat, The Smoke Scream (1928). This film was released the same year as Disney's Steamboat Willie (1928) which would of course help usher in the era of sound cartoons (though it is not the first sound cartoon as many claim).
Now we join our good friend Farmer Al Falfa in Spring is Here (1932). For a Terry Toon of this time the opening sequence has a surprisingly effective atmospheric feel. Still other parts of this film do still feel primitive once you compare them to what Disney, Warner Brothers and the Fleischer Brothers were doing at this time. However, I cannot deny that there is a certain charm to the Terry Toons of this period that I simply love.
Now for a classic Foghorn Leghorn short, Plop Goes the Weasel (1953). This movie is the first appearance of the Weasel. This character would appear in two more theatrical short films, both Foghorn Leghorn cartoons. These other two cartoons are Weasel Stop (1956) and Weasel While You Work (1958). The character would also have a cameo in the feature film, Space Jam (1996).
Next is Betty Boop in A Song a Day (1936). This short film was made after the Betty cartoons were becoming much tamer with much less sexual jokes or risqué situations than the earlier films had (much of this change was due to the Production Code). However, there is still a lot of fun to be had here, especially with the character Grampy, who always delighted whenever he appeared in one of these later Betty shorts. Plus, the musical number at the end is so darn much fun.
Now for a commercial break.
With this being the opening weekend for The Flash (2023), I feel it is appropriate to look at a 1967 TV cartoon staring the titular superhero from the Filmation studio. This is not exactly high art (not even remotely close) but for people like me who enjoy some incredibly corny superhero fun, it is a delight to watch. Holy smokes dig this crazy cartoon.
Next comes Mickey, Donald and Goofy in Moving Day (1936). Like many of the Mickey, Donald and Goofy shorts, this cartoon has each character working together from the same goal but having separate set pieces for each one. While Donald and Goofy really get to shine in their set pieces, Mickey has little to do in this movie. After his character had been toned down from his earlier more mischievous self (due in part to parents wanting him to be more of a role model for kids), he became less of a comic character and more of a straight man. Because of this his cartoons around this era had most of the comedy coming from characters like Donald, Goofy and Pluto. He was originally going to have a bit more to do in this film as there was a planned set piece in which he would fight with an ironing board. However, this scene was dropped. Mickey's scenes in this picture are heavily animated by Paul Allen and Marvin Woodward. One of the highlights of this film is the entire sequence with Goofy and the piano. This scene was expertly animated by Art Babbitt. Woolie Reitherman (who would go on to direct the Disney animated feature films, The Sword and the Stone (1963), The Jungle Book (1967) and Robin Hood (1973), among others) animated very little of this movie. He animated Pete finding out what was going on and barging in as well as him yelling, "Hey come back." This cartoon also marks the first color appearance of Mickey's nemesis Pete.
Now comes a short film starring the Blue Racer, The Boa Friend (1973). The Blue Racer cartoons were a series of 17 short films created for movie theaters. At a time when cartoons were becoming less and less a major part of the movie going experience, films like this kept the tradition alive.
Today's cartoon selection ends with one of the all-time classic Merrie Melodies cartoons, A Corny Concerto (1943). This cartoon is very much a parody of Disney's recent animated feature, Fantasia (1940) with the unrefined Elmer Fudd taking over the Deems Taylor role. Earlier the same year this cartoon was released another Merrie Melody parodied Fantasia with an unrefined wolf doing the Deem Taylor role. That cartoon was called Pigs in a Polka (1943). A Corny Concerto was directed by Bob Clampett (who also made some of the vocal sound effects here) and written by Frank Tashlin. It is odd to have Tashlin write a Warners cartoon he didn't direct. Tashlin had in fact just returned to Warners after a stint at Disney, making him a perfect candidate to write this Disney parody. This film features another rarity for a Warners cartoon. That is the fact the Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig share the screen. This is the only time Porky hunts a fully formed Bugs Bunny, though he did hunt a prototype of the character in Porky's Hare Hunt (1938). It has been debated whether or not the Duck that appears in the second part of this cartoon is or isn't Daffy. I like to think of him as Daffy, myself. Despite having Porky, Bugs and probably Daffy, Mel Blanc doesn't do a single voice in this movie. That is because the character he usually voices don't talk for the whole film. The only speaking voice heard is Arthur Q. Bryan as Elmer Fudd. Also notice that Bugs makes Porky and his dog into a couple of boobs. This cartoon appropriately appears in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes by Jerry Beck.
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
https://mediahistoryproject.org/
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