Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today’s cartoon selection begins with a delightful film starring Mr. Magoo, Spellbound Hound (1950). This short film is only the second Magoo cartoon. It is also one of my favorites from the series. The song playing on Magoo’s record player is the old song Frankie and Johnny. This song would not much later be used as the basis of another cartoon by the same director (John Hubley) called Rooty Toot-Toot (1951).
Up next comes Porky Pig in Notes to You (1941). This short film would be remade a few years later as Back Alley Oproar (1948). That remake would instead of featuring Porky and an unnamed cat would feature Elmer Fudd and Sylvester. The remake may be an even better film but this is still a solid and fun cartoon in its own right.
Up next comes the Max Fleischer Color Classic cartoon, The Kids in the Shoe (1935). This short film is a take on the old story of the woman in the shoe. I absolutely love the song number here.
Now for a great early Mickey Mouse film, Mickey's Follies (1929). In the short before this one, The Karnival Kid (1929), Mickey had his first spoken words, "Hot Dogs." In this film Mickey receives his first song number. This song Minnie's Yoo Hoo was composed by Carl Stalling, who at this time was the composer for the Disney studios (he would later do the music for many Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies). Later the year this cartoon was made, this song would be published and you could buy it as sheet music. This made this not only the Disney studio's first original song but also the first published. An instrumental version of the song would become the opening theme for the Mickey cartoons for the next four years. This cartoon had its first TV airing on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on December 13, 1955.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for everyone's second favorite yellow cartoon canary bird, Flippy in Big House Blues (1947).
The Betty Boop cartoons from the early 1930's were some of the most risqué cartoons from the golden age of American animation. Anyone who thinks of old cartoons as sweet, innocent and squeaky clean may be surprised to see scenes in these cartoons. One of the most risqué images from one of these cartoons comes from Red Hot Mama (1934), where we are given a look through Betty's dress. Though admittedly the rest of this cartoon is not exactly innocent either. The setting for this film is Hell, where Betty's sexiness excites the various demons. Not everyone back then was fine with what happens in this film as the following exhibitor's review from Motion Picture Herald shows. "Red Hot Mama: Betty Boop - I can remember several years ago after sound had been established that a great cry arose within the industry that the youngsters of that day (and the show patron of tomorrow) were unable to find any entertainment in the movie palaces because the biz had gone high hat and no entertainment for them. I screened 'Red Hot Mama,' a cartoon yesterday on my Sunday matinee hence this letter. I have always felt that in booking these cartoons the youngsters were getting a treat. I enjoy their hearty laughs and suppressed excitement when their favorite cartoon is on the screen. However 'Red Hot Mama' must have been drawn when the guy was drunk. Betty Boop starts out sweetly, is suddenly transported to Hell and pursued and tortured by all sorts of fire devils, imps and what have you. One variety, the ability to bound in the air and come down on a spear studded tail stabbed in the floor. A grand subject for your juvenile trade? Naturally my Sunday matinee was without a cartoon. The only recommendation I have for this is that the one responsible for it be compelled to sit through a screening every time he has a pink elephant fantasy. Some exhibitor's have said they hesitate to report on products through the Herald for fear of getting in bad with the local exchange. My opinion is that the people who are sincere in this business welcome constructive criticism. Report fairly on pictures with merit and likewise that class of product which is detrimental to our investments. I'm not a crank but it is cartoons such as the Symphonies and 'Jack and the Beanstalk' and 'Little Red Hen' that are in demand and not such a thing as 'Red Hot Mama'. -E.A. Reynolds, Strand Theatre, Princeton, Minn. Small Town and Country Patronage." With the praise of the Silly Symphonies, I am wondering what this exhibitor would have to say about the Silly Symphony, Hell's Bells (1929). The following is a much more positive exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Herald, "Red Hot Mama: Betty Boop - This is a great cartoon comedy that will please everyone. It is full of good clean entertainment and much better than the average comedy. More time should be given to shorts in order to fill in a poor feature and everything would be better. Running Time eight minutes. -J.J. Medford, Orpheum Theatre, N.C. General patronage."
Now for a silent film starring Dinky Doodles, The Hunt (1927). The live action human in this film is none other than Walter Lantz, later creator of Woody Woodpecker.
Today's cartoon selection ends with The Tijuana Toads in A Dopey Hacienda (1970). This short film pits our heroes up against an orange cat.
Thanks so much 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
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
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