Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #245

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Heckle and Jeckle in Fishing by the Sea (1947). Paul Terry felt that the Heckle and Jeckel films were the best cartoons his studio produced, and I tend to agree. 

Next comes a true classic, Orphan's Benefit (1934). This film marks the second Donald Duck cartoon and the first time Donald appeared alongside Mickey and friends. As many of you know, Donald first appeared in The Silly Symphony short, The Wise Little Hen (1934). However, some of those who worked on the Disney cartoons at this time (including Walt), misremembered this as the first Donald Duck cartoon. This may be because the short was the first one the studio started work on. Historian J.B. Kaufman has stated that the Disney story department began work on this cartoon (with an outline entitled The Surprise Party) in November 1933, before they started work on The Wise Little Hen.  However, this outline was quite different from the finished film. Donald was a small boy who was dragged to a party by his mother and made to recite Mary Had a Little Lamb. The recitation of Mary Had a Little Lamb has its origins in the origin of Donald's voice. Clarence Nash had created this voice as a child himself not to be the voice of a Duck but of a crying baby goat. He used to entertain his friends by reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb in this voice. He would later do this act professionally both live and on radio. Walt Disney, having heard Nash do this voice on radio, felt that it sounded more like a duck and pitched the idea of voicing a duck to Nash. In the early 1940's several older Disney cartoons were considered for some shot for shot remakes. However only one of these were made and that was Orphan's Benefit (1941). The remake was almost exactly like the earlier picture except being that in color and using the 1941 designs of the characters. In fact, the remake even uses the exact soundtrack of the original. However, I personally prefer this 1934 black and white original and I hope you love it too. A review in The Film Daily stated, "It's all very clever, screamingly funny and with a dandy of a musical score." 

Next comes Flip the Frog in Room Runners (1932). Anyone who expects old cartoons to be sweet and innocent, may be very surprised by some of the gags in this film. 







Now comes a true classic starring Porky and Slyvester, Claws for Alarm (1954). This was the second of two cartoons (both directed by Chuck Jones) featuring Sylvester as the cowardly cat that must protect his owner Porky for murderous mice (the first being Scaredy Cat (1948)). Unlike other appearances of Sylvester, here the cat is treated more like a real cat and has no ability to speak. Chuck Jones would use this basic formula again for Jumpin' Jupiter (1955). That film would again feature Sylvester as a cowardly cat that must protect Porky. However, in that cartoon he would protect his master from a space alien rather than mice.  Claws For Alarm would later be used in the feature length compilation movie, Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988). 







Now it is time for a commercial break.




Next is a wonderful example of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice Rattled by Rats (1925). This short film features Margie Gay as Alice. She was the second child actress to play the role after Virgina Davis and she appeared in more Alice Comedies than any of the three other actresses to play the role.  

We continue with Popeye in I'm in the Army Now (1936). This short film is a bit of a cheater and features clips from previous Popeye cartoons. The cartoons that clips are used from include Blow Me Down (1934), Shoein' Hosses (1934), Choose Your 'Weppins' (1935) and King of the Mardi Gras (1935). This is one of my favorite cheater cartoons, because the new scenes are just as entertaining as the clips. I especially love Bluto talking about what a big star he was in the movies. This serves as a good reminder for those of us who grew up watching these films on TV that they were originally made for movie theaters. 




Today's cartoon selection ends with the Hanna-Barbera Abbott and Costello cartoon, Gator Baiter (1968). In these made for TV cartoons, Bud Abbott voiced himself. Lou Costello had passed away and was voiced by Stan Irwin. Bud at this time was not in the best of health. Stan Irwin later remembered, "Whenever Bud started slurring- you know it was in his teeth - the director [Art Scott] would say, 'Bud we had a little problem with the sound in here. Mind if we take it over?' or a techintion would say, 'Our fault, Bud, our fault. We weren't ready. Mind doing it again?"




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

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 

The Abbott and Costello Story by Stephen Cox and John Lofflin

Movie Review: On Fire

 

Michael’s Movie Grade: F

A bottom of the barrel disaster movie. 

This film starts with a title telling us it is based on a true story. However watching the film, it simply feels like nothing but a plethora of cliches. Every scene feels like something you have probably seen in a million better movies. Watching this for the first (and only) time, I still felt like I was watching a movie I had already seen before. However as obvious as the clichés are nothing can compare to the awful dialogue. This is some of the worst dialogue I have heard in a mainstream movie in quite a while. Some of it is painfully obvious and some is unintentionally funny. I mean this is a disaster movie about a wildfire, where a character says in all seriousness, “fires are scary” and in a later scene the teenage son stands looking towards the fire and cussing at it. Also terrible is the emotional scenes. All of these feel completely manipulative. Any emotion we feel does not come from a connection to the story or characters but rather us being forced to have those emotions by basic human empathy. We see a guy whose father is near death and the father given up wanting to live after his wife died and we are going to feel empathy. But we don’t ever feel like we know or care about either of these characters, we just simply acknowledge that the situation is very sad. This can only feel cheap and manipulative. 

Simply put this is a very bad movie. 

Old Town Music Haunt 2023

 

Spooky season is coming and that means it is time to watch classic horror movies. If you live around the Southern California area, there is no better place to do this than Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo (140 Richmond Street   El Segundo, CA   90245). This is an incredible movie theater that in many ways tries to recreate the experience of going to the movies back in the 1920's and 30's. It is also the home of the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, a wonderful instrument that was used to accompany silent films. Every October, Old Town Music Hall becomes Old Town Music Haunt. The whole theater is decorated with Halloween decorations and they show classic spooky themed films. The selection for this year is simply wonderful. It includes some scary horror movies as well as some spooky themed comedies. The majority of these feature length films will be proceeded by live music on the organ and a classic cartoon. The silent films will be accompanied on the Mighty Wurlitzer. 

Here is the list of spooky movies that will be showing this year. Again if you are living in the Southern California area, you don't want to miss this. If you want to get tickets please go to Old Town Music Hall's website.

Saturday, September 30th

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane (1962) 2:30pm

The Haunting (1963) 7pm

Sunday, October 1st

Faust (1926-silent film) 2:30pm

The Shining (1980) 7pm

Saturday, October 7th

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) 2:30pm

Rosemary's Baby (1968) 7pm

Sunday October 8th

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920-silent film) 2:30pm & 7pm

Saturday October 14th

The Wolf Man (1941) 2:30pm

An American Werewolf in London (1981) 7pm

Sunday October 15th

The Mummy (1932) 2:30pm

Psycho (1960) 7pm

Saturday October 21st

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) 2:30pm

Frankenstein (1931) 7pm

Sunday October 22nd

Young Frankenstein (1974) 2:30pm & 7pm

Saturday October 28th

Dracula (1931) 2:30pm & 7pm

Sunday October 29th 

The Phantom of the Opera (1925-silent film) 2:30pm & 7pm 

 

 

Movie Review: Relax I'm From the Future

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B-

A mostly successful sci-fi comedy. 

Writer and director Luke Higginson based this feature length film (his very first) off of his own 2013 short film (which has the same name). As a feature length version of what was originally a short, this movie works better than it easily could have. The movie never feels overlong or stretched out. Instead, it feels just the right length. This film also benefits from quite well-defined characters. At the start of the movie, the characters seem like they are going to be one-dimensional and stereotypical but as the film progresses you get to see more layers behind these characters and there are even times when they make your question if they are the true heroes of the film. The story itself while simple on the surface does bring up some very thought-provoking moral questions. 

With all the wacky humor, it is obvious that this movie wants you to laugh out loud. However, the humor is often not as funny as it wants to be. This is not to say that the humor falls flat, as it does work to an extent. However, it is the type of humor that makes you smile, or chuckle rather than really laugh. This film also rarely digs into the thought provoking questions it brings up as deeply as it should, with the climax being an underwhelming suspense sequence.

This movie honestly could have been better in some ways, but it still works quite well.    

Recommended Non-Horror Movies for Halloween Time.

 

Hello my friends, October is only a few days away. Of course, to many movie lovers October is the time to revisit some of their favorite horror films. However, Halloween time watching does not need to be limited to horror. There are plenty of non-horror movies that are perfect for Halloween time. Here are some of those. Some of these movies are pure masterpieces while others are simply fun ways to spend an October evening. 

 The Spirit of the Beehive (El espíritu de la colmena) (1973) This art house film from Spain is essential watching to any true cinephile. Though the story line is simple (and it takes nearly 20 minutes to even establish the most basic facts about the characters), it has a hypnotic effect that simply draws you in as you watch it. From some of the most beautiful images in Spanish film history, an incredible performance by child actress Anna Torrent, a wonderful sense of atmosphere and a lot of hidden layers of depth this movie truly casts a spell on an astute viewer. With how much of this film centers around a little girl who becomes transfixed by James Whale's Frankenstein (1931), this is also a perfect movie for Halloween time. 

Casper (1995) Last Halloween season a wonderful friend of mine (God bless her) gave me a DVD of this movie. Before that I admit that the last time, I saw it I was a little kid. Watching it again as an adult, I was amazed by just how well it held up. Though this has never been a critical favorite, it is a delightful family movie that will now be part of my Halloween watching every year. This movie does a wonderful job of transferring the famous cartoon ghost from short films to a feature film. The movie has a good sense of humor, likable characters, wonderfully imaginative sets and a good sense of atmosphere. 

Ghost Breakers (1940) This is one of my favorite Bob Hope comedies. Putting Hope's lovable coward character into a spooky themed comedy is simply a wonderful idea. When this spooky themed comedy has a wonderful sense of atmosphere, the result is irresistible. Adding to the fun is that Hope is at his funniest here, with nearly every joke hitting the mark. 

Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988) This is one of the Looney Tunes compilation movies. This series of movies were combinations of new animated scenes and the classic Looney Tunes short films put together to create a feature film. With this format in mind, it is amazing not only how cohesive the story is but how incredibly entertaining it is as well. The selection of great spooky themed classic shorts is simply wonderful. The new segments of this movie are also a lot of fun. It is obvious that directors Greg Ford (an animation historian himself) and Terry Lennon (who had worked as an animator on the previous Looney Tunes compilation movies) perfectly understand these classic characters and their appeal. 

The Gorilla (1939) The Ritz Brothers may not be Laurel and Hardy or The Marx Brothers and their films are hardly what one would call art. Yet I always find myself having a good time watching their films. This is one of their best as they are put into a murder mystery in a spooky house. This movie combines the comedy team's usual sense of comedy (which may be an acquired taste, but it is one I acquired) with a surprisingly good mystery and sense of atmosphere. Even those who don't like The Ritz Brothers may find themselves enjoying this movie. 

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Valerie a týden divů) (1970) A truly brilliant arthouse film from Czechoslovakia. This film tells the story of a young 13-year-old girl growing into womanhood. The way the story is told though is anything but conventional. This is almost in a way like Alice in Wonderland reimagined as a dark and sexual nightmare. While it is not a horror movie, the film certainly dips its feet into that genre with some truly uncomfortable scenes. The movie also takes on a true dreamlike feel, where nothing makes logical sense but flows naturally from a place of emotions, fears and desires. 

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951), Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953), Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955) Combining Universal's most popular comedy team with their famous monsters might seem like a strange idea. Yet as anyone who has watched these movies know it worked out perfectly. These are some of the finest films from this later portion of Abbott and Costello's career. These movies feature them at their comedic best with many wonderful gags throughout. Also the monsters are incorporated fantastical into these movies. The classic monsters are never made into a joke but instead treated with the upmost respect and their creepy charms strangely work as perfect counterparts to Abbott and Costello's comedy. Adding to the fun is horror icons Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr. and Boris Karloff. These are simply great fun.

Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers (1987), Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School (1988), Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf (1988) Nothing makes for better Halloween watching than Scooby-Doo! and this trilogy of made-for-TV movies are easily fan favorites. With delightfully corny jokes, fun side characters (including real monsters and ghosts), an atmospheric feel, an indescribable warmth and a willingness to deviate from the typical Scooby-Doo formula these made-for-TV movies are pure comfort food for Hanna-Barbera fans (like myself) and a wonderful way to spend an October evening. 

Video Link: The MOST BEAUTIFUL SHOTS of ANDRZEJ ZULAWSKI Movies

Cowboy Church #243

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the Pioneers with The Woodsman Prayer from their 1963 album, Hymns of the Cowboy. This song was written by Stan Jones. Stan is best known for writing the cowboy music classic, Ghost Riders in the Sky. He also wrote the theme song for John Ford's The Searchers (1956), which The Sons of the Pioneers sang in that film. 

This is followed by Carrie Underwood singing The Old Rugged Cross. The song 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.

Afterwards is Connie Smith and Nat Stucky with If God Is Dead (Who's That Living In My Soul). This is from a 1970 gospel album the two country singers did together that is called Sunday Morning with Nat Stuckey and Connie Smith. This was the second album that the two made together. The first was 1969's Young Love. The idea to pair the two come from the record company, as both had recently had major hits and the company believed that their two voices would blend very well together. 

Then comes Marty Robbins with There's Power in the Blood. This recording comes from his 1963 gospel album, What God Has Done.

Next is The Chuck Wagon Gang with their 1949 recording of Shall We Gather At The River? This hymn was written in 1864 by Robert Lawery. He described the writing of this song by stating “One hot afternoon in July 1864, I was resting on his sofa, visions of heaven pervaded his senses. I saw the bright golden throne room and a multitude of saints gathered around the beautiful, cool, crystal, river of life. I was filled with a sense of great joy. I began to wonder why there seemed to be many hymns that referenced the river of death, but very few that mentioned the river of life. As I mused, the words and music to Shall We Gather at the River came to his heart and mind.” 

Then is Johnny Cash with Over There. It is important to remember that none of the hardships this world can give us can hold a candle to the joys of heaven. Likewise, none of the joys this world can offer us can compare to the joys of heaven. This is why no matter where we are in this world, we should always keep our eyes focused upon heaven. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then this world is not your home. You are only passing through here on your way to the glories of heaven. 

Afterwards is Hank Williams with his 1949 recording of The Battle Armageddon. 

Today's musical selection ends with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with How Great Thou Art.   In the book, Happy Trails: Our Life Story, Roy tells of a story that had to do with this song. "I'll tell you about one time we nearly got into a real war with the promoters: at the World Championship Rodeo at Madison Square Garden in 1952. During the first rehearsal I started to practice 'How Great Thou Art,' a religious song I wanted to make the centerpiece of our musical act. There's a line in that song that goes, 'Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee...' Someone in the front office heard the rehersal and came to me that night to tell me I wasn't allowed to mention Christ at the rodeo. 'It might work for the kids in Houston, Texas' he told me, 'But this is New York. You can't preach to kids here.' I told him I wasn't preaching but that the Savior was a part of the song and I fully intended to sing that song in New York or anywhere else we performed. They suggested that I could change the words of the song so it didn't mention Him. I'm not one for grandstand plays but I told those fellas that if I couldn't sing 'How Great thou Art' just how it was written, Dale and I would pack up and leave town. The song stayed in the show. That year we did forty-three performances over twenty-six days and broke all Madison Square Garden attendance records."

Now for a message from Rev. Billy Graham.

Now for a 1951 episode of Gene Autry's TV show. 

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. Ephesians 3:16-17

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Discipline your body and make it your slave so that you will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:27

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here. 2 Corinthians 5:17

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Ezekiel 33:19
Sons
Thank you very much for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #244

 Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with Mighty Mouse in A Swiss Miss (1951). In this short film, Mighty Mouse must once again save Pearl Pureheart from the evil Oil Can Harry. 

Next, we join Porky Pig in Meet John Doughboy (1941). This short film was made and released before the United States entered World War 2, but it is obvious that it was on the horizon. 




Now for a truly classic Disney short film, Pluto's Judgement Day (1935). This cartoon was released as part of the Mickey Mouse cartoon series, but the true star of the film is Pluto. Pluto would not receive his own cartoon series until 1940. The writers who brought us this cartoon were Joe Grant and Bill Cottrell. The same year this film came out this story team also brought us the Silly Symphonies shorts, Who Killed Cock Robin and Three Orphan Kittens. This cartoon made it TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 4, 1958.






Next is the Ub Iwerks Comi-Color cartoon, Old Mother Hubbard (1935). Ub Iwerks had previously been Walt Disney's right-hand man playing a major role in the creation of Mickey Mouse, animating on Walt's Alice Comedies and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons and directing the earliest Silly Symphonies. When distributor Pat Powers offered Ub the chance to head his own studio he left Walt (though he would later return). Ub's own studio would never receive the success that the Disney studio did, but he turned out some films that still delight cartoon buffs to this day. His Comi-Color series was a thinly veiled imitation of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons, adapting many classic fairy tales and similar stories. However, these cartoons are a bit odder than the Silly Symphonies and there are some jokes in these movies you would not see in a Disney cartoon.







Now it is time for a commercial break. 








Now for a classic silent film, Koko the Kop (1927). 




Popeye proved to be such a popular cartoon star, that while Fleischer Studios was putting him in their black and white cartoons, they also put him in three special longer length color cartoons. While these cartoons were still short films and not features, they were over twice the length of the average Popeye short. Up next is the last (and probably least appreciated) of these films, Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1939). 




Now for something completely different here is a completely serious cartoon short of the 1950's, The Tell-Tale Heart (1953). This film is not surprisingly from the UPA studio. The UPA studio at this time sought to move away from the violent slapstick of Warner Brothers or MGM cartoons, or the more realistic "illusion of life" featured in many Disney cartoons. They often experimented with what could be done with the color and design in animated films. These films often experimented with flat backgrounds, purposely limited animation and abstract color schemes that reflect the emotion of a scene rather than what something would really look like. As is true of all cartoon studios that do a lot of experimenting, sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. Tell-Tale Heart is one of the most successful and one of the most extreme experiments. Most American audiences at this time had never seen an animated short quite like this and many would never see something like this again. When a 1954 article in Home Movies talking about the Cannes Film Festival got to Disney's Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953) winning a prize, the writer had this to say, "It is unpardonable however that Disney should so openly and fully steal the style of the cartoon developed by the most excellent groups of artists, Steven Bosustow's UPA. It was no secret this was the case among those as the festival as UPA is well known and well respected in France. It is a shame that UPA recent and excellent 3D cartoon, The Tell-Tale Heart could not be shown at the festival, for it most certainly won the prize awarded to Disney." This cartoon is placed at 24 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. 






Even after Lou Costello passed away and Bud Abbott retired, Eddie Sherman (Abbott and Costello's manager) kept looking for new projects for Abbott and Costello. In 1965 he watched The New Three Stooges cartoons where the real Stooges provided voices for cartoon versions of themselves. He felt there were possibilities in an animated version of Abbott and Costello. Sherman sold this idea to Lee Orgel, president of Jamar Productions. Orgel than sold the idea to Hanna-Barbera, who recently made a similar show with Laurel and Hardy. Joe Barbera originally did not want Bud Abbott to voice himself, instead wanting a younger actor in the role. However, Orgel talked him into it by convincing him that having the real Bud would add some authenticity to the project. Orgel also had to convince Joe Barbera that Stan Irwin should voice Lou Costello (Joe wanted Vegas comic, Shecky Greene to voice Lou). Irwin had worked as a stand-up comic and had done a Lou Costello impression that Lou himself loved. Irwin's connection to Lou Costello ran even deeper than that. Irwin had performed the famous Who's on First routine with Lou Costello at some charity performances at the Biltmore Theater in Los Angles. 156 TV Abbott and Costello cartoons were made. Next is the 106th of these cartoons to air, Texas Jack (1968). 




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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

The Abbott and Costello Story by Stephen Cox and John Lofflin

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

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 

Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman

Movie Review: Expend4bles

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

A perfectly serviceable action film. 

While nobody would ever call this a great movie, it does do just what it sets out to do. It provides a pleasant trip to the movie theater and is a decent way to spend a couple of hours. Like all the previous Expendables movies, this film works heavily because of the cast. The main characters have just enough personality to make it, so we like them. However, most of why these characters work is because of who is playing them. Once again, these actors give a whole lot of charm to these characters. This is of course true of Slyvester Stallone and Jason Statham, who simply light up the screen every time they appear (though Stallone gets too little screentime here). However, Megan Fox is also quite charming and charismatic in her role. Her and Jason Statham also have great chemistry and are quite fun to watch together. While the action scenes are nothing groundbreaking, they are quite a bit of fun. They are not perfect (some of the CGI is surprisingly clumsy), but they do have a fun energy that is simply very entertaining. 

This film definitely has its flaws though. Every story point is very familiar and predictable. If you have ever seen a movie before, you always know what is going to happen next. The bad guys are very bland and boring. There is not much that you will remember about the villains of this film as you leave. The humor also falls flat more often than it hits. 

This is by no means a great film, but it is an enjoyable trip to the movies, if little more than that. 

Video Link: Silent Films are Like Hard Liquor: A Guide to Silent Movies

Movie Review: Route 60: The Biblical Highway

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A simply wonderful documentary about the Holy Land. 

This movie follows former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as the travel Israel seeing the Holy Land. In this film their trip takes them down Route 60, a road that leads them down some of the most important locations in scripture. If you are a person of faith and have never been to Israel, it is truly a life changing experience. While obviously seeing these sights on a movie screen can't compare to seeing them in person, there is still something that moves inside of you watching this movie. These sights help bring the stories many of us have heard all our lives further to life and I am glad this film is giving this opportunity to those who may not be able to travel there in person. The simply capturing of these places on film alone makes this movie worth going to. It is only enhanced by our two hosts. Both of them are very knowledgeable about scripture and offer us all the background information we need to fully understand and appreciate what we are looking at. It is also obvious that both of them are completely moved by seeing these biblical places come to life. The fact that one of them is Christian and the other one is Jewish also adds a lot to this film. It allows us to understand and appreciate what these places mean to both Christians and Jewish people as well as providing us two different and interesting perspectives. 

My only real complaint about this movie is the musical score. This score is often too loud, ill-fitting and distracting. However over the course of the movie, I found this flaw becoming less and less distracting. 

If you are Christian or Jewish (or even just interested in ancient history), this film is a pure delight. 

Movie Review: The Retirement Plan

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A really fun action movie.

This film doesn't intend to be anything more than a fun time at the movies, and it provides just that. This is one of those over-the-top action movies, where we watch bad guys die right and left. What this film provides is fun, over the top and often comedic ways to kill each of them. The film doesn't take any of these action scenes too seriously and that is what makes it work. The action scenes are simply just a lot of fun to watch. Also adding this this movie's charm is of course Nicholas Cage himself. His very nonchalant yet charismatic performance is simply wonderful. There is no doubt this movie wouldn't be anywhere near as fun with someone else in the lead role. What is surprising is that this movie is also helped carried by Grace Byers as his young granddaughter. She is simply so likable and fun in this role and makes every scene with her a joy. This movie also benefits from a really good sense of humor. While it is not an out and out comedy, there are wonderful comedic moments spread throughout the film. 

This however is one of those films, where pretty much anyone who has seen a movie before can see 99% of time exactly what will happen next. Also, as fun and charismatic as our heroes are, nearly all the bad guys (with the exception of a really fun henchman played by Ron Pearlman) are quite boring and bland. Unfortunately, that includes the main two baddies, who are simply less interesting versions of movie villains we have seen a million times. 

This may not be anything deep or game changing, but it certainly is a fun time at the movies. 

Cowboy Church #242

 Hello, my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 


Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with In the Sweet By and By. This song came about because of a friendship between composer, Joseph Webster and poet, Dr. Sanford Fillmore Bennett. One day Webster was depressed, and Dr. Bennett recognized this. Dr. Bennett asked his friend what was wrong. Webster replied, "Oh nothing. Everything will be alright by and by." These words brought up an idea in Bennett and he wrote down three verses and a chorus to this song as soon as he could. He handed it to his friend saying, “Here is your prescription, Joe.” Webster loved the lyrics and wrote music for them in practically no time at all. Dr. Bennett later said, “It was not over thirty minutes from the time I took my pen to write the words before two friends with Webster and myself were singing the hymn.” The hymn was first published in 1868 and went on to great fame since. 

This is followed by Dierks Bentley singing an old Hank Williams song, A House of Gold. What God has to offer us is so much more than anything this world can ever offer. No amount of money or treasure could ever compare to the blessings of God. So, I hope all of us seek God, instead of looking for money or power. 

Then comes Floyd Cramer with Amazing Grace. This hymn was written by John Newton in 1772. It is no coincidence 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 (and in any country at any time) 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. This version of the classic hymn comes from Floyd's 1971 gospel album, Sounds of Sunday.

Next is Marty Stuart with The Gospel Story of Noah’s Ark. 

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with Jesus. This song comes from John's 1974 album, The Junkie and The Juicehead Minus Me. This song is about Jesus' ability to completely change people's lives. This is something that he is still just as capable of as he was when he changed the apostle, Paul. Jesus is still changing lives today and if you need your life changed, he is more than willing. 

Next comes Tennessee Ernie Ford singing I Love to Tell the Story. When recovering from a sickness, Arabella Katherine Hankey wrote a poem about the life of Christ. This poem was broken into two parts the first being called The Story Wanted (published in January 1866) and the second called The Story Told (published in November 1866). I Love to Tell the Story comes from this second part. In 1869 William G. Fisher put this text to music and that is the version we know today. Still, it is worth noting that Hankey wrote her own music for these words, but her music was seldom used and is now forgotten.

Then comes The Bailes Brothers with their 1949 recording of Come to the Savior. No matter who you are and what you have done, Jesus is calling you to come to him. He has blessings for you beyond anything you can ever imagine and will show you a love greater than any you have ever known. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. 

Now for a message from S.M. Lockridge. 

Now for an episode of Gene Autry's TV show. 

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. John 4:35-36

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 6:15

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Romans 10:13-14 

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #243

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with a real classic, Gold Diggers of '49 (1935). This short film was directed by the one and only Tex Avery. It was the first film, he directed for Warner Brothers and much of his famous style is already here. This cartoon does not feel like the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts that came before it. Instead, this cartoon has a faster pace and wackier sense of humor. While there is no doubt that Tex would have timed some of these gags even faster later in his career, you can clearly see the inklings of what would become his signature style. This is also the first black and white Looney Tune to feature Porky Pig (though the character had appeared in a color Merrie Melody beforehand). This is important as Porky would soon become the main star of the black and white Looney Tunes series. Yet in this film he is a supporting character. The real star is Beans the Cat. Both of these characters had made their debut in the color Merrie Melodies short, I Haven't Got a Hat (1935). Beans would remain the star of the Looney Tunes series for short while until Porky took over the series. 




Next we joy our good friend Gandy Goose in It Must Be Love (1940). This short film has Gandy competing with a rooster over a beautiful duck.  





The following is from an issue of Paramount Around the World (dated April 1938), "BETTY BOOP IS DEAD! SALLY SWING IS SUCCESSOR!! It is with a sense of deep regret that we record the passing of Miss Betty Boop, the amiable, pulchritudinous, neckless young lady who has served Paramount so loyally for so many years. Miss Boop passed on suddenly but not before she was able to name her successor. Miss Sally Swing is the new Paramount cartoon eyeful. We present her above - front, side and reverse, as well as in the purely geometrical form that she is known to animators. Sally is presumed to be about 16 years of age. She is the epitome of modern youth, full of life, pep and the magic something which so sustains young people in the face of fearful odds. She is devoted to swing, is lithe and lissome, and, in parlance of Hollywood's scriptures is the ideal jitterbug. Her first cartoon appearance is scheduled for approximately two months from now." The following is from a 1938 issue of Motion Picture Daily, "Betty Boop, the Max Fleischer cartoon character which attained great popularity in its eight years of existence, will be missing from the Paramount short subject list next season. In Betty's place there will be a new cartoon character, Sally Swing, who is designed to be a modernized, stream-lined version of her predecessor, Paramount will distribute 12 of the cartoons featuring the new character."  This not true as Sally's cartoon career would end as soon as it began, and she would never have her own series. However, Betty's career was soon to end. 1939 would mark her last theatrical cartoon short. So here is Sally's attempt to break into the movies, Sally Swing (1938). 



Next Donald Duck goes up against his nephews in Fire Chief (1940). This film was directed by Jack King, who directed many wonderful Donald cartoons around this era. This short film made its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled A Day in the Life of Donald Duck (1956). 





Now it is time for a commercial break. 







The most famous film animator/comic strip artist Winsor McCay made is easily Gertie the Dinosaur (1914).  This film was actually a vaudeville act before it was in theaters. The act consisted of Winsor McCay talking to his animated dinosaur Gertie. He would tell her what to do and Gertie would do it (most of the time). This was translated to theaters by having an off-screen narrator, who speaks through intertitles (since this was a silent film). This film has often times wrongly been called the first cartoon ever made. While this is not true (It isn't even McCay's first cartoon, it is his third), its place in animation history is still extremely important. The reason for this is Gertie, herself. She is one of the first animated characters that the audience was allowed to see think. Unlike most of the earlier silent cartoon characters, Gertie does not seem like she is just moving drawings projected on a screen, but instead like a real character that we know and relate to over the course of the film. This was the beginning of character animation, and one of the first successful attempts at it. Like McCay's earlier short Little Nemo (1911) this film begins in live action. Winsor McCay bets his fellow cartoonists that he can make a dinosaur come to life and boy does he. This cartoon still holds up incredibly well today and received the number 6 spot in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons. 




Now for some Saturday Morning Minions. 






Next we join Flip the Frog in Flying Fists (1930). Ub Iwerks is a legend of animation if there ever was one. His work with Walt Disney (the two co-created Mickey Mouse) in the 1920's remain some of the highlights of Disney history and it is hard to imagine where Disney would be without Ub. However, thoughts on the cartoons he himself heading after leaving Walt prove not to be as popular with cartoon fans. While I do agree that none of this work reaches the height of the best of his Disney work, I personally feel there is a lot to enjoy about these cartoons and that includes his Flip the Frog cartoons. 



Today's cartoon selection ends with Felix the Cat in The Termites of 1960 (1960). Righty-O. 



Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry. 


Resouces Used

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Disney_Wiki

Movie Review: A Haunting in Venice

 Michael’s Movie Grade: B+

An excellent addition to Kenneth Branagh’s series of Agatha Christy adaptations. 

This third film in this series is in some ways very different from the previous two and in some ways quite the same. Much of the difference comes from the setting and the atmosphere. Rather than the brightly lit and glamourous look of the previous films, this movie takes place in a creepy building that is believed to be haunted. Instead of seeing many exotic locations (as in Death on the Nile (2022)), here we are enclosed in this claustrophobic with no way out. This works very well adding a real feeling of suspense, greater than anything we felt in the previous movies. While this is not a real horror film, there are some surprisingly good scare scenes here. These scenes will seem very tame to big horror fans, but they do their job by putting us on the edge of our seats here. The séance scene itself is simply great creepy filmmaking. It is obvious that Kenneth Branagh is having a wonderful time dipping his toe (though only his toe) into the horror genre. The great filmmaking during these scenes includes not only the visuals but the sound. Part of this film involves Hercule Poirot hearing a child's voice singing. The voice comes softly from behind you in the theater and feels separated from the rest of the soundtrack. This is a wonderful filmmaking technique that makes the atmosphere here all the more effective. Yet none of the scares here are anything that those who prefer a murder mystery to a horror movie can't handle. Speaking of the murder mystery, it is done quite well here often keeping you guessing who done it. It can even make you truly question whether the killer was a person or supernatural. Yet each twist and turn makes perfect sense and it all adds up very well in the end. While I won't give anything away the final twist is simply wonderful. Like the previous two movies, this film is just as much a character study of Hercule Poirot as it is a murder mystery. This is very well done here. The film does a wonderful job of looking into his lack of faith and how this has made him become jaded and cynical to the point, where he could find no joy out of solving mysteries anymore. While nothing too complex, this character study is still very engaging and gives a certain warmth to this darker film. 

This film does have its flaws though. The biggest of which is actually the cinematography. Using all sorts of weird angles this cinematography tries to make you feel uneasy but instead comes off as distracting and sometimes even unintentionally funny. Also with many of the great atmospheric scenes, the standard integration scenes can pale in comparison and even come off as a little dull. 

This is a great Halloween treat for those who prefer an alternative to straight horror fare. 

Movie Review: The Inventor

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A very sophisticated and intelligent stop motion film. 

Telling the story of the later years of Leonard DaVinci's life, this film has the look of a Rankin-Bass Christmas special. However, the story it tells is much deeper and more complex. This movie explores some very deep themes and does each of them in a very intelligent way. One of the main themes here is that DaVinci is simply unable to have faith anything beyond what he can scientifically explain. Yet this lack of faith and a need for a meaning in life drive him further and further into his experiments. This leads to many incredibly well-done scenes where he tries to find some deeper meaning in life. Some of these scenes are just as visually interesting as they are philosophically interesting. One brilliant idea was to have the scenes that take place in his mind be done in 2-D animation, while the rest of the film is in stop motion. This not only makes the film a visual treat, but it also works from a thematic standpoint as well. Because of this stylistic choice, we feel that we get to experience this joy of discovery along with DaVinci and understand so much of what drives him as a person. While it only covers a small portion of his life, this film is a masterful character study as well as a historical story. What makes this movie special is that it is hard not to become invested in the main character. Just as much as the 2D animation works, the stop motion animation is perfect for this movie. It gives this movie an unassuming and unpretentious look that makes it feel immediately accessible. This movie also benefits from a good sense of humor and a charming and easy going pace. The easy going pace also helps us feel like we are experiencing this along with the characters. 

I do have two minor complaints about the film. One is that the ending feels a little too tidy and the other is that the songs (while pleasant) are instantly forgettable. 

All in all this is a lovely and very smart movie that I hope achieves the attention it deserves. 

Movie Review: The Good Mother

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

A good enough thriller. 

As a standard thriller, there is quite a bit to like here. The lead characters (while far from complex) are easy to relate to and care about. Even though most of us have not gone through anything like these characters, it is hard not to feel some emotional connection to them and simply have empathy for everything they go through. The fact that these characters are played by Hillary Swank and Olivia Cooke makes the characters compelling to an extent (that is just good enough), as they bring much humanity to these rather simplistic characters. Many of the suspense scenes here are very well directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte. He gives this film a real stylistic feel and the pacing and staging on each suspense scene is wonderful. 

There is nothing really fundamentally wrong with this film, as it is very competently made. However, I was unable to watch any of it without thinking, "this should be so much better." The movie seems content to be just a standard thriller without any attempt to dig deeper. The movie keeps bringing up really interesting ideas but never expanding on them. This can often leave us with a very unsatisfied feeling. The idea of a mother and daughter in law that don't have a great relationship working together to investigate the death of one's son and the other's husband, should bring us a very interesting dynamic between the two. The idea of a great dynamic is brought up at the start but dropped soon afterwards when the two become best friends. The idea of how an addict's addiction to drugs affects his family provides an opportunity to provide some deep commentary, but instead this simply is soon put in the back seat to a standard thriller. Even the big reveal feels incredibly undeveloped and feels like a missed opportunity. All this can easily make you easily feel underwhelmed. 

This is not a bad movie by any means and is engaging enough to be glad you saw it. However it is hard to watch this without thinking about how much better it should have been. 

Movie Review: Bottoms

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A really funny raunchy comedy. 

This movie has an irresistibly silly premise. Two teen girls start a fight club (despite knowing nothing about fighting) in order to become more popular (and to impress two cheerleaders they have crushes on). It is one thing to have a good comedic premise and another to use this premise to its comedic potential. This film definitely lives up to its premise. The comedy is incredibly over the top and often very funny. It seems like comedies that truly abandon reality to get laughs are becoming rarer and rarer today. While doing this wacky of a comedy can backfire easily, when it works it is truly delightful. What helps make this movie work so well is that not only is it truly funny but there is such a wonderful comedic energy throughout. Even the gags that don't make you laugh keep this energy going. Because of this it is simply hard not to have fun watching. It also helps that no matter how over the top the comedy can get, it always comes directly out of the characters and story. This film simply takes moments that we can all relate to and exaggerates them to insane extremes. Because we can see ourselves and people we know in each of these gags, they become even funnier. It also helps that this movie builds up to a great comedic climax. The fact that the climax is the funniest and zaniest part of the movie, makes the film all the more satisfying. Of course, also very important is that the humor has many more gags that work than that miss. The main characters are ones that start off selfish and mature as the film progresses. Yet even when they are at their most selfish, we still find it easy to like them, because they are so easy to relate to and understand. As they mature, we only grow to like them more. The other girls in their fight club often conform to certain stereotypes, but while they aren't the deepest or most complex characters, they are very funny and give the movie its best gags. 

This film does have its flaws though. The football players (unlike the stereotypical female characters) often come off as more annoying than actually funny. The gags involving them are often the ones that simply fall flat. There is also the fact the despite a few clever comedic twists, for the most part, anyone who has seen a movie before knows where most of the plot points are going to go. 

While this may not be for everyone (the humor is not only over the top but often quite raunchy and even violent), it is a pure delight of a comedy. I simply had a great time watching it. 

Frankie and Johnny (1966)

Frankie and Johnny is a pretty middle of the road Elvis vehicle. This is neither one of his strongest films or one of his weakest. If this movie was to serve as anyone's introduction to Elvis, it would not make them a fan, the way a film like King Creole (1958) would, yet Elvis fans (like myself) will have fun watching it.

Though this movie did make money, Elvis was certainly less relevant at this time than he had been before. Rock and roll had moved from the type that Elvis helped popularize to the more experimental music Bob Dylan, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were making. That is what makes this film so odd, it seemed to be trying to make Elvis less even less relevant to mid-60's audiences. This is a turn of the century musical of the type that populated movie theatres over 20 years earlier and Elvis was singing songs from that era rather than rock and roll. Young rock and roll fans must have found this movie date. d even in 1966.

Yet none of that means it was not an enjoyable film. Frankie and Johnny had an excellent supporting cast. Harry Morgan is one of the better Elvis sidekicks and provides some good laughs here. Sue An Langdon often steals the show with a great comic performance. She puts all her energy into this part and makes many jokes that are only decent, quite funny with her fantastic delivery. To be honest the comic relief is one of the best parts of this film. Elvis gives a typically good performance here. He is hardly given a part that allows him to show his acting chops, but he still does quite well with what he is given. Of course, his singing voice is as good as ever. I love Elvis' performance of Hard Luck, this is the bluesy side of Elvis at its best. Beginner's Luck and Please Don't Stop Loving Me are typically lovely Elvis love ballads and who cannot love hearing Elvis' voice on one of these songs.

On the other hand the story is typical Elvis fare that we are already very familiar with. It is told well but there is little to make it stand out among many similar movies. Along with the musical highlights, there are also some lackluster song choices. I don't think any of us really wanted the king of rock and roll to perform a song like Petunia the Gardener's Daughter. This song was not a fun type of cheesy that came in Elvis' early years, but rather an embarrassing type of cheesy that is simply not fun to watch or listen to at all. This is as bad of a song as ever appeared in an Elvis film.

All in all this is an enjoyable movie for fans but non-fans should start with one of Elvis' films from the 1950's.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Strays

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

An enjoyable raunchy comedy. 
 
What makes this film work is that underneath all the very crude, immature and low brow comedy, this movie has a surprisingly good heart (or not so surprisingly as many raunchy comedies do these days). Our main character Reggie is a very likable little guy. Voiced by Will Farell, he has the same type of charming naivety and innocence that Farell brought to Buddy the Elf. Of course, this naivety is used for much cruder humor here, but it brings the same likability. The friends he makes along the way, are not especially memorable as individual characters, but the relationships they have with each other are very heart warming. When it comes to being the heartwarming this movie surpasses many of the type of "feel-good" films it is parodying. This movie also gives a surprisingly intelligent look at toxic relationships and how the effect our feeling of self-worth. While I am not surprised that this film would look at this subject, I am surprised at just how well it handles this difficult subject without ever feeling out of place among all the over-the-top comedy. 

This movie is first and foremost a comedy. As such it is rather hit and miss. A lot of jokes fall flat here and a lot of it feels like it is simply trying too hard. However at the same time, there were some very funny moments that made me laugh out loud and glad I watched this film. I just wished there wasn't always so much space between the really funny gags. 

All in all, this is not a great movie by any means but if you want a few good laughs and some good heartwarming moments, it is well worth a watch. 

Cowboy Church #241

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with The Lord Is Gonna Take Good Care of You. It is easy to forget when times get tough how God is always there for us. He is always willing to take good care of us, if we just turn over all our fears and anxieties to him. Though in our flesh, what we are going through may feel too hard to bear, what is impossible for us is possible with God. 

This is followed by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with I Find Jesus. Though there may be times when it feels like Jesus is far away, he is always walking with us through all the good times and bad. If we simply seek Jesus, we will find him. 

Afterwards is George Jones with What a Friend We Have in Jesus. This hymn still has an important message for us today. When it seems like there is no one to turn to at any moment of our lives, Jesus is always there. He is always there to listen to us, no matter what. More than that though he deeply cares about every single one of us. A better friend than Jesus could never be found no matter how hard we try. What a friend we have in Jesus indeed. 

Next is Susan Raye with Softly and Tenderly. The song was written by an Ohio businessman named Will Thompson in 1880.  As well as writing gospel songs Thompson also wrote quite a few secular songs and parotic songs. When the songs he wrote were rejected by publishers he created his own company, Will L. Thompson & Company. This company would not only publish music by sell musical instruments. Softly and Tenderly first appeared in 1880's Sparkling Gems, Nos. 1 and 2, a collection of songs from the company. When evangelist Dwight L. Moody was on his death bed he told the songwriter, "Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life." This was appropriate as Will decided to make songwriting his career while at a meeting held by Moody. This recording comes from Susan's 1973 gospel album, Hymns By Susan Raye. 

Next comes the Buchanan Brothers with their 1947 recording of There's a Power Greater Than Atomic. 

Then comes Johnny Cash with Back in the Fold. If we drift away from Jesus and into sin, he is always ready to welcome us back with open arms any time we wish to return to him. 

Afterwards is The Charlie Daniels Band with Blessed Assurance.  This hymn came about when songwriter Fanny Crosby visited composer Phoebe Palmer Knapp. Knapp played a tune for Crosby and asked what came to her mind with that tune. Crosby said, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!" She then immediately followed it with more lyrics that would be in the finished song. The song was published in 1873 and first appeared in a monthly magazine for which the editors were Joseph Fairchild Knapp and Phoebe Palmer Knapp (who were husband and wife). When it later appeared in 1887's Gospel Songs, No. 5 by Ira Sankey, this we lead it to greater fame as it would be commonly sung in the revivals of Dwight L. Moody and Sankey. By 1889, the hymn commonly appeared in Methodist hymnals. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1941 recording of What Wonderful Joy. 

Now for the C.S. Lewis essay, Myth Became Fact.

Now for an episode of Gene Autry's Melody Ranch radio show, that aired on January 29, 1956.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17

 For nothing will be impossible with God. Luke 1:37

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Colossians 3:20

Honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 19:19

 Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Isaiah 35:4 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #242

 Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with a film starring UPA's most famous cartoon character, Mr. Magoo. So enjoy Madcap Magoo (1955).

Up next is the Betty Boop cartoon, Making Friends (1936). Like many of the later Betty Boop films Betty plays a supporting role in this cartoon. The real star is her little dog Pudgy, who took the lead in many films of this era. 





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 film 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 film amounts to one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons and it is appropriately in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 



Now we join our old friend Gandy Goose in The One-Man Navy (1942). 







Now it is time for a commercial break. 










Next comes a classic Disney cartoon, Mickey Down Under (1948). Though this film takes place in Australia, the cartoon opens with reused animation of the Brazilian toucans from the feature film, Saludos Amigos (1943). Though this cartoon was released as part of the Mickey Mouse series, it uses the opening theme from the Pluto cartoons in its score. Mickey even whistles this tune at the start of the film.





Now for a silent short from the Aesop's Film Fables series, Springtime (1923). This cartoon stars our good friend Farmer Alfalfa. 






Next is Woody Woodpecker in Well Oiled (1947). This short film was directed by former Disney animator Dick Lundy. While working at Disney, he was one of the studio's duck-men, a group of artists who specialized in animating Donald Duck. He would later even direct some Donald Duck cartoons. Between the Donald Duck cartoons for Disney, his various cartoons for Walter Lantz (for whom this cartoon was made) and his Barney Bear cartoons for MGM, he proved himself just as fine of a director as he was an animator. 




Let us close by singing one together. 




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 edited by Jerry Beck. 

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 

https://mediahistoryproject.org/