Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus Loves the Little Children. Jesus would state, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." There is no doubt that Jesus did love the little children and he loves us big children too. If we will humble ourselves and become like little children, the blessings he has for us are immeasurable.
This is followed by Skeeter Davis with a gospel song she wrote herself, Try Jesus. This comes from her 1973 album, The Hillbilly Singer.
Then comes Alison Krauss and Union Station with Heaven's Bright Shore. This is a 1991 performance of TV's Art Fein's Poker Party.
Next is Glen Campbell with Love Lifted Me. This song was written by James Rowe in 1912 and was based on two stories from the book of Matthew. One was asleep in the boat with the apostles during a storm. As the apostles were terrified of the storm, they couldn't understand how Jesus was so calm that he could take a nap. They wake Jesus up from his nap and Jesus simply tells the storm to stop and it does. The other story also involved the apostles, Jesus and the sea. It was about how when his eyes were fixed upon Jesus, he was able to walk on the water, but he lost the ability when his faith faltered, and he looked away. Still Jesus was a faithful friend and lifted Peter into a boat.
Afterwards is the Blackwood Brothers with their 1947 recording of On the Jerico Road. For each of us there will be tough times in our lives (though some will have tougher times than others). However, it is lucky for us that none of us have to walk through any hard time by ourselves. Jesus is there beside us comforting us through every tough time we may ever have. He will be our true friend through all of it.
Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1948 recording of 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.
Then comes Cowboy Copas with I'm Glad I'm On The Inside Looking Out.
It is hard to believe that a song like The Man Comes Around was so late in Johnny Cash's career. Most of the time singer/songwriters don't release and certainly don't write their best music in their sixth decade, but as all music fans know Johnny was one of the rare artists with such a long career, who left this world at the top of his game musically. At this time John was on fire for the lord. No longer was he the wild crazy man he had been in the 1950's and 60's, instead by this time he had become a true man of God, and wanted to do all he could for the lord before he passed away. He knew he had wasted too much of his life being controlled by sin and finally wanted to be a servant to God instead of to his own fleshly desires. At this time he was also seeing a musically resurgence, where he was more popular than ever and young audiences were embracing his new music just as much as they did any younger artist of their generation. What he wanted to do was to create a modern day gospel song that would speak directly to this younger audience and The Man Comes Around more than fit that bill. Because this song was so near and dear to him he spent more time writing it than any other song he had composed. In his book, Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Pastor Greg Laurie wrote "Personally I think it is the strongest song Johnny ever wrote. It is both biblical and personal, powerful and poetic."
Now for a sermon from Martin Luther King Jr.
Now for an episode of Roy Rogers' radio show.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
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
He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds. Psalms 147:3
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD. Proverbs 16:20
Thanks for joining me come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trailers 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 Betty Boop and Bimbo in Crazy Town (1932). This short film was part of the Talkartoons series, before Betty got her own series of cartoons.
Next comes Bugs Bunny in Bugsy and Mugsy (1957). This film was a semi-remake of the Slyvester cartoon, Stooge for a Mouse (1950). Bugsy and Mugsy would later be remade as the Dogfather cartoon, Heist and Seek (1974).
Now comes our good friends, Gandy Goose and Sourpuss in Slap Happy Hunters (1941).
Some of Disney's best and funniest cartoon shorts are those that teamed Mickey, Donald and Goofy as a comedy trio. Next up I have the second of these cartoons and the first one in color, Mickey's Fire Brigade (1935). This movie opens with the title card burning away in flames, a creative touch by effects animator Cy Young. In this short Mickey is the fire chief, a role he had played earlier in The Fire Fighters (1930). Two of the animators on this film are Bill Tytla (possibly my favorite Disney animator) and Grim Natwick, both of whom had joined the studio in 1934. They animate the majority of the scenes with Clarabella Cow. The scene where Goofy tries to take a coffee break is animated by Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman, who would later become a specialist at animating the character. Jack Kinney, who would go on to direct some of the funniest cartoons to ever come out of the Disney studio, animated Donald's struggles with flypaper and pails of water. It is common for cartoon fans to think of the old Disney shorts as being slow moving and sentimental, however that is not the case here at all. This is a fast moving and very funny film that puts a smile on my face every time. The following is from an issue of The Film Daily (dated Sept. 5, 1935), " 'Mickey's Fire Brigade,' is to have its premiere in the New York theatrical sector this evening when it opens at the Rivoli Theater with the new Samuel Goldwyn production, 'The Dark Angel.'" A review in National Board of Review Magazine stated, "Noisier and less clever than most of this series but still better than most of its kind." A review in The Film Daily states, "This is one of the liveliest and funniest of the Walt Disney cartoon creations." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "MICKEY'S FIRE BRIGADE: Mickey Mouse—One of the best of the Mickey Mouse series. Running time, eight minutes.—M. H. Harrington, Avalon Theatre, Clatskanie, Ore. Small Town and Rural Patronage."
Now it is time for a commercial break.
When you think of a silent era cartoon character that would be revived in the TV era with some brand-new cartoons, Felix the Cat will probably be the character who comes to mind. However, he is not the only silent era character to have new adventures for TV. Koko the Clown would have his own series of TV cartoons as well. Here is a delightful example of one of these cartoons, East Side West Side (1962). As well as borrowing from the Fleischer Out of the Inkwell films, this cartoon also borrows from the Fleischer Screen Songs shorts.
Winsor McCay is easily one of the most important, and most talented pioneers of animation. Contrary to some stories you might hear though he is not the first filmmaker to use animation (Emil Cohl, J. Stuart Blackton, Charles-Émile Reynaud, and Segundo de Chomón beat him to it). However, his importance to the history of animation cannot be underestimated. Winsor McCay had already enjoyed much success before entering the field of animation, as creator and writer of the newspaper comic strips, Little Nemo in Slumberland, and Dreams of a Rarebit Fiend. These comic strips were the highlight of the comics page back then. They transcended what comic strips had been known for through their abundance of imagination, and expert drawing style. It is only natural for a man who created this to be attracted to the art form of animation. His first film was Little Nemo (1911) based off his own comic strip. This film starts out in live action with McCay betting he can make drawings move (although he incorrectly credits himself as the first to do this), and his friends respond with laughter and disbelief. The live action segment of this film is very clever, and humorous. The highlight of the live action portion though is seeing McCay draw his characters before the animation starts. This is when you know you are watching a great talent at work. The animation segment itself is very well done and entertaining, but it is a little dated. It is obvious he had not yet figured out what to do with animation, and that leads to a lack of understanding our characters, and therefore a lack of personal involvement. However this animation is expertly done. It is very appealing and still looks very good by today's standards. This entire segment was hand-drawn by one man, Winsor McCay himself. He drew four-thousand drawings all by himself for this one short segment of the film. The early color was achieved by hand painting the 35mm film itself after it was complete. this was also done only by McCay.
Today's cartoon selection ends with an episode of TV's The Looney Tunes Show, Muh-Muh-Muh-Murder (2012).
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
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by David Gerstein and J.B. Kaufman
This movie marks the first American film from French animator and director, Benjamin Renner (one of the co-directors of Ernest & Celestine). Here he brings much of the same charm that makes his French films so special. Like those movies, this is a warm-hearted film that truly cares about its characters. Over the course of the film, we grow to care about them as well. With our main duck family, each one has their own well thought out personality. While they do conform to certain stereotypes (the overprotective father, the seemingly eternally optimistic mother, the sweetest and cutest little duckling you ever saw, the son who wants to prove himself to his father, the goofy uncle), they are not simply defined by these stereotypes. There is more to their personalities than the simple one note characters they could have been in lesser hands. There even times when they defy the simple stereotypes they could have been. Not only are each of these characters likable as individuals but they work perfectly as a group. You believe the relationships between each one of them and there is never a moment when they don't feel like a real family. Each one has a slightly different relationship with each member of their family. This goes a long way to making these characters feel very real to us.
The storyline itself is simple, but like in many of the great family movies, there is a certain charm to this simplicity. I also enjoyed how even with this simplicity; this movie felt like taking an adventure with these characters. This feeling is enhanced by the number of places our heroes travel to and the number of characters they meet along the way. It is also enhanced by the wonderful artwork throughout this film. With this and The Super Mario Brothers Movie, it is obvious that the Illumination studio is stepping up their visual game. The humor is often quite good and at times even laugh out loud funny (I love the ending gag). Even the gags that didn't make me laugh out loud made me smile.
This film does have its flaws though. One is that there is a very weak villain here. He never feels either as fun or threatening as he should be. He also comes off the one-dimensional stereotype that our heroes avoided being. Another flaw though is that there are many story points that are overly familiar and we never have any doubt about where the story is going.
This movie is proceeded by a fun little short film starring the Minions called Mooned.
An extremely overlong but emotionally effective film from India.
For a film that deals with such a heavy topic as illegal immigration, surprisingly the strongest part of this movie is the romance. The romance here is very well flushed out and quite heartfelt. We truly care about these characters and want to see them get together. This results in some very emotional scenes. Because of this even the most melodramatic scenes are emotionally effective. Because this movie focuses on giving us an emotional connection to our characters, this makes its message all the more effective. There is no way to get an audience to care about a movie's message than giving us an emotional connection to it. While some of the speeches can get a little heavy handed, the movie's heart is always in the right place. It never talks down to you, but instead talks to you in an open and honest way. Though there aren't a lot of song numbers here, each one works very well and fits the story perfectly.
The main problem with this movie is overlength. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, if it was an hour shorter it wouldn't lose much. This is especially a problem as the film can really drag early on. The tonal shifts here also do not always work, but sometimes feel quite forced. Also much of the comedy simply falls flat.
This isn't a bad movie, but it could have been much better.
This is the third segment of the first episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends teaming up with a special DC Comics guest star.
This is a really fun superhero adventure.
In this cartoon, an underground civilization (known as the Earthors) needs bedrock to survive and endanger the upper world in order to get it.
The Earthors are very good villains. Their designs and their voices are a lot of fun. Not only this but they truly feel like a threat to our heroes. They also work because their intentions make sense to us but this does not excuse their actions. The design of the mechanical creature they create is also wonderfully designed and a heck of a lot of fun. When his completed design is finally shown it is a nice and fun surprise. The underground setting allows for a very atmospheric feel that works perfectly. This again allows for some wonderful looking background art. This background art is wonderful to look at and incredibly detailed. This episode also has a good sense of suspense and having the Wonder Twins captured raises the stakes perfectly. Though they are very toned down (as most action Super Friends action scenes where in this period), the action scenes are still quite a bit of fun, especially the climatic one. The conclusion to this episode is very well done, giving us a good message without it feeling forced.
This is the second segment of the first episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends teaming up with a special DC Comics guest star.
In this short segment, two teenagers steal a plane and take it for a joy ride. The Wonder Twins go to rescue them.
I admit to not being the biggest fan of these Wonder Twins segments and this short perfectly shows why. This cartoon doesn't really work as a super hero story but instead feels simply like a didactic morality play for very young kids. The fact that the teenagers are just pure stereotypes that simply seem to exist for the reason of driving home the message. The dialogue simply feels like a lecture. Worst of all though is that this morality play is not really entertaining in any way.
Most of these Wonder Twins segments can be skipped and this is no exception,
An excellent musical adaption of Alice Walker's 1982 novel.
This is a film that's heart is always in the right place. There is no doubt that the filmmakers and performers felt an emotional connection to the source material, and this can be felt through the whole film. There are moments here that will make you have to fight back the tears. The ending scene is especially very emotional. The reason for the pure emotion here is that we grow to love and care about these characters. This is especially true of our main character. Fantasia Barrino's performance as Celie is simply incredible. This performance brings a strong amount of humanity to this movie, and it is near impossible for our hearts not to ache for her every time we see her. She has played this role on stage and there is no doubt that over the course of playing this character, she has grown a strong emotional bond that you can feel every second. There are many tragic figures in film history that simply rely on the fact that we automatically hate to see anyone go through such pain for empathy rather than having us form an emotional bond. That could never be said of Celie here. Even the supporting characters are 3 dimensional here. While her abusing husband is far from a likable character for most of the film, there is more to him than simply being a stereotype. There is a certain tragedy to this character, yet this tragedy is never used to excuse any of his horrible actions. It makes us understand and relate to this character, while still not playing down how horrible his actions truly are.
While it may seem strange to make such a tragic story into a musical in 2005, inspired by the 1982 novel and Steven Spielberg's 1985 film, this story was made into a Broadway musical. This new movie is based off that Broadway musical and the songs play a major role in this film. Luckily most of the songs are fantastic. The songs (most written by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray) skillfully blend R&B, blues, gospel and showtunes to make a simply wonderful musical experience. It doesn't hurt that pretty much every member of the cast has a wonderful singing voice that is shown perfectly here. The musical numbers are just as great to watch as they are to listen to. Director Blitz Bazawule, has also worked as a rapper, songwriter and a record producer. Obviously, he has a strong connection to music. So, it should come as no surprise that he is able to make music come alive in a truly cinematic way. The pure infectious energy on the screen during the livelier musical numbers is fantastic. I do admit that there are a few songs, that aren't that memorable and the transitions to song numbers aren't always perfect. But considering how great most of these musical scenes are these are minor quibbles.
Despite its 140-minute length, parts of the story can still feel rushed. The character of Sophia has a subplot that should be very emotional. However, it is never given the time it needs so that it can be fully fleshed out. While I know that she is not the main character of the movie, this part left me feeling like I was missing something.
All and all though, this is an excellent film that I highly recommend.
A very intelligent and entertaining fairy tale for adults.
Though certain parts of the story may recall Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, the movie as a whole seems more reminiscent of a fairy tale. It can especially resemble the Pinocchio type of fairy tale, where someone who has just come into the world goes on a big adventure and learns about life and who they are in the process. Like these fairy tales, this film has many important and deeper messages about life and the world hidden beneath its seemingly simple story. This movie takes a deep look at such heavy topics as class distinction, philosophy, gender politics, the pointlessness of societal norms and sexual freedom. At no time though does this film come off as preachy or like it is trying to bite off more than it can chew. These weighty topics are also met with a healthy dose of humor. The humor can get weird and bizarre, as well as dark and sexual. However, the humor is incredibly funny. Off the top of my head, I can hardly think of one comedic moment that fell flat for me. Most every comedic moment made me laugh out loud (the packed audience seeing with me laughed just as much). This is the type of truly over the top and often silly humor, that is becoming too rare today and I love it. Yet many of these comedic moments also held something quite observant and intelligent behind them. Yet as over the top as the humor gets, the movie knows when it needs to be serious as there are some very beautiful and emotional moments with no comedy at all.
The real heart of this film though comes through comes from our main character. What makes this movie so effective is that we see and experience everything through her eyes. We experience all the awe and wonder that she sees through her newly born eyes. While a lot of the comedy comes from her newborn naivete, the character herself never becomes a joke. Also, even if she is naive, there are also plenty of moments that show that she is also incredibly intelligent. We also see how beautiful of a heart this character truly has and as the film goes on, we truly care about her. This makes it so no matter how weird and strange this film can get; it always has a strong emotional heart. Emma Stone is simply wonderful in this role and completely loses herself in this character. This may be one of the finest performances of her movie career.
This film is also a pure visual wonder. This film creates a fantasy world all of its own. While it takes visual cues from various other fantasy movies, it doesn't copy any of them. The larger-than-life sets, the incredibly colorful skies (that are all sorts of different colors) and the alternating use of black and white and color, all work together to make this one of the great visual treats of the year.
Hello my friends and merry Christmas Eve and welcome to a special Christmas Eve service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with a medley of Remember Whose Birthday It Is and Happy Birthday Gentle Savior. Though there is nothing wrong with Christmas movies, family, Santa Claus or any of the other traditions that have become a major part of Christmas, this holiday is still first and foremost a celebration of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.
This is followed by Johnny Cash with Joy to the World. This hymn started off as a poem by Issaac Watts in 1719. He never intended this to be either a song or associated with Christmas. It in fact would not become a song until a century later when a Boston music teacher, Lowell Mason would discover it and put it to music. Over time it would become more and more associated with Christmas until it would become one of the most famous Christmas carols.
Next is Martha Mears and The Sons of the Pioneers with a 1944 radio performance of Jingle Bells. James Lord Pierpont wrote this song in 1857. Despite being known as a Christmas song today, it was originally written with a different holiday in mind. Under its original title, One Horse Open Sleigh this song was written to be used in a Thanksgiving service at a Church where Pierpont was the organist. The song was so well received that it played again at the Church on Christmas day. For a song written to be performed at a Church, the original lyrics were racier than one would think and would be changed so that children's church choirs can perform the song.
Afterwards is Grandpa Jones with his 1969 recording of The Christmas Guest. I hope that this year, the Lord will be the Christmas guest for each of you and that you greet him the same way Conrad does.
Then comes Ralph Stanley with Christmas Praise.
For a special Christmas Eve treat, this post includes Gene Autry with three of the classic Christmas songs, he made popular, Here Comes Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
That will be followed by Ray Price with Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This hymn was written by Charles Wesley. Wesley stated that what he hoped to achieve through his hymns was to teach sound doctrine to the poor an illiterate, who may not be able to read the Bible for themselves. His brother John Wesley, who was a famous theologian and one of the founders of Methodism, stated that Charles' hymnal was the best book on Theology there was out there. Charles wrote the words to this hymn as he heard the church bells ringing on his way to church on Christmas Day. He intended this to be a poem that would be read in Church on Christmas Day. This poem first appeared in print in 1739 in Hymns and Sacred Poems. In 1753 George Whitefield, put these words to the music we know today. Whitefield also added the term “newborn king.”
This is followed by one of my Christmas favorites, Waylon Jennings' version of Away in a Manger. Waylon's voice fits this hymn so perfectly and there is no other version of this song that quite matches the power of this one. Away in a Manger has also been called Luther’s Cradle Hymn. The reason for this is that it was once believed to be written for Martin Luther, who would have sung it to his children. This proved to be false. It was in fact written for a collection that was meant to celebrate Luther's 400th anniversary. Some think that this rumor was started to help sell the song. It is unknow who actually wrote this hymn. Of course, with Christmas carols it is impossible to count or keep track of how many singers sang these classic songs. Despite this I can tell you with complete certainty, no one sings Away in a Manger better than Waylon Jennings.
Today's musical selection ends with The Charlie Daniels Band with Mississippi Christmas Eve from his 1990 Christmas album, Christmas Time Down South.
Now for a special Christmas Eve message from Billy Graham.
Now for an appropriate Christmas episode of Roy Rogers' radio show.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:1-20
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Merry Christmas and happy trails to you until we meet again.
While this made for TV movie is not a top-tier Muppet movie, it is still a good film.
This film takes a note from Its a Wonderful Life (1946). When Fozzie loses the money needed to keep The Muppet Theater going, Kermit falls into a strong depression feeling that he ruined the other Muppets lives by making them believe in his dream as well. When an angel comes to visit him, Kermit says he wishes he had never been born and then the angel decides to use this to show him, what the world would be like if he wasn't.
One of the best things about any Muppet movie is how well they mix wacky zany humor with a warm heart and natural sentimentality. It is during the heartfelt scenes where this movie really shines. Though the story is in many ways a parody of another Christmas movie, it is still quite heartfelt. To see Kermit of all characters pushed to the point where he can no longer believe in dreams makes us simply want to give our favorite frog a big hug. No matter how silly this movie gets, it still explores this heartfelt idea to its fullest. The whole section where Kermit sees how the world would be without him is very heartfelt. One of the best scenes in this film is Kermit and Gonzo’s song together which is simply lovely. The scene with Miss Piggy if there was no Kermit is both heartfelt and funny at the same time,
The humor in this movie can be a bit hit and miss. The comedy falls flat when it focuses too heavily on pop culture references. Parodying Moulin Rouge! (2001) and The Grinch (2000) make it feel like this film is trying too hard. It doesn’t help that these parodies aren’t really that funny. The comedy simply relies too much on simply the audience recognizing what the movie is referencing and too little on funny gags. Scenes that reference TV shows like Scrubs and Fear Factor, simply feel like NBC (which this made for TV movie originally played on) advertising itself. However I will admit a reference to The Muppet Movie did really make me laugh. The scenes involving Whoopi Goldberg as a God-like character, are also never as funny as they should be. The best comedy came from the characters and simple slapstick gags. Gonzo’s eccentricities, Piggy’s temper, Pepe’s innuendos and Fozzie’s clumsiness all ad some delightful comedic moments. Statler and Waldorf get some of the comedic lines in this movie. Also little slapstick gags like Robin getting his younger stuck on a pole definitely made me laugh.
Even at less than an hour and a half (without commercials) this movie feels longer than it needs to be and a little stretched out at times.
While this isn’t on par with the best Muppet movies, it is still a delightful watch around Christmas time.
Happy Saturday morning my friends and welcome back for some more classic cartoons.
Possibly the best of the Fleischer Brothers' Color Classics cartoons and a must watch for me every Christmas season is Christmas Comes but Once a Year (1936). As well as a really catchy title song and some fun gags, this cartoon has a warm Christmas-y feel. Unlike some of the studio's other attempts at sentimentality, this film never feels forced in this respect. Instead, the sentimentality feels genuine and earned. Though most of the Color Classics featured one off characters, this short stars Grampy from the Betty Boop cartoons. Grampy was one of the best things about the later Betty Boop films and he definitely gets to shine here. The title song in this short movie would later be reused in the Popeye cartoon, Let's Celebrake (1938) with the lyrics changed to be about New Years instead. Some of Grampy's household toy ideas would later be used in the Casper cartoon, True Boo (1952).
Disney cartoons have long been associated with sentimentality and cuteness. Yet this wasn't always the case. The early black and white Mickey Mouse films were mostly pretty much the opposite. They focused purely on the gags and jokes and with keeping the comic momentum going. A perfect example of this is Mickey's Orphans (1931). This movie has all the makings for a sentimental cartoon. It takes place at Christmas time and the involves Mickey adopting a bunch of orphans. Yet all of this is played strictly for laughs and some of the kids can be a little sadistic. A review in the Motion Picture Herald stated, "The youngsters will get a real kick out of this short, and the oldsters will extract a bit of enjoyment." A review in The Film Daily gave the same sentiment stating, "It will delight all children and get many a laugh from their elders." An issue of The Film Daily (Dated February 7, 1932) stated "In addition to El Brendel in person this week's show at the Roxy is a special treat for the kids. The presentation includes four scenes based on 'Mickey's Orphans,' the Mickey Mouse cartoon that was held over for three weeks at this house. The characters of Mickey and Minnie are portrayed by the Arnaut Brothers, popular pantomimists. Patricia Bowman, Fred Waring's orchestra in a novelty entitled 'Dancing Melodies,' and the Roxyettes also are part of the proceedings. In the Mickey scenes, the Roxyettes and ballet group are made up to represent kittens, musical notes and animated furnishings in Minnie's boudoir." This cartoon was reissued to theatres in 1934.
Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?
Now comes a Famous Studios Screen Song cartoon, Toys Will Be Toys (1949). Look for a cameo by one of the studio's biggest stars, Popeye the Sailor, as well as the old Fleischer Studios character, Koko the Clown.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for a musical break.
Next is one of my favorite Christmas cartoons of all time, Mickey's Good Deed (1932). This film was from 1932, at this time, Mickey was at the absolute height of his popularity. He was famous in a way that no cartoon character before had ever been. Critics often compared his popularity to that of Charlie Chaplin's little tramp, and like that character Mickey had fans of all types. He was equally popular with intellectuals and small children. In fact, this same year Walt Disney would receive a special Academy Award for creating Mickey. Renowned Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein (best known for his silent film The Battleship Potemkin (1925)) was a huge fan and even wrote essays on Walt Disney, that discussed the brilliance of Mickey Mouse cartoons (He would remain a huge Disney fan and even later call Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) the single greatest film ever made). Almost every other American cartoon studio was copying what Disney had done with Mickey Mouse. Characters like Foxy (at Warner Brothers) and Cubby Bear (at Van Beuren) were extremely thinly disguised copies of Mickey himself. In fact, in 1931, the Van Beuren studio was sued by Walt for using two mice characters that looked exactly like Mickey and Minnie. There was no doubt, Mickey was movie royalty. Mickey did for animated comedies, exactly what Charlie Chaplin's little tramp had done for live action comedies. Like the comedy films made before Chaplin, the animated comedies before Mickey were often very funny, but you very rarely felt any other emotional response to what was happening on screen. Mickey changed all that and nowhere was it clearer than in Mickey's Good Deed. You may notice that this doesn't sound like your typical cartoon short of the era, and my point is it isn't. This film while not sacrificing the slapstick comedy, also adds a lot of drama to the story itself. However, the Disney studio understood exactly what Chaplin had found out earlier. If the comedy and the drama are both driven by the story and characters, they can both easily co-exist. This idea is done to absolute perfection in this cartoon. This is a beautiful and moving film, while it never forsakes the comedy. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Right up there with the best of these animated cartoons. Subject has a special holiday flavor in that it shows how Mickey and his dog manage to bring cheer into a big family of needy animal folks. Clever and lively as usual." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "Mickey's Good Deed: Mickey Mouse - Christmas cartoon. Kids like Mickey. That's why they come. One Mickey Mouse cartoon on your Saturday's program brings the kiddies out to the matinee. Running time, eight minutes. - Edmund M. Burke. Fort Plain Theatre, Fort Plain, N.Y. General Patronage."
Today's cartoon selection ends with one of the loveliest Christmas TV specials of all time, The Snowman (1982).
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
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
The Disney Villain by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnson
Disney by Sergei Eisenstein
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by David Gerstein and J.B. Kaufman
While it is definitely flawed, this is still a very fun superhero adventure.
This film was not planned to be the last entry into the DCEU and this shows. However, while those who were hoping to see these movies go out with a big bang may be disappointed, but those who just want a fun superhero adventure will enjoy themselves. What really makes this movie work though is the relationship between Aquaman and his brother. The moments between these characters are definitely the film's highlights. Much of this comes from the great chemistry between Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson. The banter between them is a lot of funny and provides the film with its best comedic moments. Not only does this provide the movie with its most fun moments, but it also provides its most heartfelt moments. This movie delves into this relationship in a way that the previous one didn't and there is something heartwarming about even this very dysfunctional brother and brother relationship. This is where the heart of the movie really comes from, and it gives you an emotional connection to all the action scenes. Speaking of the action scenes they are a lot of fun here. As should be expected from director James Wan, these are larger than life action scenes that are excellently choregraphed and exciting. The story is fairly basic but fun. I love how the story is not ashamed of its comic book roots and embraces the corny silly fun of an old school comic book.
I mostly liked Black Manta as the villain. He felt like a major threat and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II did a wonderful job playing him. However, it felt like we only scratched the surface of this character and never got to really know him. While fully delving into the villains truly are can be done better in a series of comic books than two movies, I still think they could have dug a little deeper than this. That doesn't stop him from being a fun villain. The evil forces that were taking over him, were surpassingly quite creepy and brought a bit of a darker atmosphere to this mostly silly lighthearted film. These scenes made the stakes seem bigger and added some good suspense, while still not taking away from the lighthearted fun.
While this movie does have some truly funny moments, unfortunately there are more jokes that fall flat than work. The entire climax of this film also feels incredibly rushed, and the last big fight scene is over much too soon. This simply felt underwhelming with the big build up to it. There are also too many moments where the CGI was much too obvious.
While this may not be the most satisfying conclusion to the DCEU, it is definitely a fun movie.
This is the first segment of the first episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends teaming up with a special DC Comics guest star.
In this opening cartoon, an evil scientist named Doctor Cranum creates a machine that can enhance someone's mental capacities. After using this machine on himself he becomes an advanced man of the future, whose superior intellect even gives him telekinetic and telepathic abilities. He gets his idea to use to his machine to turn the whole world into a race like him.
This is a really fun episode. It is pure delightfully corny superhero fun. Doctor Cranum is a very fun villain. I like that though he is very clearly in the wrong he views himself as benevolent and kind in this situation. His design after using the machine on himself is a lot of fun. It may not be especially original but it is a fun design that works very well. Also wonderful (pun intended) is the design of Wonder Woman after she is transformed by the machine. The way the villain uses his powers is also a lot of fun and leads to some imaginative and fun action scenes. Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman are also very well used here.
So remember kids, "no one can force his will on others, no matter how good his intentions may be."
This Willy Wonka prequel is better than it has any right to be.
The idea of a prequel to Willy Wonka is not one that immediately appealed to me as I didn't feel like the character needed any backstory. However just like he did with his wonderful Paddington films director/writer Paul King made a believer out of me. He (and co-writer Simon Farnaby (who co-wrote Paddington 2 (2017) with King)) brings the same incredible charm to this movie. The magic of this movie is that it makes adults watching feel like kids again. This film is full of a real sense of innocence, imagination and unflinching optimism. As we see the pure imagination (yes that was intentional) and childlike wonder in all that Willy Wonka creates, it simply brings you back to a childlike belief in magic and the ability to see wonder in the thing grown-ups take for granted. True it often delves into sentimentality, but it does so in such an unapologetic in gleeful way that this sentimentality becomes one of the film's greatest charms. This is especially true as we grow to care deeply about these characters and want nothing more than to watch all their dreams come true. Whenever things seem to be working out well for them, we truly feel a real sense of joy.
Though he has big shoes to fill Timothée Chalamet is truly incredibly as Willy Wonka. There is such an incredible childlike quality to his performance that always feels completely natural. He also captures the pure showmanship that any Willy Wonka should have, as he has an incredible amount of charisma. This is especially shown during the song numbers. While these new songs (by Neil Hannon (of the Irish pop band, The Devine Comedy)) range from great to well less than great, Timothée Chalamet sells each one perfectly with his performance of them. When the songs are good, he makes them even better. When the songs are less good, he still makes them work. Though his performance is obviously inspired by Gene Wilder's take on the character, he never copies Wilder and instead brings his own take on the character to the role as well.
At the start of this film, it seemed like the humor was going to be a big fault. Some of the early comedic bits didn't quite work for me. However, the humor here got better very soon. Not only did the film become actually funny, but it even made me (and the audience in the theater with me) laugh out loud. Not only this but it made me laugh very often. I did not expect to laugh much coming into this movie (and some of the early comedic moments seemed to reinforce this), so this was a very pleasant surprise.
This is a pure delight of a movie and is much better than I had any right to expect.
This romance from Finland is easily my favorite movie of the year.
Aki Kaurismäki is one of the rare filmmakers of today, who has an immediately recognizable style. If you are familiar with his films, there is no mistaking one for anyone else's. While his unique style may not appeal to everyone, I find myself becoming a bigger fan with each new film of his I watch. This is honestly one of his best movies. Here the writer/director takes what could be a simple average romance movie and turns it into something truly beautiful. Though (like in most of Kaurismäki's films) there is little emotion shown in the characters' faces or voices, we immediately connect strongly to these characters and fell for them. The main couple are two individuals who go in and out of various dead-end jobs and except for one close friend each are isolated and alone in this world. Aki Kaurismäki's signature deadpan style and often limited uses of dialogue work perfectly to convey the monotony of their jobs. You can feel them emotionlessly just going through the motions in any of the scenes involving them at work (something that is even seen in background characters at their jobs). This may seem like something little and inconsequential, but it is very important. This makes us feel deeply for these characters and want them to find happiness with each other. Sometimes heartbreaks in a movie may come from some major plot point, but in real life sometimes the greatest unhappiness comes from simply accepting a joyless life and it is this that the movie captures so well.
All this may make this film simply seem like a depressing dirge of a movie, but the truth is that it is anything but. The movie may be presented in a rather deadpan fashion, but it does follow many romantic comedy conventions. Because of this as well as the scenes that explore what it seems like for our lives to hit a dead end, the movie also does a wonderful job of showing how the romance between the main characters brings a little joy and light into their lives. There is always a glimmer of hope throughout this film. Sometimes this hope is very well hidden and sometimes it is right up front. This may not be your typical feel-good movie, but it does make you appreciate certain things even more as you leave. It doesn't show that life is easy or everything that makes you feel like you are going through the motions will disappear. However, it does mean that you can find happiness elsewhere and outside of your dead-end job (or whatever you feel is keeping you down). This message can be just as beautiful as the more typical "follow your dreams and they will come true" message that many movies give you. This movie is also full of the type of deadpan humor that film buffs have come to associate with Aki Kaurismäki. Even the saddest scenes are often times accompanied by this wonderful deadpan humor. Even as a fan of the director I was amazed at just how much I laughed out loud watching this movie. The comedy is not very broad, and it can often times be quite subtle but that doesn't make it any less funny. I wasn't the only one laughing as most everyone in the theater with me laughed out loud quite a bit.
This movie is a pure triumph and once again proves that Aki Kaurismäki is one of today's best auteurs.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers with Let There Be Peace on Earth. This recording comes from his and his wife, Dale Evans' 1967 Christmas album, Christmas Is Always.
This is followed by Carly Pearce with her 2021 recording of Mary, Did You Know. This song's creation began in 1970 when the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. They planned to put on a Broadway-style Christmas show that was known as The Living Christmas Tree. This play would be different every single year. For the 1984 production Dr. Jerry Falwell asked Dr. Jerry Falwell, one of the church's members Mark Lowry to write that year's production. Yet he had a trouble thinking of anything that would capture the sense of awe and wonder of the first Christmas. When his mother started talking about Jesus' mother Mary in a causal conversation, he started to have many thoughts about what must have gone through Mary's mind during Jesus' life and ministry. From this the words of this song poured out. However, it wasn't until 7 years later that the music we know, and love came to be. Lowry gave the lyrics to his friend and gospel songwriter Buddy Greene. Not long afterwards Buddy Greene called Lowry and played the music for him, which Lowry thought was perfect for the lyrics. By this time Lowry was a member of The Gaither Vocal Band. He felt that the song was not right for his voice, so he gave it to his friend Michael English. The song first appeared on English's 1992 debut album and become a true hit.
Then comes The Blue Sky Boys with their 1938 recording of Old-Fashioned Way.
Next is Johnny Cash with Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This hymn was written by Charles Wesley. Wesley stated that what he hoped to achieve through his hymns was to teach sound doctrine to the poor an illiterate, who may not be able to read the Bible for themselves. His brother John Wesley, who was a famous theologian and one of the founders of Methodism, stated that Charles' hymnal was the best book on Theology there was out there. Charles wrote the words to this hymn as he heard the church bells ringing on his way to church on Christmas Day. He intended this to be a poem that would be read in Church on Christmas Day. This poem first appeared in print in 1739 in Hymns and Sacred Poems. In 1753 George Whitefield, put these words to the music we know today. Whitefield also added the term “newborn king.”
Now for Gene Autry with The Night Before Christmas (In Texas, That Is).
Afterwards is Marty Robbins with O Little Town of Bethlehem. The lyrics to this hymn were written by Phillips Brooks in 1865. He wrote the words this hymn after taking a group of Sunday school children on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem. The music was written by Louis H. Redner, the church organist. There was originally another verse to this hymn, "Where children pure and happy pray to the blessed Child. Where misery cries out to thee, son of the undefiled; where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door, the dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more." However, Redner objected to the words "son of the undefiled." Brooks briefly changed the line to "son of mother mild" before dropping the verse all together. This hymn appeared on a small leaflet in 1868 and in The Sunday School Hymnal in 1871.
Now for the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937recording of Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. This hymn began with a man named Anthony Showalter. As a fan of gospel music and an elder in a Presbyterian church, he held many "singing schools" at various churches in the south. One day he received two letters from former students who were struggling after their wives had passed. To respond to these letters, Showalter consulted scripture. He came across Deuteronomy 33:27, "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." After reading this verse lyrics for a song chorus went through his head and he wrote down, "“Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.” After using this in the letters to his former students he sent this chorus to his friend hymnist, Elisha Hoffman. In the letter he also wrote, “Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27, but I can’t come up with the verses.” Hoffman then wrote the rest of the lyrics to which Showalter put to music. The hymn was published in 1887.
Today's music selection ends with Tex Ritter's 1945 recording of Christmas Carols by the Old Corral.
Now for a 1946 Christmas episode of Gene Autry's radio show.
Now for a Christmas message from Billy Graham.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known;
in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers. The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped at the flash of your glittering spear. You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. You went out for the salvation of your people,
for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked,
laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors,
who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places. Habakkuk 3:1-19
Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
In this film, two young boys sing, "Who's the monster?" The answer is actually no character in this movie. This film starts with what is seemingly a very simple story. One with clear cut characters we can root for or root against. However we soon learn that we cannot trust or first impressions about anybody. This is enhanced when we learn that this film will be told in a Rashomon (1950) style. This is to say we see this same story from three different perspectives. This is done masterfully here. Each perspective gives us more information than we previously had. Because of this Each telling of the story completely changes How we view each character and each plot point. Yet this is done in a way that is for the most part very easy to follow. There may be a few plot points, you might miss, but you will understand everything you need to so that you will be invested in the film. Also unlike some movies that have tried the same thing, this film never once feels repetitive but instead every moment brings something new to the table. The way this story is told also helps to make you stop and think about how little we may actually know or understand about things that are happening right in front of us. It also drives home the fact that we never truly know or understand someone else's perspective even when we are both together through a hard time. Because of this the film might have us leave trying to see something that happened in our own lives through someone else's eyes and how no two people perceive the same thing in the same way. Also because of this idea, this is truly an unpredictable film, that constantly leaves you surpised at each plot twist. Though this is not a typical mystery or suspense film, it keeps you guessing and glued to your seat the same way as the best of those movies. The movie also benefits from complex characters and wonderful acting performances that truly make everything we see feel real.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a real Christmas classic, the Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, The Night Before Christmas (1933). Though the Silly Symphonies were mostly one-off shorts, the occasional sequel could happen (with the Three Little Pigs sequels being the most well-known). The Night Before Christmas is a follow up to the often better remembered Santa's Workshop (1932). Yet as much as I love Santa's Workshop, I love this sequel even more. It could be argued that this film picks up where the previous one left off, as the last one ends with Santa leaving the North Pole for his trip and this cartoon has him visiting houses. Like all Disney films of this era, this cartoon features an incredible cast of animators. A crew lead by Ben Sharpsteen (who would later be supervising director for the Disney feature films, Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941)) that included Ugo D'Orsi, Ed Smith, Leonard Sebring, Joe D'Igalo, Tom McKimson (brother of Looney Tunes director Robert McKimson), Archie Robin and Roy Williams (the big Mossekateer on The Mickey Mouse Club) animated the tree being decorated, various of the toys and the opening scenes with the children. Louie Schimdt animated Santa and his Reindeer outside the house and the children running out of the bedroom. Ham Luske animated Santa going down the chimney and coming out of the fireplace. Bob Wickersham animates the toy band. Ed Love, who would later work on Tex Avery's MGM cartoons and many of Hanna-Barbera's TV cartoons, animates a long shot of the toys at the base of the tree. Dick Huemer, best known for his work at the Fleischer studio, Santa at the toy piano. Les Clark, one of Walt's Nine Old Men and one of the best Mickey Mouse animators of all time, animated Junior and his present. George Drake animates the doll with the xylophone. Hardie Gramatky animates the children around the Christmas tree. For all four years of the original Mickey Mouse Club, this would be the Mousekartoon on the last new episode to be aired before Christmas. The following is a brief article from The Film Daily (dated December 28, 1933), "In conjunction with the showing of Walt Disney's Silly Symphony, 'The Night Before Christmas,' The Radio City Music Hall is exhibiting six original Walt Disney drawings used in the production of this picture. The short, a united Artists release, will be held over a second week." A review of the cartoon in The Film Daily called The Night Before Christmas "... one of Walt Disney's best cartoons." Not everyone was so impressed as evidenced by the following exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE: Silly Symphony—These Silly Symphonies arc okay, but not worth difference in rental United Artists asks for them.-P. G. Held, New Strand Theatre, Griswold, Iowa. General patronage."
Next comes the Fleischer Brothers' Stone Age cartoon, Granite Hotel (1940).
/
Now for a silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, Day by Day in Every Way (1923). This short film features our good friend, Farmer Alfalfa. Paul Terry, who gave us this cartoon, would later take this character with him when he created his Terry Toons studio.
My favorite Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoon is True Boo (1952). This film puts a lot of delightful Christmas spirit in with its traditional Casper story. The gags where Casper uses everyday objects to make toys, heavily borrows from the Max Fleischer Color Classic, Christmas Comes But Once a Year (1936).
Broadcasting, 1962
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes a wonderful World War 2 era, Daffy Duck cartoon, Daffy the Commando (1943). The ending of this short film is a classic gag. However, this whole film is a lot of fun. The "is that you Mert" line is taken from the Fibber McGee and Molly radio show. If you are interested in checking out old radio shows, I highly recommend that comedy series, it is a delight.
Now for a truly lovely British animated short film, The Candlemaker (1957). This film is very simple but also quite touching and heartfelt. The design work here is simply wonderful to look at and complements this tender story perfectly.
Today's cartoon selection ends with a Christmas TV special, that I think definitely deserves more attention than it often gets, A Garfield Christmas Special (1987). I simply love this special.
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 Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman.
