This film tells the story of a man who in 1977 Brazil goes back to his hometown of Recife only to discover that it has changed for the worse, turning him into a political refuge.
As this movie starts, we are quite unsure of who this character is as well as his past. Yet the opening sequence sets up a real sense of dread. We open with our main character pulling into a gas station where a dead body is lying outside because the cops haven't come around to pick it up yet (though it has been there for days). When we see the cops finally come, they do nothing about the dead body but instead search the car of our main character, despite his various objections. This is a perfect opening. It tells us little of anything, yet it pulls us in and intrigues us automatically. This is an opening scene that will stay with me for a good while. The film slowly reveals what is going on, a little at a time. This type of storytelling can be dangerous because it can either come off as intriguing or boring. However here it works perfectly. That is because the excellent filmmaking and well written script make it incredibly compelling, even before we fully figure out what is going on. The whole film is fully of beautiful looking shots and very intelligent dialogue. The musical score is also excellent and lends much to the sense of atmosphere. Meanwhile each reveal is fully worth waiting for as each one is very smart and makes what came before even more effective. The movie also gets more intense as it goes along with a climax that is very exciting and disturbing.
I am keeping this review short as to not give away too much. However, I give it my highest recommendation.
Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins Bugs Bunny in Super Rabbit (1943). The ending of this short film resulted in the U.S.M.C. acknowledging Bugs Bunny as an honorary marine with the title honorary Marine Master Sergeant Bugs Bunny. The following is an exhibitor's review from the Motion Picture Hearld, "SUPER RABBIT: Merrie Melodies Cartoons - One of the best Merrie Melodies. The kids sure like cartoons of this kind. I run one every Sunday and believe they draw the kids better than the feature. - Victor E. Dahl, Fayette Theatre, Fayette, Iowa."
Next comes the Terry Toons cartoon, The Mechanical Bird (1952). This lovely short film is an adaption of the 1843 Hans Christian Anderson short story, The Nightingale. While it doesn't fully capture the charm of that classic short story, this is a very sweet and very charming film.
Next comes a Modern Madcap cartoon, The Robot Ringer (1962).
Next is a late Fleischer Studios Popeye short, I'll Never Crow Again (1941). The year after the release of this cartoon Max and Dave Fleischer would find themselves no longer making cartoons for Paramount and many of their employees continuing to make Popeye and Superman shorts for Paramount without them. Many critics of the Popeye series claim that all the cartoons simply feature Popeye and Bluto fighting over Olive. However, a look at the sailor's filmography shows that there were in fact many cartoons that did not follow this formula in the slightest. The song that Popeye and Olive sing at the beginning of this cartoon is from the first of Fleischer Studio's two feature films, Gulliver's Travels (1939). A review in The Motion Picture Daily called this cartoon, "Good for a few laughs." A review in Showman's Trade Review stated, "While this is not the usual type of Popeye cartoon, the novelty is not sufficient enough to raise it out of the 'fair' class." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "I'LL NEVER CROW AGAIN: Popeye the Sailor— Popeye Cartoons are always enjoyed, but this was not as good as average. Running time, 7 minutes. —J. M. Thomsen, Center Theatre, Marlette, Mich. Rural patronage."
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for one of the rare instances of very dark satire in one of Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies, Who Killed Cock Robbin? (1935). This film shows cartoon birds at the mercy of an unjust legal system. Satire, dark humor, celebrity caricatures and slapstick abound. The most significant of the celebrity caricatures is Jenny Wren, a caricature of Mae West. Most of her animation here is handled fantastically by Ham Luske and her voice comes from Martha Wentworth who does a really good impression. This character would later appear in the Silly Symphony Toby Tortoise Returns (1936). Two of Walt's future Nine Old Men animate on this film, Eric Larson and Clyde Geronimi. Eric animates the scene where Cock Robbin falls and the cops rushing in. Clyde animates the scenes involving the blackbirds and the cops, Legs Sparrow with the cops and then going into the witness box, and the cops' raiding the area. For the year of 1935 the National Board of Review named this as one of the Ten Best American Films (not just cartoons but films as a whole). According to JB Kaufman and Russell Merrit's excellent book, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series, the idea for making this film had been around the Disney studio as early as October 1933 but work truly began in March 1934. Wilfred Jackson was originally going to be the cartoon's director, but he was replaced with Ben Sharpsteen, who was replaced with Dave Hand, who actually directed the cartoon. Dave Hand would later be the supervising director for the Disney feature films, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942). My fellow Alfred Hitchcock fans will recognize that a clip from this cartoon was later used in Hitch's classic movie, Sabotage (1936). The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Ye olde master, Walt Disney, has produced another cartoon which makes a swell approach to the entertainment values he provided in 'Three Little Pigs.' It's class A stuff, effectively done in color. A mysterious shadowy figure 'kills' the fabled Cock Robbin, who, by the by, is the sweetie of a May Western type of bird. Then come the Keystonian cops, also birds, and later the trial. Finally, a birdy version of Dan Cupid admits to having shot Robin but May brings him to with a Big Kiss. Catchy music helps enliven the proceedings." The following is from a 1935 issue of Modern Screen Magazine and was a letter sent in by a reader. "A short time ago I took my five-year-old son with me to a local theatre. When a colored cartoon was shown, he was immensely pleased, as were several other children near us. The cartoon was 'Who Killed Cock Robin?' I may be wrong but I'm under the impression that those pictures are primarily to amuse children. If that is true than it failed. I heard several half-grown boys snickering as 'Jenny Wren' a parody of Mae West, with a high bust, wiggling hips and a sexy voice, flirted with the judge and later indulged in a kiss with Cock Robin. The smaller children merely looked puzzled and disappointed with the whole thing. Please have more cartoons like 'The Three Little Pigs,' 'Water Babies,' etc., unless of course, I'm wrong and those comedies are for grown-ups and not for little children. - Mrs. E. DeLamater, Charleston, S.C."
Next is a very sweet and sentimental MGM cartoon from Hugh Harman, The Little Mole (1941). This is a beautiful looking and charming little film, though its final message seems to be an uncomfortably pessimistic one, when you think too much about it.
Next is the silent Out of the Inkwell cartoon, The Boxing Kangaroo (1920).
Let us close with a song.
Thank you for joining me. Come back next week for more 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
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
This movie has a great premise. A group of horror-junkie friends have dreamed as kids of making horror movies together. When none of them are happy about where their adult lives are going, they decide to make a low budget indie-style "spiritual sequel" to the 1997 horror film, Anaconda. However, while making it, they run into a real giant killer snake. Add in a cast that includes Jack Black and Paul Rudd and this movie seems like a sure thing. However, while it is still an enjoyable film it doesn't quite live up to its potential.
As ripe as the premise is for comedy, it is also one that makes us automatically like a relate to these characters. We can nearly all relate to the idea of being disinterested in what we do with our daily lives and wish we had followed the things we dreamed of as kids. Their passion for horror movies and making them is infectious and we get caught up in the excitement of them making this film. Meanwhile, the chemistry between the cast, truly makes their friendship completely believable.
The humor is unfortunately hit and miss. The times when it makes fun of the cheesiness of the movie, they are making or on various aspects of the filmmaking process, it is quite funny. The film that they made as kids is the comedic highlight of the movie and made me laugh out loud. However, much of the slapstick and character driven humor falls completely flat without even a smile.
I also found the horror elements in this horror-comedy to be rather weak. I didn't expect it to be actually scary, but I expected some suspense and excitement out of a giant snake trying to eat our heroes. Yet that is simply not here.
This is actually a fun movie, but with such a great premise it was capable of being so much better.
With all the musical biopics coming out these days, this film attempts to do something quite different. Rather than tell the story of a famous musician, this film tells the story of a real-life husband-wife Neil Daimond cover band.
Let's start off by stating that the music in this movie is fantastic. The husband multiple times states that he is tired of people asking him to play Sweet Caroline because there is so much more to his Neil's music than that one song (something I found out through his appearance in the ultimate rock and roll movie The Last Waltz (1978)). Neil Diamond's music is definitely better than some give it credit for. That is definitely heard here as this movie reminds you (or makes you realize) just how rich Neil Diamond's music catalogue can be. Not only are there so many great songs heard here but they are performed very well. With a background in musical theater, Hugh Jackman has a truly great singing voice and he does a wonderful job performing all these classic songs. Equally as great is Kate Hudson, who proves here she also has a really good singing voice.
Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson are this film's not so secret ingredient. They are truly wonderful in this movie. They are extremely charismatic when on stage but also very human and vulnerable when off stage. They make every scene in this movie work because you believe and care about them every time they are on screen. Beyond this the story for the most part is quite well written. The first part of this movie plays a traditional biopic, while the second part morphs into a melodramatic tearjerker. Both parts work quite well. The first part is genuinely uplifting and makes you feel like cheering. The emotional notes in the second part all work quite well and many will tear up while watching this. Even during this second part though, the film never became too depressing as there were quite a few genuinely funny and uplifting moments in there as well.
The movie does have a few problems though. I am not familiar with the true-life story but there were a few moments that were too Hollywood-like. These moments relied too much on convivences that they come off as too implausible for a supposedly true story. I also felt some of the side characters should have been better developed, especially the male lead's birth daughter, who I felt I never got to know the way I am supposed to.
I came into this movie, not expecting much and was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking it.
Hello, my friends and welcome to a special Christmas Eve service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers with a medley of Sleigh Ride and Jingle Bells. This comes from Roy and his wife Dale Evans' 1967 Christmas album, Christmas is Always.
This is followed by Johnny Cash with The Gifts They Gave. This song was written by John himself and first appeared in his 1963 Christmas album, The Christmas Spirit.
Afterwards comes everyone's favorite cowboy/hippie Willie Nelson with It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. The song was written by Edmund H. Sears. This hymn first appeared in Boston's Christian Register, on December 29, 1849 (yes after Christmas). That version has a verse that does not appear in this version, "But with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not the love-song, which they bring: O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing!" This verse reflects the state if America at the time this song was written. The Civil War was approaching, and Sears found himself concerned with the division in our country. Unlike many Christmas songs, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is not a song about peace on Earth but rather a plea for it. With the division and anger that is so prevalent today, this is a perfect Christmas song for our time. This song has been put to different tunes over the years and the two most prevalent are Carol (by Richard Storis Willis in 1850) and Noel (by Sir Arthur Sullivan in 1878). Carol is the preferred version of this song in the U.S. and is the one Willie performs here. The tune had been used for other lyrics dating back to when it was written in 1850, and was first used to accompany, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear in 1878. Willie's version comes from his 1997 Christmas album, Christmas with Willie Nelson.
Then comes Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with The Little Boy Who Couldn't Find Christmas. This is the A-Side of a 1954 Little Golden Record. The B-Side would be The Story of Christmas.
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 Waylon Jennings with O Come All Ye Faithful. This hymn was originally written by John Francis Wade, who wrote the song in Latin under the name Adeste Fiedeles. Much later Frederick Oakley and William Brooke credited an English translation of this hymn. Instead of just directly translating the hymn, they also added some new stanzas. This version of the hymn first appeared in 1841 in FH Murray's Hymnal for Use in the English Church.
This is followed by Merle Haggard with Santa Claus and Popcorn. This song (written by Merle himself) comes from Merle's 1973 album, Hag's Christmas. It is important to remember with all the ways we celebrate Christmas, that this holiday is all about Jesus and all these ways we celebrate are there to pay tribute to him, including Santa Claus and Popcorn.
Just in time for Christmas Eve, next is Gene Autry and Rosemary Clooney with The Night Before Christmas Song.
Then comes Tex Ritter with his 1945 recording of Christmas Carols by the Old Coral.
Next is Randy Travis with God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The origins of this hymn remain unknown. However, it must date back to at least the 1800's as it is sung outside Ebenezer Scrooge's office in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (1843). The Oxford Book of Carols (London, 1928) gives two different tunes to these lyrics. The first is known as the "Cornish" version and is rarely heard today. The second is known as the "London" version and is the one we most often hear today. The London version is believed to have first been first published in A Little Book of Christmas Carols, with Ancient Melodies to which they are Sung in Various Parts of the Country (1846). That this was published in 1846 makes many music and literary scholars believe that the Cornish version is the one that Ebenezer Scrooge probably heard.
Today's musical selection ends with The Charlie Daniels Band with Jesus is the Light of the World. This comes from their 1980 album, Christmas Time Down South
Now for a special Christmas episode of Roy Rogers' radio show.
Now for a Christmas message from the Reverand Billy Graham.
Matthew 1:18-2:23
The Birth of Jesus Christ
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
The Visit of the Wise Men
2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
The Flight to Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Herod Kills the Children
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
The Return to Nazareth
19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Thanks for joining me come back Sunday for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
This movie has a simply wonderful premise. Once you die, you can spend eternity with anyone you want in any place you want, the only catch is that you are stuck there forever. This causes much distress when a woman dies and is reunited with both her dead husbands and must decide who she wants to spend eternity with. Everything about this premise is already engaging and the film mostly lives up to what it promises. Both of the romantic relationships are very heartfelt. In this era of phoned in Hallmark style romances, it is rare to find a romantic movie that actually feels romantic. Yet this film truly is romantic. I was surprised to have it actually pull on my heart strings as many of the scenes are genuinely moving. This movie also lives up to the fantasy part of the premise as well. This world is completely absorbing and because the rules are well established completely believable.
What really brings this movie down however is the constant quirky comedy. The problem is the comedy is never really that funny. Most of the comedic moments fall completely flat and some are even painful. Despite the constant comedy I maybe chuckled twice and I never laughed out loud. The film also has real problems with its pacing and could have used a lot of editing.
Despite its flaws though this is a genuinely moving film.
This film follows the life of the Biblical David from childhood to when he became king and serves as a follow-up to the animated streaming series, Young David. The movie is even co-directed by that series' creator Phil Cunningham. However, you do not have to either have seen that series nor be familiar with the Bible stories to enjoy this film. The movie sets up everything we need to know very quickly making it perfectly accessible to everyone. Yet Christians who know their Bible stories, who let's be honest make up about 90% of the film's audience, will be delighted that this movie follows the Bible very closely. This is just what will make it work for non-Christians as well. These tales have endured and inspired for centuries because they are still powerful and effective today. That this film stays close to the source material helps give it much of that power as well. The movie's emotional moments hit hard, and its joyful moments make you cheer.
For an animated feature not made by a major animation studio, it is amazing how good it looks. There is none of that cheap and off-putting look that has hurt so many well-written but low budget animated films. It may not fully reach the height of Disney or DreamWorks in this department, but it still looks very professionally made.
As this movie is about the writer of many of the Psalms, it is no surprise that music plays a major role. The songs, written by Jonas Myrin (who has co-written hit Christian songs with such popular Christian artists as Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman), are quite good with pleasant melodies and effective lyrics. They may not be especially memorable, but they do their job very well. Having award winning Christian singers Phil Wickham (who voices David as an adult) and Lauren Daigle in the voice cast, as well as Israeli pop singer Miri Mesika, helps elevate that music in this film.
This movie does have its flaws though. The side characters (especially David's siblings) are not very well developed and come off as crude and unfunny movie stereotypes rather than actual characters. Speaking of unfunny, this movie has too much really forced humor that just doesn't work.
Despite these flaws though, this is an excellent film that I hope points towards what lies in the future for animated Biblical stories.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Let There Be Peace on Earth. This recording comes from the husband-and-wife duo's 1967 Christmas album, Christmas is Always.
This is followed by Elvis Presley 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.This version of the hymn comes from Elvis' 1957 album, Elvis' Christmas Album. This album met with controversy upon its release for the rock and roll versions it had of classic Christmas songs and the contemporary rock and roll Christmas music. This was considered to be disrespectful. However, this song is performed in a rather traditional manner. It is also simply a lovely version of this classic hymn.
Afterwards is Red Sovine with his 1956 recording of If Jesus Came to Your House.
Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Dwelling in Beulah Land. Dwelling in Beulah Land was written by C. Austin Miles (who also wrote the gospel classic In The Garden) and was first published in 1911. C. Austin Miles once said, “It is as a writer of gospel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Master, whom I serve willingly although not as efficiently as is my desire.” Roy Rogers (at this time Leonard Slye) sings lead on this song. This was his last year with the Pioneers before he would leave to start his solo movie career.
Next comes Toby Keith with O Come All Ye Faithful. This hymn was originally written by John Francis Wade, who wrote the song in Latin under the name Adeste Fiedeles. Much later Frederick Oakley and William Brooke credited an English translation of this hymn. Instead of just directly translating the hymn, they also added some new stanzas. This English Language version of the hymn first appeared in 1841 in FH Murray's Hymnal for Use in the English Church. Toby's recording comes from his 2007 Christmas Album, Classic Christmas.
This is followed by Gene Autry with his 1949 recording of If it Doesn't Snow on Christmas. This is the B-Side of his major holiday hit, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.While this may not be the Christmas classic that the A-Side is, it is a fun little song.
Today's musical selection ends with Johnny Cash with This Train is Bound for Glory. This wonderful recording comes from John's 1979 album; A Believer Sings the Truth. This was a double length gospel album and Columbia Records felt that such an album from John could never be successful. However, Columbia allowed John to release the album on its own and it was successful earning a spot in the Country Top 50. A shorter version of the album called I Believe would be released in 1984, which would feature a select few songs from the double album. A Believer Sings the Truth would not find its way to CD until 2012.
Now it is time for a Christmas sermon.
Today's movie is Headin' for the Rio Grande (1936) starring Tex Ritter.
Psalm 115
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2 Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9 All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails 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 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."
Next comes Frosty the Snowman (1954). This very short cartoon from the UPA studio (best known for the Mr. Magoo cartoons) was a holiday staple at Chicago's WGN-TV station including airing annually on WGN's The Bozo Show.
Up next is a truly charming and lovely Christmas film from the Halas and Batchelor animation studio, The Candlemaker (1956). This animation studio was started by husband and wife John Halas and Joy Batchelor and is best known for their classic feature film, Animal Farm (1954).
Bug Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979) is a delightful TV special that featured the Looney Tunes characters (though strangely not Daffy Duck) in three new Christmas themed shorts. In between these shorts there were a few interstitial scenes. You can watch those below.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Up next comes a classic Silly Symphony, 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 movie 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. This is a reissue and there is a bit of a difference towards the end. In the original 1933 version, Little Junior is disappointed to get a chamber pot for Christmas. Here he is happy to get a puppy. In this version we do get a bit of Junior getting a blackface appearance from the chimney soot that would be cut out when the film was shown a Disney TV Christmas special in 1983. 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."
Now for another holiday staple of WGN-TV, Hardrock, Coco and Joe: The Three Little Dwarfs (1951).
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).
While it is easy to say that the DePatie-Freling cartoons of the mid and late 1970's were not on par with the studio's cartoons of the 1960's and early 70's without any sense of doubt, A Pink Christmas (1978) is a huge exception. This TV special is about as good a cartoon as the studio ever made. This dialogue-less special is somewhat based on O. Henry's The Cop and the Anthem. The Pink Panther has often been compared to Charlie Chaplin, mostly because he is a pantomime character. This though is probably the most Chaplin-esque film the cartoon cat ever stared in. It beautifully combines comedy and pathos, and the idea of a poor tramp like character looking for food of course has roots in Chaplin as well. In fact, this film borrows a gag from Chaplin's The Gold Rush (1925) (involving shoveling snow). It succussed very well. It is both very funny and very moving.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more 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
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein.
There is nothing subtle about this movie at all. The story involves a young woman who has just gotten out of prison, desperate for a job. She gets a job as the live in housemaid for a couple that has some serious and dangerous problems. Though her very sanity is being tested she can't leave because she will never get another job or a place to live with her record. The story milks everything it can out of this premise, with all the sex and violence one might image. While the movie may go more than a little overboard on the sex and violence, it still works. This is heavily because of the three main stars. Sydney Sweeny, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar are all simply wonderful here, with each one playing off of the others perfectly. Watching these three work with each other is worth the price of admission alone. They are simply dynamic on screen and make even the corniest moments a lot of fun to watch. This is also the rare modern thriller that kept me guessing what was going to happen all the way through. Many of the twists quite surprised me. If they are kind of over the top and soap-opera like in retrospect, they worked quite well while I was watching the film. Director Paul Feig also keeps the movie moving at such a pace that it never once becomes boring.
This movie is very soap-opera like and relies too much on the shock value of gore and sex. However, it is also a thriller that keeps you guessing what is going to happen next and benefits from a cast that gives it their all.
This movie is in many ways an extended episode of SpongeBob. That is not to say that the film feels overlong (the hour and a half runtime goes by very quickly) but rather that there is nothing bigger or more cinematic here than in a typical TV episode. Sure, we may be dealing with ghost pirates and spooky danger, but The Flying Dutchman has been one of the series' characters from very early on. While as essentially a feature-length episode it does not reach the heights of the show's early season (which are still hilarious), it is still quite entertaining.
The storyline moves at a quick pace, and its comedic momentum keeps it consistently fun, even when some of the jokes fall flat. SpongeBob's desire to prove himself to be a "Big Guy" is instantly relatable to anyone that has ever been a kid. Meanwhile as silly as SpongeBob and Patrick's antics are, there is a real warmth to their friendship here that gives the film quite a bit of heart. We even get to see a warmer side of Mr. Krabs, which works quite well. The Flying Dutchman works perfectly as a villain here. His over-the-top evilness and how much the character enjoys himself is a pure delight to watch. The Underworld is also a great environment for this film. It is quite atmospheric, and the designs of the various creatures are really creative.
For such a silly comedy, the humor can be a bit hit and miss at times. There are times when the filmmakers seem to be trying too hard to be funny and it doesn't come off. However, there are also moments that truly made me laugh out loud (the 30 minutes later joke is hilarious).
As great as SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs and The Flying Dutchman are here, the supporting cast is not as strong. Many of the other SpongeBob characters are too sidelined and don't really get to do much. Meanwhile, the new characters simply aren't all that memorable.
This may not be the best SpongeBob adventure, but it is still a really fun movie.
By the way this movie is accompanied by a short Christmas-themed film with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This short is quite smart, funny and just as entertaining as the feature.
A Christmas Carol is probably the quintessential Christmas story (aside from Jesus' birth naturally). It is one all of us are familiar with and is still one of the first stories we think of when we think of Christmas. It has been adapted for film and TV more times than I care to count. While when reading many classic books, one is shocked to find how different they are from various film and TV adaptions. However, with A Christmas Carol, one is amazed by how much the majority of film and TV adaptions follow the book. While they may have their own twists on the story (like having Gonzo be Charles Dickens) most adaptions not only follow the basic story but include multiple lines of dialogue straight from the book. Reading this book today it is easy to see why. Despite being an 19th century novella, it holds up near perfectly today and needs no changes to be accessible to a modern audience.
You are all familiar with the story. Scrooge is a hard unfeeling man, who cares only about wealth and not about his fellow man. The night before Christmas he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner with a warning to change his ways. His business partner then tells him that he will be visited by three more ghosts that night. These ghosts show Scrooge his past, present and future. Through this he learns the error of his ways and wakes up Christmas morning a changed man.
This book is a classic for a reason. The story is timeless. Themes of loneliness, greed, mistreatment of the poor and our moralistic to help those less fortunate are still as relevant today as they were in the 19th century. It gets across each of these themes in a way that is still entertaining and effective. Despite being a morality tale, it never feels like a sermon but rather the themes come across in a natural way.
The main reason this story is so effective is that Scrooge is a fantastic lead character. Though the name has become a term for any greedy and selfish person, the character is more complex than that. Though Scrooge can be very unlikable towards the start of the book, he is never simply an evil caricature. Instead, he is something much more real and human. He is instead a man weathered and hardened by a tough life and an often-unfair world. As we see in the ghost of Christmas past segment, the change from an ambitious young man to a cruel unfeeling old man was a very gradual one, that he was not aware of as it was happening. Even at his most cruel his younger more caring self is still hidden beneath. This makes his transformation completely natural and believable. If the story was just a completely evil man learning the errors of his ways, it would not have been at all effective. It is the complexities of the character that make the story so powerful.
Dickens writing is also incredibly wonderful here. Dickens has a way with the English language and that is something even his staunchest critics must agree on, Dickens so beautifully describes each setting creating a very atmospheric feel. Many claim Dickens was the inventor of many of the ways we view and celebrate Christmas and reading the way he describes the holiday, it is easy to understand why. As well as brilliant describing the settings, the book also gives us very detailed and well-written descriptions of each of the ghosts. The way Dickens describes them gives them an other-worldly and truly magical feel.
One of the most overlooked elements of Dickens is that he was a great humorist. This is seen throughout this book. Despite the serious nature of the message, there were multiple moments that made me laugh out loud while reading it (I especially love Dickens' description of a doornail).
This is a pure classic for a reason and essential yuletide reading.
This film tells the true story of four men who were stranded out at sea by a storm during a fishing trip.
There is definitely stuff to like about this movie. The film does a great job at setting up a good amount of danger. Even though the characters are not very well written, the amount of danger built up and how well it is built up makes you still care about them. It also manages to be hopeful without sugarcoating things at all. Instead, the movie fully acknowledges the tragedies behind what happened. The acting is quite good especially from Zachari Levi. Also, the true story is compelling enough to make it work.
Unfortunately, this movie fails to live up to its potential in quite a few ways. The whole movie is full of incredibly corny dialogue, which immediately is at odds with a film that is telling a real-life story. This movie even tries to insert a little humor at times but unfortunately that humor is horrible. The pacing feels off making the movie feel longer than it actually is. The main problem though is the characters. By the end of the film, we don't feel like we actually know who any of these people are. If you asked me to summarize some of the major characters' personalities, I couldn't do it.
This isn't a great film by any means, but it makes for a decent trip to the movies.
A Christmas Story is one of those films that has made it into social conciseness. Even those who have never seen it, know quotes from it and quite a few of the comedic bits. Though released decades later, for many this has become just as much of a Christmas staple as It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
Everyone knows the basic story of this film. 9-year-old Ralphie (Peter Billingsly) wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas, however his mom is dead against it, telling the kid "You'll shoot your eye out." This basic story is really an excuse for various vignettes revolving around childhood and Christmas time.
This film is best remembered for its comedic moments, and it is downright hilarious. The kid getting his tongue stuck to a pole, the father winning a leg lamp (a major award), the pink bunny suit and the younger brother being too bundled up for the snow to move are all laugh out loud funny. What makes the comedy so funny is how instantly relatable it is. As kids, we have all had the types of daydreams that Ralphie has and we have all done something stupid because someone dared us to. Also, as kids we have all had times where getting the right toy for Christmas is the most important thing in the world and had moments of disillusionment like Ralphie discovering that Little Annie's message is just an advertisement. At the same time, we can relate to the fact the father is so proud of winning a major award that he can't see how tacky it is. We laugh because we see ourselves in each of these situations. If you ever see this movie with an audience, you will see just how funny this film actually is.
Underneath the comedy, this movie has a lot of heart. Much of this comes from how this movie perfectly captures what it is to be like a child at Christmas. It does this so well that the film transcends cheap nostalgia. We become children again for the hour and a half we watch it. And to see Christmas again as a child is a truly wonderful thing. This movie also has an ending that perfectly captures the feeling of Christmas in a small and unassuming way. The parents simply look out the window reflecting on Christmas and the two kids lying peacefully in bed with their toys captures the feeling of the end a great Christmas day.
The movie also benefits from the family being perfectly cast. Of course, Peter Billingsly is incredibly charming as Ralphie. Darren McGavin captures the father figure perfectly. He takes a character who could have been an over the caricature and brings a real humanity to him. Jack Nicholson was originally thought of for the role but as much as I love Jack, Darren McGavin is the better casting. Melinda Dillon is perfect as the mom, bringing a perfect balance of warmth and humor. Ian Petrella is charming and hilarious as the younger brother.
This movie was based off the stories of American humorist and radio star, Jean Shepard (who also narrated this film as adult Ralphie), whose comedy revolved around recalling his own boyhood in Indiana. Shepard would include serval of these stories in a book called In God We Trust, All Others Must Pay Cash. Director and co-writer Bob Clark (at this time known for the horror film, Black Christmas (1974) and the raunchy comedy Porky (1981)) had wanted to make a film based off of Shepard's work for twelve years. MGM offered him a small $4.4 million budget and Clark even used $150,000 of his own money.
The movie opened around Thanksgiving with mostly positive reviews from critics. It received a modest $19 million at the box office but was out of theaters before Christmas. However, in the following years with home video and TV airings, it would become a true Christmas staple.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with a medley of What Child Is This and Sweet Little Jesus Boy. This comes from their 1967 album, Christmas Is Always.
This is followed by Floyd Cramer with O Holy Night. This hymn was written in 1847. The lyricist for the song (even though this is an instrumental version here) was Placide Cappeau. Cappeau was a poet who rarely wrote about Christian subjects; however, the local priest asked him to write a poem for Christmas mass. He didn't know what to write so he looked at the story of Jesus' birth in the book of Luke and tried to place himself there. He then asked his friend Adolphe Charles Adams (who had composed over 80 operas) to write some music. This hymn would gain controversy in France, when the church learned of its writers. Cappeau had left the church and joined the socialist party. Adams was not Christian, but rather Jewish. The idea that neither of the writers of a Christian hymn were in fact Christian, upset many church leaders. These church leaders denounced the song and deemed it not fit to sing in a church. Yet despite this the hymn was one of the most popular Christmas songs in France at the time. This recording comes from Floyd's 1996 album, We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
Afterwards is 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.
Then comes Washington Phillips with his 1929 recording of I Had a Good Father and Mother.
This is followed by Johnny Cash with I Heard thew Bells on Christmas Day. This song began as a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on December 25th, 1864. At this time the United States was still in the midst of a civil war and this poem reflected and commented on this, ending with a message of hope, that even through all this war and violence, "God is not dead nor does he sleep." This poem featured two stanzas that were not used in the later hymn that directly referenced the Civil War. John B. Calkin composed the music in 1872.
Next comes Gene Autry with Frosty the Snowman. Gene recorded and released this song in 1950 (with When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter as a B-side). Later that same year, Jimmy Durante recorded it later the same year. This song was written by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins, who wrote another holiday themed song (though for a different holiday), Here Comes Peter Cottontail, which Gene Autry also recorded in 1950.
Next is Emmylou Harris singing Light of the Stable. Emmylou recorded this song in 1975. She would later state "Light of the Stable is one of my favorite tracks we ever cut. It was the jelling of the original recording group, the combination of Brain's [Brain Ahern] production and how incredibly creative those guys were was perfect. There is almost more space on the track then there are notes and I always loved that." The song would become the title track of her 1979 Christmas album, which I personally consider one of my favorite Christmas albums. [the quote comes from the liner notes of that album]
Today's musical selection ends with Gillian Welch performing Beulah Land.
Now for a Christmas Sermon.
Today's movie is Tex Ritter in The Whispering Skull (1944).
Psalm 76
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
1 God is renowned in Judah;
in Israel his name is great.
2 His tent is in Salem,
his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows,
the shields and the swords, the weapons of war.
4 You are radiant with light,
more majestic than mountains rich with game.
5 The valiant lie plundered,
they sleep their last sleep;
not one of the warriors
can lift his hands.
6 At your rebuke, God of Jacob,
both horse and chariot lie still.
7 It is you alone who are to be feared.
Who can stand before you when you are angry?
8 From heaven you pronounced judgment,
and the land feared and was quiet—
9 when you, God, rose up to judge,
to save all the afflicted of the land.
10 Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise,
and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.
11 Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them;
let all the neighboring lands
bring gifts to the One to be feared.
12 He breaks the spirit of rulers;
he is feared by the kings of the earth.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails 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 one of my favorites of the early Merrie Melodies cartoons, The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives (1933). I love the atmospheric feel to the early scenes in this cartoon. There is a delightful amount of detail in these opening moments. I also simply love the title song. Despite being a Christmas cartoon, this film was released to theaters on January 7, 1933, just barely missing Christmas. The animation of the dolls singing, and dancing was reused from an earlier Merrie Melody, Red Headed Baby (1931).
Next is The New Three Stooges cartoon, Dizzy Doodlers (1965). The Stooges voice themselves in this made for TV cartoon. This is one of my favorites of The New Three Stooges cartoons.
Next comes the Terry Toons short, Prescription for Percy (1954). This cartoon was directed by Mannie Davis. Mannie Davis had been with producer Paul Terry, since Terry's silent Aesop's Fables cartoons of the 1920's. Davis remembered working on these Aesop's Fables silents stating, "The story was very sketchy. The main thing was to get a laugh out of each little act. You know, a little piece of antic that a character would do. Today it wouldn't mean a damn thing; it's got to be acted out, and it's got to have continuity of thought. We'd be springing all over the lot. But we would keep it ... in the location it started out in. If it's an African story, everything would be down in the jungle, and then in the desert and all that. I was my own director, my own story man, and my own animator. Each man did his own little thing, his little reel, and we had, I think one month to make them ... and there were five of us making them and [we] rotated." Davis would continue working with Paul Terry and Terry Toons up until 1961.
Now for a classic Donald Duck film, Toy Tinkers (1949). This movie features Donald once again going up against Chip and Dale. This film is directed by Jack Hannah, who at this time was directing the majority of the Donald Duck cartoons. When Chip and Dale had their very short-lived series of shorts, Jack Hannah directed all three cartoons in that series. This cartoon is laugh out loud funny. The slapstick is spot on and timed perfectly. Every joke works and they are all very funny. The humor is also displayed perfectly through the great character animation one should expect form a Disney cartoon. While Disney cartoons are often called sweet and cute in contrast to the hilarious antics at studios like Warner Brothers and MGM, the Disney studio could make slapstick cartoons as great as the rest of them (this is not an insult to Warner Brothers and MGM as I love there cartoons a lot as well). This stands as one of Disney's funniest shorts (a joke involving a telephone never fails to make me laugh out loud). The music in this cartoon was provided by Paul J. Smith, making it the first Donald Duck short in over four years to have music by someone other than Oliver Wallace. Smith's score briefly quotes a bit of music from an earlier Disney cartoon, the Silly Symphony, The Country Cousin (1936), whose music was by Leigh Harline. Unlike many theatrical Christmas cartoons, this short was actually released during the Christmas season. It hit theaters on December 19, 1949. The cartoon was nominated for an Oscar but lost to the Pepe Le Pew cartoon, For Sent-imental Reasons (1949).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for the Van Beuren cartoon, The Family Shoe (1930). The gag where the four singers' mouths all morph into one mouth was used in quite a few of these black and white Van Beuren cartoons. There is a surreal quality to this film that makes it very endearing.
Next comes a delightful Christmas treat from Famous Studios with Hector's Hectic Life (1948). This movie was directed by former Disney animator, Bill Tytla (probably my favorite Disney animator). Tytla had worked on some of Disney's finest feature films including Snow White (1937), Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941) and his animation was often a highlight even in these masterpieces. Though the Famous Studios cartoons he directed might not be as highly praised as his animation for Disney, these films often showed him as a very capable director. This movie is a good example of this.
Now for the Terry Toons cartoon, The Lion's Friend (1934).
We close with The Simpsons in Simpsons X-Mas (1988). This is one of the shorts made for The Tracey Ullman Show before the animated family got their own TV show.
Thanks very much for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin.
Donald Duck: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
