Movie Review: Minions and Monsters

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

This movie is not only a delight for fans of the Minions but also for cinephiles. 

Minions and Monsters can be split into two halves. The first half revolves around the Minions coming to Hollywood and getting jobs in the movies. The second is a more typical Minions adventure involving our yellow friends facing monsters and meeting spacemen. 

If I was only grading the first half of this movie, I would give it an "A+." This first half is a truly hilarious send up of Hollywood and classic movies. There are many references to classic movies that help make this just as much of a delight for grown up film buffs as it is for kids. With the Minions first coming to Hollywood during the silent era, this film is full of references to silent cinema. I did not expect to see a modern animated family comedy that pays homage to Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, Méliès, Lang and the Lumière brothers. There are even references to such beloved sound classics as The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca and Citizen Kane. This was a delightful surprise, and it helps that many of the homages are actually really funny (the Harold Lloyd gag cracked me up). These classic movie homages are brilliantly combined with Minion slapstick, much of which is also very funny. The chase scene when they first arrive in Hollywood is slapstick comedy filmmaking at its best. Even the bits before they arrive in Hollywood, such as the scenes with the cyclops are really funny. Besides just being funny, there is a wonderful sense of comic energy and true love of the movies that shines through this movie's first half. For what is the seventh feature length movie in this franchise, it is amazing how fresh and clever this first half manages to feel. 

Unfortunately, the second half doesn't quite hold up to the wonderful first half. In this second half, the story becomes more generic and predictable. At the same time while there are still some strong gags in this second half, they are not as plentiful as they were in the first half. Yet there is still some charm to be found in this second half as the Minions are still such enduring characters.

This movie was directed by Pierre Coffin, who is not only the voice of the Minions but served as a co-director on the first three Despicable Me films as well as the first Minions spin-off movie. Coffin co-wrote this movie with Bryan Lynch, who had written Minions (2015) and co-written Minions: Rise of Gru (2022). He also served as a co-writer on both Secret Life of Pets films. 

While the second half may not be as strong as the first, the first half is great enough to make this a must-see comedy. 

Movie Review: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

Everything you would want from a Mario movie. 

This is not a deep or especially groundbreaking movie, but it is a whole lot of fun and that is exactly what the Mario franchise is all about. I had a smile on my face from start to finish.

The story is quite simple but fits the Mario franchise perfectly. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad all team up to save the kidnapped Princess Rosalina. The story would fit perfectly as the storyline of a Mario game and that is the charm of it. This simple story allows for many delightful set pieces. These set pieces perfectly capture the feel of a Mario game on the big screen. There is such an attention to detail for every environment that the burst with life the same way that the worlds of the games have stayed with us for decades. This is probably Illumination's most visually pleasing film. The storyline itself unfolds at a fast pace and keeps you constantly engaged.   

Like most Illumination films, this one is full of gags from start to finish. What surprised me was just how funny so many of these gags were. I laughed out loud a lot more than I did at the first movie. 

The characters are still the wonderful characters we have loved all these decades, and it is a blast to spend time with them. Getting more Luigi than in the first movie was a pure delight. This movie introduces Yoshi and Fox McCloud to the world of Mario films, and both steal every scene they are in. Both also fit perfectly well into the story and never feel shoehorned in. Bowser Jr. is also an excellent villain. He feels like a surprisingly huge threat to our heroes, and his relationship and idolization of his father make his character feel like a real kid. 

A pure delight to any true Nintendo fan (like me).  

Movie Trailer: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

 

Movie Trailer: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Movie Trailer: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Movie Review: Despicable Me 4

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

Though not quite as strong as the first two Despicable Me movies, this film is a lot of fun. 

With this film it is obvious that the filmmakers know exactly what the audience wants from these movies. It may not offer any surprises, but it does offer the fun that audiences except. As such, while not original (something that is hard to be with the fourth (or sixth) movie in a series), this is a lot of fun. The basic storyline is very simple and Saturday Morning cartoon like. Yet this simplicity gives the whole movie an unpretentious feel and adds to the charm. While you can always see where the film is going, I was never once bored watching this. Part of this is because the main characters still remain the lovable and delightful characters we fell in love with when the first movie came out. Another reason is that this movie has many great comedic and action set pieces. The climatic action sequence is a lot of fun, especially due to a really fun villain. Great comedic set pieces like the Mega-Minion's (superhero versions of the Minions) first attempt at being heroes, the heist scene and the karate scene are truly funny. 

Admittedly this movie does have some problems. I wish that this movie did more to connect the Mega-Minions and Gru's story, which often have too little to do with each other. Also, with the filmmakers' instance to throw as many jokes as possible at us for all the jokes that hit, there are also quite a few that fall flat. 

Co-director Chris Renaud co-directed the first two Despicable Me movies and both Secret Life of Pets films. The other co-director Patrick Delage is a first-time director of a feature film. Though he was a lead animator on the first two Despicable Me movies and the Sing films. Beforehand he had been an animator on the Disney films, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), Tarzan (1999) and The Emperor's New Groove (2000) as well as the Pixar movies Ratatouille (2007) and WALL·E (2008).

This is another really fun addition to this popular franchise.  

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #281

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Heckle and Jeckle in Flying South (1947). Heckle and Jeckle always seemed to bring out the best in the Terry Toons staff. That is definitely true in this short film. This cartoon offers gag after gag and many of them are simply wonderful. What I also love about these shorts is how they embrace the fact that they are cartoons. There are so many gags here that feel like the filmmakers were having a wonderful time exploring just how much you could get away with in a cartoon. 

For anyone interested in movie history, many of the Disney cartoons of the 1920's are essential watching. The reason for this is that many of them are directed by Walt himself. All of us know Walt Disney as a producer, a studio head, a TV personality and one of the movies' greatest ambassadors, however in these short films we get to see him in the director's chair. Next, we have one of the cartoons he directed, El Terrible Toreador (1929). This movie marked the second Silly Symphony cartoon and the first one directed by Walt. As with many early Disney films, this cartoon features many gags that go against the rules put in place in the later Disney cartoons. For instance, the later films would not allow body parts to detach or stretch to impossible lengths. Yet in this movie, both of those are common sights. There are also some somewhat risqué gags that wouldn't fit with Disney's later squeaky-clean image. Despite this only being the second Silly Symphony, the series already boasts an incredible cast of animators. Ub Iwerks (Walt's right-hand man and one of the main influences on the early Disney style) animates the bullfighting scenes and supervised the work of the other animators. Burt Gillet (who would go on to direct many great Mickey Mouse cartoons as well as The Three Little Pigs (1933)) animates the meeting of Carmen and Don Jose. Wilfred Jackson (who would direct some of the best Silly Symphonies and be one of the directors of features like Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953) and Lady And the Tramp (1955)) animates Carmen's dance. Les Clark (one of the best Mickey animators and one of Walt's nine old men) animates a close-up of Don Jose. Jack King (who would direct some excellent Donald Duck cartoons) animates Escamillo confronting Don Jose. Ben Sharpsteen (who would be the supervising director for Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940) and Dumbo (1941)) animates the introduction to the bullfighting scene.

Next comes a classic early UPA cartoon, The Popcorn Story (1950). This cartoon was directed by Art Babbitt. Art Babbitt had previously worked at Disney and was for a while one of that studio's best animators. While working at Disney, his animation helped define the character of Goofy. His other work at Disney included a much-praised sequence with a drunk mouse in the Silly Symphony The Country Cousin (1936) as well as work on the evil queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Geppetto in Pinocchio (1940). While later UPA cartoons could get a little bland, I have a huge fondness for the UPA shorts from around this era. 

Now we join our old friend Krazy Kat in Krazy's Waterloo (1934). Though this series was based off George Herriman's classic newspaper comic strip the Krazy Kat character here bares scant resemblance to the one in the comics. For one thing in the comics, Krazy's gender is a mystery but in the cartoons the character is clearly male. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now it is time for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

 is Porky Pig's Feat (1943). This cartoon is directed by Frank Tashlin. Tashlin began directing cartoons for the Warner Bothers studio in 1936. However, in 1938, he would leave the studio to work at Disney. Soon he would leave Disney to direct cartoons at Columbia, where he would introduce the characters of the Fox and the Crow. Porky Pig's Feat was the first cartoon he directed after briefly returning to Warner Brothers as well as his first Daffy Duck cartoon. Tashlin would later become a live action director, directing such films as The Son of Paleface (1952), Artists and Models (1955), The Girl Can't Help It (1956) and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (1957). Porky Pig's Feat is a very fast paced and funny cartoon, that is an absolute delight. The following is what an exhibitor wrote about the cartoon to the Motion Picture Herald, "Porky Pig's Feat: Looney Tunes Cartoons - It's black and white but it's fast and furious and full of laughs. That's what counts. - W. Varrieck Nevins, III, Alfred Co-op Theater, Alfred N. Y." This cartoon is appropriately included in Jerry Beck's book The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes. 

Up next is one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice's Mysterious Mystery (1926). The Alice Comedies were a series of short films which combined a live action little girl with an animated world. This series also marked the first series of films by Walt Disney to use reoccurring characters. Here Alice is played by Margie Gay, the third child actress to play the character. 

Now let us close by opening our hymn books to sing an old hymn. 

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

Resources Used

The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck.

Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russel Merrit and J.B. Kaufman 


https://mediahistoryproject.org/

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #280

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Magoo Breaks Par (1957). This cartoon was directed by Pete Burness, who directed quite a few Mr. Magoo cartoons at this time. My fellow Tom and Jerry fans might recognize his name from the credits of many early Tom and Jerry cartoons, where he worked as an animator. He also spent a brief time as an animator at Warner Brothers on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. 

Next, we join Heckle and Jeckle in Taming the Cat (1948). 

Mickey’s Fire Brigade (1935) teams up Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy for the second time (and the first time in color). This time they were firemen. Walt had earlier used the idea of firefighters for slapstick comedy with the silent Alice Comedy Alice the Firefighter (1926) and the Mickey Mouse cartoon The Firefighters (1930). This cartoon opens on a fantastic note. The title of the film appears on screen like an average Disney cartoon of this time. However soon a fire burns the title letting the cartoon officially start. This imaginative opening sets us up perfectly for the great cartoon we are about to watch. Though Art Babbitt did not animate on this cartoon the personality he had already injected into Goofy can be seen here. This is especially true of a scene where Goofy tries to throw things out of the window (animated by Woolie Reitherman) and a scene where he tries to tell Clarabelle Cow her house is on fire (animated by Bill Tytla). In this film Clarabelle Cow spends most of the time taking a bath unaware of the fire around her. However, she is very upset by “peeping toms” Mickey, Donald and Goofy, who of course are just trying to tell her about the fire. Her animation is mostly handled by Grim Natwick and Bill Tytla. There is of course some great slapstick humor in this short. Though the studio was doing much less gags involving long stretching or detachable body parts they were still doing quite a few impossible gags that can only be done in a cartoon. Such an example here has to do with the treatment of the fire itself. It is given human characteristic and often appears to be having its own thoughts and feelings. One of the best uses of this is when the fire chases Donald up a ladder and is seemingly taunting him along the way. 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." A review in the Flim Daily stated, "This is one of the liveliest and funniest of the Walt Disney cartoon creations."

Next comes the Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, Row, Row, Row (1930). This is very much a pre-code cartoon and there are a lot of sexual jokes here that would not fly at all a few years later. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

Next up comes a classic black and white Looney Tunes short, Hollywood Capers (1935). This short film stars Beans the Cat. Beans and Porky Pig made their film debut in the same cartoon, I Haven't Got a Hat (1935). However those making these cartoons felt that Beans would be the big star of these cartoons and as such a few cartoons with Beans as the main character would be made. This short features a gag that Porky Pig would later do in You Oughta be in Pictures (1940). This is when Beans dresses up as Oliver Hardy to sneak into a movie studio. However, Beans is much more successful than Porky is.  Look in the background for a poster advertising a fight between “Punchy” Pierce and “Hurricane” Hardaway. This is referring to two of the writers of Warner Brothers cartoons at the time, Tedd Pierce and Bugs Hardaway. Also, Beans is voiced by Tommy Bond here (who played Butch in the Our Gang shorts). 

Now it is silent movie time so enjoy, Policy and Pie (1918) starring the The Katzenjammer Kids. This cartoon was directed by Gregory La Cava, who would later become a director of live action features including My Man Godfrey (1936) and Stage Door (1937).

Now let's close with a song we all know.

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tune be looney and your melodies merry. 

Resources Used

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein


https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/mickeys-fire-brigade-1935/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #274

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Little Lulu in Magical Lulu (1945). In this short film, Lulu ruins a magician's as she figures out how all the tricks are done. 

Now for a fun little Terry Toons short, An Igloo for Two (1955). This is a delightful one-shot cartoon featuring a seal who runs into trouble while serenading his girlfriend. 

Next comes a classic Mickey Mouse film, The Delivery Boy (1931). This short film, like all of the 1930's Mickeys, features a wonderful cast of animators. Johnny Cannon animates the opening scene with Mickey riding the delivery wagon and the scene with the dog playing the accordion. Rudy Zamora, who would later direct many of the Hanna-Barbera TV cartoons of the 1980's, animates Minnie washing her clothes. Jack Cutting animates the underwear washing itself. Norm Ferguson (who as an animator helped define the character of Pluto) animates the first scene of Mickey and Minnie's dance, Pluto getting his feet caught in the tar and doing his little dance and the two workers with the dynamite.  Frenchy de Trémaudan animates the gag with the goat. David Hand, who would later be the supervising director on the feature films Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942) animates Mickey climbing into the pants, the scene with the hornets and the birds whistling and dancing. Future Donald Duck, Woody Woodpecker and Barney Bear director, Dick Lundy animates the second scene of Mickey and Minnie's dance. George Lane animates the instruments nearly falling on the animals and them running away. Tom Palmer, who would later direct a few cartoons for Warner Brothers and Van Beuren, animates Mickey and Minnie on the Piano. Les Clark, one of the best Mickey Mouse animators, animates Mickey and Minnie playing the trombone, trumpet and drum as well as the gag with the turtle and the mule. Future Looney Tunes and Donald Duck director, Jack King animates the ending sequence from when Pluto picks up the dynamite to the end. 
 

 

Now for a very off beat Columbia Color Rhapsody, The Cuckoo I.Q. (1941). This may not be a great cartoon, but it has a certain oddball cham. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now it is time for some Saturday Morning minions. 

Next comes one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice Picks the Champ (1925). This short film stars Margie Gay, the third young actress to play the part of Alice. She appeared in 31 Alice Comedies. This is more than any of the other three child actresses who played the role. This film features Pete, who would eventually become Mickey Mouse's adversary. Animators on this film include Ub Iwerks, Rollin "Ham" Hamilton and Thurston Harper. It was in production from May 28th to June 17th, 1925. It made its LA debut in the Apollo Theatre that same year.    

We continue with Sylvester and Tweety in Trick or Tweet (1959). This short film features Sylvester competing with Sam the cat for Tweety. This is not the first time the two had fought over Tweety. The two fought over Tweety before in two cartoons, Putty Tat Trouble (1951) and Tweet and Sour (1956). The two would later fight over a mouse in Mouse and Garden (1960). Sam's last appearance in a theatrical short film would be Merlin the Magic Mouse (1967), where he would meet up with the title character, one of the last Looney Tunes characters created for the theatrical shorts. 

Now to close by singing a song we all know. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of classic cartoons. 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 

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein 

Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by J. B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt.

http://afilmla.blogspot.com/search/label/Shorts_Columbia?max-results=20

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #272

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Heckle and Jeckle in Blind Date (1953). Paul Terry considered the Heckle and Jeckle cartoons the finest he ever produced, and I personally agree. I love the ending of this film. 

Up next is Donald Duck in Donald's Diary (1954). The cartoons Jack Kinney directed for Disney often times had an offbeat, almost Tex Avery like sense of humor. That is on full display here. This short film is far from your typical Donald Duck short but that is just what makes it so delightful and funny. This film would make its TV debut on an episode of Walt Disney Presents entitled This is Your Life, Donald Duck (1960).  

Next comes the Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, The Barnyard Melody (1929). The title is a reference to the feature length movie, The Broadway Melody (1929). Though forgotten today, The Broadway Melody would become the first sound Best Picture winner at the Oscars. 

In the 1930's the Fleischer Studio's Popeye cartoon had reached an incredible level of popularity even rivaling that of Mickey Mouse. These simple black and white seven-minute cartoons captured the hearts of moviegoers just as much as any feature film. Because of this both Paramount encouraged the cartoon studio to create something bigger with Popeye. The result was a series of three two-reel full color cartoons starring the cartoon sailor. These films were over twice the length of an average Popeye cartoon and they felt bigger in every way possible. My personal favorite of the three is the second, Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (1937). This one has the same larger than usual and visual gorgeous look as the others, but in my opinion the humor in this short is probably the funniest. The cartoon was later edited down to a seven-minute short with some new animation featuring Popeye and his nephews for a cheater cartoon, Popeye Makes a Movie (1950). The following are some exhibitor reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (Color Special): Popeye the Sailor - A two-reel cartoon that means nothing more at the box office than a single. Does not compare with 'Sinbad the Sailor' in entertainment. Running time, 17 minutes. A. Goldson, Gold Coast Theatre, Chicago, Ill. Neighborhood Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Not nearly as funny as it ought to have been. Still most everyone enjoyed it. Popeye needs a change of diet anyway. One tires of too much spinach. - L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Ran it to bolster 'Rosalie' and really believe it drove in a few. Play it. They'll enjoy it. Running time, 20 minutes. - A.E. Eliassen, Rialto Theatre, Paynesville, Minn., Small Town and Rural Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Played this with 'College Holiday.' We put this in as a double attraction and which met with a great success. Played the Easter Sunday with very good business. Had a large matinee. Popeye sure pleases the children. -Edelstein Amusement Company, Homer Theatre, Hibbing, Minn. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Color Special - This is an extra price cartoon of two reels, which was just one reel too long. They can't sustain an audience's attention for the extra length, and it got boresome before it was halfway through. Don't buy it. Kids will like it of course but you don't pay off with them. - A.E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General Patronage."

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Now it is time for some Saturday Morning Minions.

Now it is silent movie time. So, enjoy this silent short film from director Emile Cohl, Dream of a Waiter (1910). Emile Cohl is considered one of the pioneers of animation and his film, Fantasmagorie (1908), which has sometimes been called the first animated cartoon. Of course, it is hard to be sure of any first in film history. Still his pioneering work has led Emile Cohl to be called, "The Father of the Animated Cartoon." 

Though when most animation fans think of Tex Avery, they think of his films for MGM, I have always had a huge fondness for his work at Warner Brothers as well. What I love about his films for Warner Brothers is that he takes very conventional storylines and adds his wacky sense of humor. One of my favorite of his films for Warner Brothers is Porky’s Preview (1941). This cartoon takes a cute premise of Porky Pig (still a child in this film) making a cartoon movie show for his little barnyard friends and turns it into a wonderful self-parody of cartoons themselves. I love how even musical director Carl Stalling gets in on the joke by giving us kiddie versions of songs he often used in the Looney Tunes cartoons. 

Now let us close by singing a song we all know. By the way for any of my fellow country music fans, yes Hank Williams Jr. is singing this.

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

 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #271

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

Today’s cartoon selection begins with Little Lulu in Lulu Gets the Birdie (1944). The following is a review from The Showmen's Trade Review magazine, "The third of the Lulu series stacks up well with the first two and makes clever use of Technicolor when Lulu's cat upsets different colored paint all over the place. This episode comes about because Lulu is trying to do away with the little birdie who told on her. A noticeable change in this number is that Lulu appears to be a sweeter child than heretofore - a change not altogether good for audience appeal. Let's have that schemer again. This series is for all audiences and holds to a high standard. 

Next comes one of my favorite Terry Toons cartoons, Post War Inventions (1945). This short film features our good friends Gandy Goose and Sourpuss. While the premise of the film may be dated, the humor and the imagination are still wonderful today.  

Ferdinand the Bull (1938) began production as a Silly Symphony short but in the end the Disney studio released it as a Special. Unlike many Disney cartoons of the time which were either original stories or based off stories that dated quite a way back, this film was based off a contemporary story. The book had been published in 1936 and though there was controversy for its pacifist themes, it became a real best seller, even outselling Gone with the Wind. Walt bought the rights to the book in October 1937. Albert Hay Malotte, who wrote the score for this cartoon, would co-write a song called Fernand the Bull with Larry Morey. Though this song does not appear in the film it was used to promote the cartoon. The matador seen in this cartoon is a caricature of Walt Disney himself. The scene in which the matador enters was animated by Ward Kimball, who included himself as the little man carrying the sword. Animation for this cartoon would be reused by Disney in a wartime training film, Stop the Tank (1942), the Goofy cartoon, For Whom the Bulls Toil (1953) and the feature length, Fun and Fancy Free (1947). The following is an article in Boxoffice Magazine (Dated January 7th, 1939). "Sioux Falls, S.D. Manager Joe Floyd of the Granada covered nearly all the angles for the RKO-Disney short, 'Ferdinand the Bull' the subject rated a holdover. A 14-foot cutout of Ferdinand was used in the lobby illuminated by two Klieg lights. Another large cutout was anchored a sound truck which blasted announcements and played the show's records. Four illuminated billboards were used with two thirds of the space given over to the Disney picture. Window displays were especially made by Floyd and there were 12 in select locations. A feature of the advertising was a teaser campaign: newspaper space was in editorial columns were large throughout the run. There were extra announcements on the radio and records of 'Ferdinand the Bull' were broadcast several times through station KELO, which reaches about 150,000 persons." 

Now for the Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, The Old Hokum Bucket (1931). Like all of these films, this short is quite primitive compared to what Disney was doing at the same time, but the creativity and Gene Rodemich's music make it well worth watching. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now it is silent movie time with one of Walt Disney's Alice Comedies, Alice the Fire Fighter (1926). The Alice Comedies were a series of short films which combined a live action little girl with an animated world. This series also marked the first series of films by Walt Disney to use reoccurring characters. Here Alice is played by Margie Gay, the third child actress to play the character. 

Now it is time for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

Next comes a classic Norman McCabe directed Daffy Duck cartoon. Though he only directed three Daffy cartoons, Norman McCabe more than proved himself as a perfect match for this character. Though his Daffy was still wild and crazy, Norman's cartoons gave him a more fully formed personality than previous directors did. Besides just the personality these films were extremely high energy cartoons that were extremely fun. Norman McCabe would continue working with the Looney Tunes characters well past the golden age of Looney Tunes, as he would be a timing director for the TV shows, Tiny Toon Adventures (1990-1991), Taz-Mania (1991-1995) and The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries (1995-1996). So, enjoy Impatient Patient (1942). 

Let us close by singing a song we all know. 

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

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

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

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Movie Trailer: Despicable Me 4

Movie Review: Migration

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A very fun new animated movie from Illumination. 

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. 

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #253

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

Santa's Surprise (1947) is an especially delightful Christmas cartoon from Famous Studios. This cartoon is best remembered as the first cartoon to feature the character of Little Audrey. Little Audrey was an original character for the studio and also a replacement for Little Lulu, who the studio had made a series of cartoons with, in the past. Little Lulu was not created by the studio but was the star of a comic strip by Marjorie Henderson Buell. When Paramount decided not to renew the license for Famous Studios to use that character, Little Audrey was created. The character was designed by veteran Disney animator Bill Tytla (possibly my favorite Disney animator), who was now a director at Famous. This short's lead animator was Myron Waldman, who specialized in cute animation (often shining his best in the studio's Casper series). Myron would later remember this cartoon as one he was especially happy with.

Now for a Fleischer Brothers Screen Song cartoon, My Wife's Gone to the Country (1931). The Screen Song cartoons featured a mixture of cartoon action and "Follow the Bouncing Ball" sing-along. In fact, it was these short films that introduced the idea of following the bouncing ball. 

Next comes Pride of the Yard (1954). Despite this cartoon stating that it is staring Percval Sleuthhound, this is the only film he appeared in. 

Next is 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)

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Next comes the Aesop's Film Fables short, The Alley Cat (1923).

Next comes Mickey Mouse in The Duck Hunt (1931). In this short film, Mickey and Pluto go out hunting for ducks with little luck. A scene in which Pluto is swimming in the lake with a decoy on his head was later repeated in the Sunday Mickey Mouse comic strip. A variety of animators worked on Pluto here, but the star animator for the character is Norm Ferguson, who is one of the main animators responsible for developing Pluto's personality. This cartoon predates the first appearance of Donald Duck, but I wonder how Mickey's future friend would feel about this movie. 

Now for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

If any of you wonder why I love Christmas so much, this song should explain. 

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 Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein 

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

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Movie Trailer: Migration

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #250

 Hello, my friends and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons. 

Today's cartoon selection begins with your hero and mine, Mighty Mouse in Law and Order (1950).

Next comes a classic and often overlooked Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, More Kittens (1936). This short film is a bit of a sequel to the previous Silly Symphonies short, Three Orphan Kittens (1935) as this movie features the same kittens who were the stars of that cartoon. The voice of the maid in this movie was by Lillian Randolph. Cartoon fans might recognize her as the voice of Tom's owner in the earlier Tom and Jerry films. Fans of classic Christmas movies will know her as Annie the maid in Its a Wonderful Life (1947). Like all Disney cartoons of this time, this film features a wonderful cast of animators. Frenchy de Tremaudan animates the kittens' opening and closing scenes with the maid and them in the laundry. Ward Kimball, who would become one of Walt's Nine Old Men, work on some of the best Disney features and even direct some great cartoon shorts, animates the kittens first meeting the dog. Leonard Sebring, a wonderful animator who spent most of his career doing uncredited work for both Disney and MGM, animates the kittens drinking from the dog's bowl and them with the turtle. Bob Stokes, who worked for a wide variety of studios (Disney, Van Bureun, Warner Brothers, MGM, Ub Iwerks) though mostly uncredited, the scene with the kittens, the fly and the dog together. Bob Wickersham animates the kitten and the fly on the branch and the kittens with the bird. Frank Thomas, who would also become one of Walt's Nine Old Men, animates the fight inside the dog's mouth, the kittens chasing the bird up the clothesline and the dog hiding the kittens. This cartoon premiered at the Majestic in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Christmas day, 1936 with the feature film, Polo Joe (1936, starring Joe E. Brown). It made its TV premier on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on December 6, 1956. 

Next is a delightful black and white Porky Pig cartoon, Get Rich Quick Porky (1937). This was an early cartoon for director Bob Clampett (1937 was his first year as a director) and while it may not be as wild as some of the director's later work, there is plenty to enjoy here. This cartoon also marked the last appearance of Porky's sidekick, Gabby Goat. There is not much to Gabby besides him being grumpy and easily irritated, but the contrast between him and the more optimistic Porky makes for delightful watching. Two of the animators on this movie would later become great Looney Tune directors in their own right. Chuck Jones animates the wonderful scene with the dog, the gopher and a bone as well as the film's ending. Norm McCabe animates Gabby underground with his jackhammer as well as Porky handing the deed to Honest John. 

Now for Chilly Willy and Wally Walrus in From Tusk Til Dawn (2022). 

Now it is time for a commercial break.

Now for an Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon, The King of Bugs (1930). This short film is quite crude compared to what Disney was doing at this time, but is definitely enjoyable for what it is. 

Up next is Betty Boop and Bimbo in the Talkratoon short (this is before Betty got her own series), Dizzy Red Riding Hood (1931). This movie is full of the surrealistic and often risqué humor that I love about the pre-code Fleischer cartoons. 

The Pink Panther began his animated career appearing in the opening credits of Blake Edwards' great live action feature, The Pink Panther (1964). Blake Edwards contacted animation producers Friz Freleng and David DePatie to create an animated Pink Panther for this title sequence. They created many different panthers, but when Blake saw the various drawings, he immediately knew which one he wanted in his film. The title sequence was a smash hit, and the character was spun off into a series of theatrical cartoon shorts (at a time when those were on their way out). Today we will look at the first and possibly best of these cartoons, The Pink Phink (1964). This cartoon set a template for many more shorts to come. The basic storyline involves a formula that would be often used. The Pink Panther wants to turn everything pink much to the annoyance of a little man (who may look a little like Friz). The gags come fast and furious and the design work is lovely. All in all, this cartoon was a delight and the best way to start this series possible.

It is now silent movie time, so enjoy Felix the Cat in Romeeow (1927). 

Let us close with some Saturday Morning Minions. 

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes by looney and your melodies merry.  

Resources Used

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

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Brothers Cartoons by Jerry Beck and Will Friedwald 

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animator-breakdown-get-rich-quick-porky-1937/

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #243

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

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




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





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



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





Now it is time for a commercial break. 







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




Now for some Saturday Morning Minions. 






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



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



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


Resouces Used

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

The 50 Greatest Cartoons edited by Jerry Beck

https://mediahistoryproject.org/

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

Some Cartoons for Saturday Morning #225

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

Today's cartoon selection begins with Get Lost (1956). This short film marks the first animated appearance of Woody Woodpecker's nephew and niece, Knothead and Splinter. However the characters had already appeared in comic books as early as 1952. In their earliest comic book appearances both characters were boys and Knothead was called Nuthead. This pair of characters would only appear in 6 theatrical cartoon shorts but would later become regulars on TV's The New Woody Woodpecker Show (1999-2001). 

Though certainly much less remembered than the studio's Popeye, Betty Boop and Superman cartoons, the Fleischer Studio made a series of cartoons that took place in the Stone Age. This series ran only for 12 short films and all these cartoons were released in 1940. Here is one of those cartoons, The Ugly Dino (1940). Like quite a few of the Fleischer cartoons of this era, this movie is much more in the style of a Disney short, than the Fleischer's more distinct earlier style.  

Despite Taz's extreme popularity with Looney Tunes fans today, he only appeared in 5 of the original short films. My favorite of these cartoons is Ducking the Devil (1957). This movie marks the only time during the golden age of Looney Tunes that Taz was paired against Daffy Duck. In the other four films, Taz had worked against Bugs Bunny. This movie like the other Taz cartoons is directed by Robert McKimson. 

Next is a great one-off Disney short, Pigs is Pigs (1954). You will easily notice watching this movie that is looks quite different from the average Disney cartoon short. This was at the time when the UPA studio was being held as the next big thing in animation. Using the type of flat and more stylized look that was so prominent in the UPA films became something that every American animation studio did. Disney admittedly used this style of artwork less often than many of the other studios did. However there were a few cartoons made by the Disney studio, where the storyline called out for this type of artwork and when it was appropriate Disney would use it for a short. This may be my favorite of Disney's UPA inspired shorts. 

Now it is time for a commercial break. 

Now for a silent movie, The Extra Quick Lunch (1918) starring Mutt and Jeff. 

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Moving Picture World, 1917

Now for some Saturday Morning Minions. 

Next up is The Ant and the Aardvark in Odd Ant Out (1970). This movie is an unusual one in the series, due to the fact that the ant does not have much screen time. Instead the majority of this short film involves the Aardvark fighting with a green aardvark over a can of chocolate covered ants. This green aardvark had previously appeared in the short, I've Got Ants In My Plans (1969). That was a similar short with the two aardvarks fighting over the ant, with the big difference between the two cartoons being that in the earlier short the ant got more screen time. /

Now for the next chapter of the webtoon series, Toon Marooned (2001) starring the Looney Tunes characters. There are only three constants left. Who will make it through this episode and who will be voted off? 

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. 

Movie Review: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An excellent feature film adaption of the beloved video game franchise.

It is obvious that those who worked on this movie are major Mario fans, and their love for the source material shows in every second. Not only are there plenty of references to various parts of Mario history for fans of the games to geek out over (as a life long Mario fan, I definitely geeked out a few times), but in simply how the world this movie takes place in is designed. This film in many ways feels like the video games come to life. There is the feeling of joy and unlimited possibilities that make the games so beloved all over the world that this film builds. This movie does exactly what every fantasy movie should do. This is that it makes you want to live in this world and sad when you have to leave it when the end credits start rolling. What is more impressive about this film's world building is that it stays true to the spirit of the games while also feeling cinematic and working in the context of a movie. This movie also does a wonderful job of adapting these characters to film. While none of the characters have especially complex personalities here, these characters are certainly a lot of fun to watch and easy to care about. Even before they enter the Mushroom Kingdom, we already care very much about Mario and Lugi, as it is hard not to. I especially like how Mario is handled throughout this film, as I admittedly related to him, felt for him and cared about him. This movie also has a wonderful sense of humor and I and the audience I watched this with all laughed quite a bit watching this. I excepted to giggle and smile at the jokes but I did not except to laugh out loud as often as I did. Though I love the slapstick of the Minions films, this may be the funniest of all movies from Illumination. The storyline of this movie is very basic but it is effective and the 92 minutes go by incredibly quickly. 

This movie does have its flaws though. One of them is that quite a few story points feel really rushed. This is especially true of Mario and Lugi's backstory, Donkey Kong's character arc and the relationship between Mario and Donkey Kong. This can really take you out of the movie at times and make certain scenes lack the emotional connection they should have. The rushing of Donkey Kong's arc can also make him feel undeveloped and underutilized as a character. The story is also incredibly predictable and there are plenty of parts where anybody who has ever seen a movie before can tell just what is going to happen next as this follows the formula of many other animated family movies very closely. 

All in all, despite some faults, this movie is a real treat to anyone who loves Mario and even some of those who don't. 

Movie Trailer: The Super Mario Bros. Movie