Cowboy Church #10

Hello again my friends and welcome to another installment of Cowboy Church. 

We begin or musical selection off with an original song from The Sons of the Pioneers called The Sea Walker. This song was written by one of the group's founding members Tim Spencer and the group recorded it in 1947. The next song is Johnny Cash's Man in White. This song is told from the perceptive from the Apostle Paul. Like how Paul had a huge influence on John (and on me as well). John would even write a Christian book about Paul which was also called Man in White. Next comes a rare often unheard of song. This song is called My God and I and performed by Waylon Jennings and Buck Wilkin (of Ronny & the Daytonas, and the writer of this song). Next comes Charley Pride performing Time Out For Jesus from his 1971 gospel album Did You Think to Pray. Next comes The Statler Brothers performing the Gospel classic When the Roll is Called Up Yonder. Next is Gene Autry performing God's Little Candles in a clip from the feature film, Pack Train (1953). Last but not least is Roy Rogers and Dale Evans performing the classic gospel song, How Great Thou Art from their 1962 album The Bible Tells Me So. 

Now enjoy a silent short western starring the one and only Broncho Billy Anderson, Broncho Billy and the Greaser.

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:13“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:21“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
"“For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isaiah 25:4

So Happy Trails to you until we meet again and god bless.


-Michael J. Ruhland

Some Cartoons For Saturday Morning #17

Hello again my friends and happy Saturday morning. Of course we all know that means time for more cartoons. 

To start off we have a classic Donald Duck cartoon, Donald's Dilemma (1947). This cartoon was directed by Jack King. King was hired as an animator at the Disney studio in 1929. During that time he mostly worked as an animator. He would leave the studio in 1933 and would become a director at Warner Brothers. What is interesting about his Warner Brothers cartoons is that they were less filled with humor than most of the other Warner Brothers cartoons where. A cartoon like Shanghaied Shipmates (1936) starring Porky Pig couldn't be called a comedy at all. What is more fascinating is that when he came back to Disney and became the director for many Donald Duck shorts, his cartoons would become some of the most slapstick filled Disney was putting out at the time. These Donald Ducks took nothing seriously and instead everything in them was just for the sake of making one laugh. This is especially strange considering that Disney made a greater number of serious cartoons than Warner Brothers ever did. This cartoon was written by Roy Williams who would go on to become a regular cast member on The Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1956) TV show. In his book The Disney Films Leonard Maltin would describe this cartoon as "Perhaps the best Donald Duck of all..." I don't know if I would go that far, but this certainly is an excellent cartoon. 

Next up comes a Hokey Wolf cartoon from The Huckleberry Hound Show (1958-1961) called Hokey's Missing Millions. The story involves a billionaire giving Hokey a billion dollars. This story makes me think of the Top Cat (1961-1962) episode The Tycoon, in which a billionaire gives TC a million dollars. Interestingly both episodes were released in 1961. Hokey Wolf trying to sneak past a butler to see a rich man, makes me think of the Daffy Duck cartoon, Daffy Dilly (1948). I always love in these Hanna-Barbera cartoons when a character references another Hanna-Barbera character and here Hokey references Snagglepuss.



Next comes one of the classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, Fresh Hare (1942). One thing you may notice quickly about this cartoon is that Elmer Fudd is fatter than we usually see him. This was done for a brief time during the early 1940's. The came from director Bob Clampett, who felt Elmer should look more like his voice actor, Arthur Q. Bryan. This new design appeared in a few cartoons not only directed by Clampett, but Friz Freleng as well (this one was directed by Friz). This cartoon features an impolitically correct gag that has been cut out from TV showings. This cut was done very poorly and left the ending feeling abrupt. For those of you who have only seen it on TV, you can now see how the film actually ends and no this ending would not fly today.

 

I have stated before on this blog that I think Earl Hurd's Bobby Bumps cartoons are some of the finest animated films during the silent era. Well here is another classic Bobby Bumps cartoon, Bobby Bumps Starts for School (1917).







   
Let us end with an episode from The New Three Stooges (1965-1966) TV show. This series would feature cartoons staring the famous trio, where they would provide their own voices and star in live action segments introducing the cartoons. So enjoy, Flatheads.



So stay tooned for more animated treats next Saturday morning. Until then peace, love and cartoons.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Donate to a Worthy Cause. Help a Horse Help Kids

Ok this post is an advertisement for something that has nothing to do with film. Still it is something very important to me and I hope important to you as well. Ride to Fly is an incredible organization that does much good (I don't only say that because I volunteer there). Ride to Fly offers therapeutic horseback riding for those with disabilities. To see what this has accomplished and what is has been capable of doing with those you have ridden here is incredible For an excellent video on Ride to Fly click here.

No what we are trying to do at ride to fly is to purchase a beautiful horse named Big Bird (pictured above) to help give our students an incredible experience. That does take money though and any of you who are willing to donate it would be greatly appreciated. To donate click here. If you know anybody who would like to donate let them know as well.

Thank you and God Bless.

Update: We raised the money and were able to get him. I’m so excited to work with him. Thank you and God bless you all.

-Michael J. Ruhland

And the Blue Ribbon Goes to "One Hundred and One Dalmatians"

As mentioned before in this blog during the 1960's Disney movies would often win Boxoffice magazine's Blue Ribbon Award which each month went to a film based on "outstanding merit and suitability for family entertainment." In March of 1961 this award went to the animated feature One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). Here is a page from the magazine announcing it as the winner.

If you are having trouble making this out try this link.


-Michael J. Ruhland 

Que Sera Sera

Doris Day has passed away early this week. As many of you may have heard she is not going to have a funeral, headstone or memorial service. It seems that though she did not write the song Que Sera Sera that the song in many ways reflected her philosophy on life. We shouldn't dwell on what we can't change, but instead just enjoy life for what it is. Also a funeral service is never fully needed. Though she may have passed from this earth, due to her films and music, she will last eternally. So lets celebrate the incredible talent of Doris Day right now and watch her perform her signature song in the movie she introduced it, Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). 


-Michael J. Ruhland 

Movie Review: Poms

Michael's Movie Grade: C+

Review: This film may not be a great movie, but I personally still had fun watching it.

What works best about this movie is that we root for the main characters. This is achieved in various ways. One way is the A Night at the Opera principal, where our antagonists are such jerks to our main characters we automatically want them to prove these jerks wrong. Another way this is done is because we hope when we grow old, we can do so without giving up on life, still enjoying ourselves and fighting for what we want to do. So in a way this movie is a bit of wish fulfillment. Probably the most important factor is the cast. Everyone in this movie puts out such great energy and seems to be having a lot of fun. This spirit goes a long way and makes the audience have fun as well. The of this film is not as consistently laugh out loud funny as one may want. However that does not mean there are no laugh out loud moments as well as some good chuckles. This is not a hilarious comedy, but it does have its moments.

However you have to have seen very few movies not to recognize various plot points. There is nothing in this movie that we have not seen before and while this movie certainly does not do a bad job with the story, there are still other movies that have done this better. You can tell what is going to happen from the start and there are no surprises along the way at all. Though much of the time the movie is charming despite this there are a few times when this can feel tedious and it feels like the movie might be going through the motions more than a little.

This is not great cinema by any means, but if you are like me and sometimes just enjoy a nice time out at the movies, than this is a fun choice. Not every movie needs to be great sometimes fun and charming are enough.

Plus as a country music fan, I am always happy to hear Tammy Wynette song in a movie. :)

-Michael J. Ruhland

Cowboy Church #9

Hello my friends and welcome back to another installment of Cowboy Church. 

We begin our musical selection off with another 1937 recording from The Sons of the Pioneers, There's Power in the Blood. At this time Leonard Slye (later to be renamed Roy Rogers) was still a member of the group. It is incredible how many great songs, Tom T. Hall has written. With this it should be no shocker that he could write a fantastic gospel song, and Me and Jesus shows this perfectly. This incredible song is from his 1972 album, We All Got Together and Then.... Next comes the very first song Johnny Cash played when he auditioned for Sun Records in 1955. Producer Sam Philips was not interested saying that gospel would not sell. John would later audition again this time advertising himself as a rock and roll singer. With this he got a contract with Sun Records. He would record very little gospel music there which was sad for Johnny who wanted to be a gospel singer above all. One of the reasons later that decade he would move to Columbia records was to record gospel music more frequently. One of his first albums for Columbia was 1959's Hymns by Johnny Cash. This song based on a old testament story about Daniel has been one I've always loved. So enjoy Belshazzar. Following comes The Carter Family's 1930 recording of On the Rock Where Moses Stood. Next comes Roy Rogers and Dale Evans performing Take My Hand Precious Lord from their 1962 album, The Bible Tells Me So. We end with Alison Krauss performing Down to the River to Pray, which she originally sang for the movie O Brother Where Art Thou (2000).

The following is a 1957 article about Roy Rogers.

  


2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Isaiah 40:28-31 – Do you not know? Have you not heart? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Thanks for joining me and Happy Trails until we meet again.

-Michael J. Ruhland