Wednesday, December 7, 2011

122 An Itch In Time



Title: An Itch in Time
Studio: Warner Bros.
Date: 12/04/43 (12/4 in LTMM, 11/20 in OMAM)
Credits: - (but Clampett)
Series: Merrie Melodies (on a Blue Ribbon Rerelease)
Running time (of viewed version): 8:27
Commercial DVD Availability: LTGCv3d4

Synopsis: Flea eats his way through the Fudd house.






















Comments: Horribly hatted Elmer. Reading a comic book featuring Porky and Bugs on the back cover. Animated fire just sitting on top of some logs. MArtian art on the wall of Elmer's very modern (for 1943) house. Dog butt. That's how you know it's a Clampett cartoon, even with Blue Ribbon titles. Hillbilly flea. "Food around the corner for me" song. Background painting of dog's head is lineless, which is unusual in context. Ration book. The fireplace is sweet (but flue-less). A pretty good Clampett cartoon because he's only screwing up Elmer. Jump in shot of dog's head to greater CU. ""Hey, I'd better cut this out, I may get to like it" feels like a lift. Santa imagery. Suicide ending with a handgun. Rocking chair just kinda floats. John Kricfalusi on the commentary unsurprisingly likes the look of Elmer. I disagree. It's good that the fireplace looks great, because it shows up a lot in this.

Monday, December 5, 2011

121 Good Night Rusty



1943 Number: 121
Title: Good Night Rusty
Studio: Pal
Date: 12/03/43
Credits: -
Series: Puppetoon/Madcap Model
Running time (of viewed version): 7:26
Commercial DVD Availability: -

Synopsis: Boy tries his hand at the smoking arts.
















Comments: Pushing in on a house in the opening. Pal didn't really mix it up. Crossfades from the window to Rusty tho. Big gumpy hands on Rusty's parent. Head looks like a glittery figure of death tho. Rusty has been hiding a cigar. It doesn't make him sick at first when he smokes it. And he wants to be a gangster. Cigar goes limp; he starts (sweating I think), and his eyes googly. Music is Disney like in some ways. Interesting glasses duplication and animation. Anthropomorphic cigar. Bondage and cigar conga. Actually ends with a joke of cigars popping out of bed saying goodnight mother. Same house (and same kid) as in The Truck That Flew http://cartoonsof1943.blogspot.com/2011/08/082-truck-that-flew.html . He learned to smoke from watching his dad. The kid is basically a villain. Kubrick may have ripped this off for the traveling scene in 2001; the eerie voice music, the contorted faces, the launching into space... (Note that I'm kidding, internet.)

Sunday, December 4, 2011

BoxOffice, December 4, 1943

""Drip" Song for Cartune Walter Lantz has purchased the song, •Water Lou, Drip! Drip! Drip!" from Del Porter and Carl Hoefle to use as the basis of a Cartune by the same name. Ben Hardaway and Milt Schaeffer are working on the script. Lantz is also preparing two more brlefles, both of which are untitled,

for current season release."

"WALTER LANTZ has added "(ungle live," with a South Seas locale, to his Cartunes lineup. Arthur Heinoman and James Culhane are preparing the"



"In order to see two features, the patrons of this theatre must be In the hou.se at 8:55. In this instance. If a 9:00 showing has been advertised consistently, it would be well to include a cartoon to add seven or eight minutes running time to the pro-"

"a Popeye cartoon and two fea-"

""Squander Bug" Creator Son of Springfield Man

Springfield Theodore Sue.ss Geisel. cartoonist, humorist, writer and illustrator of children's books, whose latest creation, the "squander bug." is being used by the treasui-y department in a campaign to divert more money into the war effort, is the son of Theodore Geisel. local superintendent of parks. Stationed on the west coast for more than a year. Geisel is attached to the Hollywood division of special service as a captain in the information branch. He had tlie job of "Americanizing" the bug. known to the British government for some time, as a part of his work."

"Before schools let out for the holidays arrange for your Kiddie shows, if you plan your Christmas Kiddie Party after Christmas rather than a Saturday before. When the cartoons are arranged with the booker,"
"up with a contest of some kind a coloring contest will do. If you have a Bugs Bunny show run the contest around Bugs Bunny, or for that matter, any of the cartoon characters in the show. You might give a dime store a display in the lobby in exchange for candy and some prizes for your Christmas party. A good stunt that has been tried and"

"Fuss and Feathers

20th-Fox (Dribble Puss Parade)

9 Mins.

Amusing.

in

this short,

Lew

Lehr handles the narration

on a single

bill.

Her Honor the Mare

Paramount 7 Mins, (Popeye) Good. Popeye appears in his first Technicolor release and all of his countless fans will hail the event. The gorgeous color adds immensely to its enjoyment. Popeye's four little nephews find an old mare. They decide to bring her home but the animal's size presents a problem. There is a bit of horseplay, and the mare finally wins a home when she becomes a mother. The new Popeye series should cut quite a swath in the cartoon field.

which features birds with gorgeous plumage. Coupled with Lehr's jocular narration and the unusual subjects, the footage emerges as a unique short suitable for

practically

any

spot.

^nt to sing.
Imagination

Columbia

Excellent.

Kingdom

20th-Fox

of the Treasure

9 Mins.

to

(Color Rhapsody)

6 Mins.

Very Good.

(Magic Carpet) A worthy successor

is

prein

delightful fantasy of childrod is here transferred to the screen in one the best cartoons ever turned out by Pro.:er Dave Fleischer. An original song by ;ul Worth bearing the same title as the film ids immeasurably to its entertainment val:r.
A

vious releases in this series

this short

which Lowell Thomas' resonant voice is heard as the narrator. The reel depicts the lush beauties of an Indian maharajah's domain. All of the pomp of a royal court is shown, making the reel of more than passing interest.

This is cartoon of unusual merit which he booked on virtually any program.

Phony Express

Columbia

(Throe Stooges)

17 Mins.

Unusual Occupations

Paramount

(L3-1)

10 Mins.

The Hopeful Donkey

20th-Fox

Fair.

(Terrytoon Cartoon)

into the discard

7 Mina.


because he has outlived his usefulness, the donkey leaves home. While trekking along a highway he is joined by a bevy of other animals who comfort him. Then his luck changes and all is well again. The second part of the short shows how the fable would be done today. It's replete with boogie woogie and jive."
"Duck Makes Good

(Terrytoon Cartoon)

7 Mins."
Good. Plenty of laughs in this footage, which should more than please the kids and many adults, too. The duck is an amusing fellow whose antics will undoubtedly create laughs galore.

use. That's wife starts.

when

the

trouble

with his


"Way Down

the

'

Yonder Corn

in"
(Fox & Crow)

71/2

Vory Good.

•1

, '

,v

when

lor

a acarocTow

The wily crow puis one over the latter, who is a farmer, Impersonating a
the crow gets the iob. But the fox the tables when he, himself, imjonnto.T a scarecrow. This is a color ear-
The Old Army

RKO

Very Good.

Game

7 Mins.

(Wall Disney Productions)

Donald Duck trios to outwit the tough array sergeant by filling the barracks beds with dummies and playing a phonograph racording of various kinds of
chasing Donald with a bayonet. Disney fans will revel in this latest release

Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Phantom Chapter 14

http://www.archive.org/details/ThePhantom1943Serial-15Chapters

Go to chapter 14

The Lost City

Out of bullets (click click click)

Friday, December 2, 2011

120 The Playful Pest



Title: The Playful Pest
Studio: Columbia
Date: 12/03/43
Credits:
Produced by
Dave Fleischer
Direction
Paul Sommer
Story
Sam CObean
Animation
Don Williams
Volus Jones
Music
Eddie Kilfeather
Series: Phantasy
Running time (of viewed version): 6:41
Commercial DVD Availability: -

Synopsis: Termite calls out the exterminator.



















Comments: Opening sign pan. Bulbous man. Timing too quick. Strangely computer looking thing with wires coming out. Many odd angles. Feels kinda like a bad Porky Pig cartoon (from '39). Addams family looking house. The termite is a douchebag. Many odd angles (that the backgrounds are presented at). More signs that What's Buzzin' Buzzard?, which is saying something. I didn't like them especially there, and I like them even less here. Why would a termite looking for a fight dress in old fashioned high society clothing? The cartoon gives the feeling of not havig really been thought about when made. It just got made.

Volus Jones is quite a name.
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/old-brew/animator-volus-jones-rip.html

Thursday, December 1, 2011

NaNoWriMo accomplished

As mentioned previously, I was engaged in NaNoWriMo last month. I completed the numerical goal two days ago, and padded my numbers a little yesterday. They didn't have to be good words, there just had to be 50,000 of them. Some 1943 cartoons did make it into those not very good words, as did a '39 or two. All I can say is it's weird to be back. And not exactly back here; I uploaded all the principle '43 blog posts before I started NaNo; so other than maybe a filler or two celebrating the season (and maybe something providing a little closure), I'll mostly be getting back to slogging through entries for the Cartoons of 1935. Wish me luck; it's a lot more grim back there, and I won't have '43s to break up the monotony.