Apologies for the over 4 month interruption. I didn't intend to be gone so long, just a week or two during a period of tests. Then, unexpectedly my laptop needed to be replaced, which took far too long for various reasons. Now that I have a much better laptop, I'm hoping, with school over, to get back to weekly posts. With this out of the way, let's back to what Inbetweens is supposed to be about, underlooked cartoons of the theatrical days!
I've been giving more of my attention to silent era animation since I've been attending Tommy Stathes' Cartoon Carnival, viewing the Bray Animation Project site, and buying the CartoonsOnFilm Blu-rays! I've found them not only historic and novel for what they are, but genuinely entertaining! In my opinion, it seems silent animation peaked around 1925-27, with the New York studios creating funny, creative, and well done cartoons. But with the studios on the verge of progressing to sound by late '28, one mainstay of the silent era had dismantled their cartoon unit; Bray Pictures.
The Bray Studio was one of the first studios devoted to animation, and the first to succeed, hiring many talented artists with a variety of series, and figuring out over the 1910s what cartoons the audience liked best. By 1926 though, things were different. All of the major directors from the 1910s had left, Bray was focusing on two reeler comedies and education, and distribution had changed for the worse. With that said, the cartoons from then and now were consistently entertaining, and getting better! By now, a young Walt Lantz was the head of cartoon making, and had been completely helming three series that were doing well. After finishing work on the second series of Colonel Heeza Liar, he began the Dinky Doodle cartoons, which maintained a more refined version of the formula of the Liar series; Lantz would interact with Dinky and Weakheart, morph the action into the animated world, and end back in the real world. Of course, this was to emulate Out of the Inkwell, while cutting costs with live action.
After nearly 2 years, Lantz refreshed the idea by introducing the "Hot Dog Cartoons" with Pete the Pup. These only lasted one year, as Bray decided to close down the cartoon department. Between Dinky and Hot Dog, was the series we are discussing today; The Unnatural History Cartoons! These followed the same combination of live action and cartoon, but were kept separate, minus some small pieces unrelated to the two worlds. The animal action (about how a animal obtained a trait they are known for) was similar, and most definitely trying to appeal in the way Paul Terry's Aesop's Film Fables had been doing during the decade. But I think I have explained this well enough, let's enjoy one of these, thanks to Tommy Stathes!
The Tail of the Monkey (1926), is directed by Lantz and co-directed by David Hand(!), who joined briefly during this time, but seems to of left just as quick. The role of the co-director was to film Lantz and the live action, and as head animator. But again, sidetracked, and back to the cartoon! (Apologies for any poor image quality, but Tommy will be getting to restoring it someday!)
The Film opens up with Walt Lantz playing an Italian Organ Grinder (with a real Spider Monkey assistant), for these two children, though one disappears after the opening shot. The one we focus on (I think a boy) gets giddy with the show going on, but the Spider Monkey's animated tail steals his lollipop, and starts crying. Lantz gets mad at his "Monk" and cheeps us the kid by telling him a story; why the Monkey uses their tail as an additional arm so much
We transition from the cute live action set-up to the cartoon action. We see the first Monkey running a blacksmith shop, whose tail gets in the way a lot, a little too often perhaps. David Hand's animation takes step here, and while not as rubbery as Clyde Geronimi's (the main co-director of this period), its still full of life and charm, and gets good expression out of the face and poses.
After some mishaps with the Monkey's tail, we see her cub helper polishing some horse shoes using a fake horse foot. Eventually, the cub is called over to maintain the Monkey's tail, until a customer shows up! Its a cat in need of a repaired mousetrap. Of course, one would only need it repaired if he still a mouse problem, as we very quickly find it. Some more slapstick ensues.
The humor around here shows well the "Fables wannabe" aspect best. Pesky Mice causing harm on other critters was essentially, the whole schtick of Terry's cartoons by 1926, but that doesn't make these any less charming. This is not the pinnacle of entertainment, but it does the job of giving a good run for its runtime. I wouldn't call it disposable either; a lot of late silent animation tends to cross parallels with ideas that would become popular when sound took over. Here we see Lantz trying to do something of a faster gag, and while not the best executed, its something that would improve over the next few years
Back to the cartoon though, with the mouse and cat going off on their own, our hero the Monk and the cub get a little laugh out of it. All the sudden, another job from a bird! Its from King Hippo, but like any important jobs, it has be quick, as its currently 4:57. Take a look for yourself!
The Monkey and the Cub quickly get to work producing a big enough ring in 15 minutes, but its 5:00! The Cub checks out of work for the day, leaving the situation grim for producing it. However, the Monkey sees the potential of its tail for the first time, besides as a sag to get hurt, of course. She finishes the giant ring in time and the bird carrier comes to take the ring, with the Monkey now ranked as King Hippo's Jeweler.
The cartoon section, and we get a brief sendoff to our story (I nearly forgot it began as a live action story when we got here). After the Hurdy Gurdy man is done proudly explaining why monkeys are so active with their tail, his own monkey destroys his gold watch! He gets so upset and mad he leaves, and the cartoon is over!
Apologies if this post came off a little inconsistent in tone, it was written on and off over the past few months. It should be better from here. This film may not be the cream of the crop, but I like it, and hope to see more from this series someday (which will happen, thanks to CartoonsOnFilm!). I'll be back to regularly scheduled posting next week, see you then!
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