Mini-Matinee #27 - Pioneers in Animation

In the two decades prior to the sound era, the most distinguished artists in the animation field created incredible masterpieces that few audiences today have seen or heard of. These works are among America’s greatest art treasures, considered by some to rank with the works of Rembrandt, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso.

Today the Bijou breaks from our traditional menu of cartoons, shorts, serials, trailers and theater ads to serve up a festival of rare silent-era animation classics. Featured are five vastly entertaining and imaginative cartoons produced between 1922 and 1925 featuring the pioneering work of Max Fleischer and Walt Disney.

Animator and historian Ray Pointer has reconstructed and restored these animated treasures, adding lively period music and sound effects in a manner that would have accompanied the original presentations in theaters.

“BIG CHIEF” KO-KO (1924)
First up we celebrate an early masterpiece from the fertile imagination of pioneer animator Max Fleischer. A live-action Max is drawing Ko-Ko the Clown when a real Indian arrives to sell some drawings to Max. Ko-Ko becomes manic fearing he could be replaced and this could cost him his job. Read more about Max Fleischer here.

ALICE’S EGG PLANT (1925)
While Max was mixing it up with Ko-Ko, Walt Disney was producing his own live-action and animation creations known as the Alice Comedies. Alice’s Egg Plant is a very funny sample from the series shown here complete and uncensored. A live-action Alice, played by Margie Gay, interacts with Julius, her cartoon cat, who manages the hens at Alice’s Egg factory. Just as she gets an order for 5000 eggs from the Skinam and Soakem Poultry and Eggs Company, along comes Little Red Henski, a Communist Rooster determined to unionize the factory. The hens go on strike until Alice figures out how a Cock-Fight can save the day. You can read more about the Alice Comedies here.

PUSS AND BOOTS (1922)
While a cartoon Cock-Fight saved the day for Alice, Puss depends on a pair of magic Flapper Boots and a Bull Fight for this adventure to have a happy ending in this fanciful Laugh-O-Grams Fairy Tale. More on this early Walt Disney series is here.


A KICK FOR CINDERELLA (1924)
Magical dancing shoes play a major role in this whimsical, tune-filled version of the famous fairy tale. Jeff fantasizes himself in the Cinderella role and competes with Mutt for the Championship honors at the Charleston Exhibition. The only problem is, Mutt dances like a pro and Jeff can’t dance at all. That is until his Fairy Godsister arrives and waves her magic wand. Read more about Mutt & Jeff here.

FELIX ALL PUZZLED (1924)
Like Alice’s cat Julius, Felix mixes it up with the Russians when his master won’t feed him his milk until he solves a crossword puzzle. The puzzler is: What is a seven letter word found in Russia? So Felix decides to go to Russia to find the answer. The result is trouble. This is the only complete print of this delightful cartoon romp known to have survived. More on the silent Felix the Cat cartoons is here.

We asked Ray to comment about the music and sound effects he adds to the silent cartoons ~~~

I've been exposed to many styles of music, and have always had a "musical ear." Watching the cartoons, I had a mental picture of the visual rhythm, and thanks to musicians and collectors of rare old recordings as well and my own library, I had a lot of great Public Domain material to work with. A lot of the tunes are 1920s dance music, mostly Fox Trots or Charlestons. I would recall certain pieces, keeping them in mind for each cartoon. I would find the start frame, and by feel, find the beat of the action that fit the beat of the music. In some cases we helped it along with a subtle edit in order to maintain the continuity of rhythm.

But the placement of the music is only a mechanical process. There is also a sense for knowing what music is right for the situation. Music has a great deal to do with how we perceive the films we watch. The same applies to cartoons. The difference between whether the audience is going to remain interested or not is dependent upon how entertaining the music is, and how the music compliments the actions on the screen. Much of the music applied by others tends to be boring and sleep inducing. The use of music for comedy and cartoons is a special thing. The music should be humorous and enhancing of gags and not exist to simply "fill air." I have been fortunate that I have been able to select the right cues and edit them in a way that makes them seem originally scored for the cartoons. But for the most part, this is all instinctive.

As for the sound effects, I have collected them for 40 years. Many are authentic acoustical effects used in theaters, circuses, films, and cartoons. Some I have manufactured, or recreated. I made a particular effort to try to use sound effects that are most closely identified with certain brand cartoons or studios. This is particularly the case with the OUT OF THE INKWELL and AESOP'S FABLES cartoons, where I used the same or similar effects to those used on the soundtracks produced by Fleischer or Terrytoons of the 1930s. There's something that just seems right about hearing those authentic sounds that are so identified with their sound cartoons. Many times people have asked me where I found the sound re-releases of these cartoons. The fact is that I have created these soundtracks to make them sound authentic to the period. So when someone thinks they were from that era, this only indicates that my efforts were successful. That is most gratifying.

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And remember, the Bijou Mini-Matinees change every Wednesday. You can enjoy any of the prior shows via the link under the marquee on the right.