Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Wednesday Brain Teaser: Waffles and Don!



Van Beuren is one of those studios that polarizes cartoon fans like no others. Many cringe at what they see as simply 'bad drawing' and 'bad animation'. Personally, I think in order to qualify what bad drawing and animation is you gotta have some idea what was intended in the first place. With Van Beuren I have no idea what they are trying to do! Just when you think things seem like they are  normalizing (in a very remote way) into some sort of  conventional cartoon short subject, they go completely off the rails again! Look, and be confused ...

Waffles and Don are in the desert for some reason. I think this is supposed to be an in-between. What do you say about a drawing like this?

A sphinx says: "You'll Muuurder hiiim"

Hallucinations ensue (maybe they've already started)

They are swallowed into a small intestine

They end up in a tomb with erotic dancing skeletons

Seems like a good idea - how about lots of 'em?

They are tricked into walking off an obelisk.

They fall.

They are chased by a weird thing with strobing eyes.

The End ... or is it?

5 comments:

Thad said...

These Van Beuren cartoons are weird as hell. I wish I could share your enthusiasm for them! I think it's the bad drawing that puts me off. I prefer weirdness and cool drawing for my rubberhose fare, like the Fleischers or Lantz).

J.V. (AKA "White Pongo") said...

The VB and early Terrytoon cartoons represent to me the first train-wrecks in animation history. Then again maybe these are the first 'outsider art' animation studios. They certainly seem to be drawn by mental patients. Technically, they are pretty much a guide book on what not to do. Yet many of the drawings, in their crudeness, are really funny! They're kind of like a producer's bad dream. Actually, they're kind of like anybody's bad dream!

Thad said...

The VB guys probably distributed the NY animation-scene's weed. Though I suspect they were on stronger stuff.

ramapith said...

I can explain GYPPED IN EGYPT (...well, sort of). The giant sphinx says "You murdered him," not "you'll murder him." It's angry that Waffles and Don killed their innocent camel. Thus it magically punishes them via the mayhem they experience afterward; and when they think they've gotten away in the end, it vengefully rises up over the horizon to chase them anew (that's the same sphinx as earlier... it's just drawn inconsistently with that wonderful Van Beuren charm!).

J.V. (AKA "White Pongo") said...

Thanks! I gotta get me a Q-tip! That clears everything up ... no one should be forced to watch erotic dancing skeletons! This is an outrage!