Well, the leaves are changing and the goblins are out going through my garbage which can only mean it's time again for my annual Halloween Cartoon countdown! To kick things off here is a real head scratcher from 1934: A Mad House. I can't imagine what audiences could have thought of seeing something like this mixed in with the feature program. Leave it to Terrytoons to wait until the film is more than half over to introduce a story line! Still I can't help but find myself humming it's contagious soundtrack. Enjoy!
It's a mad house ... A MAAD HOUSE!
First the back-story: a grandfather clock is stroking his beard and walking around.
Skeletons are doing stuff.
The Van Beuren piano playing skeleton often moonlit at Terrytoons.
Do Yo Stuff!
Terry skeletons did a lot of pool playing for some reason in the 30's
The villain finally arrives. See, the skeletons were integral to the plot!
Holy smokes! "Hello, Disney Features? Your animation is ready."
Did I mention the cartoon has cute (?) puppies?
Moral of the story: if you are a mad scientist bent on de-materializing animals ... or is it re-materializing ... or ... what the heck is this guy trying to do? Anyway don't leave large mallets hanging around your lab.
And here's the whole thing ... in Terry-motion!
3 comments:
Awesome!! I'll have to get this one when I can. I did get Boo Boo Theme Song from CRGS, and you were right. Spooks abound!!
I'm looking forward to more Halloween postings from you this month!!
Wow, particularly lavish picture for Terry—if I thought any studio would scrimp at animating detailed skeletons, his would be the one. But no punches were pulled and the gags were wild.
Only the pacing blew.
Is Puddy the Pup the only major 1930s character to start out humanized and actually revert to a barking quadruped? (In later cartoons, he simply becomes Farmer Al's barking, unclothed pet... haven't seen enough to know whether he can still talk at that point.)
if it weren't for the grandfather clock exposition and the skeleton supporting cast i'd be totally lost! now that's what i call a setup!
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