This is another Digiview cut rated DVD, containing an oddball mix of animated films presented in all their technically decomposing glory. The shorts gathered here are rated on a five star rating scale:
Freedom River (1971) * * *
A deliriously simplistic fable about the arrogant people of an unnamed land who let their freedom go to their heads. Solemnly narrated by Orson Welles, this must have had the hippies in a frenzy back in the day.
The Tender Game (1958) * * * * *
Ella Fitzgerald, backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio, sings "Tenderly" as beautiful watercolor animation portrays life and love in a big city. Simple and marvelous- what is it doing here?
The Invisible Moustache of Raoul Dufy (1955) * * *
Little Raoul has blonde hair and blue eyes ("like a millionaire") and grows a light blond moustache and tries to become a painter. Narrated like a story book, and nice enough with some appealing scenes until the abrupt ending. An early accusation of "white privilege?"
Once Upon a Time There Was a Dot (1964) * * * *
Starting with a black dot on a white background, this film transforms itself into a charming vignette about a baby and its parents. Cute little story
The Goal Rush (1946) * * *
Canine College and Alley Cat College clash at the Milk Bowl for a big football game. Goofball generic stuff, but it does contain a couple of grins.
Boy Meets Dog (1938) * *
Based on Gene Byrnes' comic strip "Reg'lar Fellers," little Bobby (voiced by Walter Tetley) brings a dog home, and upsets a father (voiced by Billy Bletcher) who would today be considered abusive. Bizarre, the stuff of nightmares. I think this is available in the public domain since it appears on a ton of animation marathon VHS and DVD compilations.
Stats:
(1938) 9 min.
-Directed by Walter Lantz
-Story by Victor McLeod based on the comic strip "Reg'lar Fellers" by Gene Byrnes
-Cast: Billy Bletcher, Walter Tetley, The Rhythmettes, Joe Twerp, Danny Webb
(Not Rated)
Land of the Lost Jewels (1950) 1/2*
Children Isabel (voice of Mae Questel) and Billy (voice of Cecil Roy) go to the bottom of the ocean to find Isabel's lost lucky pin. Terrible picture quality and editing ruin an already sad piece of pun-filled animation
You Can't Shoe a Horse Fly (1940) * *
Two donkeys (or horses?) are bothered by a hungry horse fly when they decide to stop for a nap. I don't know who is Spunky and who is Hunky, but the gags are as weak as the annoying title song.
The cover and title of the DVD compilation feature a picture that has nothing to do with any of the content inside, and gets the joke title of the final cartoon wrong. This was available for a dollar or less back in the chaotic days of DVD, but it might be the only way to see some of these films.
