I'm going to try something a bit different. A large reason I am writing these reviews is because I want to help make animation the respected art form I believe it should be. I chose to focus on movies because a lot of movie fans pass up on animated features because of the stigma attached to the medium. I wanted to shine a light on films that cinema fans might have passed up, but also call out films I felt were disrespecting the medium. The thing is, there is a lot more to animation than the cinema, so, for my main editorial this month, and occasionally whenever I feel like it, I will highlight ten animated shorts that I think everyone must see, partly historical, partly entertaining, but entirely fascinating.
I want to stress this is not a list, there is no ranking involved, these are just ten animated shorts I really love, and think everyone should check out.
1. Gertie The Dinosaur (1914) - Dir. Winsor McCay
Starting off with an old short, dating back to 1914. Before The Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse and even Felix the Cat. This short even pre-dates the use of cel animation, meaning that each and every frame was drawn completely on a piece of paper rather than having one character drawn on a clear sheet, known as a cel. The short is a silent film of Winsor McCay giving Gertie commands, originally part of a vaudeville act McCay did in his spare time. Gertie is said to be one of the first animated characters with an established personality and the animation is quite incredible. When Gertie is drinking from the lake, you can actually see her lean into the lake as the water level lowers, wonderful small details like that add to the experience, and when you take into consideration that every single frame was hand drawn as a full scene, that just makes it even more impressive. While we sadly lack a lot of Winsor McCay's work, which is said to have been destroyed, it's wonderful that we still have a good amount of his short films to watch.
2. Popeye the Sailor meets Sinbad the Sailor (1936) - Dir. Dave Fleischer
The golden age of animation has a lot of iconic names, but one of those I feel is not as recognized as others, at least not in some circles, is Popeye. Popeye the Sailor was the other mascot for Fleischer Studios, Betty Boop being the other big mascot, and many consider this short, "Popeye the Sailor meets Sinbad the Sailor", to be his greatest cartoon outing. Seeing Popeye fight numerous giant beasts that more than tower over him is great fun, as is the final fight against both titular sailors. Popeye cartoons may not have been as grand as Disney or Warner Bros cartoons, but they were always a fun watch, and in some cases could use some very interesting techniques. Special mention goes to the cave entrance, where the landscape was a real set, and they just animated Popeye over the footage. Literal decades before Robert Zemeckis would do a similar thing with Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It's a fun little short that should not be passed up.
3. How To Play Football (1944) - Dir. Charles A. Nichols
Goofy cartoons were a lot different from the Mickey Mouse cartoons that Disney became famous for. They were a lot more parodic and commentative, along-side a heavy use of slapstick. This short loves to make fun of the sport of football, with gags like the instructions of the game being drowned out by the cheering of the crowd and the coach's diatribe being completely rushed by the narrator and ignored by the players. It's a funny little short with cute gags and wonderful animation. Whether you enjoy the sport of American Football, or think it's really dumb (like I do) you'll find something to enjoy about this wonderful slice of Disney history.
4. Fast and Furry-ous (1949) - Dir. Chuck Jones
Road Runner cartoons were always my favourite of the Looney Tunes selection. These shorts only needed one basic premise, but the joy was always seeing what wacky and silly way the Coyote's plans to catch the running bird will back fire. Though I am selecting "Fast and Furry-ous", do not take this one as gospel, really most of the Road Runner shorts can be interchanged with each other, so you can take this entry as a shared entry. Silly gags like the road coming off the ground and fake Latin, alongside odd plans and contraptions that can involve anything from boomerangs, rockets and painted tunnels have become iconic pieces of pop culture, and they all started here. To many, the Road Runner cartoons can have a deep meaning, and to others, they're just funny cartoons that make us laugh, and there is nothing wrong with either.
5. Duck Amuck (1953) - Dir. Chuck Jones
I could not in good conscience leave off one of the most well beloved and timeless Looney Tunes cartoons ever, and while everybody loves "
What's Opera Doc?", "
Duck Amuck" is just as beloved and probably deserves it more in my opinion. This wonderful Daffy Duck cartoon is meta to the nth degree, playing around with the mere fact the short is animated and playing around with things like backgrounds, camera work and sound effects. This is also a good example of how good the writing and voice acting of the Looney Tunes really was. On one of the DVD releases of the short, they give you the option to watch the short without the dialogue and it completely kills the short. The Looney Tunes wrote the book of animated comedy and then proceeded to break each and every one of those rules, and the end result was hundreds of timeless cartoons.
6. Dial "P" for Pink (1965) - Dir. Friz Freleng
I believe I have mentioned my love for Pink Panther cartoons before and my favourite of the bunch is the 1965 short "Dial "P" for Pink". The simple story of a thief trying to steal a safe that the Lightish Red Feline just so happens to be dozing in leads to some funny gags and an almost Wile E. Coyote level of schemer. Some of my favourite gags include the thief running for keys, the Panther putting a stick of dynamite in the thief's pocket, and the ending where the thief and Panther swap the safe between each other. If you haven't given the Pink Panther cartoons a shot, I'd recommend starting with this one, I'd say it's just as funny as a Looney Tunes cartoon, considering it has Friz Freleng behind it, that shouldn't be too surprising.
7. The Snowman (1982) - Dir. Jimmy T. Murakami and Dianne Jackson
We all love the classic Christmas classics of
How the Grinch Stole Christmas and
A Charlie Brown Christmas, but one of my favourite holiday classics is "
The Snowman", a television special (Yes these still count as short films) based on a Raymond Briggs picture book, all told through beautiful animation and music. The art style looks right out of a picture book and the song they sing while they go flying is so beautifully done, it makes the special such a warm and comfy watch despite taking place during the coldest of seasons. It warms my heart only to shatter it like ice at the end, but darn it, I love it so. If you have yet to watch this special, give it a chance, it may become your next holiday staple.
8. Dimensions of Dialogue (1983) - Dir. Jan Švankmajer
Taking a step from the cute and funny cartoons, here is a piece of stop motion legend Jan Švankmajer. A stop motion and claymation piece about communication and and the failure of communicating. Weird abstract figures made of various items consume and spit each other out until they are clay, two heads spit different items at each other, and there is even possibly a relationship that gets ugly in there. That is my interpretation at least. Do not be fooled, this may be an animated short film, but it is less for kids and more for those who enjoy the weird and bizarre side of animation. Muted colours and misshapen forms make for a very interesting and symbolic piece. If this doesn't convince you of the merits of animation, than you're a lost cause.
9. Thingu (AKA Pingu's The Thing) (2012) - Dir. Lee Hardcastle
Recently I picked up a VHS Copy of a mash-up film called Apocalypse Pooh, a mash up of Apocalypse Now and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It's a very surreal watch, and it got me thinking about other kinds of possible mash ups, like mashing up the 1980s horror classic The Thing with the children's show Pingu. Yeah, don't think for a second this is a short for kids, I'm half convinced Lee had this amazing idea for a Robot Chicken sketch, and decided to just do it. I don't know if anyone really knows what to think of it, it's like a thing that shouldn't exist, but it does, and it's a bizarre and interesting experience I think every animation fan should see at least once in their life... just remember it is not for children.
10. Hair Love (2019) - Dir. Bruce W. Smith, Matthew A. Cherry and Everett Downing Jr.
Finishing off this list is one of the cutest and most charming animations I have ever seen. I remember this playing before The Angry Birds Movie 2, and as much as I enjoyed that movie, this short was the best part of that theatre trip. This simple short that starts with a little girl trying to follow a hair tutorial, ends up being a very heart warming and sweet short that has touched the hearts of many, and I mean many, this short was turned into a children's book, is being made into a TV series on HBO Max and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Independent Short Film, and it is highly deserving of those accolades. If you only watch one of these shorts, please make it "Hair Love", it is truly an amazing piece of art.
I love watching short films, and I know there are a ton that I missed, so if there is an animated short you love, feel free to tell me about it. Please give these shorts a watch as well, I think they are all well worth your time. Otherwise, I'll see you next time at the Odeon, Fare-thee-Well.
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