RSS Feed

Tag Archives: Short film

June 1

Posted on

June 1, 1924 – The Alice Comedy Alice’s Fishy Story Premieres in Theaters

ACAFS

“Cease…!! We’re on a strike!!”

On June 1, 1924, the Alice Comedy Alice’s Fishy Story was released to theaters. It was the fifth Alice Comedy produced, and starred Virginia Davis as Alice.

The short begins with Alice at the piano, changing the clock to make it look like her piano practice is over so she can go fishing with the boys. Her mother heads outside to tell the gang that Alice can’t go with them, and Alice pouts as she watches from the window. She sneaks out the window to go fishing anyway, after getting her dog to play the piano for her. Alice and her friends head to the fishing hole, and they quickly begin to catch fish – except for Alice. She starts to tell a story about being at the North Pole with Julius, and in her daydream, it’s announced that fishing is no longer possible due to the Arctic being completely frozen. Julius gets an idea and drills a hole into the ice with his tail, then uses it as bait to catch fish. Unbeknownst to Julius, the fish are refusing to be caught, and they trap Julius under the ice. Julius is saved by a fisherman, and explains the situation to Alice. Alice comes up with an idea when she spies an abandoned ship stuck in the snow, and the pair rush to drop tobacco into the water. When the fish come up to spit the tobacco, Julius hits them over the head and pulls them out, ensuring that there will be enough fish for the entire continent. The boys, however, don’t believe her story. Unfortunately for the group, they are fishing where they aren’t allowed, and are chased away from the fishing hole.

May 19

Posted on

May 19, 1934 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Gulliver Mickey is Released to Theaters

vlcsnap-2016-05-19-18h14m41s793

“Now, you all keep quiet, and I’ll tell you about the time Uncle Mickey was shipwrecked.”

On May 19, 1934, the Mickey Mouse short film Gulliver Mickey was released to theaters. It was based on the book Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. The short was directed by Burt Gillett.

Mickey is reading the book Gulliver’s Travels, when he spots his nephews pretending to sail a boat across the floor. Mickey pretends to be a whale and rocks their boat, but is surprised when they attack him. The boat tumbles from his jump, and the nephews all start to cry when they think their game is over. Mickey, in an effort to calm them, decides to use one of Gulliver’s travels to tell his nephews a story. He begins the story with a violent storm, which left him shipwrecked on an island. He fell asleep on the shore, waking up to find that he had been tied down by the townspeople. He is surprised, but amused, by the size of the people, though they are not amused by his antics. The tiny army attacks him, though Mickey once again only finds it more comical than anything. He is able to deflect anything they throw at him, until a giant spider comes into town destroying everything. Mickey fights the spider valiantly, though it looks as though the spider may win. In the end, Mickey acts out fighting the spider by punching a pillow, much to his nephews’ amusement, though one nephew scares Mickey with a rubber spider, showing Mickey might not be so brave after all.

May 16

Posted on

May 16, 1927 – The Alice Comedy Alice’s Three Bad Eggs is Released to Theaters

LHA

On May 26, 1927, the Alice Comedy Alice’s Three Bad Eggs premiered in theaters. It was the 50th Alice Comedy produced, and the third starring fourth and final actress Lois Hardwick as Alice. It has subsequently been labeled a lost cartoon.

May 2

Posted on

May 2, 1927 – The Alice Comedy Alice’s Knaughty Knight is Released to Theaters

LHA

On May 2, 1927, the Alice Comedy Alice’s Knaughty Knight premiered in theaters. It was the second Alice Comedy to feature the fourth and final actress to play Alice, Lois Hardwick, and was the 49th Alice Comedy produced. It has since been classified as a lost cartoon. The short features Julius donning a suit of armor made out of junk in order to win back his paramour.

May 1

Posted on

May 1, 1942 – The Donald Duck Wartime Short Film Donald Gets Drafted is Released to Theaters

vlcsnap-2016-05-01-19h59m08s568

“Hi General, I wanna be a flier!”

On May 1, 1942, the Donald Duck wartime short film Donald Gets Drafted premiered in theaters. It was the first of the series of wartime propaganda shorts that sought to use the Disney stars to tell a relatable story about how wartime was affecting citizens, adding levity to a very tense situation. The short provides several gags in the draft selection process, with a slight nod to the sarcasm of the Depression-weary public. The short was directed by Jack King.

The short begins with a rendition of the song “The Army’s Not the Army Anymore” while showing Donald’s orders to report for induction (also revealing that Donald’s middle name is “Fauntleroy”). Donald reports with gusto, admiring the posters in front of the recruiting station. After seeing a poster with a woman on it, Donald is determined to become a pilot. After Donald signs a paper, he is sent to a physical exam of a more humorous nature than anything else. He is then fitted for his uniform, which they shrink to his size. Soon after, Donald is sent to his base, but he is frustrated that he only marches, as he still wants to fly. He manages to anger his drill sergeant, who is none other than Pete. Pete gives Donald “special training,” which he manages to fail over and over again. When Donald threatens to quit, Pete responds that Donald must learn discipline. While Donald is ordered to stand still, a group of ants starts crawling out of their hole and up Donald’s legs, making standing still quite a challenge for the duck. Unable to take it anymore, Donald goes crazy, and his gun goes off, shooting at every angle. Finally, Donald is placed on kitchen duty, peeling spuds, and peels off the word “phooey” in response to the opening song.

April 30

April 30, 2008 – An Evening of Disney Animation Rarities Event is Held at Newport Beach Film Festival

AEoDR

“Join noted filmmakers and Academy Award nominees Roy E. Disney and Don Hahn as they present an unforgettable evening of rarely seen Disney animated shorts and experimental films.”

On April 30, 2008, a special screening of rarely seen Disney short films and experimental projects was shown at a screening called “An Evening of Disney Animation Rarities.” The event, hosted by Roy. E Disney and Don Hahn, featured several films that, at the time, were not available on DVD. Many of these shorts also had limited theatrical productions, as most accompanied Disney feature films at the time of their release. The event lasted for about an hour, and was popular enough to warrant a repeat screenings at the festival, with another one scheduled for 2016.

April 18

April 18, 1953 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film The Simple Things is Released to Theaters

vlcsnap-2016-04-18-18h15m39s857

“It’s the simple things that give my heart its wings, like fishing on a sunny day.”

On April 18, 1953, the Mickey Mouse short film The Simple Things premiered in theaters. This was the last Mickey Mouse short film released for thirty years, until 1983’s Mickey’s Christmas Carol. The short was directed by Charles Nichols, with story by Bill Berg.

It’s a beautiful day at the beach, with Mickey and Pluto set out to go fishing. Pluto is more confounded by the creatures he discovers than anything, and ends up fighting with a clam. The clam attaches itself to Pluto’s tail, and ends up accidentally in Pluto’s mouth. When Pluto tries to get Mickey to help him, Mickey mistakes Pluto as wanting some food. The clam then eats the treat Mickey provides, as well as Mickey’s sandwich. As the clam accidentally swallows the pepper in Mickey’s hand, he sneezes himself out of Pluto’s mouth into Mickey’s hand. The sneezing clam flees, sneezing all the way into the water. Pluto loses another treat to a nearby gull, and has to contend with nothing but bait. Mickey almost loses his bait to the gull who stole Pluto’s food, but he manages to steal one finally from Mickey. Mickey chases the gull away, so he thinks, but the gull is able to get inside the bait bucket and eat more of the fish – until he gets chased away by Pluto. The determined gull strikes back, however, and beats the poor pup before settling back for another pass at the bucket. Mickey chases the gull up and down the beach, but are soon chased away by a whole flock of gulls that want fresh fish.

April 16

April 16, 1928 – The Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Short Film Ride ‘em Plowboy is Released to Theaters

REP_Oswald

On April 16, 1928, the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit short film Ride ‘em Plowboy premiered in theaters. It was the 18th Oswald short film released, and has since been considered a lost film. The only remnant of the film that survives to this day is a storyboard page depicting Oswald tilling a field, using a cow as a plane, and a rooster in a musical hen house.

April 7

April 7, 1954 – The Chip ‘n’ Dale Short Film The Lone Chipmunks is Released to Theaters

TLC

“Drop that gun! You comin’ along peaceful-like?”

On April 7, 1954, the Chip ‘n’ Dale short film The Lone Chipmunks premiered in theaters. It was the third and final short in the pair’s separate series, as most of their shorts had been included under Donald Duck’s banner. It was directed by Jack Kinney, with story by Dick Kinney and Milt Schaffer.

It’s the Old West, and Black Pete is terrorizing towns and stealing money from the banks. As Chip is gathering nuts for winter, a soldier posts up a reward poster, offering $10,000 for Black Pete’s capture, dead or alive. Black Pete is riding by their tree, with the chipmunks unaware that he uses their tree to stash his stolen goods. Dale wants to claim the reward for his capture, but Chip stops him, telling he needs a plan. Their first plan to drop a large rock on him goes awry, and Black Pete becomes paranoid that someone is after him. Chip comes up with a second plan, replacing Black Pete’s tobacco with gunpowder, but that plan also goes wrong. The pair then steals Black Pete’s money, but he gets the better of them and starts firing. Chip realizes they have to get his gun, and once they do, it goes off wildly. Chip manages to hold Black Pete up, but his inexperience in this field causes problems. Dale comes up with some quick thinking, and the two manage to subdue the robber as the Calvary arrives. The captain realizes that it’s the work of the Lone Chipmunks, and the pair ride off into the sunset.

April 5

April 5, 1940 – The Donald Duck Short Film Donald’s Dog Laundry is Released to Theaters

vlcsnap-2016-04-05-18h57m03s205

“Oh boy, oh boy! It’s all finished!”

On April 5, 1940, the Donald Duck short film Donald’s Dog Laundry premiered in theaters. It was directed by Jack King.

Donald has instructions for a modern dog washer, and sets up to make it using a makeshift of spare parts. Poor unaware Pluto is snoozing away nearby, but wakes up when he accidentally breathes in a leaf while snoring. Donald calls Pluto over for a bath, but Pluto has other ideas and tries to sneak away. Donald chases after him, and after a humorous back-and-forth, Pluto is able to hide in his doghouse. Donald, ever determined, grabs a toy bone marked as bait (complete with string attached), and sets a trap for Pluto to follow the bone. Pluto takes the bait, but Donald pulls the bone a bit too hard, getting it lodged in a rock. Pluto manages to get the bone out, but has a hard time chewing it, as the rubber keeps hitting him in the face. The trick turns into a game of tug of war, with Pluto finally getting the bone, and Donald having to resort to another baiting trick: a cat puppet. Pluto hears Donald make cat noises and, thinking the puppet to be a real cat, stalks his prey. Donald puts the puppet in the tub and continues to harass Pluto, covering him in suds. Unfortunately, the suds make Pluto sneeze, and when Donald goes to put Pluto in the tub, Pluto lets out a sneeze so vehemently that it sends Donald flying into the dog washing contraption. Donald ends up cleaner than ever, and surprisingly pleased that the machine works.