I thought about a dozen cartoons that have aired on "
Toon In With Me" in the last few years. They are entertaining for having themes from
even before WWII. Viewing them across generations provides different
perspectives of childhood, parent-agehood, and oldsterhood. Despite
mostly 2D looks, these animations are amazing in indicating movement,
character looks consistency, and great imaginations for improbable
realities.
What kind of improbable realities? How about characters that get
totally destroyed in scenes, yet recover to perfect health and wholiness
within seconds? Violations of laws of physics with backgrounds that
snap out of rigidity and back to immovable state? How about constant
uses of dynamite, TNT, office safes, anvils, and the like for attempted
destruction between adversaries? Such cartoons and items include the
following characters: Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, Bugs Bunny and
adversaries (Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Tasmanian Devil, ...), Tom and
Jerry, and Tweety and Sylvester.
Thinking of various gadgets WRT to Wile E, the devices from Acme
always fail him. Ordering delivery of a chicken meal would be more
effective, filling, and less harmful to his health. Expanding thoughts
wider about cartoons, some specific ones come to mind, with or without
the usual weapons of personal destruction that I've mentioned.
Note: Links for cartoons are for full versions. Most are from
YouTube. Ones from Daily Motion have slightly different play and audio
controls; be sure to click "unmute".
Spider and Fly Interaction, Fly Saved By WWII Regulation
For "Meatless Flyday",
the spider has four arms, four legs. Gloved hands show three-fingers
and thumb most of the times. Feet are shod. In one instance, his shoe is
cut open, exposing five toes. He counts his now five-digit hands to
confirm full counts. The fly has two arms (gloved fingers) and two legs
(three toes per foot). Comically improbable--a horseshoe magnet strong
enough to attract the fly with ingested buck shot AND kitchen knives.
Note that the spider's cut-open-toe shoe and hand digits around the
4:00 mark. Also noteworthy is WWII-type references to meatless day—"Meatless Monday Then and Now", and nighttime blackouts ("Blackout (wartime)").
Another cartoon with nod to WWII, "LOONEY TUNES (Looney Toons): A Tale of Two Kitties (1942) (Remastered) (HD 1080p)"
shows a Victory Garden and lights-out policing. The cartoon includes
destructive devices that only temporarily disable Catstello while
annoying Babbit in their mission to capture a proto-Tweety. Violations
of laws of physics are rampant, especially during the last few minutes.
The two cartoons I've described show loads of violence and little
music. Several of the following cartoons engage in both music AND
violence, but not sax and violins.
Hungarian Musical Presences in Cartoons
"Cartoons using Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" shows compiled snippets. "The Concerto Controversy | Plagiarism Accusations Between Tom & Jerry and Looney Tunes"
provides background to two very similar cartoons that feature Hungarian
Rhapsody #2. Star piano players are Bugs Bunny and Tom Cat,
respectively. The video also includes additional content about cartoons'
cultural impacts.
"Brahms – Pigs in a Polka – Hungarian Dances 5, 7, 6, 17" provides details about Hungarian Dances music and order.
The embedded cartoon link points to a YouTube video, but "LOONEY TUNES (Looney Toons): Pigs in a Polka (1943) (Remastered) (HD 1080p)" is more complete.
Three Pigs Segue to Jazz
"Three Little Bops (starring Joe Bezek)",
from 1950s has loads of jazz from the three pigs and wolf. The story
bears some resemblance to the familiar pigs and wolf story. No house
constructions, but wolf blowing anyway.
Another Three Pigs Twist, Mashed Up with Little Red Riding Hood
"Bugs Bunny E078 The Windblown Hare"
stars Bugs Bunny in a mashup of the three pigs with wolf and Little Red
Riding Hood. The lesson is that defrauding Bugs results in
consequences.
Little Red Riding Hood Variations
"Little Red Riding Rabbit"
shows twist of Little Red Riding Hood ending up as the least
sympathetic character. Both Bugs Bunny and the wolf ultimately leave her
in dire straits. Apparently, several cartoons vary in their approaches
to Little Red Riding Hood. Warner Brothers and Walter Lantz (Woody
Woodpecker) have additional variations Of LRRH and wolf, fineable on the
web.
Violations of Laws of Physics In Popeye Adventures
Oddly enough, Popeye cartoons, despite loads of violence, don't seem
to resort to dynamite. Surroundings (roads, trains, ...) seem to become
elastic in many stories. BTW, Olive has elasticity in spades. In
instances, she twists like a corkscrew, spans chasms with skinny legs
that rival Mr. Fantastic, and frequently moves her limbs
spaghetti-ishly. An example of laws-of-physics violations is "Popeye 147 I'll be skiing you 1947".
It starts out with ice skating, but transitions to skiing, with amazing
Olive Oyl improbable flexibilities not seen in other cartoons. A St.
Bernard rescues Popeye with spinach so he can rescue Olive from the
ever-growing and downhill rolling snowball. Bluto gets kissed by a
she-wolf on the slopes and Florida.
A Valentine Story for Multiple Generations
"Don't Look Now (1936) (HD)"
is a Valentine Day theme of Cupid and youngsterish devil with opposing
goals upon arising. The story has something for youngsters and grownups.
The cartoon sprinkles a few adult themes, such as planted "evidence" of
infidelity among courting couples and false accusations of paternity..
Lots of music throughout.
A Couple of Single Working Women and Their Abodes
Betty Boop and Olive Oyl cartoons have shown them having their own
careers, businesses, and residences. Some cartoons show them living in
apartments or houses—no roommates, siblings, or parents. Betty does own
Pudgy, her dog, which occasionally exhibits human mannerisms.
Couple of business examples:
Rec'ed for Multiple Viewings
The following cartoons are great entertainment that invite multiple
viewings, for absorbing details and also re-viewing fun stuff. They have
great plot development, loads of music, and lots of innovations with
devices and gadgets. Action-packed nearly throughout the adventures.
Generational Reaches
Whether you watch classic cartoons as first timer or old timer,
favorites will form memories of happy entertainment. Oddly enough, some
cartoons almost seem new if not viewed in many years.