Frank Tashlin’s reign as head of the Screen Gems cartoon studio didn’t even last a year, but his experimentation aura continued on even after he left and Dave Fleischer took over (which occurred, as John Hubley remembers, because “he was so out of it, he was so completely detached, that he was never any problem.”)
On the whole, they are a mixed bag, as with all eras of all things Screen Gems. The Fox and Grapes and Wolf Chases Pigs are masterworks. Dog Meets Dog is better at doing the Disney-style than Disney did themselves. Wacky Wigwams actually makes the Pete Smith “spot-gag” format a joy to watch with practically every scene animated by Emery Hawkins. Pete Pelican brought new lows to cartoon filmmaking with The Tangled Angler and Under the Shedding Chestnut Tree. Old Blackout Joe is one of the most un-racial cartoons ever made starring a black character.
In spite of the vastly underrated Bob Wickersham being the de-facto director of this cartoon, Tashlin’s style is all over this film: the weird cutting, a “montage” of past events (seen in many other Columbia shorts), and the unrelenting antagonist. I can’t think of any cases, other than Walt Disney, where the producer’s point-of-view/style was evident in films he only produced and not direct. (I suppose, arguably, Hubley at UPA would be one; and less arguably the Fleischers in the 1930s.)
For your enjoyment this is the original theatrical version. The home movie version in trading circles clipped a bit of footage at the beginning when they redid the title art.
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Joy! One of my favorite Columbia cartoons ever! And one of the very few cartoons from Columbia (along with “The Fox and the Grapes”, “Prof. Small and Mr. Tall”, and “Flora”) that can actually be considered a masterpiece. Thanks for posting. Even as a producer, Tashlin was a genius.
Billy Bletcher’s voice work as the Wolf is nothing short of genius, especially in the scene with the Wolf’s leg caught in the firing machine gun heading him towards the ammunition shack!! Bob Wickersham was very under-rated (and is barely remembered) as an animation director – seems he learned a thing or two from Mr Tashlin.
P.S. – I, too, enjoy “Wacky Wigwams” – a guilty pleasure in my list of favorite COLUMBIA cartoons (along with “The Bulldog and the Baby” and “A Hollywood Detour”)
Psst – Count me in as a third person who actually likes “Wacky Wigwams”. At least you can actually watch it without wanting to commit self-masochism unlike, say, “Tangled Travels” or “Uncultured Vulture”.
Since Wickersham did the cartoon just after returning from Miami, where he did both animation and story work for the Fleischers, it would be interesting to know how much of a collaborative effort he had with Tashlin the story.
Thanks for posting, Thad. I have an Officiasl Films print of this cartoon, so it was nice to see the Columbia opening and closing for once!
Kudos to everybody’s favorite wolf voice, Billy Bletcher, whose work can be found all over Disney and Warner.
A precious diamond from a studio that produced lots of animated lumps of coal.
I very glad you posted this, Thad. I showed this exact version at my Tashlin show in Los Angeles – and I got it direct from Sony Pictures (and so far, all prints seem to have a cut at the 2:33 mark — if anyone has a version without that cut, let us know).
Wow, it sure would be nice if there was a major Tashlin series or box set on DVD around his films with lots of cartoons as extras, although, yes (sigh), I suppose that too much cross-licensing would be involved!
As far as I know “Fox and Grapes” was the only film entirely directed by Tashlin. The others were possibly directed by Wickersham and Tashlin only had a quality control. Btw. I think the second Fox and Crow cartoon “Woodsman Spare That Tree” also had some tashlinesque touch, especially in the last 3 minutes.
As for this one, it’s definately one of the better Columbia shorts.
I really appreciate the obscurantism of your posts, (like dis one and the Buzzy Crow of a few posts back). All prefaced with your canny prose, (and that ain’t sarcasm, laddie!)
Play the one about Montreal.
I’m a dreamer, Montreal.
Whonderful stuff, even if you already knew I thought so. The Big Bad Wolf concept seems to bring great cartoons out of any studio (not to say comics—didn’t this Wolf appear with Red Riding Hood in an early Wickersham-drawn Fox and Crow DC story?)