For the year of 1935, this podcast has put a lot of focus on Disney cartoons, but what about its competitors? What about the Fleischers, in particular? They've got two cartoon stars in this era - Betty Boop and Popeye. But one of those two characters was hit particularly hard by the Hays Code. How's that affecting the focus of Boop cartoons by 1935? This short is a prime example. Is it a good cartoon, though? Let's find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 4min 23sec)

There are lots of franchises that are synonymous with the 1980s era of toy-commercial-turned-show-or-movie. Transformers, GI Joe, My Little Pony, to name a few. But what about Hallmark's attempt: the Care Bears? Though they're less often remembered, they were actually the first ones to get in on the movie craze for these merchandise machines, and their success paved the way for later films like Transformers the Movie. But though they were successful then, does that success actually translate to a good film, especially so many years later? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Long ago we met Warner Bros first cartoon star, Bosko. But his star faded fast, and has aged particularly poorly, resulting in him being hardly remembered nowadays. Today we meet the first lasting Looney Tunes star, who still appears in media to this very day: Porky Pig. That's right, Looney Tunes as we know it today didn't start with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck or even Egghead (the proto-Elmer Fudd)! No, it started in 1935, with a stuttering pig named Porky, only one of several new characters being thrown at the proverbial wall in this cartoon, and the only one of the group that ultimately stuck, even if it took a few more cartoons for that to happen. But how does this very first outing hold up almost a century later? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 9min 35sec)

Sometimes the story behind the making of a movie is more interesting than the movie itself. this particular film's production story involves many famous names, from the likes of Hayao Miyazaki all the way to George Lucas. Yet the film itself has also managed to garner a cult following in the years since its release, and a fuzzy spot in the memory of many a millennial who watched it as a child. Is this film only worth remembering for how it was made, or does it soar through they sky on a magic bed of its own? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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The classic fable, retold by Disney! This short ended up serving as inspiration to a great many people in the animation industry, and was successful enough to eventually get a sequel. But it's also a tale that's been told many a time before and since. Does this near-century old version hold up? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 6min 6sec)

A lot of animated movies copy Disney and Pixar. Those two studios have had a massive influence on the animation medium and in particular what commercial films released in the US look and feel like. But every now and then you get a movie that tries something new, tries to break the mold in interesting ways, and sometimes, as in the case of Into the Spider-Verse, that experimentation results in both critical and financial success. Other times, like with this film, it does not. Cats Don't Dance swings hard with stylistic influence ranging from classic hollywood, Looney Tunes and even Gene Kelly, but it was ultimately a flop in theatres. That said, does it hold up as an entertaining film anyway? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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A new year, but the same mouse! But he's in color this time! There's also a certain duck and a concert with cameos from a certain dog, a certain cow and a certain horse. Considered by some to be one of the best cartoons ever made, this band concert was a smash hit back in the day, but is it still a fun listen (and watch) today? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 6min 54sec)

Time for another patented Disney remake! Except, does it really count as that if the setting is completely different, the tone is completely different, the story is completely different, and all the characters are completely different? Does it really count as a remake if the only similar thing between it and the original is an orphan boy named Pete and an animated dragon named Elliot? And perhaps more importantly, do these changes help or hinder the movie? Is it able to stand as an interesting film in its own right? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Our final short of 1934, and the last hurrah for the classic Mickey & Minnie vs. Pete cartoons that began with the likes of The Gallopin' Gaucho all the way back in 1928. Unlike those previous shorts, in this one, Minnie has a gun. It's a fun Western romp, but like most Westerns, it's not without its negative racial stereotypes. Does this short manage to overall stay enjoyable despite that, or does it crumble under the weight of bad genre conventions? Listen to find out!

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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(Spoiler Section Length - 15min 2sec)

We take a trip down memory lane today, with a movie some of our hosts vaguely remember from childhood, and a certain one of our hosts literally cried watching. It's a movie from back when colorful live-action musicals were still at least a little in vogue, and a from back when Don Bluth still worked for Disney. It's a movie about a boy and his cartoon dragon friend who is NOT an imaginary friend. It's a lot of things, but in the end... is it good?

The Curtain Rises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kool Kats Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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