Van Beuren Studio's Toddle Tales and Rainbow Parade cartoons
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DVD details
DVD: Region Code 0Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Black & White, Color, NTSC
Running Time: 112 minutes
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
DVD Reviews of Van Beuren Studio's Toddle Tales and Rainbow Parade cartoons
DVD Review: SUPER collection of rare 1930's Golden Age COLOR cartoons
Summary: 5 Stars
Back in 1999 Image entertainment released a disc called "The Cartoons That Time Forgot - The Van Beuren Studio. This covered essentially the last release season of the studio's existence, 1935-36, and encompassed all of the 3 strip Technicolor "Rainbow Parade" cartoons. The DVD release was largely through the efforts of Dave Shepard who had access to all of the 35mm "Commonwealth" materials , the film company which purchased these films upon the studios demise. Unfortunately the previous seasons 13 "two color" Technicolor releases went to the "Walter Gutlohn" company who released them for a brief period of time in 16mm Cinecolor form. These 35mm source materials have never been found, and are generally considered "Lost".
Having already produced two excellent DVD releases covering the Van Beuren studio's preceding series, those featuring "Cubby Bear", and "The Little King", Thunderbean Animation has now moved into this transitional Van Beuren film period, featuring cartoon films produced by animation legends Burt Gillett and Ted Eshbaugh. An arduous project, Steve Stanchfield reports that it took over four years to collate and transfer scarce 16mm Cinecolor and b/w films to complete this DVD!
In 1933 studio owner Amedee Van Beuren, dissatisfied with his overall position in the cartoon short films market, brought in producer Burt Gillett, whose real claim to fame was being the director of "The Three Little Pigs", Walt Disney's biggest cartoon hit up to that time. Of equal importance was Van Beuren's additional hiring of Ted Eshbaugh, whom was one of the earliest animation producers to film in color. Eshbaugh had most recently produced a pilot film for a series of "Wizard of Oz" cartoons, which he pitched to the MGM studio brass in 1933. The company passed, opting instead to hire former Disney animators, Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising, who had produced sound cartoons for Leon Schlesinger and Warner Brothers during the previous three seasons.
Van Beuren believed that if his studio was to remain competitive, it needed to keep pace with the majors by moving into color cartoon production. Eshbaugh obviously had the experience in this field, and his first film in the newly christened "Rainbow Parade" series was "Pastry town Wedding". A predecessor to Disney's later "Cookie Carnival", the setting is in an imaginary bakery where little baker folk happily churn out scrumptious delicacies, to celebrate one of their chum's wedding. Eshbaugh followed up this innocuous entry with a much more visually striking title "Japanese Lanterns". Unfortunately, of the 13 Rainbow Parade titles released this year, this was the only one to elude Thunderbean in color form, so it is presented here in its "Offical Films" b/w version. (However it is noted in the DVD that the UCLA archive is in the process of restoring a 35mm print, possibly the only one in existence). But, this detriment is more than made up for by the third (and last) Eshbaugh directed short, "The Sunshine Makers", probably the best known and appreciated title of the entire Rainbow Parade series. Sourced from a restored 35mm print licensed from Lobster Films of France. This restoration blows away any version you've ever seen of the "Sunshine" gnomes and their epic battle with the "Gloomies"! (Please see the screen caps with the listing)
Unfortunately Eshbaugh left the Van Beuren studio after completion of this cartoon, although it's readily apparent he was involved in the initial designs of "Picnic Panic" and "Spinning Mice", given the many similarities in character design and personality animation. The reasons for Eshbaughs departure are not specifically documented, but it is known that Burt Gillett was not an easy man to work with or for, and it is certainly possible that there was more than a little professional "rub".
Gillett's first productions for Van Beuren were for a b/w series which was called "Toddle Tales". These were cartoon hybrids , based around live action footage of cute children antics book ending morality tales as told in animation form. Seen today they are charmingly nostalgic curios, but they also belie a certain strangeness. A prime example can be seen in the first title to be released, "Grandfather's Clock". Here live action footage of a painted human clock face escounced inside a wooden case is used to scold two little children who are playing too hard with a bedside alarm clock. He then tells a tale of a happy clock land where little clocks go to school, and play football during recess. Has to be seen to be believed! Two more of these titles were also released, "Along came a Duck" and "A Little Bird Told Me". The series was apparently not well received, and Gillett may have reasoned this was because, as imaginative as they were, they needed color to really put the concept over. Two subsequent titles "Spinning Mice" and the delightful "Picnic Panic", continued with live action intro sections, bfore the concept was finally discontinued. Thereafter Gillett concentrated on featuring re-occuring characters, most likely trying to establish a starring character.
First up was a series featuring the inhabitants of "Parrotville" whom had appeared originally in Gillets first Van Beuren color cartoon "Parrotville Fire Department". Next, a series of cartoons featuring 3 mischievous kittens was tried out. This concept may have been brought with Gillett from Disney, as production of a "Three Little Kittens" cartoon was underway before he left. "Merry Kittens" and "The Rag Dog" both had the kittens tormenting their canine counterparts to fairly high extremes. Gillett then tried out a bovine lead, (later dubbed Molly Moo Cow) who first appeared as the antagonist in "Picnic Panic". "The Hunting Season" moves her into a more heroic role protecting her forest animal friends. This was the only regular character to carry over into the next season, and it does cause one to speculate if Gillett really had the patience (or ability!) to develop a star character. Certainly Van Beuren was concerned, as he purchased the film rights for Felix the Cat, and "The Toonerville Trolley" soon after.
Another obvious detriment was that Disney had a contractual lock on the new 3-Strip Technicolor process. The best system Van Beuren had available was the older two color technology, (meaning blue and orange are the primary colors) and this limitation also indirectly contributed to the current scarcity of these titles on color filmstock. Cinecolor is a double emulsion stock meaning it is applied to both sides of the base element and is subject to twice the wear points of a one sided element. Accordingly they are more easily damaged, and simply wear out faster. This is readily apparent on a few of the titles we see in this collection. In the liner notes Steve Stanchfield mentions that to present these cartoons in their best possible state he often had to use various parts of different prints for each title.
All in all this is a fascinating collection of very RARE golden age cartoons. That it took four years to put these all together is not surprising, considering their checkered history. Like most chronological DVD compendiums there are a few clunkers, but most of these are quite entertaining. And you will never find a nicer version of the Sunshine Makers anywhere else! It's worth the purchase price to have this restoration alone! Highly Recommended!
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Description of Van Beuren Studio's Toddle Tales and Rainbow Parade cartoons
IN 1934, The small Van Beuren animation studio hired Disney animation director Burt Gillett (who had recently directed Disney's 3 Little Pigs) to revitalize the studio's cartoons and to bring them to a higher level of production. The Studio also brought in indepentant cartoon producer Ted Eshbaugh as well as Disney/ Warner Brothers animator Tom Palmer. THe result was a series of colorful, beautifully animated shorts, among the most popular color cartoons of the 1930's. This premeire collection features the rarest first half of the Rainbow Parade series, many never before available, all transferred from the best available materials, with original and recreated title sequences. The Toddle Tales cartoons, Gillett's first series at Van Bueren, are also included in their original b/w form. Included are the ultra rare Pastrytown Wedding, PArrotville Fire Department and a beautiful 35mm restoration of Eshbaugh's classic THE SUNSHINE MAKERS. BONUS FEATURES include Liner Notes on the cartoons and their creators, Ultra rare original MODEL SHEETS from the series, Home Movie editions packages and ads, a Music-track only version of ALONG CAME A DUCK and more! This collection includes: Grandfather's Clock (1934, b/w) PastryTown Wedding (34, Cinecolor) Along Came a Duck (34, b/w) A Little Bird Told Me (34, B/W). Parrotville Fire Department (34, Cinecolor) The Sunshine Makers (35, Cinecolor) Parrotville Old Folks (35, Cinecolor) Japanese Lanterns (35, b/w) Spinning Mice (35, Cinecolor) A Picnic Panic (35, Cinecolor) The Merry Kittens (35, Cinecolor) Parrrotville Post Office (35, Cinecolor) The Rag Dog (35, Cinecolor) THe Hunting Season (35, Cinecolor) Scottie Finds a Home (35, Cinecolor) Bird Scouts (35, Cinecolor) B/W and Color, 100 minutesBestsellers in DVD
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