WOODLAND CAFE (Disney, 1937) is a Silly Symphony released the same year as SNOW WHITE. As you might expect, accordingly, the production values are incredibly high.
First up, a wonderful and elaborate pan B/G of the bug nightclub. This took two days for me to digitally re-assemble! There's such a commotion going on in this sequence - sliding effects in the multiplane camera, characters walking, plus jitterbugging bugs! But, persistence pays off... this is a look at an amazing piece of Disney art. Lots of detail to see - here's the left side: And the right side: Just for fun, here are some additional B/Gs from the film...
LITTLE HIAWATHA (Disney, 1937) was released the same year as SNOW WHITE. The studio was in full artistic bloom. The extravagant artistry developed for DIsney's first feature was very evident in its short subjects.
I highly recommend getting the official Disney DVD releases of the Silly Symphonies. While not in current release, the boxed sets (part one and two) remain available on eBay.
Here, in the meantime, the cartoon (thanks YouTube)...
Here's the opening Background art... Now the pièce de resistance: one of the longest most elaborate pan backgrounds I've ever seen, or attempted to digitally re-assemble. It is so long, and so elaborate, instead of just breaking it in halves for study, I've also broken it into quarters, as well as the center section.
Truly, an animation backgrounds masterpiece... one of the most magnificent pieces ever to appear on this blog, or in any film. Be sure to click on each section to get the enlarged version for a look at the beautiful details. First, the complete background: The left side: The right side: And now, broken into five segments to best display all the wonderful details. Segment one, far left: Segment two, middle left: Segment three, center: Segment four, right of center: And segment five, far right: In the next pan B/G I eliminated as much of the water ripple effects as possible: Out of dozens of scampering woodland creatures, I was able to eliminate all but the possum and a very tiny chipmunk. No animals were harmed during the making of this artwork!!! At the very end of digitally re-assembling the B/G below, I could have eliminated the bunny at the far right. But he was SO cute, I just couldn't! Little Hiawatha froze during a pan shot, so he remains there in this pan B/G: That's not a red rock... that's a bear!!!
So, how do we follow the holiday season? Appropriately, with artwork from BROKEN TOYS, one of Disney's Silly Symphonies.
This 1938 short comes the year after SNOW WHITE... and the studio's artistry was in full flower. Imagine... these lavish backgrounds were created for a short subject!
Have a look. Hope you enjoy these, especially the digitally recreated pan B/Gs. Happy New Year!
Walt Disney presents... a cartoon starring Donald Duck! CLOWN OF THE JUNGLE title card: Credits, including layout by Yale Gracey and B/G art by Thelma Witner: You can watch it on YouTube:
I couldn't figure out how to do the first, opening pan B/G because of the moving multiplane layers in the foreground.
But I managed to re-create the second pan B/G, and the nearly-infinite length of this pan B/G easily qualifies it as a contender for the longest piece I've ever digitally re-created... Here's a closer look at the left side of the pan... And the right side (birds are obviously cel overlays): and more B/G art from this film: I love the subtle and somewhat abstract design of this mid-tree leafy view: Notice the brilliant angled horizon here: I was able to digitally remove Donald and the Aracuan bird, but that shadow refused to budge! This pan is a right-to-left shot, and as you can see the crazy Aracuan bird appears in very first frame (on the right)... Here's a close-up view from another shot/segment: and that's THE END!
WOODLAND CAFE (Disney, 1937) is a Silly Symphony released the same year as SNOW WHITE. As you might expect, accordingly, the production values are incredibly high.
