Search - The Golden Age of Cartoons: Aesop's Fables from the Van Beuren Studios on DVD

Vintage cartoons from a nearly forgotten animation studio

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 04/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"MACKINAC's "AESOP'S FABLES FROM VAN BEUREN STUDIOS" is packed with unusual extras, as well as sixteen b&w 1930s animated shorts.

Amadee Van Beuren began in 1920 with Paul Terry (of later TERRY TOON fame) with silent Aesop's Fables cartoons. The sound-era Van Beuren shorts were often orchestrated by Winston Sharples (who would have a long career with Paramount's Famous Studios animation division). Van Beuren ceased operation in 1936, after losing his distribution deal with RKO.


THE LOST CARTOONS, Vol. 3 (from GTV) features more Van Beuren animations.


PROGRAM LIST for "Aesop's Fables from Van Beuren Studios" (including synopses)--

HAPPY POLO (1932) - Sight gags and surreal imagery abound in this bizarre polo match toon.
SUMMERTIME (1929) - A triplet of shorts, two of which involve oppressive summer weather.
THE IRON MAN (1930) - A monkey plays his teeth like a piano and a robot dances most elegantly.
HAUNTED SHIP (1930) - Cat and dog visit Davy Jones' locker and a ghostly shipwreck.
NOAH KNEW HIS ARK (1930) - Bible story with added sight gags.
A ROMEO ROBIN (1930) - Small bird avoids a ravenous feline and courts his lady fair.
HOT TAMALE (1930) - Mexican romances a señorita with his guitar and she dances for him.
GYPPED IN EGYPT (1930) - Waffles and Don meet some scary mummies and skeletons.
MAKING 'EM MOVE (1931) - A cat learns how cartoons are made, the processes involved.
THE FAMILY SHOE (1931) - Combo of "The Old Lady in the Shoe" and "Jack and the Beanstalk."
TOY TIME (1931) - When no one's around, mice have fun in a toy shop.
FLY FROLIC (1932) - A fly couple party at the "Coffee Pot Cafe" until the girl is snatched by a big critter and taken to his sinister lab. Her captor drinks a transforming potion to try to fool the flies that come to rescue the girl.
THE CAT'S CANARY (1932) - A swallowed canary travels to the cat's stomach, but keeps on singing.
FARMERETTE (1932) - A flapper-y Betty Booplike cat sings "Some of These Days" and "How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm."
CHINESE JINKS (1932) - Asian stereotypes abound in this story of a boy trying to win over his girlfriend's disapproving parents.
SILVERY MOON (1933) - A boy and girl cat travel to the moon on a magic stairway and discover it's completely made of candy.

BONUS FEATURES--
An Aesop's Fables primer
Still galleries
Aesop's Fables - Original posters/publicity/home movie/rental editions
Aesop's Fables title cards
Aesop's Fables dolls
Aesop's Movie Fables Book
Meet the Aesop's Maestros
Sing along
"Siamese Patrol" (Edison Records, 1902)

Original recordings of Fables songs:
The King's Horses
The Woman in the Shop

Scene comparison

Aesop's Fables music:
By Chris Buchman
Melodies by Henry Schmidt
Rodemich on 78s:
The Juana Fox Trot
Mobile Blues for Trot
Just a Funny Little Tune
Tenth Interval Rag"