Darn, this video doesn't allow embedding. So click here I suppose.
Some nice backgrounds and animation, obviously inspired by Max Fleischer's early 30's cartoons, directed by two fellows who direct Simpsons. I'd never heard of the band.
I've been struggling with creating background art and focussed most on that. The envy, the skill.
Favorite original bit is the fish bowl stomachs.
Live opening has a 20's/Renaissance Fair feeling to my eye.
8 comments:
Wasn't the live opening supposed to resemble Cab Calloway's live intro to "Minnie the Moocher" with Betty Boop?
Thanks for sharing that, it was marvelous. I'd heard of the band, but never heard them play, and now I'll have to check out some of their albums. A slight Oingo Boingo memory there too.
The "Hotel Paradise" in the video also reminded me a bit of Elk Mountain, ha ha.
Believe it or not, I have some Squirrel Nut zipper cds. I like that song, and for years thought it would make a cool cartoon. Then a found that someone beat me to it! Grrrr...
Hi a wanderer,
You're correct, the live opening is very similar to the opening of "Minnie the Moocher." It also borrowed elements from Bimbo's Initiation and "Old Man of the Mountian", but I bet you knew that too.
I'm stunned.
Hi Namowal,
Nope, I didn't know about the other too.
The Minnie thing though, that brings back memories of a mid-90s vacation during which I purchased a certain book known as "50 Greatest Cartoons" which in pre-internet years tortured me as I had no idea where to find most of them, including Minnie the Moocher or a certain "Quasi at the Quackadero."
Oh, I love the internet. What a wonderful series of tubes!
Er, "other two."
I hate makings "to/too/two" typos.
What I meant about 20's- Renaissance Fair. Over the years I've watched and known people who have tried to live in another era, determined to get every detail right, though there's always some small thing that trips them up. Mostly these were 1920's people.
At the time they're doing this recreation (by time I mean that month, that year), it looks spot on perfect. Then a few years later, if what they were doing happened to be recorded, it starts to look more and more like dress-up time, a costume party, a valiant attempt.
I've seen various attempts to catch the magic of Cab Calloway.
To me, where this cartoon is best, is in the gags that aren't direct lifts from Fleischer and in the exquisite production values.
oh and what a wonderful title for a song.
I have a Squirrel Nut Zippers CD. I love "Put the Lid on it". The song with this cartoon makes me think of Cafe Noir, a group I used to listen to on KERA Dallas public radio station.
The video is great. I like the eyes best (that turn into a boat). That band is from North Carolina.
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