The Mad Hatter: an insubstantial story in a detailed cartoon universe
Sid Marcus, “The Mad Hatter” (1940) Mocking the faddish nature of women’s fashions, this animated short can be surprisingly critical of the nature of everyday work…
North American Films
Reviews of films made in Canada and United States including all films made by Hollywood.
All’s Fair at the Fair: a utopian view of materialism, seductive advertising, over-consumption and futuristic trends
Dave Fleischer, “All’s Fair at the Fair” (1938) Best known for their Popeye and Betty Boop cartoons, US animators Max and Dave Fleischer occasionally made animated…
The Land Beyond the Sunset: a very moving and thoughtful film on achieving happiness and peace
Harold M Shaw, “The Land Beyond the Sunset” (1912) Made in 1912 – the same year in which the Titanic set sail for its fateful meeting…
Feline Follies: the folly of falling hard in love with no regard for consequences in a dark suicidal cartoon
Otto Messmer, “Feline Follies” (1919) By no means a great cartoon or even a mildly interesting one, this animated short is notable mainly for the first…
The Little Pest: beaten up, walloped, drowned – what’s a pesky baby brother to do?
Dick Huemer, “The Little Pest” (1931) Chiefly remarkable for its depiction of sibling-on-sibling violence, this short cartoon stars the boy Scrappy, who would go on to…
Balloon Land: a fantasy fairy land where life is fragile, death is close by and a serial killer is on the rampage
Ub Iwerks, “Balloon Land” (1935) For sure this cartoon with the Hansel-and-Gretel morality fairy-tale plot is weird and dark, and its theme of the fragility of…
Blue Cat Blues: a Tom and Jerry cartoon comments on materialism, capitalist society and the class divide
William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, “Blue Cat Blues” (1956) With dark themes of depression, substance abuse and suicide, this Tom and Jerry cartoon demonstrates that these lovable…
Swing You Sinners! – horror morality story goes to extremes in imaginative animation
Dave Fleischer, “Swing You Sinners!” (1930) A bizarre little cartoon short, filled with the most startling surreal imagery and mobile rubber-limbed characters typical of cartoons in…
Latin American Films (Spanish language), North American Films
The Grayzone meets Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro: meeting a determined, passionate yet humble leader
Ben Norton and Max Blumenthal, “The Grayzone meets Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro” (The Grayzone Project, August 2019) Filmed by fellow Grayzone journalist colleague Ben Norton, Max…
Hail Satan? – fun film about a Satanic movement with a serious message about social justice and religious hypocrisy and oppression
Penny Lane, “Hail Satan?” (2019) Funny and serious at the same time, tight and well made with plenty of information on the history of religious freedom…