It’s been a wonderful privilege and pleasure to be part of the Fabulous Fleischer Cartoons Restored initiative for the past few years. Spearheaded by Jane Fleischer Reid (Max’s granddaughter) and in cooperation with Paramount and many international archives, this is the little restoration project that could. It’s shown what’s possible with the right people in the right jobs, at the right time in history. Not just me, but Steve Stanchfield and his team at Thunderbean Animation, Fleischer licensee Mauricio Alvarado, Sam Davis, Ciara Waggoner, Devon Baxter, Jack Rizzo, Ray Faiola, Ben Model, Mark Kausler, Bruce Lawton, and Paul Mular have all been pitching in and hard at work bringing these classics back to glory never thought possible.
The whole program (below) also represents years of hard work from a coalition of film archivists that include ASIFA-Hollywood (Jerry Beck), UCLA Film & Television Archive, Lobster Films, The Library of Congress and the MoMA Film Archives itself.
These restorations have been touring the country at various theaters and venues, and the biggest one yet has finally come! Coming soon to the Museum of Modern Art: The Art and Inventions of Max Fleischer (sharing its namesake with Ray Pointer’s important book), a week-plus program that brings these classics back to their birthplace in the heart of New York City. The shows will be largely from our new 4K restorations, but there are also a few preexisting transfers from various sources.
The ingenious filmmaking of Max, Dave, and Lou Fleischer, Dick Huemer, Doc Crandall, Grim Natwick, Willard Bowsky, Dave Tendlar, Seymour Kneitel, Shamus Culhane, Myron Waldman, and so many others has been neglected for so long, and it’s so befitting their work is being shared and celebrated right where it was created. The Ko-Ko, Talkartoon, Betty Boop, and Popeye cartoons have always been able to endure in their current monochrome state, but one of the real jewels of the project is bringing the Color Classics back to life. Long dismissed as Disney knockoffs, when you see the likes of Kids in the Shoe, Somewhere in Dreamland, Play Safe, and Small Fry with their full colors, the artists’ intentions with these musical fantasies become perfectly clear and the artistry matches anything with the black-and-white characters. Watching this show on the big screen, you’ll know exactly why the 1930s animation industry saw the Fleischers as Walt’s biggest rival and why these characters’ popularity fast eclipsed Mickey Mouse (and why they were looked up to as the leaders in the silent era).
Having this show ready for MoMA has been one of our goals, and I’m pleased to report this restoration project will have extensive life after it, too. Keep an eye on social media for developments.
Bimbo’s Initiation
The playlist is as follows. Some titles may be subject to change, but the themes are final!
“Dinah”
Fri., Mar. 8, 4:00 p.m.
Silent Program 1 — with piano accompaniment from Ben Model
THE CLOWN’S LITTLE BROTHER (1920)
BOXING KANGAROO (1920)
THE RUNAWAY (1924)
THE CARTOON FACTORY (1924)
KO-KO’S KANE (1927)
THE FADEAWAY (1926)
KO-KO PLAYS POOL (1927)
“Mask-A-Raid”
Sat., Mar. 9, 1:00 p.m.
Matinee Program 1
CAN YOU TAKE IT? (1934)
EDUCATED FISH (1937)
BETTY IN BLUNDERLAND (1934)
BETTY BOOP’S BIZZY BEE (1932)
POOR CINDERELLA (1934)
KO-KO’S KINK (1928)
BUZZY BOOP AT THE CONCERT (1938) (courtesy of UCLA and ASIFA-Hollywood)
“Minnie The Moocher”
Sat., Mar. 9, 7:00 p.m.
Betty’s Beginnings
DIZZY DISHES (1930)
BARNACLE BILL (1930)
MYSTERIOUS MOSE (1930)
THE BUM BANDIT (1931)
SILLY SCANDALS (1931)
BIMBO’S EXPRESS (1931)
MASK-A-RAID (1931)
(repeats Tue., Mar. 12, 4:00 p.m.)
“Kids In A Shoe” and “Small Fry”
Sun., Mar. 10, 1:00 p.m.
Matinee Program 2
SOMEWHERE IN DREAMLAND (1936)
PLAY SAFE (1936)
A CLEAN SHAVEN MAN (1936)
SMALL FRY (1939)
THE MECHANICAL MONSTERS (1941)
BETTY BOOP’S CRAZY INVENTIONS (1933)
MOTHER GOOSE LAND (1933)
“Play Safe”
Mon., Mar. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Color Classics
THE COBWEB HOTEL (1936)
POPEYE THE SAILOR MEETS ALI BABA’S FORTY THIEVES (1937)
ARCTIC GIANT (1942)
POOR CINDERELLA (1934)
PLAY SAFE (1936)
KIDS IN THE SHOE (1935)
SMALL FRY (1939)
(repeats Thurs., Mar. 14, 4:00 p.m.)
“At The Circus”
Wed., Mar. 13, 7:00 p.m.
The Musicals
POPULAR MELODIES (1932)
BROTHERLY LOVE (1936)
WHEN YUBA PLAYS THE RHUMBA ON THE TUBA (1933)
THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN (1933)
TIME ON MY HANDS (1934)
A LANGUAGE ALL MY OWN (1935)
HONEST LOVE AND TRUE (1938) (courtesy of Lobster Films)
I’ll be at most of these screenings, so please be sure to stop by and say hello!
Tickets are going on sale soon, keep an eye on the MoMA website: https://www.moma.org/calendar/film/5671
