Ava Blogging

Back in 1999 Image entertainment released a disc called “The Cartoons That Time Forgot – The Van Beuren Studio. This covered essentially the last release season of the studio’s existence, 1935-36, and encompassed all of the 3 strip Technicolor “Rainbow Parade” cartoons. The DVD release was largely through the efforts of Dave Shepard who had access to all of the 35mm “Commonwealth” materials, the film company which purchased these films upon the studios demise. Unfortunately the previous seasons 13 “two color” Technicolor releases went to the “Walter Gutlohn” company who released them for a brief period of time in 16mm Cinecolor fabricate. These 35mm source materials have never been found, and are generally considered “Lost”.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Van Beuren Studio’s Toddle Tales and Rainbow Parade cartoons! Click Here

Having already produced two respectable DVD releases covering the Van Beuren studio’s preceding series, those featuring “Cubby Absorb”, and “The Dinky King”, Thunderbean Animation has now moved into this transitional Van Beuren film period, featuring cartoon films produced by animation legends Burt Gillett and Ted Eshbaugh. An arduous project, Steve Stanchfield reports that it took over four years to collate and transfer scarce 16mm Cinecolor and b/w films to complete this DVD!

In 1933 studio owner Amedee Van Beuren, dissatisfied with his overall plot in the cartoon short films market, brought in producer Burt Gillett, whose staunch claim to fame was being the director of “The Three Petite Pigs”, Walt Disney’s biggest cartoon hit up to that time. Of equal importance was Van Beuren’s additional hiring of Ted Eshbaugh, whom was one of the earliest animation producers to film in color. Eshbaugh had most recently produced a pilot film for a series of “Wizard of Oz” cartoons, which he pitched to the MGM studio brass in 1933. The company passed, opting instead to hire frail Disney animators, Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising, who had produced sound cartoons for Leon Schlesinger and Warner Brothers during the previous three seasons.

Buy,Download, Or Stream Van Beuren Studio’s Toddle Tales and Rainbow Parade cartoons! Click Here

Van Beuren believed that if his studio was to remain competitive, it needed to hold accelerate with the majors by spirited into color cartoon production. Eshbaugh obviously had the experience in this field, and his first film in the newly christened “Rainbow Parade” series was “Pastry town Wedding”. A predecessor to Disney’s later “Cookie Carnival”, the setting is in an imaginary bakery where puny baker folk happily churn out delightful delicacies, to celebrate one of their chum’s wedding. Eshbaugh followed up this innocuous entry with a powerful more visually striking title “Japanese Lanterns”. Unfortunately, of the 13 Rainbow Parade titles released this year, this was the only one to elude Thunderbean in color make, so it is presented here in its “Offical Films” b/w version. (However it is distinguished in the DVD that the UCLA archive is in the process of restoring a 35mm print, possibly the only one in existence) . But, this detriment is more than made up for by the third (and last) Eshbaugh directed short, “The Sunshine Makers”, probably the best known and appreciated title of the entire Rainbow Parade series. Sourced from a restored 35mm print licensed from Lobster Films of France. This restoration blows away any version you’ve ever seen of the “Sunshine” gnomes and their fable battle with the “Gloomies”! (Please observe the camouflage caps with the listing)

Unfortunately Eshbaugh left the Van Beuren studio after completion of this cartoon, although it’s readily apparent he was fervent in the initial designs of “Picnic Fright” and “Spinning Mice”, given the many similarities in character accomplish and personality animation. The reasons for Eshbaughs departure are not specifically documented, but it is known that Burt Gillett was not an easy man to work with or for, and it is certainly possible that there was more than a slight professional “rub”.

Gillett’s first productions for Van Beuren were for a b/w series which was called “Whisk Tales”. These were cartoon hybrids, based around live action footage of cute children antics book ending morality tales as told in animation manufacture. Seen today they are charmingly nostalgic curios, but they also belie a definite strangeness. A prime example can be seen in the first title to be released, “Grandfather’s Clock”. Here live action footage of a painted human clock face escounced inside a wooden case is traditional to scold two small children who are playing too hard with a bedside dismay clock. He then tells a legend of a blissful clock land where microscopic clocks go to school, and play football during recess. Has to be seen to be believed! Two more of these titles were also released, “Along came a Duck” and “A Miniature Bird Told Me”. The series was apparently not well received, and Gillett may have reasoned this was because, as imaginative as they were, they needed color to really achieve the conception over. Two subsequent titles “Spinning Mice” and the delectable “Picnic Dismay”, continued with live action intro sections, bfore the understanding was finally discontinued. Thereafter Gillett concentrated on featuring re-occuring characters, most likely trying to set a starring character.

First up was a series featuring the inhabitants of “Parrotville” whom had appeared originally in Gillets first Van Beuren color cartoon “Parrotville Fire Department”. Next, a series of cartoons featuring 3 prankish kittens was tried out. This plan may have been brought with Gillett from Disney, as production of a “Three Petite Kittens” cartoon was underway before he left. “Merry Kittens” and “The Rag Dog” both had the kittens tormenting their canine counterparts to fairly high extremes. Gillett then tried out a bovine lead, (later dubbed Molly Moo Cow) who first appeared as the antagonist in “Picnic Horror”. “The Hunting Season” moves her into a more daring role protecting her forest animal friends. This was the only regular character to carry over into the next season, and it does cause one to speculate if Gillett really had the patience (or ability!) to obtain a star character. Certainly Van Beuren was concerned, as he purchased the film rights for Felix the Cat, and “The Toonerville Trolley” soon after.

Another clear detriment was that Disney had a contractual lock on the unique 3-Strip Technicolor process. The best system Van Beuren had available was the older two color technology, (meaning blue and orange are the significant colors) and this limitation also indirectly contributed to the fresh scarcity of these titles on color filmstock. Cinecolor is a double emulsion stock meaning it is applied to both sides of the sinful element and is subject to twice the wear points of a one sided element. Accordingly they are more easily damaged, and simply wear out faster. This is readily apparent on a few of the titles we view in this collection. In the liner notes Steve Stanchfield mentions that to show these cartoons in their best possible space he often had to employ various parts of different prints for each title.

All in all this is a absorbing collection of very RARE golden age cartoons. That it took four years to save these all together is not surprising, considering their checkered history. Like most chronological DVD compendiums there are a few clunkers, but most of these are quite enthralling. And you will never regain a nicer version of the Sunshine Makers anywhere else! It’s worth the steal mark to have this restoration alone! Highly Recommended!

FHI Flat Iron
Total Gym XLS