The Inkling Chronicles

Weatherbeaten Melody - 3D camera

Found this film , "Weatherbeaten Melody" (directed by Hans Fischerhoesen)  via Hans Bacher's blog Animation Treasures  (which has since moved to  Animation Treasures Version 2 because he ran out of space for posting more images on the first one).

I'm amazed by the level of technical sophistication in the use of multi-plane camera and pseudo 3D effects in this film.  Remember , this was in 1942 before computer driven motion control cameras , so all these multi-plane shots are being done with a camera rig controlled by turning gears and sliding peg bars one frame at a time , with multiple layers of cels on glass platens.  I have no idea what Hans Fischerhoesen's multiplane camera set-up looked like , but based on these shots Fischerhoesen's studio was doing camera work that was somewhat advanced beyond what the Disney Studio was doing with their Multi-plane camera and what the Fleischer's were doing with their Stereo-Optical process (cels photographed in front of table-top sets for a 3D effect).  This clip shows a couple of technically stunning, beautiful scenes from Weatherbeaten Melody. The first is from the opening shot of the movie, then the second excerpt is from when the little bee finds the discarded phonograph in the meadow. 

(see link at bottom to full version of the film)

And yes, this film was produced in Nazi controlled Germany, but actually has a subtle anti-Nazi theme.  For more on that see the excellent article by  William Moritz published on AWN.com   based on his longer article  "Resistance And Subversion in Animated Films of The Nazi Era: the Case of Hans Fischerkoesen"

Fischerkoesen's films are on YouTube and GoogleVideo.  Here's a handy link to a blog with embedded versions of Fischerkoesen's films:

Films of Hans Fischerkoesen

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Just for extra fun, here's a link to a clip of Max Fleischer's Stereo-Optical process in action.  I love these shots !

Fleischer Stereo-Optical Camera movie clip

Popeye in Thimble Theater

In honor of the new DVD release of the the 1933- 1938  Popeye cartoons
(GET IT !)  here's a rarity that was literally pulled out of the trash.

This Thimble Theater "film strip" was in a pile of old stuff that was put out on the curb by the family of one of our elderly neighbors .  They were cleaning out her home and throwing out loads of interesting old stuff (we found some other treasures there too, not animation or cartooning related) .   These look like the original E.C. Segar versions of the characters so I believe this was made some time prior to Segar's death in 1938 .  (The Fleischer's animated version of the characters were somewhat different from Segar's comic strip version and the subsequent comic strip version done by Segar's former assistant Bud Sagendorf.)

(click HERE to see the image larger)