“FLEISCHEREI: Music From Max Fleischer Cartoons”
CD Giveaway Qualifying Entry Task
Time for our next contest! That said, CMH is happy to announce that we’ll be giving away FOUR copies of FLEISCHEREI: Music From Max Fleischer Cartoons
In order to qualify to win a copy of the CD
- Saturday, March 5: One Winner
- Saturday, March 12: One Winner
- Saturday, March 19: One Winner
- Saturday, March 26: One Winner
We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter or on this Blog (depending on how you entered), the day after each winner is picked at 8PM EST (for example, we will announce the first winner on Sunday March 6 at 8PM EST).
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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, March 26 at 8PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…
1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post.
2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message (see below if you do not have a Twitter account):
Just entered to win the “FLEISCHEREI: Music From Max Fleischer Cartoons” #CDGiveaway courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @LucasGary
THE QUESTION:
What do you love most about Max Fleischer’s cartoons?
*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.
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About the CD: Max Fleischer is one of the best known cartoonists of the 20th century, creating and contributing to American culture the one and only Betty Boop. In addition to creating Betty, Fleischer Studios brought the newspaper comic Popeye the Sailor and the cast there to (animated) life. Guitarist Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart, Jeff Buckley) has long been a fan of Fleischer’s work and has long wished to develop a project to present the music that was used in these cartoons (some of it written for the cartoons, but most of them standards of the 20s and 30s). With FLEISCHEREI, he has done exactly that. FLEISCHEREI is a loving musical tribute to the swinging, jazzy soundtracks that adorned animation genius MAX FLEISCHER’S surreal and wacky BETTY BOOP and POPEYE cartoons of the 1930’s. Featuring Gary on guitar, Tony Award Nominee Sarah Stiles on vocals, and the cream of New York City jazz musicians, FLEISCHEREI is a swirling musical melting-pot of jungle-band jazz, Tin Pan Alley torch songs, and raucous vaudeville turns.
Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.
And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).
See complete contest rules here.
For more info, visit GaryLucas.com or follow @LucasGary on twitter.
And if you can’t wait to win the CD, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):
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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
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My two favorites are:
His Superman series, in which I would say I love the fluidity of the animation. It is art in a sense that I have not seen a comparison to in my lifetime. The 60’s and on saw a reduction in the number of cells used to animate a feature and it was atrocious. This series is for me the peak of animation quality.
Mr. Bug goes to town (or Hoppity Goes to Town, as I first saw it). This is, I feel, the best example of animation that brings human qualities to the insect world, and does so not for a short, but for a feature, which was risky with the likes of Disney for competition. It’s still funny, the art is still impressive, and something about everyday items like a box of matches or a tin-can being scenery still make me happy.
I love those particular cartoons also Chris, but I have to admit I am forever most partial to Betty Boop and Popeye!
I love the Fleischer studios output so much! I really appreciate the Koko the clown, Popeye, Betty Boop, and Superman cartoons. The art work and backgrounds are unsurpassed. The pioneering techniques in animation such as rotoscoping, the use of 3-D sets, and even the use of color in Betty Boop’s “poor Cinderella” were clearly rivals to the Disney and Warner Bros. animation efforts.
When I watch the Betty Boop and Popeye series, I always have to watch the cartoons more than once because there is so much going on in the background you are able to miss many wonderful and hilarious details. While you are paying attention to the storyline, there are either topical jokes, sight gags, or double entendres that go by so fast, you say to yourself “did they really do that? “, and are compelled to rewatch it with even more appreciation.
Living in Los Angeles, I have gone to some animation festivals where they specifically show the genius of Fleischer cartoons in terms of Art Deco architecture which is apparent in the Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman cartoons. The Streamline-Moderne buildings in the Superman series are breathtaking, and they are you vocative of downtown Los Angeles’ City Hall building. The beautiful backgrounds and artwork make the cartoons even richer.
Also, the adult jokes and themes of sexuality shown in the Betty Boop cartoons are one step above the Warner Bros. cartoons which are clearly made for adults’ appreciation as well as a child’s. It’s amazing; what can go over a child’s head while they laugh and appreciate certain bits of action in a cartoon, the adults can appreciate the verbal humor and clever double entendres.
As you can see, I appreciate so much in the Fleischer cartoons. I also get a huge kick out of the use of popular songs whether by the voice of Betty Boop herself—songstress Helen Kane, the Mills Brothers, early Louis Prima, Cab Calloway or other performers. Songs like “I want to be loved by you”, “St. James infirmary”, And “Minnie the moocher” are only some examples of great songs immortalized in equally famous cartoons. I also delight in the bouncing ball series where you sing along with the words that appear on the screen! I have been to some vintage cartoon shows where they exhibit these cartoons and the audience laugh and appreciatively sing aloud.
It’s Great that there is a new CD which covers some of the famous toons used in Fleischer animation, and I hope it makes old Fleischer fans very happy as well as winning some new ones over to this animation genius.
The favorite things that come to mind re Fleischer ‘toons are the nods to the 4th wall and the visual jokes of perspective… Popeye’s muttering is classic as well, but that quirk is mostly just his.
I love the simplicity and yet they always told a complete story. The fact that he made cartoons abut Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and Darwin’s Theory of Evolution at a time when most people hadn’t even heard about them AND that they were highly controversial, shows that he was more than a simple cartoonist. He was decade ahead of his time, and cartoonists today would be hard pressed to try and equal his talent.
Betty Boop was a great creation of the pre Hays Jazz Age, and I was all set to nominate her as my Fleischer favourite. But I’ve just found out that Fleischer invented the sing along bouncing ball. So now it’s a split decision!
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I have loved Betty Boop since I was a little girl. I remember going to a Betty Boop store in San Fransisco in the 80’s and buying literally EVERYTHING. I still have a trunk with all of it! But to answer the actual question, I loved the movement of the characters and obviously the music. Now, I enjoy the tongue and cheek-ness of it all which I missed when I was younger.
The superman series it still holds up just fantastic.
I’ll keep this simple. Max Fleischer Cartoons are one of the first I remember when growing up.
Superman and Gulliver’s Travels.
Gulliver’s Travels, especially during the Thanksgiving holiday. I gave thanks I could watch that rather that having to sit with the grown-ups and pretend to be interested in their conversations.
Superman. When I finally started my DVD collection. These were among the first to grace the shelves. Being a comic fan, it was a no brain. Still one of the best representations of the character.
In a word? Rotoscoping. We wouldn’t had Disney as we know it without.
Popeye was IT when I was a child. My brother and I lived to see them in the afternoons, and the name I remember is Max Fleischer flashed across the credits. My faves were Olive sleepwalking, her skill w/donuts, I also think he did one w/dancing skeletons. He helped many mothers bring their children in to settle for the evening meal. I appreciate the great work he did, the time it took and the imagination.