LEGO Technic 8846 was released in 1981 but was never available in the USA. It features rack and pinion steering, a ratcheting rear boom hoist, a ratcheting and pivoting wheel lift, and a winch. I had a lot of fun building it virtually, and look forward to obtaining a physical copy for myself some day.
Feline Follies, 1919
What has been credited as the first Felix the Cat cartoon, it’s Feline Follies! This in itself is not a remarkable story as much as it is a remarkable accomplishment. Watching it over one hundred years from when it was created, it is difficult for the modern sensibility to understand that it was the common…
The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad
There is a part of me that wants to say that I have seen this before, yet as the movie begins, I remember nothing. This film is comprised of two segments that have nothing more in common than that they each featured a male lead who goes through a life changing event. As with the previous…
Melody Time
Melody Time is a distant cousin of the Fantasia concept. This ‘package film’ is comprised of seven shorts that have only the movie title in common. Well, that may be a bit harsh, but it’s not a lie. While each of the segments reflects different artistic styles and different methods of storytelling, they are an…
Fun & Fancy Free
Fun and Fancy Free is considered one of the ‘package films’ of the 1940’s, but to me is the least like a package film. The reason I say this is because that unlike the previous ‘package films’ there are only two segments. Each of these segments, according to production history, was originally to be developed…
Make Mine Music
Make Mine Music has been referred to as the “poor man’s Fantasia” because it really is the same concept with the caveat that the music would be considered “modern” at the time of its release. The creation of this film was in part due to America’s entrance into World War II. The moment America entered…
Saludos Amigos
Ah, Saludos Amigos, also known as the film that got me a little bent out of shape when it comes to censorship. I don’t know I find it akin to saying “Hey, that Mona Lisa chick looks a little down. Let’s put a smile on that gal’s face huh? It fits in better with the…
Bambi
The husband and I agree, the kids are too young to see this one. Not sure how to handle the whole “Bambi’s Mommy is Dead” aspect. I had forgotten how most of the advertising for this film focus on Bambi as a child. We see this young woodland creature, yet the film is really evenly…
Dumbo
Why, yes, despite my busy week, we did watch Dumbo. I know I haven’t finished the Fantasia conversation yet, but I will soon. The shortest of the Disney Animated Features, Dumbo clocks in at sixty four minutes. Knowing that as I watched it this time (with the kids – more on that in a few…
Fantasia
Part I: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Johann Sebastian Bach Like any celebrity of anytime, Walt Disney had access to people that other people may not have had the chance to meet. Like anyone in the business he was able to reach out to other artists (in his day, other pioneers). One such artist…