A zealous elf bashes his hand with a hammer. That brings about a not unexpected response. However, a nearby elf, with the utmost casualness, places a jar over the head of the other elf so children cannot hear the language not suitable for their ears.
Walt Clinton, Grant Simmons and Mike Lah animated “The Peachy Cobbler,” with backgrounds by Johnny Johnsen.
12/16/14
ReplyDeleteRobGems.ca Wrote:
And let's not forget that three-part gag of the frustrated elf trying to wash and wax his shoe, only to have a rude elf driving a shoe car through the mud twice on the other elf's clean shoe. The third gag was an unexpected turn to park the car after the elf threw mud on his car in disgust. That was my favorite part when I saw this one as a child. The "cussing" elf was pretty funny too.
Aside from Johnny Johnsen being credited for backgrounds, some of these however, like the close-ups of the shoes themselves often looked more like repainted photographs than actual painted backgrounds themselves, unless they used a lot of photo reference work in the process.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to compare this one to Friz Freleng's "Holiday for Shoestrings" from a few years earlier. Avery's spot gags during the cartoon overall are probably a little sharper, but the Mr. Kitzel-based ending is weaker (in part because it's less cynical) than the one Freleng and Michael Maltese came up with.
ReplyDeleteYeah, nothing beats what Freleng/Maltese had in mind for a conclusion that makes Avery's film come off rather flat.
DeleteAlso the running gag involving the elf trying to thread his needle.
ReplyDeleteAnd the shoe "striptease."