THE PUPPETOON MOVIE [1987 / 2000] [DVD] [USA Release]
Featuring the Oscar® Winning Stop Motion Animation of George Pál!
From Academy Award winning genius George Pál comes the most brilliant Stop Motion Animation ever created! Hosted by Gumby, Pokey and Arnie the Dinosaur and is gorgeously shot in Technicolor animation and is a visual feast for film buffs of all ages. The fluid movement, set pieces and painstaking craft witnessed in this film can only be emulated but never duplicated. ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ features such classics as ‘Tubby the Tuba,’ ‘Jasper in a Jam,’ ‘John Henry and the Inky-Poo,’ ‘The Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Tulips Shall Grow,’ ‘The Philips Broadcast of 1938’ and many more! Music shines with the hip jazz of Charlie Barnet, Louis Armstrong and Peggy Lee. Among the many talented animators whose work is has been seen are the Oscar® winners such as Willis O’ Brien [creator of King Kong] and Ray Harryhausen [‘The 7th Voyage of Sinbad’]. Voiced by Paul Freers which was his last ever feature film recording. Art Clokey, Dick Beals and Dallas McKennon. Plus New Music by Walt Disney composer Buddy Baker. And now with this Digitally Enhanced and Expanded DVD Release are added PUPPETOONS not seen in half a century!
George Pal’s PUPPETOONS took music and fantasy and charm as their ingredients for entertainment . . . ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ reminds us all of this great, great talent!
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: George Pál's PUPPETOONS body of work was recognised by a Special Oscar at the 16th Academy Awards in 1944. George Pal received the Special Oscar “for the development of novel methods and techniques in the production of short subjects known as PUPPETOONS.” George Pál received an honorary award in 1944 and makes him the second-most nominated Hungarian exile and together with William S. Darling and Ernest Laszlo after Miklós Rózsa.
FILM FACT No.2: George Pál (1908 – 1980) was born in Cegléd, Hungary, the son of György Pál Marczincsak, Sr., and his wife Mária. George Pál graduated from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in 1928 (aged 20). From 1928 to 1931, George Pál made films for Hunnia Film Studio of Budapest, Hungary. ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ is a 1987 animated film written, produced, and directed by Arnold Leibovit. It is based on the PUPPETOONS characters created by George Pál in the 1930’s and 1940’s which feature the eponymous PUPPETOONS animation, and features Gumby, Pokey and Arnie the Dinosaur, who host the framing story. Its framing story stars the voices of Dick Beals, Art Clokey, Paul Frees and Dallas McKennon as the main characters.
Voice Cast: Paul Frees [Arnie the Dinosaur / Pillsbury Doughboy], Dallas McKennon [Gumby], Art Clokey [Pokey] and Dick Beals [Speedy Alka-Seltzer]
Director: Arnold Leibovit
Producer: Arnold Leibovit
Screenplay: Arnold Leibovit
Composer: Arnold Leibovit
Music Department: Buddy Baker [Conductor], Burton Lee Harry [Music editor], Dennis Patterson [Music editor], Bernard Mahne [Digital music editor: Tonstudio], Sam Spence [Technical advisor: Union Studio] and Zeke Lund [Music engineer/mixer: Union Studio]
Cinematography: Gene Warren Jr. (Director of Photography)
Puppet Maker: Kurt Hanson
Art Direction: Gene Warren Jr. and Michael Minor
Art Department: Charles Chiodo [Artistic finishing: Arnie the Dinosaur], Ernest D. Farino [Additional graphics], Gary Campsie [Supervisor: set and miniature construction], Kurt Hanson [Maker: Gumby], Stephen Chiodo [Artistic finishing: Arnie the Dinosaur], Dennis Schultz [Additional construction], Gary Rhodaback [Additional construction], Michael Joyce [Additional construction], Paul Kassler [Additional construction] and Richard Smiley [Additional construction]
Animation Department: Peter Kleinow [Animator: new prologue animation]
Visual Effects: Betzy Bromberg [Opticals], David Emerson [Opticals], Harry Walton [Optical duping], Bret Mixon [Rotoscope animation] and Tony Alderson [Rotoscope animation]
Camera and Electrical Department: Michael Griffin [Aassistant camera], Kurt Hanson [Still photographer], Tony Alderson [Still photographer] and John Huneck [Additional photography]
Image Resolution: 1080i (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Ultra-Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 78 minutes
Region: NTSC
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Arnold Leibovit Entertainment / Image Entertainment
Andrew’s DVD Review: ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ [1987] is George Pál’s incredible animated shorts from the 1930’s are celebrated in this feature-length compilation, in addition to copious bonus features including two other feature films and many shorts.
George Pál’s PUPPETOONS are entirely too rarely seen these days. His brand of stop-motion animation is simply wonderful and this film gives an all too brief look at some of his fantastic work. A framing device is used to showcase eight of his fantastic short animations. The shorts are marvellous and make wonderful use of music in connection with the animation. More of George Pál’s PUPPETOONS shorts detail work is inspired and if you can, you should hunt for a DVD copy ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ you will not be disappointed.
Well before Steven Spielberg and George Lucas came to prominence, there was Hungarian-born George Pál, who produced or directed such landmarks as ‘Destination Moon,’ ‘When Worlds Collide, War Of The Worlds’ and ‘The Time Machine,’ not to mention the fondly-remembered tom thumb and the Cinerama film ‘The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm.’ These and others would have made him a legend, but even before his feature film work he was the creator of a celebrated series of animated films using a “replacement” stop-motion technique that he largely pioneered. It is somewhat amazing and disappointing that Warner Bros. and Paramount have not released this original DVD ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ on the Blu-ray format, but we are extremely fortunate that his early PUPPETOONS shorts have made it onto this splendid Digitally Enhanced and Expanded DVD Release.
George Pál began to create the PUPPETOONS shorts when he still lived in Europe. George Pál first experimented with the idea for a 1932 cigarette advertisement, in which he animated the cigarettes themselves. The client was thrilled, and George Pál was delighted to have found a new mode of expression. George Pál continued with his advertising work in Berlin, Prague, and Paris, for clients in such places as the Netherlands and England. After beginning to make films for Holland’s Philips Radio, George Pál relocated to Holland, first setting up a studio in a garage, then later a butcher shop. George Pál’s dream of moving to the United States finally came within reach when he and his wife were granted a visa by the USA, leading to George Pál guest lecturing at Columbia University in New York City. While George Pál was in New York, the president of Paramount Pictures happened to see some of George Pál’s films at a party, and offered him a contract to continue his PUPPETOONS for Paramount.
George Pál moved permanently to Hollywood from Holland in about 1940, just prior to the Nazi invasion there in May. George Pál continued his filmmaking at Paramount Pictures, where his shorts became even more celebrated, and earning Academy Award nominations in every one of their seven years of production. Paramount Pictures insisted on calling the series “Madcap Models,” but the PUPPETOON name still appeared in the credits. Legends such as Willis O’Brien and Ray Harryhausen worked on PUPPETOONS at one point or another, but it was a large number of animators that followed George Pál’s careful instructions in order to produce over thirty films during a seven-year period. The amount of George Pál’s skill and work that went into his puppet animation was at times astounding, and must have been nearly miraculous in the 1940’s. George Pál’s technique utilized carved figures, sometimes with dozens of faces that could be switched out to display different emotions. Even the bodies of the figures would be switched out to simulate movement, often exaggerating the squash and stretch techniques of drawn animation. There was never anything like the PUPPETOONS, and few have made similar attempts since.
Arnold Leibovit can be credited with keeping the PUPPETOONS alive in the public consciousness the past few decades. Though they did see some air play in the early days of television, they were withdrawn from syndication in the 1960s and then were largely forgotten by the public, or at best became a distant memory of “those nifty little films they used to make back in the good old days.” Fortunately for us, Arnold Leibovit befriended George Pál and his wife, and after George Pál died Arnold Leibovit discovered that George Pál’s wife was in the possession of many 35mm nitrate prints, which were still in suitable shape for exhibition. These included films produced in both Europe and the USA, and Arnold Leibovit decided to create a feature-length compilation, using George Pál’s wife prints, and some new bookend animation that featured stop motion icons Gumby and Pokey. Arnold Leibovit did trim some of the openings and the credits, but otherwise the resulting compilation feature includes many of the treasured masterpieces. These stories are fables, fairy tales, original concepts, and children’s entertainment, all fitted with impressively detailed motion and carefully considered surrealism.
PUPPETOONS use of thin lighting schemes and overactive imagination merely appease a different generation. In their prime, these were novel shorts produced with vintage vigour, much the same as PIXAR’s computer rendered ingenuity for modern audiences.
But of course we get to view George Pál’s most celebrated classic animation ‘Tubby The Tuba’ [1947] and this is the movie’s most personal story, focusing on a tuba’s wish to carry the melody for a change. It’s a perfect example of how animation can use the unlikeliest subjects to touch our hearts. For many animation fans, these wonderful little animated films will be a total revelation foe the younger generation. And for those who have loved these brilliant animated films for years. Ultimately, however, ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE,’ is a basic assemblage of many of George Pál’s best animated creations, and should hopefully encourage audiences to seek out all of his projects in their complete and unedited forms. George Pál’s stop-motion PUPPETOONS are indeed wonderfully creative and imaginative. And it's a shame they aren't as well known as the Warner Bros. cartoons or Walt Disney movies that were being made around the same time. Trust me; you won’t make a better purchase of ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ classic animation ever.
We get to view the amazing and very inventive ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ and the equally wonderful and very inventive George Pál’s stop-motion PUPPETOONS and this is what you get to view:
Main Title and Arnie The Dinosaur Introduction: After the short Main Title has been displayed, we then get to view ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ actual film and we are introduced to the fearsome Arnie the Dinosaur who encounters Gumby and Pokey who of course are at first very scared with his roar, but then Arnie the Dinosaur pulls out all of his teeth and becomes very friendly and informs Gumby and Pokey that he is a vegetarian and all three of them go to a room where there is a Moviola [A Moviola is a device that allows a film editor to view a film while editing. It was the first machine for motion picture editing when it was invented by Iwan Serrurier in 1924] and Arnie the Dinosaur turns it on and all three look at the viewing screen and get to watch ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ the amazing and very inventive ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ and of course the equally wonderful and very inventive George Pál’s stop-motion PUPPETOONS and this is what you get to view:
The Little Broadcast [1943] [1080i] [1.37:1] A high-brow violinist at a concert hall does not enjoy the gypsy-themed swing performance of Jim Dandy and his Orchestra.
The Philips Broadcast of 1938 [1938] [1080i] [1.37:1] Here we get to view a PUPPETOONS animation with the Ambrose and His Orchestra performing in several nightclubs.
Hoola Boola [1941] [1080i] [1.37:1] A shipwrecked Jim Dandy's raft washes up on a tropical island, where he meets a beautiful hula dancer and is later captured by a tribe of cannibals.
South Sea Sweethearts [1938] [1080i] [1.37:1] Animated puppet film advertising Horlick's malted milk.
The Sleeping Beauty [1935] [1080i] [1.37:1] An evil witch casts a princess and all of her kingdom into a deep sleep that lasts for hundreds of years, as attempts are made in vain to break the curse.
Tulips Shall Grow [1942] [1080i] [1.37:1] A carefree boy and a young girl find their idyllic countryside invaded by an army of mindlessly destructive robots.
Together In The Weather [1946] [1080i] [1.37:1] Judy lives in the fair-weather clock and Punchy over in the foul-weather, but Judy, a lovely blonde de-icer and no shrinking violet, has aspirations of luring Punchy into taking up residence in her clock. Tight sweaters and fragrant perfumes are her weapons and she doesn't need many, but an electrical storm helps her cause.
John Henry and the Inky-Poo [1946] [1080i] [1.37:1] John Henry springs to life as a full-grown man, and in no time at all establishes himself as the mightiest steel-driver around. When a new-fangled steel-driving machine threatens his livelihood, he sets out to beat it in a one-on-one race.
Phillips Cavalcade [1934] [1080i] [1.37:1] This PUPPETOONS animation takes place where the people start singing and a woman Philippa Ray sings a song on the microphone. There were people dancing in playing instruments. In the on the stage four men are singing. One sings soprano and one sings bass. Suddenly one person plays the trumpet and other people start singing and dancing at the end.
Jasper in a Jam [1946] [1080i] [1.37:1] Jasper, a young black boy, gets trapped inside a pawnshop at midnight. All the musical instruments come to life and play jazz, but a war-whooping, jazz-hating wooden Indian self-animates as well.
Tubby the Tuba [1947] [1080i] [1.37:1] In this PUPPETOONS animation, Tubby the Tuba is dissatisfied with his role in an orchestra of self-playing instruments; and Tubby the Tuba meets a bullfrog who gives him some good advice. Out of all the PUPPETOONS animations viewed, Tubby the Tuba is my all-time favourite of the PUPPETOONS.
THE PUPPETOON MOVIE MUSIC TRACK LIST
PUPPETOON SIGNATUNE (Written by Maurice De Packh)
THE LITTLE BROADCAST (Written by David Raksin)
HOOLA BOOLA (Written by Thurston Knudson)
TULIPS SHALL GROW (Written by Eddison von Ottenfeld)
TOGETHER IN THE WEATHER (Written by Clarence Wheeler)
DID YOU EVER SEE A DREAM WALKING (Written by Mack Gordon and Harry Revel)
JOHN HENRY AND THE INKY POO (Written by Latham Ovens, Robert Monroe and Clarence Wheele
MR. STRAUSS TAKES A WALK (Written by Eddison von Ottenfeld)
MUSIC MAESTRO PLEASE (Written by Allie Wrubel and Herb Magidson)
OLD MAN MOSE (Written by Zilner T. Randolph and Louis Armstrong)
POMPTON TURNPIKE (Written by Dick Rogers and Will Osborne)
HARBOR LIGHTS (Written by Jimmy Kennedy and Will Grosz aka Hugh Williams)
REDSKIN RHUMBA (Written by Charlie Barnet)
TUBBY THE TUBA (Written by Paul Tripp and George Kleinsinger)
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DVD Image Quality – Arnold Leibovit Entertainment and Image Entertainment presents ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ with a standard 1080i Technicolor image and of course presented in the standard 1.37:1 aspect ratio. But despite being a DVD release it still exhibits good colour fidelity despite the age and condition of the shorts. Grain is present in several instances, as expected for film dating back almost six decades. Solid black levels allow for adequate detail. With the video on the bonus shorts, in almost every instance, the colours are sharper, the black levels deeper and details just pop off the screen. In the case of the shorts represented in the theatrical feature, they look better in their separate presentation. The theatrical feature looks like the transfer was done from the master negative. When comparing ‘Hoola Boola,’ ‘Philips Broadcast’ and ‘Philips Cavalcade’ you can actually see the sheen of the lights off the faces of the puppets and the Technicolor’s just seem brighter and more intense. I detected no digital or compression artefacts. Watch ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ and see why George Pál was so inventive and imaginative, in using his hands and his heart. Despite it being a DVD release, the animation still looks amazing and also really good, and especially for the younger generation who have never ever seen this type of inventive animation.
DVD Audio Quality – Arnold Leibovit Entertainment and Image Entertainment is brought to you with a 2.0 Dolby Digital Ultra-Stereo Audio presentation which was originally shown in their original mono presentation in the cinema. Again, given their age, the audio holds up well, displaying a minimum of distortion and a wide range. Indeed, with "Tubby" there is actually some low-end oomph when Tubby plays. Funnelling the stereo soundtrack through my speakers that sounded very clean and very natural. Similarly, the opening and closing mode widened the soundstage to great dramatic effect, showcasing Paul Tripp’s and George Kleinsinger’s catchy ditty for “Tubby the Tuba” and giving the film the right touch in thanking George Pál for his timeless and dedicated efforts.
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BONUS PUPPETOONS SHORTS [Complete and unedited]
What Ho! She Bumps! [1937] [480i] [1.37:1] [7:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, “puppet pirates” rule the waves and prey on a sleeping Navy. After a close shave the weary crew of HMS Hopeless transform themselves into the good ship HMS Hopeful as the virtues of Horlicks are explained. Our revitalised heroes pursue their attackers and ‘night starvation’ – a condition invented by Horlicks – becomes a thing of the past.
Mr. Strauss Takes A Walk [1942] [480i] [1.37:1] [9:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, while taking a walk through the woods, composer Johann Strauss listens to the sounds of the animals and is inspired to create “Tales Of The Vienna Woods” and with the help of the forest animals, and gets to composes his greatest waltz.
Olio For Jasper [1946] [480i] [1.37:1] [7:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, Jasper gets tough with the Scarecrow when the latter tries to steal his yo-yo. The Scarecrow, anxious to have the yo-yo just so Jasper will no longer have the yo-yo, tries a new approach, and tells Jasper the sad story of his poverty-ridden childhood, and he never owned a yo-yo. The more Jasper talks about it, the angrier the Scarecrow becomes, so Jasper runs away, and takes his yo-yo with him.
Phillips Cavalcade [1939] [480i] [1.37:1] [7:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, it takes place where the people start singing and a woman Philippa Ray sings a song on the microphone. There were people dancing in playing instruments. In the on the stage four men are singing. One sings soprano and one sings bass. Suddenly one person plays the trumpet and other people start singing. They start dancing at the end.
Jasper’s Derby [1946] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:46] In this PUPPETOONS animation, a young boy named Jasper helps an old warhorse win the Kentucky Derby. Little Jasper plays his fiddle, causing the horse to run faster.
Hoola Boola [1941] [480i] [1.37:1] [9:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, a shipwrecked Jim Dandy's raft washes up on a tropical island, where he meets a beautiful hula dancer and is later captured by a tribe of cannibals.
Ether Symphony [1936] [480i] [1.37:1] [0:00] With this PUPPETOONS animation, we find far above us in the clouds is King of the Ether from where our wonderful radio programs emanate. Every day the King of the Ether sends down his artists to charm mankind with their melodious strains. But men do not always appreciate these wonderful treasures.
Aladdin and the Magical Lamp [1936] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation short, it tells the story of the fable of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.
The Magic Atlas [1935] [480i] [1.37:1] [7:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation short, it advertises Philips radios, George Pal gives full rein to his sensibilities. As we see orchestras, bands and singers animated from Britain to the far steppes of Russia, we get a very silly view of how music is produced.
Jasper and the Haunted House [1943] [480i] [1.37:1] [9:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, it tells the story of blackberry-pie-delivering Jasper being misled by con men into an alleged haunted house that turns out to be genuinely so. The short features terrifically colourful stop-motion animation and boogie-woogie music.
The Phillips Broadcast of 1938 [1938] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation, with the first part the scene is a large nightclub. The Orchestra of Ambrose is playing. Sam Browne sings Harbor Lights. People are seated at tables around a mirrored dance floor. Waiters hurry around. A couple modelled on Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, via the De Marcos, dance. The movement of the dancers is amazing. The mirrored image of the dancers on the floor begs belief. The second part is set in Harlem. Ambrose still provides the music but is not pictured. The music is hot. The citizens dance in the streets. An elevated train rumbles by. Again the animation is perfect and it roars to a finish.
The Ship of the Ether [1934] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:00] In this PUPPETOONS animation short, George Pál's shows us a stop-motion commercial story film made in Eindhoven, Holland. The short promoted the new Philips Radio of 1934 with a ship made entirely of glass that sails through the air waves.
DVD Special Features and Extras
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer [1987] [480i] [1.37:1] [1:53] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE.’
Special Feature: Reminiscing with PUPPETOONS Animator Bob Baker [2000] [1080i] [1.37:1] [14:47] With this featurette, we see Bob Baker is surrounded by several of the PUPPETOONS as he describes his time working with George Pál PUPPETOONS and goes into great detail as to how the stop-motion process works and talking about the wooden PUPPETOONS creations in front of him and the process of making a George Pál stop-motion film. The key takeaway here is the chance to get a better look at the PUPPETOONS and understand how the movies were actually made. Bob Baker also says that George Pál was a genius on how he made the PUPPETOONS was animated and what is amazing for each PUPPETOONS, 28 had to be made for that one wooden PUPPETOONS. Bob Baker was even involved with the film ‘Tom Thumb.’ But most of all, Bob Baker had a really wonderful time and also a magical time in the original George Pál studio and Bob Baker says that if they tried to make a modern day PUPPETOONS stop-motion film it would be far too expensive, and feels that no one has come close to the spectacular and inventive PUPPETOONS stop-motion film.
Special Feature: George Pál Outside of his Studio in Eindhoven, Holland [1934] [480i] [1.37:1] [0:33] With this very short featurette, we see George Pál with a groups of people outside his studio, but we are not informed who they were, as the whole short sequence we get to view is completely silent.
Special Feature: Production Stills Gallery [2000] [1080i] [1.37:1] [3:50] With this featurette, we get to view a series of still images of the George Pál animation studio working on the ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE,’ but also scenes from the stop-motion film and close-up of the wooden PUPPETOONS. We also get to see working with the wooden PUPPETOONS models and they are Peter Kleinow, Fred Malatesta, Gene Warren Jr., Arnold Leibovit and Buddy Baker.
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailer [1985] [480i] [1.37:1] [3:56] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for ‘The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pál.’
Special Feature: Production Still Gallery [1985] [480i] [1.37:1] [1:20] With this featurette, we get to view a series of still images of behind the scenes during the production of ‘The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pál’ and the film was directed by Arnold Leibovit and of course ‘The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pál’ is available on the Image Entertainment DVD.
Finally, with ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE,’ Arnold Leibovit has assembled an affectionate tribute to George Pál that includes animation from 11 PUPPETOONS. Twelve other PUPPETOONS are included on this DVD version, although there's some overlap. George Pál used his charming little figures in miniature style Busby Berkeley numbers and simple boy-meets-girl stories. But George Pál could tackle more serious subjects, as he proved in ‘Tulips Shall Grow’ [1943]. George Pal caricatured the Nazi Wehrmacht as the goose-stepping, robotic Screwball Army, attacking Holland, where the artist had made his first films before coming to America. George Pál’s most endearing short and my all-time favourite ‘Tubby the Tuba’ [1947], the story of an eager little horn who wants his song to be heard. In 1947, Ebony praised George Pal's ‘John Henry and the Inky-Poo’ [1946] as “that rarest of Hollywood products that has no Negro stereotypes, but rather treats the Negro with dignity, imagination, poetry, and love.” But the magazine criticised his series about Jasper, a little African American boy. These films have aged less gracefully, and modern viewers may find jokes about watermelon, haunted houses, and other standards of ethnic humour objectionable. Parents may want to monitor as we get scenes of ethnic stereotypes. ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ enters a world of animated movie magic and there were as many as 5,000 individually carved wood PUPPETOONS were made. ‘THE PUPPETOON MOVIE’ will totally astound and delight young children and especially film buffs of all ages! Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
