Customer Reviews

Max Fleischer's Ko-Ko Song Car-Tunes [VHS]

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The real prize of the new Inkwell Images releases is the KO-KO'S SONG CAR-TUNES collection. It is fashioned as a documentary with Dick Huemer's son Richard and Bernard Fleischer (a grandson) providing commentary. These are the pioneering mid twenties sound cartoons (preceeding STEAMBOAT WILLIE) and the video contains four complete titles (HAS ANYBODY HERE SEEN KELLY, COMIN' THRO' THE RYE, MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME and WHEN THE CHOO-CHOO LEAVES FOR ALABAM) and bouncing ball sequences from a few others.
These collections are expertly packaged and professionally produced, and DVD editions will be available next month. The prints are superb (or at least the best we'll ever get), many are tinted. My only request is: more of this wonderful Fleischer collection (more Song Car-tunes please).
RECOMMENDED

I've been fortunate enough to view an advance release copy of this charming, entertaining, and highly educational program.
Not only does it feature a nice selection of material from traditional folk songs to Tin Pan Alley tunes, it is accompanied by well researched background material and interesting visuals.
But most interesting of all is the interviews discussing the concept and history of these famous "Bouncing Ball" song films,
with a rare production still that shows just how the effect was produced.

My favorites were "Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?" and "By The Light of the Silvery Moon." The color tints are a treat as well. But most importantly, this is a look at a forgotten detail in film and animation history. These were the first pioneering efforts in joining animation with synchronized sound produced four years before Disney's STEAMBOAT WILLIE. And guess what, boys and girls? They actually work! Even the end credits are fun to watch, too.