A classic animated feature film for Overlooked Films, Audio & Video at Todd Mason’s blog Sweet Freedom.
“He's a menace, he's a brute, he will scoop you with his snoot.”
One of the joys of watching an animated film like Walt Disney’s The AristoCats (1970) or The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) in theatres, in the 70s, was the short cartoon clips that were often shown before the start of the film. They were like the appetiser before the main course, the small cup of steamed and salted corn before the large bag of popcorn, samosas, and coke.
Ants in the Plants, a classic animated short film by Max and Dave Fleischer of Disney rival Fleischer Studios, is about a bustling colony of brave and enterprising ants who find strategic ways to fight a pesky anteater hell-bent on devouring the ants with his periscopic snout. The ants work with military precision: they fight, suffer casualties, retreat, regroup, and eventually fall back on their “Sewer Side Squad” to drive away the enemy.
This 35mm Technicolor film has been labelled as a “war allegory” because of its emphasis on tactical preparation for a war.
Ants in the Plants is a cute little animated film. Its appeal lies in its old-style animation and its 7.32-minute length as opposed to its modern cousins like Antz (1998) and The Ant Bully (2006).
Click here to watch the film, again.
“He's a menace, he's a brute, he will scoop you with his snoot.”
This 35mm Technicolor film has been labelled as a “war allegory” because of its emphasis on tactical preparation for a war.
Ants in the Plants is a cute little animated film. Its appeal lies in its old-style animation and its 7.32-minute length as opposed to its modern cousins like Antz (1998) and The Ant Bully (2006).
Click here to watch the film, again.
I have seen this. Definitely very cute.
ReplyDeleteCharles, I remember seeing it years ago and rediscovered it recently while looking for vintage films and television series. Fleischer Studios were known for many popular cartoon characters and animated shorts.
DeleteLOVE these Silly Symphonies, Prashant. I posted one today too. Well, you knew that. :) I also posted THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS on my Facebook page. Another cutie cartoon.
ReplyDelete...or Fleischer. Love their stuff too.
DeleteYvette, I remember GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS very well. I'm thinking of compiling these early cartoons into a small collection and save them on a disk. Problem is there are too many of them. It'd make a nice unusual Xmas gift.
DeleteI haven't seen one of these in years.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Patti. I've been on an internet treasure hunt for some time now.
DeleteI love the Fleischer films from the 30s, often prefer them to Disney in fact - thanks Prashant.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Sergio. I'd forgotten about Fleischer films too. I agree, together with Hanna-Barbera and Warner Brothers, their early animated shorts and films were often far better than Disney.
DeleteI remember this one. When I was watching Saturday morning cartoons in the day it was regularly shown. Saturday morning cartoons! Kids today would have no idea. Cartoons are around the clock anymore.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I remember something akin to Saturday morning cartoons. It was probably Sunday mornings for us on state-run television called Doordarshan (Far Sight). The modern cartoons telecast now are not worth seeing.
DeleteI love these old cartoons, Prashant. Thanks for featuring this one. I will go check it out...
ReplyDeleteTracy, you're welcome. I plan to watch and write about more vintage cartoons in coming days and weeks.
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