024 The Gorilla Hunt

Title: The Gorilla Hunt
Studio: Columbia
Date: 2/24/39
Credits: None listed on viewed print
Series: Color Rhapsody
Running time (of viewed version): 7:35

Synopsis: A hunter presents a film of his trip to Africa to hunt a gorilla.





















Comments: This kinda has the look of a Famous cartoon. Similar musically as well. The car looks good. Sounds like Mel Blanc doing at least some of the voices, but I suppose it could be similar sounds from people in the profession. There's an anti-stereotype gag with stereotypically visually designed African natives singing in what I would describe as a white American '20s/'30s college harmony group (tho I may be off on that). Unfortunately the print makes darker scenes almost unviewable, and there are many dark scenes (the natives and the gorilla are pretty much silhouettes, except in night scenes where they are just eyes and mouths. I wonder if the title on the film within the film mirrors the original title (not upside down of course). It certainly kills some time and doesn't need to be very animated... I notice amongst the contents of the hunter's exploding bag are a corked bottle and what appears to be an image of a nude woman. The megaship that passes is called The Wrecks (I assume there was a famous ship called The Rex), and it is part of The Clothes Line company. That moving ship element reduces the need for drawings, too. I assume there was an issue about LA expanding really far, as there is a sign in Africa saying "Los Angeles City Limits". The yellow car and trailer look great, but are poorly framed (which could be the fault of a transfer crop). There's a monkey doing a "Peoples is the craziest monkeys" I'm pretty sure I've heard Mel do in WB cartoons, implying it's a specific lift from someone. There's a native in a white tux in the background of one shot (tho the chief in the shot seems in desperate danger of exposing his under loincloth); could be a specific reference. I'm not sure if the hunter is supposed to Oliver Hardy-esque (he's too short and blonde), but the silent sidekick is very Stan Laurel.