Rooty Toot Toot

That is a masterful work of animation. A mixture of film genders (noir, musical, comedy, judgment) and a narrative with different versions of the same crime (like Rashomon by Kurosawa). Finally i would like to call attention for the strong reference to sexuality almost banned from the mainstream cartoons. The traces of the cartoon are superb too! They are a trademark of UPA style. They are just essential and not full of empty virtuosity in the Disney style. Free from the repetition of the characters based series as Maggoo, the work of studio is much more interesting. The strategy of the lines being sung by the characters preview such works as Les Parapluies de Cherbourgh (1964) by Jacques Demy. Although the work of UPA would be associate mostly with social commentary about middle class American values it was far from be restricted just to it. I recommend it.

Rooty Toot Toot (1951)

*** (out of 4)

Fun UPA short has Frankie catching her man Johnny with another woman so she shoots him dead. The film starts off inside the courtroom and then we flashback to the events of that evening. I understand that many people truly hate the UPA form of animation and while I'm not the biggest fan of it, this short here is something I am a fan of. I must admit that I thought the musical numbers were quite catchy and especially the way the Frankie and Johnny song were played out. What I also loved with the use of color in the film. Again, this here is something that a lot of people can't stand but I thought it was put to perfect use here and I especially liked the way colors express either emotion or tone. The flashback sequence gets this beautiful dark grey look to it just like you'd expect to find in a film noir. After the verdict is read we get a beautiful dark red which could mean several things but the femme fatale look is certainly there. I also liked the dresses constantly being worn by Frankie. The story itself isn't the greatest but I still think there's quite a bit to like here.

Frankie and Johnny were lovers, but he done her wrong, so the bullets start flying. Based on the classic revenge-ballad, and structured like Rashomon (1950), this cartoon courtroom drama reflects a new look in animation, with stylised, geometric (almost cubist) backgrounds and sketchy, simplified but highly individualised characters. Classic noir characters abound: laconic bartenders, sleazy musicians, wronged dames, provocative femme-fatales, and shady shysters. With a great score and amusing visuals, this 'adult' cartoon has developed a well-deserved cult following and was voted #41 in the '50 Greatest Cartoons'.

This is the classic story of Frankie and Johnny and Nellie Blye. She catches him with Nellie and kills him. This takes a really cool jazz score and sets up a court case. Of course, the characters are quirky, but the judicial system we have today often reflects the one portrayed in this short. All testimony leads to what should be a guilty verdict. But don't turn your head for a second. There's much to come. Some reviewers give this ones and two because it's too loud and intense. A criticism was made that it isn't appropriate for children. Animation isn't always for children. Just watch the direction things have taken on television. There is biting satire and some pretty harsh stuff being presented these days. Why does the cartoonists craft have to be based on things done in the 1930's. This isn't a world beater, but it is creative and interprets the music well.

So we know that "Frankie" has done for "Johnny" and so she ends up in court dressed as if she were about to dance a Flamenco! Her lawyer calls the barkeep, a rather dour fella - who regales us with the tale of the deceased's infidelities with "Nelly Bligh". Next, the sultry "Nelly" takes the stand with her own version but claims that they only tickling going on was on the ivories! It looks a clear cut case. Can the debonaire lawyer save her bacon? He portrays a completely different summation of the events. Which version will the jury buy? The narration is delivered via a lively and witty lyric with a great jazzy soundtrack and the sharp, almost stark, nature of the animation works well delivering a story with more than an hint of menace, the odd Freudian slip and... It's good fun this and stay tuned for the twist at the end!