Trolley Troubles

'Trolley Troubles (1927)' is a short film starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit that has been remastered and re-released on Disney+. To say this thing is nearly 100 years old, it looks fantastic, with crisp linework and a distinctly rubber hose aesthetic. The animation is satisfying and energetic. It's particularly impressive when conveying things coming towards the frame, as it creates a palpable sense of perspective that enhances the believability of its absurdist action. It's an enjoyable outing that isn't particularly complex but doesn't need to be. Some of its gags are quite clever, and it's generally fairly inventive overall. It also features one of those iconic 1920s animated cows with massive hip bones and hooves that look like feet. It's a solid effort and it's great to see it looking so good.

This is the very first of many Oswald films and like those of the first year of production, they were made by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for Universal Pictures. Later, Universal showed their appreciation for the two for making Oswald a star by threatening to cut their salaries! As a result, the two walked...and soon created Mickey Mouse and the rest is history. Considering you probably have not heard about Oswald, you can see who won out in this battle!

The form I saw this cartoon in is not the original silent version. This one had a soundtrack and sound effects added later--after STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928) revolutionized the cartoon industry by being the first with a soundtrack and synchronized sound effects. Considering that the addition was done well, it served to improve the film considerably.

While I enjoyed this film, I have scored it much lower than Disney's first independent cartoons, PLANE CRAZY and STEAMBOAT WILLIE. That's because the animation quality of TROLLEY TROUBLES is much more rough (it's amazing what a year more practice would produce) and these later films just were funnier. As for Oswald, he was okay as a character but not exactly the equal to the mouse.

Just watched this early pre-Mickey Mouse Walt Disney cartoon on YouTube. It starred Oswald the Lucky Rabbit who looks like Mickey with rabbit ears. Trolley Troubles has many amazing and funny silent cartoon gags involving the trolley, the tracks, a cow, a goat, and a crowd of passengers (all resembling Oswald). And there's a Felix-the-Cat-like gag involving the rabbit's tail. Quite amusing and well recommended for anyone interested in anything involving Walt Disney, silent cartoons, and movie history in general. Oswald's resemblance to Mickey is probably because the person who helped create both characters was one Ub Iwerks. I can hardly wait for the upcoming DVD collection of Disney Oswald shorts later this year as well as a Walter Lantz series that has some later Oswalds.

I've never been into Disney cartoons (I far prefer the Looney Tunes), but "Trolley Troubles" isn't bad. Starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (remember, this is before Mickey Mouse debuted) as a trolley conductor who has to deal with every crazy thing happening, it gives one a sense of the 1920s. Some of the gags are a little hokey, but I can't help but wonder what it must have been like to sit in a theater back then and watch this stuff happen for the first time.

If there's any downside here, it's that the characters look like minstrel performers. Of course, maybe I'm the only one who notices that. OK in a pinch. Anyway, a far cooler wascally wabbit came to cartoons in later years.

Available on YouTube.

Disney was still pretty far back in the pack of cartoon producers at this stage of the game, when Felix the Cat and Koko the Clown were still way ahead in the lead. Nor was Disney backwards about borrowing gags: this cartoon opens with Oswald polishing his trolley, which he then places on his rump as a fluffy bunny's tail: a typical Felix trick.

Despite this and some cheating in production -- the last sequence is a repeating series as the trolley goes into a number of black tunnels -- to hold down costs, there are also clear signs that Disney is still ambitious, particularly a well-composed shot from a low Point of View.

The basic situation and many of the gags are borrowed from Fontaine Fox' popular TOONERVILLE TROLLEY strip. It's not an awful variation, it's not a great one.