Toyland Broadcast

It's an MGM animated short that features many of the prominent acts of its day. The premise is a radio show from a local ABC station where toys are coming alive to perform. It's really charming and kitschy until the domestic abuse between toys. I don't know if it was funny back in the day. In The Honeymooners, Ralph keeps threatening his wife and that's hilarious. As for the Sambo Jazz Band, that's definitely a part of the times and one must overlook that part. Mostly, this is a short for its time and it's fun for the most part.

In the early days of color, a variety of color processes approximated color...but they really were NOT full color. A good example is the Two Color Technicolor system which employed a black & white strip of film overlapped with both a blue-green and orange strip. This did not result in the full spectrum of colors and everything tended to look oddly orangy greeny! So why do many of the early Disney cartoons look beautiful while the competition looked odd? Well, this is because the new Technicolor used three color strips and FINALLY looked like real color...and Disney bought a monopoly on it that lasted until mid- 1935. So, the makers of "Toyland Broadcast" could have either made the cartoon in black & white (like most of the time) or use the inferior two color systems (such as Cinecolor). The results look very strange today, that's for sure.

So what do I think of this film? Well, given that it's a Harmon/Ising Production, it's safe to say I disliked it because their cartoons for MGM and Warner Brothers tended to be very saccharine--with cute characters and often with annoying morals to the story instead of making them fun. And, this film is not particularly fun...though if you were familiar with the humans being parodied in this one (such as Paul Whiteman, Bing Crosby and Kate Smith) then you'd get more out of it. Be forewarned however, there's nothing funny to be found in this one AND there are many black characters who are walking stereotypes...the types that give folks today heart attacks!! Have you heard the expression 'an oldie but goody'? Well, it does NOT apply to "Toyland Broadcast"!!

This is an early cartoon by High Harman and Rudy Ising under their contract with MGM. They were given immense budgets for the cartoons, and they spent the money to increase value. Not only did they hire some big acts, including Jack Carr and the Brox Sisters, but they produced it in Technicolor -- the two-strip variety, since Walt Disney had a contractual monopoly on three-strip Technicolor until the next year. That's why the color pallet is limited to combinations of blue and orange.

There are a goodly number of gags, including celebrity caricatures like Paul Whiteman, Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee. Some cartoons o the era made these caricatures the entire point of the film. In this one, they're just part of the show.

Despite the good points of this cartoon, I didn't care for it. I like some snap and vinegar in my cartoons, and this is very sweet. Ising would take a few years until he began to direct cartoons that appeal to me. Harman would never do so. You, of course, may enjoy these, but I find them puerile.

Love animation, it was a big part of my life as a child, particularly Disney, Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbera, Studio Ghibli and Tom and Jerry, and still love it whether it's film, television or cartoons. With significantly broader knowledge of different directors, animation styles and studios, actually appreciate and love it even more now.

As has been said a few times already, 'Toyland Broadcast' is fairly typical of Rudolf Ising, leaning towards the cute kind of cartoon with a lot of sentiment in alternative to the laugh a minute and hilarious kind, the latter being the one that a lot seem to prefer (understandably, though am hardly biased against the former). This approach has varied with Ising. In some instances it has been very sweet and charming, in others it can be cloying and too cutesy. Generally 'Toyland Broadcast' belongs in the former category, despite the danger of falling into the latter with the premise.

'Toyland Broadcast' has a lot to like although not a great cartoon, not one to completely overlook if not a cartoon to watch repeatedly.

Yes it gets a bit too saccharine in places, like with the lyrics, and it is best perhaps to not talk about the story because there really isn't much of one. There are a few stereotypes too that even for judging it for back then are not going to fly for many and not all the characters, while charming enough, are particularly memorable.

What 'Toyland Broadcast' does so well however eclipses these problems. The animation is rich in detail for design and backgrounds, vibrant in colour and crisp. Composer for the prime-era 'Tom and Jerry' cartoons and regular Tex Avery composer Scott Bradley provides a lush and atmospheric music score.

It is hard not to fall in love with the irresistibly adorable dragon, and it has enough likeability and personality to not be dull. 'Toyland Broadcast' is rich in natural sweet charm and some very imaginative ideas and visuals. There is not much hilarious and the cartoon's hardly laugh a minute, but a good deal of it does raise a smile. The pace avoids being draggy and the parodies are great fun, though familiarity is in order.

In conclusion, nice and well made but not a masterpiece. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This animated film has some beautiful drawings that are ahead of its time. Though some parts might be considered un-politically correct by todays standards (it features golliwogs and the Sambo Jazz band), the drawings and music are beautifully done.