The Hole

This is a very, very simply drawn cartoon that features animation that is somewhat reminiscent of the children's story books by Ezra Jack Keats. It sure isn't like Disney or Looney Toons but is a much earthier and urban style of animation. It does give it an artsy look, but I prefer traditional animation.

As for the story, two co-workers (as voiced by Dizzy Gillespie and George Mathews) talk about a wide variety of things and ultimately talk about nuclear war. These guys talk and sound like New Yorkers and are just working class guy talking. Then, suddenly, at the end, there is a bit of a shocker.

What I appreciated about the film is that Jazz great Gillespie and veteran supporting actor Mathews both seem to like each other and talk incessantly. Nothing is made about the fact that one is Black and the other is White--it's not important to them. Socially, such a casting decision was an interesting choice and the best part of the film.

What I didn't particularly like, other than the animation, was that the story itself was only okay and the talking became rather monotonous. I really wish they'd trimmed a few minutes from the thing to make it flow better. Still, it does get points for being different.

This cartoon won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short in 1962. It deserved the award and is still well worth watching almost 40 years later. It's a very simple cartoon in its execution and in the devices used to carry the action forward, but conveys its subject matter-the nature of accidents and nuclear arms-in a most compelling and engaging manner. The cartoon is fascinating and the ending will stay with most viewers a good long while. Deserves as wide an audience as possible.

Two construction workers - one Black, one White - engage in a wide-ranging discussion during their shift in THE HOLE of a New York City building project.

John & Faith Hubley (creators of MOONBIRD) strike pay dirt once more with this very engaging and thought provoking little film which makes astute observations about nuclear proliferation. The limited animation format is the perfect medium to illustrate the unscripted remarks of the two characters, voiced by Dizzy Gillespie & George Mathews.

Winner of the 1962 Oscar for Best Animated Short.

No wonder construction projects all take such a long time! This short animation sees two labourers - voiced, unscripted, by Dizzy Gillespie and George Matthews getting on, leisurely, with their subterranean industry whilst chewing the fat about just everything from politics to the threat of impending nuclear war. Meantime, the creatively inspired animators give a natural and engaging impression of trying to keep pace with their ramblings, offering us some quite sophisticated visual accompaniment at times. The pace of the drawing and of the chattering is pretty continuous and you just know that something momentous is going to finish their day off. It's maybe just a little too long, but the two gents manage demonstrate enough of a friendly, pub-style, conversation to keep it interesting.

One must consider the time. The fear of nuclear war hung over everything. We take two men and have them working underground, speculating on the future of our world. One is a bit alarmist and he other tries to put a good face on things. I thought the animation was bleak and engaging. Nice work with a harsh overtone.