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.

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.

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.

I feel embarrassed with myself. All this time I've been watching below-average 1960's Looney Tunes episodes when I could have been watching Oswald the Lucky Rabbit!! This episode is more high quality than stuff I see on television nowadays (except for the fact it does not have colour)! I really enjoyed watching this, it may have been slapsticky but it was very sweet and despite some of Oswald's annoying behaviour I thought he was a good character (and those baby rabbits were SO cute!!). It is also an impressive episode considering it was made so long ago (1927 was a very early date to be making cartoons). What is also impressive is that 82 years later there are many aspects of the cartoon that can still appeal to millions of people today. If there was anything that I did not like about the cartoon it was the treatment of those poor young bunnies (You will see when you watch the episode.).

I watched a version on youtube with music composed by Robert Israel and the music managed to fit surprisingly well with the episode. The original music for the episode was made in 1931, when the once silent cartoon was re-released with sound. Even watching it in silent, the viewer can understand absolutely everything that is going on.

I recommend this episode to people who thrive on early cartoons, to people who like Mickey Mouse (for Oswald is very similar in character to the famous rodent) and to people who like watching historical cartoons (it is historical because it was so well made for the time). Enjoy "Trolley Troubles"! :-)

One of the first Oswald the Rabbit cartoons, written and directed by Walt Disney, has four minutes of gags involving Oswald trying to get his trolley going on the tracks only to his some obstacles - he has to give a cow a stern paying-his-mind to that won't get off the tracks - and then the last two minutes are sheer mayhem in the most enjoyable way from the era of 1920's cartoons.

There's little moments that stick out as being especially funny and cool, like when the train is going on its manic spring through its tunnels and then when Oswald takes off one of his legs to kiss himself goodbye, literally. The general pace of this is what keeps it entertaining, that there's something about to come every mother second. The gags are so fast that you may need to watch it a second time to catch the few good ones that you might have missed. It's mostly those final two minutes though that seals the deal for this being a fun sit as opposed to just an important but slight one. Already here Disney is primed for when he has to go forward with his own Mickey Mouse shorts.