Scherzo - Verwitterte Melodie

German animator Hans Fischerkoesen was an innovative pioneer in applying special animation inventions for his country, such as three-dimensional backgrounds. Often referred as "Germany's Walt Disney", he also had the opportunity to create gorgeous art during the Nazi regime when he was commissioned by the then dictated hierarchy to create animated cartoons that were technologically equal or better than Disney's animations. The first of that batch was Weather-Beaten Melody, which focuses on a wasp that discovers an abandoned gramophone in a meadow and uses its stinger to play music throughout the fields.

As this film is executed through pantomime, possibly to make it easier for international audiences to comprehend the story without the usage of dubbing, it allows the art to speak for itself. The fields and flowers shown throughout the meadow are executed through phenomenal three-dimensional backdrops and frame by frame animation, all of which look more elaborate than they may have been otherwise in just simple flat background pans. In a way, it gives a sense of life to the multiple insects shown throughout the 10 minute runtime, all while showcasing some intricate dance choreography as each individual bug moves to the beat of the jazz. In fact, the actual bugs move in such a smooth nearly three-dimensional way that they practically predate computer generated characters before the technology was even invented. It is a shame that Fischerkoesen never had the chance to create a feature film with how much experience he had in commercial advertising and the technologies he was developing, because one can tell he would have made wonders with the right material.

Now going into the gramophone itself, perhaps the biggest theme the short indicates is the abandonment of jazz that is nonetheless resurrected in the prosperous rural life. Considering how jazz had become forbidden in Nazi Germany at the time, the insects in a way feel like symbols of an alternative secret society that was free to play the kind of music they weren't allowed to listen to at the time. Given that the particular song the wasp plays is the somewhat popular German jazz melody known as Weekend and Sunshine, it's easy to see anyone viewing this cartoon wanting to get up and dance to the beat as much as the bugs do themselves. Perhaps the jazz music and three dimensional elements are the only things that keep the short's momentum going, as the film does admittedly move at a fairly slow pace that could either make or break the patience of audiences today compared to back then. In a way, one could say that the artistry is as much of a blessing as it is a curse to the narrative in that the film stops as soon as the music does, both figuratively and literally.

Even without the context of when Weather-Beaten Melody was created, the film is still a delightful short that implements state of the art animation technology and timeless jazz music in lieu of its simple straightforward story. In many ways, one can see Fischerkoesen's fingerprints all over the film in spite of those in charge of overseeing the final product, since the cartoon feels like a tale of odd beings in their unlikely surroundings trying to bring art and beauty back into their world. As the misunderstood artist creating gorgeous work at one of the worst periods in their country's history, Fischerkoesen's legacy must never be forgotten.

Amazing. Simply amazing. The story is simple yet delightful. What is wonderful from this little gem is the use of perspective. I still wonder how they made it without computers.

Also, music and sound are very well synchronized... Our wasp friend plays with the disc and music is perfectly stopped/slowed/accelerated whenever he and the other animals interact. Insects dance, a frog taps with his hands... It is all purity and joy.

It is magnificent, really. No matter what I say, it can not make it justice. You have to see it with your own eyes... And keep in mind this was done in... 1943!!

I first saw this short animation on youtube and it jolted me out of my seat! This shall be made in 1943 in Germany?? I did not believe it at the first time! I saw it once, twice, a dozen of times! Pure art! This will even put Pixar into shame and can easily par up to Walt Disney's golden era! They used a massive 5-layer-multiplane sequence in the beginning with zooms and forward/back and left/right movements!

This was already done by Walt Disney in 1942 with the gorgeous opening-sequence of "Bambi" with a 5 multiplane-layer sequence too, but if this not enough, in this short you will see the probably first complete and seamless 360°-turn in a multiplane-sequence! Something similar was done by Disney only first in the late 1980 and early 1990 in "The great Mouse Detective" and "The Rescuers down under"... with massive computer-support (and again in 2006 in the end-sequence of "Bambi II" with CGI too).

This short was surely 50 years ahead it's time! And it was made in the darkest era in German history. If you look closely on it, you can discover a hidden message against the Nazi-dictatorship behind the seemingly harmless, playful and funny story: A lot of different species of animals work together in peace to get the music out of the old gramophone, and a lot of music-sequences that are played is jazz!

I am rarely give 10 out of 10 stars, because IMHO only the very best, the absolutely perfect movies, deserve it. This is one of this perfect movies. Not only a gem, but a perfect diamond! Unfortunately it is forgotten today, but if you can get your hands on it, see it, you will never forget it and prepare yourself to be overwhelmed by it!