by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea with Animation Celebration is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
During a high school composition class, I read the classic Gulliver’s Travels for a book report. I found it a slog, but was saved by the fact that my version of the book had essentially a quick summary of each chapter at the start.
It’d been a while since that first voyage, so, I figured it would be fun to give it another try in the form of the 1939 animated film. The story focuses on just one of Gulliver’s stops — when he washes up on the island of Lilliputians, where the inhabitants are tiny. It may be Gulliver who gets his name on the film, but this version really does focus mainly on the inhabitants of the island that have to deal with the unexpected and giant newcomer. Surprisingly, I was having more fun when our hero was asleep on the beach. I enjoyed this more focused version much more than I did the original novel, largely thanks to the fact I was unknowingly walking into somewhat familiar territory.
The adaptation of Jonathan Swift’s classic novel was a production of director Dave Fleischer and Fleischer Studios. Fleischer has a staggering 653 IMDb credits as a director, mostly shorts. His production company created shorts with the likes of Superman, Popeye the Sailor, and Betty Boop. (The studio’s only other feature film was Mister Bug Goes to Town, released two years later.) It even features the voice of Popeye as King Little (Jack Mercer), though most voices are uncredited. The film came just two years after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was just the second feature film ever produced using cel animation, the form of animation you likely think of when you think of “traditional” 2D.
Though, admittedly, I didn’t know the name Fleischer Studios before doing this research, it was a time when Fleischer was up there with the likes of Warner Bros. and Disney, putting out major animated content, despite Fleischer not having the same name recognition today. I never watched as much Betty Boop or Popeye as the other two, but this fits right in with the quality you’d expect from a Disney or Looney Tunes production of the time. You’ve likely seen some early animation from one of these studios, and there’s a very familiar feel to Gulliver’s Travels that just puts a smile on my face, because it takes me back to watching some of those classic cartoons when I was younger. Everything from the voices to the way characters are animated has a warm familiarity. The animation of Gulliver himself was the only thing that threw me off slightly.
It being well before the Academy began honoring animated films in their own separate categories, the film wasn’t going to be honored as a work of animated art. However, it was nominated for two Oscars, including for best song, “Faithful Forever,” and score. If you weren’t already aware, 1940 was quite the stacked year at the Academy Awards, and Gulliver’s Travels had the misfortune of losing to a small film called The Wizard of Oz in both categories. The music as a whole is greatly enjoyable, including the opening number “All’s Well,” which I liked even more than the one that Oscars recognized.
Look, this one’s pretty straightforward. If, like me, you have fond memories of this period of early animation, Gulliver’s Travels is worth checking out. Even if you don’t, the runtime (a mere 76 minutes), and the fact that it’s public domain, gives very little rationale for not giving this one a try. It’s quality work, and if you’re interested in checking out more animation, I can’t see how this one disappoints.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. Next month’s column will be coming out in the height of the holiday season and I’ve got my eye on a fantastical film from a festive feature fixture.
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